Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

The correlation between Bitcoin and gold has surged to its highest level in six years, reflecting mounting concerns over currency debasement. This development, reported by Zero Hedge, highlights a significant move in financial markets as both assets are seen as hedges against declining fiat currency value. Data from Bitwise indicates that Bitcoin’s 90-day rolling correlation with spot gold exceeded 0.5 by the end of August 2026, a level not seen since 2020. This shift suggests market participants are increasingly viewing Bitcoin alongside gold as a store of value amidst macroeconomic uncertainties.

Current market data shows gold around $4,540 per ounce, while Bitcoin fluctuates between $78,500 and $80,800. As Bitcoin shows a stronger correlation with gold, its correlation with equities, such as the Nasdaq 100, has decreased significantly, down to approximately 33% from 60% earlier in the year. This trend is consistent with a broader market sentiment that favors hard assets over traditional equities amid fears of inflation and economic instability.

The market for gold to hit $15,000 by the end of December 2026 currently reflects low odds, with YES shares priced between 1.5% and 10.5% across different sub-markets. This pricing suggests that while there is some expectation of a rise in gold prices, significant hurdles remain for reaching such a high target by year-end.

Key Takeaways The increased Bitcoin-gold correlation appears consistent with heightened concerns over currency debasement, reflecting a shift in how these assets are viewed as hedges. Gold’s correlation with equities like the Nasdaq 100 has decreased, suggesting a market preference for hard assets amid economic uncertainty. Current market odds for gold reaching $15,000 by December are low, indicating skepticism about such a significant increase within the year. What to Watch Monitor geopolitical developments and central bank policies, as these could influence the trajectory of gold prices. Key indicators include potential interest rate adjustments by the U.S. Federal Reserve and gold purchasing trends by central banks such as the PBOC. Additionally, any significant changes in ETF flows or macroeconomic indicators like U.S. CPI could impact market sentiment towards gold. The sustained correlation between Bitcoin and gold will also be a crucial factor to watch for potential shifts in market dynamics.

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American technology microcap AIxCrypto Holdings (AIXC) is fully liquidating its digital asset portfolio and winding down its crypto treasury strategy.

The company filed the corresponding amendment to its Form S-1 with the SEC on Sept. 4, 2026. The asset sell-off comes amid heavy financial losses, with management recording an unrealized loss of around 50%.

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According to its reporting as of Aug. 31, 33.49 BTC, 497.56 ETH and 6,325.92 SOL went under the knife, along with smaller positions in LINK, BNB and ADA. Notably, in its regulatory filings, AIXC separately described its XRP holdings as "immaterial" — management is clearly trying to shift investors' focus toward the fact that the main losses came from the decline of market heavyweights Bitcoin and Ethereum.

SEC filing highlighting AIxCrypto's $4.82 million digital asset liquidation, Source: US SECAfter disposing of the depreciated assets, the former pharmaceutical company plans to relaunch its business and fully pivot to the robotics market through the RoboShare platform.

This is not the first case of small-cap corporate players capitulating and realizing losses on altcoins to save their core business.

While some dismiss XRP as an "immaterial" asset, others are preparing for a Nasdaq listingTokyo-based Remixpoint previously made a similar move in the Asian market, completely clearing out its altcoin holdings — ETH, SOL, DOGE and 1.19 million XRP — to purchase energy storage systems, while retaining only Bitcoin on its balance sheet.

However, this series of isolated sell-offs reflects not panic, but a simple replacement of accidental investors with pragmatic players. While small businesses cut losses to survive operationally, institutions are changing their tactics.

During the same period, Kinetics funds disclosed direct positions in Ripple Labs' Class A preferred shares in SEC filings. Major Wall Street capital is entering the XRP ecosystem not through volatile tokens traded on exchanges, but by acquiring stakes in the issuer's business.

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Meanwhile, the leading XRP-focused treasury holding company, Evernorth (XRPN), continues to calmly hold a monumental ~473 million XRP on its balance sheet as it prepares for a Nasdaq listing through a SPAC.

In this context, it would be wrong to claim that the corporate sector has become disillusioned with digital assets. It is simply carrying out a strict optimization and getting rid of unnecessary passengers.

Circle Internet Group Inc (CRCL stock) surged more than 15% to hover above $103 ahead of today’s US jobs data release.

The crypto capitalization rose 4.15% in 24 hours, topping at 2.73 trillion early Friday.

Bitcoin price surged to over $81,000, Ethereum price stood at around $2,524, and XRP price at $1.45. Those gains added force to the demand from companies that are connected to the adoption of digital assets, one of them being the USDC issuer Circle.

US Jobs Data Drops Today; What’s Next for CRCL Stock The August employment report is released at 8.30 a.m. ET, preceding usual US equity markets.

Economists expect 56,000 payrolls, reversing July’s unexpected 23,000 decline. Unemployment level must be at 4.1, with not much momentum in hiring.

🇺🇸US JOBS DATA DROPS TODAY

The Non-Farm Employment Change drops at 8:30 AM ET.

Previous: -23K
Forecast: +56K

After a surprisingly weak July, markets are expecting a rebound in hiring.

This is one of the biggest macro releases for Bitcoin today.

A major miss could strengthen… pic.twitter.com/OoEKBdFqqv

— That Martini Guy ₿ (@MartiniGuyYT) September 4, 2026

Any payroll miss would rekindle expectations of rate cuts and undermine Treasury yields or the dollar.

Nonetheless, a robust reading may boost yields and the dollar, straining speculative assets.

Unemployment of less than 4.0% to some traders is considered bullish, whereas 4.1% can receive a weak response.

REMINDER:

🇺🇸 Unemployment Rate will be released at 8:30 AM ET, right before the U.S. market opens:

If Rate < 4.0% → bullish for markets
If Rate = 4.1% → markets will stay flat
If Rate > 4.2% → bearish for markets

All eyes are on the release today!! pic.twitter.com/2NnO2Z6NDj

— ᴛʀᴀᴄᴇʀ (@DeFiTracer) September 4, 2026

A reading of above 4.2% can provoke growth worries, but less virulent policy anticipations can ameliorate losses.

CLARITY Act Boosts Sentiment Crypto strength favoring Circle is that the USDC activity and reserve economics have a bearing on the earnings.

Circle makes significant profits through interest on reserves in support of USDC, which connects outcomes to rates and circulations.

Greater activity can lead to a greater use of networks and strengthening distribution alliances with the company.

The increased market will enhance transactions, liquidity, and institutional demand of regulated stablecoins.

Another stimulus came in the form of regulatory expectations with the CLARITY Act coming before a Senate vote. A cloture vote is scheduled for September 15 and needs 60 votes.

The bill would not pass the vote, but it would be possible to approve federal market-structure rules.

Better defined SEC and CFTC roles can lead to less uncertainty among exchanges, issuers, and blockchain enterprises.

In the case of Circle, broader regulatory assurance would favor USDC adoption, but distinct regulations currently govern stablecoins. The measure can still be held up by congressional scheduling and policy wrangles.

CRCL Stock Price Outlook: Will Bulls Push Higher? The CRCL stock is being resisted at around $105 and profit taking may commence just after the quick upsurge.

A confirmed break above $105 might reveal $110 and $120 in case the crypto momentum and volume are good.

To maintain the breakout and constructive short-term structure, bulls would need to defend $100.

CRCL stock The next support is around $95 below $100, which also precedes the $88.60 closing area on Thursday.

A drop in volume or rejection that could be below $100 would undermine the setup and promote caution.

Crypto-linked stocks jumped sharply as Bitcoin moved back above $81,000 and Ethereum climbed above $2,500. Strategy (MSTR) led the rally, rising 17.56% to close at $144.82, helped by its latest Bitcoin purchase and bullish Wall Street ratings. 

Meanwhile, Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), one of the largest corporate holders of Ethereum, also surged more than 15%.

Strategy MSTR Stock Jumps 17.5%Sentiment turned bullish after Michael Saylor’s Strategy ended its 10-week buying pause and purchased 4,603 BTC for $370 million.

The company also spent $151.8 million buying back 1,557,177 STRC preferred shares, while $50.7 million went toward STRC dividend payments and another $30 million was added to cash reserves.

Following this, Bitcoin price jumped over 6%, and that gave MSTR stock another boost as investors continued to use the stock for exposure to Bitcoin.

Strategy received another boost from its partnership with Google Cloud, which includes a seven-city U.S. executive forum series focused on enterprise AI and secure database tools. The partnership adds a business growth angle beyond Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, B. Riley Securities raised its MSTR price target to $175, pointing to the long-term value of Strategy’s Bitcoin-focused treasury strategy.

Bitmine (BMNR) Stocks Jump 15% as ETH Price RallyMSTR is not the only crypto-linked stock gaining momentum. Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) shares jumped 14.70% to close at $26.45 as investors focused on the company’s growing Ethereum holdings.

While Strategy has become the leading corporate proxy for Bitcoin, BMNR is building a similar position around Ethereum. Last week, the company bought 53,501 ETH for $131.3 million, marking its largest purchase push since June.

The latest buying increased Bitmine’s total Ethereum holdings to 5.90 million ETH, bringing its total digital asset and cash holdings to around $15.6 billion. The company is also targeting ownership of 4.9% to 5% of Ethereum’s total circulating supply.

$4B Buyback Plan Adds to BMNR’s MomentumBMNR is also expanding its stock buyback plan. The company approved a fourfold increase in its share repurchase authorization to $4 billion, giving it more room to support its stock while growing its Ethereum treasury.

Its recent uplisting to the New York Stock Exchange has also helped attract deeper institutional liquidity, with its market-to-net asset value (mNAV) ratio currently around 0.94x.

Meanwhile, Ethereum also gained momentum, rising 5.5% to trade above $2,528. The ETH rally, combined with BMNR’s continued buying, is giving investors another reason to watch the Ethereum-focused company.

Story Ends Here

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Bitcoin Has No Label but Its Closest Rival Is Gold, BlackRock Exec Says

Bitcoin

4 September 2026 | 16:44 Bitcoin fell below $80,000 and Ethereum slipped under $2,500 after unexpectedly strong US employment data increased the prospect of tighter Federal Reserve policy.

Key Takeaways US payroll growth sharply exceeded expectations. Bitcoin retreated below the $80,000 level. Ethereum fell back beneath $2,500. Stronger employment raised interest-rate risk. August inflation remains the decisive test. Crypto reverses as payroll growth surprises markets Crypto prices gave back part of their earlier advance after the latest US employment report challenged expectations that monetary policy could soon become less restrictive.

Bitcoin traded near $79,440 at the time of writing, according to CoinMarketCap data, putting it back below $80,000. Ethereum fell to approximately $2,454 and surrendered the $2,500 level.

Zcash fell below $1,000 after the sharp advance examined in this recent Zcash price analysis. XRP, Solana and Chainlink were also lower in CoinMarketCap’s short-term reading. However, Bitcoin, Ethereum and several other assets remained positive over the preceding 24 hours.

The market was therefore reversing part of an earlier advance rather than entering a full-day collapse. That distinction matters after the broad recovery examined in the recent crypto market rally analysis. Holding that recovery now requires Bitcoin to reclaim $80,000 despite the increase in expected borrowing costs.

Broader crypto market

XRP

$1.41 – dropping from $1.46

Solana

$101.5

Zcash

$977

Chainlink

$11.6

US employers added 162,000 jobs in August The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 162,000 in August. Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected an increase of only 56,000.

Earlier estimates were also revised upward. June’s gain increased from 20,000 to 31,000, while July changed from a reported loss of 23,000 jobs to a gain of 21,000. The revisions added a combined 55,000 positions to the previous two months.

Unemployment remained at 4.1%, and labor-force participation edged up from 61.4% to 61.6%. Together, those figures showed that the labor market had performed considerably better than investors anticipated.

Wages supplied the report’s main moderating detail. Average hourly earnings increased by 0.3% during August and 3.1% from a year earlier. Stronger hiring therefore did not arrive with a new acceleration in annual wage growth.

Why the payroll surprise pressured crypto Employment data reach crypto through monetary policy rather than through Bitcoin’s underlying network or adoption. A resilient labor market gives the Federal Reserve more room to concentrate on inflation without needing to support employment by holding rates down.

That possibility can push short-term Treasury yields higher as traders demand greater returns from bonds maturing around future policy decisions. Higher yields make government debt more competitive with riskier assets, while tighter borrowing conditions increase the cost of maintaining leveraged positions.

The dollar can also strengthen when investors expect US rates to stay elevated. Because cryptocurrencies trade globally against the dollar, a stronger currency can make dollar-denominated assets more expensive for buyers outside the United States and produce less favorable liquidity conditions.

The synchronized decline across major tokens was consistent with a broader repricing of US interest-rate risk.

Warsh and Waller have left September unresolved That repricing matters because Federal Reserve officials entered the employment report divided over whether persistent inflation justified another increase.

Chair Kevin Warsh placed a September hike firmly in consideration during his official Jackson Hole address. Warsh said policymakers must be confident that inflation is returning to the 2% objective at sufficient speed. Otherwise, he said, the Fed had “work to do.”

Governor Christopher Waller took a more patient position in his September 3 remarks. He said recent inflation readings showed signs of improvement and that he would be inclined to support holding rates steady if the trend continued.

Waller nevertheless left room to vote for a hike if the August inflation data showed that the improvement had been temporary. He also said inflation, rather than employment, would heavily influence his decision because economic activity and the labor market were already in satisfactory condition.

Argument for raising rates

Strong employment gives the Fed room to address inflation without responding to immediate weakness in the labor market.

Argument for holding rates

Continued progress on inflation could justify waiting another meeting instead of tightening policy immediately.

The employment release gives officials favoring tighter policy additional support, but it does not settle the meeting.

Futures markets nevertheless leaned toward a hike. At the time of writing, the CME FedWatch Tool assigned a 60.2% probability to a 25-basis-point increase on September 16, which would lift the target range from 3.50%-3.75% to 3.75%-4.00%. The remaining 39.8% pointed to no change, with no probability assigned to a rate reduction.

CME FedWatch probabilities for the September 16, 2026 meeting. Captured September 4, 2026. FedWatch calculates its probabilities from 30-day federal funds futures, so the figures reflect market positioning rather than a Federal Reserve forecast. The 60.2% reading is the market’s pre-CPI baseline and could change substantially after the August inflation report.

August CPI becomes the key remaining test The next two dates

September 11: The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the August Consumer Price Index.

September 16: The Federal Reserve announces its decision after a two-day policy meeting.

A firm CPI reading would combine persistent price pressure with employment strong enough to give policymakers room to respond. That combination would reinforce expectations for a hike and could keep pressure on crypto through higher yields, a stronger dollar and more expensive leverage.

Softer inflation would weaken that interpretation. It would allow officials such as Waller to argue that price pressures are easing without help from another increase, even as employment remains stable.

Bitcoin’s first test is whether it can reclaim and hold $80,000 after the initial repricing. CPI will then show whether the 60.2% hike probability has room to rise or whether easing inflation can revive the interrupted crypto recovery.

The article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

Author

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

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.

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Trump: Strong jobs data, yet the stock market is falling, and high interest rates are the culprit.

Trump released a post stating: "We just got outstanding jobs data. The market should rally given our improved credit and economic conditions, but as has been the case over the past 25 years, the stock market is falling anyway. This is because we live in a false reality where if things go well, we must 'kill it' out of 'fear' of inflation. It should be the opposite, and that is how things operated until 25 years ago. If we cling to this theory, we will never achieve the real economic prosperity our country deserves, because every time we perform well, foolish people immediately want to halt this positive upward momentum. Growth does not cause inflation! This morning, as soon as I saw these strong jobs numbers, I knew the market should have skyrocketed, but instead it dropped. Our GDP growth rate should be 15% to 20%, not 2%, 3% or 4%; the U.S. should be far more financially robust than it is now. Debt should be repaid, and all sorts of other benefits should be realized. Remember, every one percentage point increase in interest rates costs the U.S. $650 billion annually. We should adopt the lowest interest rates in the world, because we keep everything running and bring massive economic wealth to countries that might otherwise be struggling!"

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US stocks have maintained low volatility for 25 consecutive days, marking the longest such stretch since May 1992.

According to market data, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), the benchmark gauge for U.S. stock market volatility tied to the S&P 500, has closed in the 14 to 17 point range for 25 consecutive trading days — the longest such stretch since May 1992. Over the past 34 years, the only comparable period occurred in 2025, with the streak lasting 24 trading days. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has not posted a decline of at least -1.0% across 26 consecutive trading days, leaving the market in an unusually calm phase.

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Hyperliquid will cut the minimum order notional amount for its prediction markets from $10 to $1.

Hyperliquid announced that in its upcoming network upgrade, it will lower the minimum notional amount for outcome orders (prediction market result token orders) from $10 to $1. Meanwhile, deployers will be able to query their remaining quota via the outcomeDeployerLimits information request interface.

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Anthropic’s strategic deployment of in-house payment technology could erode Stripe’s market share.

Beating AI Express (from Dongcha) reports: Recent job postings reveal that Anthropic is planning to develop more in-house billing, fraud detection, and other financial infrastructure, while evaluating which payment-related services can be built internally instead of relying on external service providers. The postings show Anthropic has not yet finalized decisions on whether to further develop its own tools in areas including payments, billing, and tax processing, or continue procuring solutions from external providers. One senior software engineer position focused on billing requires assisting the company with technical selection: determining which business lines will continue development on external provider platforms, and which scenarios necessitate building their own underlying foundational modules around those external platforms.

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Analyst: Bitcoin successfully retested the long-term descending trend line, and its monthly chart needs to hold above $76,000.

Prominent crypto analyst Rekt Capital notes that Bitcoin has successfully retested its macro downtrend line as support, with this line aligning closely with the highs from April-May 2026. Current price levels indicate the retest is initially valid. Rekt Capital also states that to avoid a shift into a downtrend, BTC must prevent its monthly closing price from falling below the downtrend line (approximately $761.87 million), as this could form an upper wick and weaken its breakout potential.

5 minutes ago

Tesla’s intraday price fell more than 6% as its Cybercab launch failed to meet expectations.

According to market data from BIT (bit.com), Tesla’s intraday price dropped as much as 6.3%. The highly anticipated Cybercab event held Thursday evening delivered far less substance than Wall Street had expected. Tesla’s stock had risen 5.4% ahead of the Thursday event, with analysts noting that a strong presentation could have reversed the stock’s upward momentum. The electric vehicle maker has staked its future on a shift toward physical AI, including autonomous driving and robotics.

5 minutes ago

Most coverage of Monero focuses on getting into it. The reverse direction gets less attention and is arguably more practical, because at some point most holders want to convert privacy assets back into something more liquid. 

Moving XMR back into Bitcoin is straightforward, but the options have narrowed and the trade-offs are worth understanding.

Why the reverse trade is harder than it should be Getting Bitcoin is easy. Nearly every venue lists it. Getting rid of Monero is where people run into friction, because the same delisting wave that removed XMR from major exchanges also removed the obvious exit route.

More than seventy exchanges have delisted Monero since 2024, and European regulation is expected to restrict privacy assets at regulated venues by 2027. A holder who acquired XMR two years ago through a centralised exchange may find that the exchange no longer supports trading out of it.

This has made non-custodial swaps the practical default for the reverse direction rather than a niche alternative.

How to exchange Monero for Bitcoin The mechanics mirror the forward trade. You exchange Monero to Bitcoin by selecting the pair, providing a Bitcoin destination address, and sending your XMR to the deposit address generated for that swap. Settlement typically takes under ten minutes once the Monero transaction confirms.

Four details worth getting right:

Rate type. Floating settles at the market rate when your coins arrive. Fixed locks the rate upfront for a small premium. Monero can be volatile, so on a large trade the fixed rate is usually the sensible choice. Destination accuracy. Your Bitcoin address must be correct. Blockchain transactions cannot be reversed. Refund address. Always set one. If the swap cannot be completed at the quoted terms, your Monero is returned there rather than leaving you to open a support ticket. One exception is worth knowing about: a deposit that the licensed liquidity partner’s automated screening flags can be held pending review, and that is a manual process rather than an automatic return. Confirmation time. Monero requires around ten network confirmations, which takes roughly twenty minutes. Factor that into your timing rather than assuming the swap has stalled. A note on what changes when you convert back Worth understanding clearly: converting Monero into Bitcoin moves value from a private ledger to a public one. The Bitcoin you receive lands at an address on a transparent chain, and its subsequent movements are publicly visible like any other Bitcoin.

The Monero side of the transaction remains private, and the swap does not publish a link between your XMR and the Bitcoin you receive. But the Bitcoin itself behaves like Bitcoin from that point forward. People sometimes assume that passing through Monero permanently anonymises the output, and that is not an accurate way to think about it.

Rates, fees and liquidity XMR to BTC is one of the more liquid privacy-coin pairs, so spreads are usually reasonable. Two costs apply: the service fee, quoted upfront, and network fees on both chains. Monero network fees are typically low. Bitcoin fees depend on congestion and can matter on smaller trades.

Because liquidity for Monero has thinned at custodial venues, check on larger trades that the quoted output amount is the amount that actually lands, and that no further deduction appears at settlement.

Rotating in both directions Many holders do not treat this as a one-way decision. A common pattern is to hold a working balance in Bitcoin for liquidity and rotate a portion into Monero when they want that portion to stop being publicly readable, then convert back when they need to transact at scale.

Both directions run through the same mechanism. Services such as GhostSwap support the full round trip, and moving in the other direction to swap Bitcoin to Monero follows an identical process.

Summary Converting Monero back into Bitcoin takes minutes through a non-custodial swap and does not require an account. Set a refund address, verify the destination, allow for Monero’s confirmation time, and use a fixed rate if the amount is large enough that a price move during settlement would matter. The exit route from Monero has narrowed at custodial venues, but it has not closed.

The cryptocurrency market experienced a significant rally on Friday, September 4, 2026, as a major short squeeze unfolded and key regulatory news broke from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Data from CoinGlass indicated that 105,019 traders saw positions worth $566.90 million liquidated in the past 24 hours, with $478.91 million of these from short positions. The total crypto market capitalization reached $2.711 trillion, expanding to $2.82 trillion when derivatives are included.

Regulatory action reshapes crypto landscapeThe SEC issued Order No. 34-106268, granting Nasdaq Texas, LLC accelerated approval to amend Rule 5711(d) to define “digital commodity” in its rules, legalize actively managed crypto strategies, and permit ETFs to hold up to 15% of their net asset value in instruments that initially do not meet strict eligibility criteria.

In the order, the SEC named Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), and XRP as digital commodities that currently qualify for inclusion in these products. This represents a formal acknowledgment within the exchange’s governance framework, though it does not carry the force of law nationwide.

The SEC’s move follows a wave of decisions from 2025 and 2026, including the September 2025 reduction of crypto ETP approval times from 240 days to 75 days and a March 2026 joint SEC and CFTC interpretation that classified a group of cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, AVAX, DOGE, SHIB, and LINK, as commodities.

In June, regulators cleared T. Rowe Price’s multi-asset crypto ETF, TKNZ, which can flexibly rotate holdings among these coins.

Despite this momentum, legal certainty remains pending. The Senate will hold a vote on the CLARITY Act on September 15, while the House of Representatives has signaled potential delays after canceling its September legislative sessions. The National Sheriffs’ Association, in a recent letter, withdrew objections to DeFi, adopting a neutral position and reducing some lobbying pressure. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse commented, “Making America the crypto capital of the world is within reach — let’s finish the job.”

Making America the crypto capital of the world is within reach — let’s finish the job.

Market rally driven by economic data and ETFsThe rally followed comments by Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, who pointed to ongoing disinflation and supported stable interest rates at the Fed’s upcoming meeting. This calmed some market tensions, while the Japanese yen strengthened 2% amid speculation about a rate hike from Japan’s central bank.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $730.87 million in daily inflows, with BlackRock’s IBIT contributing $454 million and pushing total BTC fund assets above $103.34 billion—equivalent to 6.32% of all Bitcoin in circulation. Ethereum ETFs gained $141.24 million, leading to $115.08 million in ETH short liquidations.

Zcash soars 2,300% on AI privacy demand and ETF inclusionZcash (ZEC) climbed 94% over the last 30 days and more than 2,300% in the past year, driven by a sharp short squeeze and renewed privacy concerns as artificial intelligence technology advances. CoinGlass reported $36.46 million in forced ZEC liquidations, nearly all from short positions, with open interest reaching $2.3 billion.

The introduction of OpenAI’s GPT-6 Astra model, which scored 98.6% on the ARC-AGI-3 benchmark and enables fully autonomous computer operation, sparked further investor attention. After AI agents were found to have made over 15,000 unauthorized edits to the DseWiki database in Germany, privacy-focused investors looked to Zcash’s zero-knowledge technology as a protective measure against automated surveillance.

In parallel, Nasdaq’s new 15% net asset value buffer rule allowed asset managers to buy ZEC for regulated multi-asset funds, further fueling the short squeeze.

Mini dictionary: Zero-knowledge technology refers to cryptographic protocols that allow one party to prove to another that a statement is true without revealing any information beyond the validity of the statement itself. Zcash employs this technology to provide enhanced privacy for blockchain transactions.

Institutional flows and industry restructuringSpot XRP ETFs continued their inflow streak to 11 sessions, accumulating a total of $1.68 billion, with $6.14 million added in a single day. Daily liquidations for XRP stayed modest at $11.39 million. RLUSD stablecoin supply on the XRP Ledger surpassed $1 billion, and the network received approval from the Bank for International Settlements to record official statistics.

On-chain data revealed large-scale Ethereum sales, with one institution selling 29,735 ETH valued at $72.1 million. Abraxas Capital maintained a $291.4 million short hedge on Hyperliquid, and Multicoin Capital transferred 150,000 HYPE tokens, worth $12.8 million, to Coinbase.

The sector also saw ongoing risk management and listing adjustments. After a $1.7 million exploit at Notional Finance, Binance placed AVA, GNS, SCR, and TOWNS under a Monitoring Tag, and announced the listing of MarsCoin (MARSCOIN) with a Seed Tag. KuCoin and Kraken are set to follow with their own reviews on September 7 and 11, respectively.

This period of explosive growth represents a shift toward maturity as major crypto assets like BTC, ETH, SOL, and XRP channel liquidity through regulated ETF products.

The bitcoin-to-gold ratio climbed above 18, its highest level since January, though analysts noted that historic ETF inflows often precede local corrections. September seasonality—dubbed “Rektember” by traders—is considered a significant risk ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting and the Senate’s CLARITY Act vote, both scheduled for the middle of the month.

Asset30-day Performance (%)1-year Performance (%)ETF Inflows (Latest, $ million)Zcash (ZEC)942,300Included in new ETF allocationXRPN/AN/A6.14 (daily), 1,680 (cumulative)Bitcoin (BTC)N/AN/A730.87 (daily), 454 from BlackRock IBITEthereum (ETH)N/AN/A141.24

A significant amount of Bitcoin linked to the 2026 Coldcard hardware wallet theft has surfaced after being dormant, as blockchain analytics provider Bitquery tracked the movement of 20.5 BTC through THORChain into Ethereum. This marks a notable development in the ongoing investigation into the high-profile crypto theft.

Coldcard theft funds make active cross-chain moveThe transfer began on September 2, when 20.49703196 BTC left a previously identified address associated with what Bitquery describes as “Wave 3” of the Coldcard incident. After passing through two fresh intermediary Bitcoin addresses—both emptied during the process—the funds started a complex journey involving cross-chain swaps.

Bitquery classified the source address as “reported,” indicating it is tied to the known case but falls short of their most-verified category. The identities of those controlling the funds remain unknown, leaving investigators without clear suspects.

The activity shifted the investigation from long-inactive stolen Bitcoin to an active cross-chain trail, as Bitquery tracked the coins moving from Bitcoin to Ethereum networks for the first time since the theft occurred.

Researchers have stated that, until this movement, most of the stolen Bitcoin had remained untouched for an extended period, further obscuring the origins and intentions of the individuals involved.

Traced Bitcoin funneled through THORChain swapsTHORChain, a decentralized cross-chain protocol enabling the swap of crypto assets between various blockchain networks, processed a series of 34 swaps on September 2 and 3. These operations transferred 20.45 BTC into the Ethereum network.

Bitquery’s full tracking registers a total of 20.69 BTC swapped across 36 operations, including two earlier swaps on August 2 worth 0.24 BTC in total. The bulk of the assets—20.15 BTC—found their way to a single Ethereum address via 26 swaps, while another 0.3 BTC ended up at a second address through eight additional swaps. Two further swaps from August directed funds to a third Ethereum address.

Records show THORChain swap memos specified the primary destination address for the September flows. When checked at 16:15 UTC on September 3, the main recipient Ethereum address contained approximately 649.5 ETH and had not shown any outgoing transactions. By 17:25 UTC, new activity reduced the balance by around 5 ETH, marking the first outbound transaction since receiving the funds.

Mini dictionary: THORChain is a decentralized liquidity protocol that allows users to swap assets across different blockchains without relying on centralized exchanges, providing cross-chain interoperability.

Swap DateTotal BTC SwappedNumber of SwapsMain Ethereum Address ETH ChangeSeptember 2-320.45 BTC34649.5 ETH to 644.5 ETHAugust 20.24 BTC2Separate addressMajority of stolen Bitcoin remains untouchedDespite the recent activity, most of the Bitcoin stolen in the Coldcard breach remains unmoved. At block 965,339, investigators reported that 1,402.59 BTC were still sitting in addresses identified as connected to the theft. Of these, 1,396.33 BTC had never left their original theft addresses, reinforcing the opacity around the ultimate disposition of the majority of stolen assets.

Blockchain datasets partition the Coldcard heist into several “waves” by block data. Waves 1 through 3 are tracked separately from a fourth wave involving 64.90373764 BTC. Bitquery and researchers at Galaxy Research caution that blockchain evidence alone cannot determine whether the thefts share a single perpetrator or group.

Galaxy Research, a digital asset and blockchain analytics firm, estimates the total loss from the Coldcard hardware wallet theft at over 1,700 BTC. The status of the main Ethereum address tied to September’s swaps remains under surveillance, with a balance of about 644.5 ETH, while the vast majority of the stolen Bitcoin remains classified as dormant.

Researchers including Galaxy Research maintain they cannot confirm whether individual or collective responsibility lies behind every wave of the Coldcard wallet theft, underscoring continued uncertainty for investigators.

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.

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Bitcoin surged above $82,000 on Thursday, marking a strong upward move for the leading cryptocurrency. Data from CoinGecko indicated a 4% price rise over the past 24 hours, while monthly gains approached 26%. Despite its rally, Bitcoin approached resistance at the $82,100 level.

Upward momentum amid improved sentimentThe latest rally follows several weeks of positive moves across the crypto market. Late in August, the market responded enthusiastically after US President Donald Trump hosted a White House event focused on cryptocurrencies. This development was seen as a signal of growing political support for digital assets, boosting investor confidence.

Concurrently, the US Treasury announced increased government bond buybacks, injecting liquidity into financial markets. Higher liquidity is often viewed as a catalyst for both traditional and digital assets like Bitcoin.

However, shortly after these events, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh gave a hawkish speech at the Jackson Hole meeting, warning that inflation remained a risk. His statements led to speculation about potential interest rate hikes, which triggered a brief crypto market correction.

Bitcoin’s recent upward drive accelerated after Treasury yields declined. Additionally, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller suggested that rates may remain unchanged if inflation continues to cool, further elevating risk appetite among investors.

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller stated, if inflation readings stay favorable, the bank may keep interest rates steady, and could consider reductions should inflation undershoot expectations.

Market participants are now speculating that Bitcoin could test the $90,000 threshold if softer inflation data leads policymakers to cut rates.

Potential risks to Bitcoin’s rallyDespite Bitcoin’s gains, analysts caution that several risks remain. Crypto markets are inherently volatile, and the recent advances were at least partly driven by the Treasury’s increased bond repurchases, which have provided temporary liquidity. Eventually, the Treasury is expected to replenish its reserves, which could withdraw liquidity from both traditional and crypto markets, potentially putting downward pressure on prices.

Inflation trends remain central to market dynamics. Should inflation surprise on the upside, the Federal Reserve may be compelled to hike interest rates. Higher borrowing costs typically reduce the appeal of riskier assets, including Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

While enthusiasm has returned to the crypto sector, many investors remain mindful that any shift in monetary policy or a reversal in liquidity conditions could quickly impact digital asset prices.

The coming weeks may provide clarity on whether Bitcoin can build on its latest gains, or if shifting macroeconomic conditions will prompt another correction.

El Salvador used no public resources to accumulate Bitcoin after the first review of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing program in June 2025, according to the lender. 

In a Thursday statement, the IMF said documents supplied by Salvadoran authorities verified that the accumulation came from private donations. According to the lender, the increase in El Salvador’s holdings therefore did not reflect additional Bitcoin purchases financed with government resources. 

The IMF also said majority ownership and operational control of the Chivo wallet had been transferred to a private operator, while the government retained a minority stake and custodial responsibilities. It said no further accumulation beyond documented donations is expected. 

The explanation addresses how El Salvador’s holdings grew after the first review, after the country said in November 2025 that it had acquired 1,090 BTC worth $100 million, renewing questions about compliance with its $1.4 billion IMF program. 

Bitcoin additions repeatedly raised questionsIn December 2024, El Salvador agreed to limit public-sector involvement in Bitcoin under the IMF package. The agreement made private-sector Bitcoin acceptance voluntary, required taxes to be paid in US dollars and called for government involvement in Chivo to be unwound. 

In March 2025, the IMF issued new documents barring “voluntary accumulation” of Bitcoin by the public sector. President Nayib Bukele responded that the purchases were “not stopping” and said El Salvador would keep adding at least one BTC daily.

Since then, El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office has often posted that it has continued to accumulate Bitcoin. In July 2025, the IMF offered an initial explanation, saying no new Bitcoin had been purchased since the December agreement. It attributed increases to consolidation among government wallets. 

The November announcement reopened the issue. An IMF representative previously told Cointelegraph that the lender would not provide “running commentary” on announcements and would assess compliance in due course.

According to the National Bitcoin Office’s official reserve tracker, El Salvador currently holds about 7,764 Bitcoin. At BTC’s current price of $80,900, according to CoinGecko, the stockpile is worth about $628 million. The balance remains higher than before the IMF agreement, reflecting additions attributed by the IMF to private donations. 

Magazine: El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment turns 5: ‘It was for us, not them’

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.

Pocket Bitcoin said on Sept. 3 that its August security incident exposed additional personal and financial information involving 5,411 customers, expanding the scope described in its initial disclosure.

Summary

Pocket Bitcoin confirmed that two exposed data groups contained records involving 5,411 customers in total. Bank transaction lists exposed names, addresses, transfer amounts, dates and sometimes customer IBAN account numbers. Another 291 customers faced possible exposure of identity documents, Bitcoin addresses and sensitive funding records. Pocket said its customer databases, transaction systems, private keys and customer Bitcoin remained directly unaffected. Authorities in Switzerland and Liechtenstein received notifications, while Pocket also formally filed a police report. The Swiss Bitcoin services provider identified two distinct groups after completing its forensic investigation. One contained bank transaction information involving 5,120 customers. The other covered correspondence containing potentially more sensitive records from 291 customers.

Pocket Bitcoin breach exposed two data groups The larger group consisted of transaction lists that partner banks sent to Pocket Bitcoin during compliance checks. Those lists contained customer names, residential addresses, transfer amounts and transaction dates. Some also included the IBAN connected to a transfer.

⚠️ Update zum Sicherheitsvorfall bei Pocket Bitcoin

Unsere Untersuchung ist abgeschlossen.
Dabei hat sich gezeigt, dass in einzelnen Fällen weitere Daten betroffen sind als in unserem ersten Beitrag beschrieben.

Wir haben dazu zwei betroffene Gruppen identifiziert. https://t.co/XASbu1wTQH

— PocketBitcoin.com 🏦👉🔑 (@PocketBitcoin) September 3, 2026 The smaller group involved correspondence Pocket Bitcoin sent to partner banks. Depending on the customer, the exposed material included names, postal addresses, public Bitcoin addresses, identity document copies and source-of-funds records.

The company said the information appeared in different combinations, meaning every customer in the 291-person group did not necessarily have every listed data type exposed. Pocket Bitcoin has contacted affected customers individually with details about their cases.

The two groups cover 5,411 customers combined. Other customers may have had email addresses or support conversations exposed under the company’s original disclosure, but Pocket said those without a new personal notification should continue relying on that initial notice.

Core databases and customer Bitcoin were unaffected Pocket Bitcoin said attackers did not compromise its main customer or transaction databases. Instead, the records came from correspondence and bank-generated lists stored in a copied backup within the affected support system.

This distinction explains why data resembling transaction and identity records was exposed even though the underlying databases remained secure. The affected support material contained copies of information produced or received during regulatory compliance procedures.

Pocket Bitcoin operates as a noncustodial service and does not hold customers’ private keys. The company said Bitcoin balances were never accessible to the attacker, while buying and selling services continue to operate normally.

A disclosed Bitcoin address cannot authorize a transfer. However, linking a public address to a customer’s identity may allow another person to inspect its visible blockchain activity. Pocket noted that moving Bitcoin cannot erase the address’s existing transaction history.

Exposed records create physical phishing risks Pocket Bitcoin said it currently has no indication that the exposed information has been misused. That statement reflects information available after its investigation and does not guarantee that misuse will not occur later.

“As things stand, we have no indication that any of the affected information has been misused,” Pocket Bitcoin said.

The company identified forged letters and other physical communications as particular risks because names and postal addresses were included. A fraudster could refer to a genuine bank transfer or Bitcoin transaction to make an impersonation attempt appear credible.

Email addresses and login credentials were not linked to the two newly identified data groups, according to Pocket Bitcoin. The company therefore said it does not see a direct targeted email-phishing risk arising specifically from those records.

The incident follows several disclosures involving customer information held outside core crypto systems. As crypto.news reported, three recent breaches exposed 253,487 records, raising concerns that residential and transaction data could support phishing or physical targeting years later.

A separate August incident at Bits of Gold potentially exposed customer identity, banking and wallet information through a third-party system. That investigation similarly found that customer funds and passwords remained unaffected.

Pocket Bitcoin notified regulators and police Pocket Bitcoin reported the incident to Switzerland’s Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner and Liechtenstein’s Data Protection Office. It also filed a police report but did not identify the suspected attacker or provide details about the investigation.

The company said the vulnerability behind the incident has been closed and additional safeguards have been installed. It is reviewing how bank correspondence and related compliance records are stored and transferred.

Pocket expects to publish more information about those changes in the coming weeks. It does not expect to identify further exposure categories, although it said it would notify customers if later findings changed that assessment.

Affected users should monitor bank activity and treat unexpected letters, calls or messages cautiously. Pocket Bitcoin said it will never ask customers to disclose a seed phrase or transfer Bitcoin through an unsolicited telephone call or letter.

The questions surrounding whether Bitcoin [BTC] can maintain its bullish push have become more pressing lately. Especially as the crypto surged past $80,000 over the last 24 hours. 

The timing is interesting because the market has been flashing mixed signals over whether demand is returning and a rebound is taking shape, or whether this is a local high that could lead to a drawdown.

Inactivity may be good for Bitcoin According to Alphractal, Bitcoin’s 1-year active supply recently dropped to a low of 7.49 million. 

The metric represents how much Bitcoin is active in the market. When the supply falls significantly, it suggests that fewer Bitcoin are being moved from their wallets.

Typically, when there’s a decline to this level over a 12-month period, it alludes to a strong willingness among investors to hold. The same is often driven by expectations of a rally in the near to long term.

Source: Alphractal Now, while this doesn’t confirm a bottom for Bitcoin, other factors did seem to hint at a gradual shift in market dynamics.

Bitcoin’s exchange reserves, according to CryptoQuant, fell after reaching a local peak of 2.73 million on 17th August. It had dropped to 2.70 million at the time of writing.

A decline in BTC balances across exchanges means there is less Bitcoin available to be sold on the market. This could, to some extent, protect the price from a sudden crash.

Is there a bottom signal? There’s no clear sign that the bottom for BTC is in yet. However, there are still some worrying signs for the world’s largest cryptocurrency.

For instance, recent data indicated that while market activity has been subdued, Bitcoin’s rally has faced significant sell pressure. Sellers offloaded roughly $1.2 billion worth of BTC between 23rd August and 1st September, averaging about $120 million in daily sales.

That’s not all either. Bitcoin’s apparent demand also flipped negative over the last 24 hours, suggesting that distribution may be ongoing.

Source: CryptoQuant Finally, CryptoQuant also revealed that netflows saw roughly 127,940 Bitcoin exit exchanges. This alluded to weaker demand and a gradual hike in available supply.

Now, while this remains a key threat to the price, a previous analysis from AMBCrypto suggested that the $76,000-level will remain a key test for BTC. It could determine whether the market sees another decline. Despite the cryptocurrency’s recent foray past $80,000.

For now, sellers are using the recent rally to take profits. All while the market shows no clear confirmation of a Bitcoin bull run.

Final Summary Bitcoin’s falling 1-year active supply and exchange reserves hinted that investors may be holding onto their BTC. Hike in sell pressure and negative apparent demand leaves the $76,000-level as a key test for Bitcoin.

Fidelity believes that while Bitcoin's strong August rally and other factors offer reasons for optimism, none confirm that the bear market has ended.

Bitcoin, once again, climbed above $80,000 after surging by 4.3% on Friday. The recent strength comes as a welcome change, as the crypto market spent much of the third quarter under pressure before a sharp rally in late August changed the tone. BTC, for one, recorded its strongest monthly gain since November 2024, which led some investors to believe the bear market may have ended.

But according to Fidelity, there is no guarantee that’s the case yet.

Possible November Bottom? One factor in focus is Bitcoin’s historical four-year market cycle. The crypto asset has generally formed major bear-market bottoms and bull-market tops about four years apart. Since the previous bear market bottom came in November 2022, this pattern could point to another potential low around November 2026 if the cycle continues.

While Fidelity stressed that the four-year cycle is not guaranteed to repeat and that Bitcoin’s bottom may already have occurred in July, it still speculated that the cryptocurrency could fall again and set another low in November or later.

There are several catalysts that could also influence whether the crypto bear market ends. The financial giant pointed to more crypto-friendly regulation, changes in government monetary policy, the emergence of an unexpectedly popular crypto use case, and increasing institutional adoption. Price volatility is another factor the firm is watching.

Bitcoin’s previous bear markets have historically ended with a period of relatively low volatility followed by higher volatility and an upward expansion in price. Fidelity said the market experienced relatively low volatility from June through mid-August, which indicated that sellers may have become exhausted.

During that period, its analysis showed BTC and other crypto assets were trading toward the lower, or “value,” end of their historical price ranges. In late August, volatility increased sharply, with Bitcoin rising more than 25% during the third week of the month. Ethereum gained around 34% over the same period, while Solana rose 28%. Fidelity said this price behavior does not confirm that the bear market is over, but it is consistent with one possible historical pattern.

You may also like: Over $140M in Shorts Wrecked in an Hour as BTC, ETH, XRP Suddenly Explode Bitcoin (BTC) Rally Driven by Short Covering, Not Fresh Leverage: QCP Remixpoint Cuts ETH, XRP Exposure After Market Review, Keeps 1,506 BTC in Treasury Meanwhile, events that might normally have pushed prices lower, including the Coldcard hardware wallet security exploit and the stalling of the CLARITY Act, did not result in further declines. This could support the narrative that cryptocurrencies are near a market bottom and may now be waiting for a new positive catalyst.

Crypto adoption continued to expand despite weak market sentiment. Bitwise Investments reported in early July that stablecoin transaction volume had reached 2.3 times Visa’s volume. MetaMask also reported in July that the real-world asset market had grown faster in 2026 than in any previous year.

Fidelity said this created a disconnect between adoption and prices, as activity in parts of the crypto industry kept increasing while the overall market remained in a bear market. The recent recovery could indicate that adoption and price have started to “recouple” again. An exact pattern occurred during the 2021-2022 bear market and the subsequent new bull market that began in late 2022.

CLARITY in Focus Regulation remains another key factor for the market. The industry is still awaiting further action on the CLARITY Act, which aims to create a broader US regulatory framework for digital assets and clarify the responsibilities of federal regulators. The bill has passed the House but remains under consideration in the Senate, which leaves its timing and outcome uncertain.

The SEC also proposed Regulation Crypto Assets, which would address when certain early-stage crypto asset offerings could qualify for exemptions from securities registration requirements. The proposal is still subject to public comment and is not final, but Fidelity described it as an important step toward a more “tailored regulatory approach.”

Tags:

Dubai, UAE, September 4th, 2026, Chainwire

BTCLOAN , today announced the public launch of its Bitcoin-backed lending marketplace, a platform designed to give long-term crypto holders a straightforward way to unlock liquidity without parting with their coins. Available worldwide outside sanctioned jurisdictions, BTCLOAN is opening the door to a category of credit that has, until now, been reserved for the well-connected or the geographically fortunate.

Rather than acting as a lender itself, BTCLOAN operates as a neutral marketplace — aggregating live quotes from a vetted roster of institutional counterparties and letting the borrower choose. There are no house rates, no invisible spreads, and no bait-and-switch terms once a loan is drawn.

The Highlights

Truly global. Borrowers in every non-sanctioned jurisdiction can apply from day one — no waitlists, no country-by-country rollout. Reputation compounds. A dynamic LTV engine rewards clean repayment history, letting returning borrowers unlock progressively better terms up to 70% LTV. Human support around the clock. WhatsApp margin alerts written in plain English, 24/7 live chat, and video calls on request — long before any liquidation threshold is in view. A New Model for an Old Question

For Bitcoin holders, the real question was never whether to borrow against BTC. It was who to trust with the collateral when markets move violently. BTCLOAN’s answer is to sidestep the trust question entirely by making the mechanics visible: verifiable custody, published proof-of-reserves, plain-language loan agreements, and lenders who compete for the borrower’s business in the open.

Institutional Liquidity, One Marketplace

BTCLOAN’s launch partners represent some of the most established names in digital-asset credit and treasury, including Tether, Galaxy, Cantor, Arch Lending, Lendary Asia, Ant alpha, and Equities First. Every lender on the platform is held to consistent standards around risk management, regulated custody, and operational disclosure. Borrowers see side-by-side terms from multiple counterparties in a single view and choose the offer that best fits their strategy.

Loans are disbursed in USD or USDT. Accepted collateral includes BTC, ETH, XRP, and SOL, alongside a curated basket of blue-chip digital assets such as XAUT, XDC Network, HYPE, and DEXE. Standard LTV sits between 65% and 70%.

Dynamic LTV: Credit History, Built for Crypto

BTCLOAN is rolling out one of the first dynamic LTV frameworks in the Bitcoin lending space. On-chain behavior, repayment consistency, and real-time collateral health feed into a continuously updated risk profile — effectively a credit score built natively for digital-asset borrowers. Hold position, repay on time, and each subsequent loan can be drawn on more favorable terms.

Transparency as Infrastructure

The last cycle taught the industry a costly lesson: trust is not marketing, it is architecture. BTCLOAN’s platform is engineered around that principle.

Enterprise-grade custody with publicly verifiable proof-of-reserves. Straightforward loan agreements — no buried clauses, no fine print traps. Automated KYC and KYB with biometric verification and real-time fraud detection. Staggered margin notifications sent via WhatsApp in everyday language, well ahead of any liquidation trigger. Clear borrower education on why a loan is not a taxable disposal in most jurisdictions — something most holders are rarely told plainly. Support Designed for Real People Because Bitcoin markets never sleep, neither does the BTCLOAN support desk. Users can reach a human via live chat, book a scheduled video call, or ping the team on WhatsApp at any hour. The interface is mobile-first and English-first, and the overall experience is designed to feel closer to a modern private-banking app than to a raw DeFi protocol.

Filling a Structural Gap

Hundreds of millions of Bitcoin holders still have no clean, credible route to liquidity without selling their coins. Historically, the options have been geographically fenced, opaquely priced, or structurally fragile. BTCLOAN was built to close that gap with global availability, transparent infrastructure, and a marketplace model that keeps the borrower’s interests aligned with the platform’s.

The company has already facilitated more than $200 million in Bitcoin-backed loan volume in early activity. Repeat-borrower rates — potentially a signal that trust has been earned rather than claimed — remain the metric leadership watches most closely.

The next decade of Bitcoin-backed lending will be defined by the platforms that stay upright on the worst night of the cycle. BTCLOAN is built for exactly that night.

About BTCLOAN

BTC Loan is a premier crypto-fintech company offering secure, compliant, and quick loans against Bitcoin.

Learn more at btcloan.com

US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) notched their biggest inflows in nearly eight months as BTC reclaimed $80,000.

Bitcoin ETFs recorded $730.9 million in net inflows on Thursday, the largest daily haul since Jan. 14, when the funds attracted $843.6 million, according to SoSoValue data.

The surge followed $101.2 million inflows on Wednesday and came as Bitcoin reclaimed the $80,000 level after trading in a range between roughly $76,000 and $81,000 this week, according to CoinGecko.

Despite the spike in ETF inflows, CryptoQuant remained cautious about Bitcoin’s rally, citing weaker spot demand and heavy short covering as $83,000 emerges as a key bull market threshold.

BlackRock’s IBIT draws $454 million in a dayBlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), the largest US spot Bitcoin ETF by net assets, led Thursday’s buying with $454 million in inflows, accounting for about 62% of the total, according to Farside Investors data.

While total spot Bitcoin ETF inflows reached their highest level since January, IBIT alone drew a larger $503 million inflow as recently as Aug. 20.

Daily US spot Bitcoin ETF flows since Tuesday. Source: Farside Investors

ARK Invest and 21Shares’ ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) followed with $137.7 million, while Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) drew $74.4 million.

VanEck’s Bitcoin ETF (HODL) and WisdomTree’s Bitcoin Fund (BTCW) were the only funds to record outflows on Thursday, at $19.6 million and $5.2 million, respectively.

Bitcoin rally still needs fresh buyersBitcoin’s recent rally was driven largely by traders closing short positions rather than opening new long positions, pointing to limited fresh buying demand, CryptoQuant said in a Thursday report shared with Cointelegraph.

The report mentioned that Bitcoin holders realized 23,000 BTC in net profits on Aug. 21, the highest daily amount this year, and about 110,000 BTC in total since Aug. 19, reflecting substantial profit-taking during the rally.

According to CryptoQuant, Bitcoin’s next major test sits around its 365-day moving average, which CryptoQuant placed at roughly $82,300.

Source: CryptoQuant

The company said the moving average has historically marked the divide between Bitcoin bull and bear markets, with Bitcoin reaching $81,400 on Aug. 28 before retreating below the threshold.

“A decisive close above $83K would confirm the new bull market,” CryptoQuant said, while a rejection could trigger a pullback toward the 200-day moving average near $69,000.

Magazine: Bitget CEO isn’t buying the Bitcoin rally — She’s waiting for $50K

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.

Zcash (ZEC) continued its upward trend after surpassing the $900 level, with crypto asset management company Grayscale stating that the limited supply and increasing demand for digital privacy were driving the token’s value increase.

According to Grayscale’s assessment, ZEC attracts investor interest because of its scarcity characteristic, similar to Bitcoin. The fact that Zcash’s total supply is limited to 21 million tokens makes the asset similar to Bitcoin in terms of long-term supply dynamics.

The company had previously listed ZEC’s core features as a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus model, a supply cap of 21 million units, and the provision of optional privacy features to users. The Zcash network allows transactions to be conducted in a way that provides higher privacy under certain conditions.

The recent move in ZEC price comes at a time when interest in privacy-focused assets in the crypto market has resurfaced. Grayscale argues that with the growth of the digital economy, the demand for privacy in users’ financial transactions has also gained importance.

According to CoinMarketCap data, ZEC was trading at $947.13 at the time of writing. The token has risen 16.82% in the last 24 hours. Thus, ZEC has shown strong short-term performance with its break above the $900 threshold.

From the perspective of market participants, ZEC’s limited supply stands out as a significant factor in price movement. The restriction of supply to a certain level is considered among the factors that could create upward pressure on the price if demand increases.

However, ZEC’s rise isn’t solely explained by its scarcity. The increasing demand for privacy technologies is also significant in terms of the token’s use case and investor interest.

After ZEC surpassed the $900 level, attention turned to whether the upward trend would continue. For the token to maintain its current momentum, it needs support not only from increased demand but also from overall risk appetite in the crypto market.

*This is not investment advice.

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Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) extend their weekly gains on Friday as traders await the US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report for the next directional catalyst. BTC trades above $80,800 after gaining more than 4% this week, while ETH has broken above the $2,500 resistance level and closed above the key barrier. XRP is also showing strength after finding support at the key level earlier this week, keeping the near-term outlook cautiously bullish ahead of the key US jobs data.

Bitcoin heading toward the $85,000 resistanceBitcoin price trades at $80,856 on Friday, holding a firm bullish bias as it extends well above the key exponential moving averages (EMAs). The 50-day EMA at $71,126, the 100-day EMA at $69,696 and the 200-day EMA at $72,539 all sit comfortably below spot, suggesting a well-supported uptrend despite the recent overbought reading in the Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 71.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains positive, suggesting bullish momentum persists, albeit less explosively than during the prior leg higher.

On the topside, immediate resistance emerges at the horizontal barrier near $85,000, where fresh supply could test buyers’ conviction after the sharp advance. 

On the downside, initial demand is expected around the clustered EMA zone, with the 200-day EMA at $72,539, the 50-day EMA at $71,126 and the 100-day EMA at $69,696 providing layered dynamic support on pullbacks. Below that, horizontal supports at $66,500 and $62,300 mark deeper retracement levels that would need to give way to undermine the broader bullish structure.

BTC/USDT daily chartEthereum could extend gains as it closes above the $2,500 markEthereum price trades at $2,504 on Friday, maintaining a constructive bullish bias as it holds above the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs at roughly $2,155, $2,070, and $2,175, respectively. 

The horizontal support drawn near $2,500 now sits just below spot, reinforcing a near-term floor. At the same time, the RSI around 67 suggests strong but not yet extreme upside momentum, even as the MACD has rolled over, hinting at waning short-term impulse within an overall supported structure.

On the downside, immediate support is anchored at the $2,500 zone, with deeper demand layered at the cluster of EMAs between roughly $2,155 and $2,175, followed by the 100-day EMA near $2,070 and then the psychological $2,000 handle; below that, a more distant structural base stands around $1,385.

On the topside, the next significant resistance level comes at the horizontal barrier near $3,000, and a sustained break above that zone would be needed to reopen the path toward higher highs beyond the current daily range.

ETH/USDT daily chartXRP extends gains after holding the 200-day EMAXRP trades at $1.442 on Friday and holds a bullish near-term bias as price extends well above the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs, which cluster between roughly $1.230 and $1.350 and now act as layered dynamic support. 

The RSI eases from overbought territory toward the mid‑60s, suggesting bullish momentum is moderating rather than reversing, while the MACD hovers slightly negative, hinting at a nascent consolidation phase after the recent vertical run.

On the downside, initial support emerges at the 200-day EMA around $1.352, reinforced by horizontal support at $1.300, with deeper demand seen near the confluence of the 50-day and 100-day EMAs just above $1.230 and the psychological $1.000 handle further below.

On the topside, the next notable resistance sits at the horizontal barrier near $1.900, and a sustained break above this level would be needed to reopen the path toward fresh highs and extend the prevailing uptrend.

XRP/USDT daily chart(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)

Cryptocurrency prices FAQs Token launches influence demand and adoption among market participants. Listings on crypto exchanges deepen the liquidity for an asset and add new participants to an asset’s network. This is typically bullish for a digital asset.

A hack is an event in which an attacker captures a large volume of the asset from a DeFi bridge or hot wallet of an exchange or any other crypto platform via exploits, bugs or other methods. The exploiter then transfers these tokens out of the exchange platforms to ultimately sell or swap the assets for other cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. Such events often involve an en masse panic triggering a sell-off in the affected assets.

Macroeconomic events like the US Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates influence crypto assets mainly through the direct impact they have on the US Dollar. An increase in interest rate typically negatively influences Bitcoin and altcoin prices, and vice versa. If the US Dollar index declines, risk assets and associated leverage for trading gets cheaper, in turn driving crypto prices higher.

Halvings are typically considered bullish events as they slash the block reward in half for miners, constricting the supply of the asset. At consistent demand if the supply reduces, the asset’s price climbs.

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) climbed to multi-month highs again this week, but prediction market traders still assign low odds to either asset approaching record territory in 2026.

Polymarket traders give Bitcoin a 32% chance of touching $100,000 this year. Ethereum traders price a move to $3,500 at just 31%.

Rate Pause Signals and ETF Inflows Lift CryptoBitcoin rose 4.62% over 24 hours to $80,861, while Ethereum gained 4.85% to $2,501, according to BeInCrypto Markets data.

Bitcoin (BTC) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto MarketsThe rally follows reports suggesting the war in Iran could be over. In addition, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he could support holding rates steady.

Odds of a September Federal Reserve rate hike fell to 50% today after reaching as high as 70%

Weak labor data reinforced the move. ADP reported that US private employers added 38,000 jobs in August. That fell short of expectations, near 47,000, and marked the weakest increase since January.

Institutional demand also returned. Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) drew about $101.1 million in net inflows, led by the iShares Bitcoin Trust.

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Traders Reprice the Range, Not the CeilingPolymarket traders moved aggressively on the near end of the curve. The $85,000 Bitcoin contract jumped 43 points to 81%, while odds of a drop to $70,000 fell 28 points to 48%.

Higher targets stayed put. The $95,000, $100,000, $110,000, and $120,000 contracts showed no 24-hour change, holding at 44%, 32%, 20%, and 12%. The $90,000 line slipped 2 points to 61%.

Polymarket Odds for Bitcoin Price Levels in 2026, Source: PolymarketEthereum shows the same pattern. The $2,750 contract climbed 25 points to 75%, and the $3,000 contract added 4 points to 54%. However, $3,500 and $4,000 held flat at 31% and 17%.

Downside bets have not disappeared. Traders still give 72% odds that Bitcoin will revisit $75,000 and 56% odds that Ethereum will slip to $2,250.

Friday’s US jobs report will test whether the rate-pause trade holds. For now, positioning treats the move as a range shift rather than a path back toward the records of $126,080 and $4,946.

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Leading cryptocurrencies jumped on Thursday after a dovish shift in the Federal Reserve’s rate outlook lifted risk appetite.

Risk-On Sentiment Back?Bitcoin climbed above $82,000, buoyed by a 56% surge in trading volume. Ethereum spiked to an intraday high of $2,526, while XRP and Dogecoin were up 6% each.

Cryptocurrency-related stocks also fell, with Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (NYSE:BMNR) closing up 17.56% and 14.70%, respectively. 

Over $550 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with $470 million in bearish shorts alone wiped out, according to Coinglass data.

Bitcoin’s open interest soared 7.79% in the last 24 hours, indicating an influx of new money into the derivatives market. Notably, Binance’s retail and whale derivatives traders positioned against this move, cutting long exposure and turning net “bearish.”

"Greed" sentiment dominated the market, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

The global cryptocurrency market capitalization expanded 4.49% in the last 24 hours to $2.72 trillion.

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Stocks Extend GainsStocks lifted higher on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 624.16 points, or 1.18%, to end at 53,686.11.  The S&P 500 spiked 1.06% to close at 7,747.71, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.4% to settle at 26,584.06.

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Fed Governor Christopher Waller signaled he could back leaving interest rates unchanged this month. If August inflation “comes in hot,” he said monetary tightening would be on the table.

The probability of a rate hike at the Fed’s meeting later this month fell further, from 63% to 50% in 24 hours, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Bitcoin’s Bull Market SignalsMichaël van de Poppe, a widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader, speculated whether Bitcoin would follow its usual four-year cycle or a “shorter version.”

“It could theoretically be that Bitcoin had a mid-cycle correction, and we’re about to enter a 2016-2017 type of rally, with a peak earlier than the regular 4-year cycle top,” Van De Poppe stated.

On-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant noted that Bitcoin shows strong bullish signals with a Bull Score of 70, yet new buyer demand remains weak, while short covering in futures markets is driving most of the recent rally.

“$83,000 confirms the bull market. Until then, it’s still only a rally,” CryptoQuant stated.

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Bitcoin (BTC) is trading above $80,000 on Friday, sustaining the broader cryptocurrency market's risk-on sentiment. Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Christopher Waller signaled support for a potential pause in interest rates on Thursday, lowering the odds of a September rate hike to 50%. Zcash (ZEC) and Ethena (ENA) emerge as top performers over the last 24 hours.

Dovish Fed fuels Bitcoin’s recoveryUS Fed Governor Christopher Waller could support a pause in rate hikes to keep the policy rate steady at the September policy meeting if the August inflation data suggest easing pressures, as previously reported by FXStreet. The dovish comments lowered the odds of a rate hike to 50%, from nearly 70% earlier this week. 

FedWatch tool. Source: CME GroupBitcoin trades above $80,762 at press time on Thursday, maintaining a bullish near-term bias after a 5% rise the previous day. The King Crypto holds well above the 50-, 100-, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), which cluster between roughly $69,700 and $72,500.

The pair is advancing toward the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement of the latest downswing from $97,924 to $57,800 at $87,476. A confirmed breakout above this zone could target the previous swing high at $97,924.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers near 71 in overbought territory, and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains positive with a mildly expanding histogram, suggesting strong but potentially stretched upside momentum.

BTC/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, initial support is seen at the 50% retracement at $75,233, ahead of a broader demand band defined by the 200-day EMA at $72,493, with the 50- and 100-day EMAs at $71,122 and $69,695 reinforcing the underlying bullish structure.

Zcash and Ethena sustain bullish momentumZcash holds steady on Thursday following a 16% surge the previous day to a record high of $979. The privacy coin extends a strong bullish phase as price approaches the $1,000 milestone.

ZEC trades well above the 50-day and 100-day EMAs at $651 and $569, respectively, as well as the longer-term 200-day EMA near $485. The rally has pushed decisively past the previous swing high at $888, targeting the 127.2% Fibonacci extension level at $1,058, measured from $465 to $888. A confirmed breakout above this level could target the 161.8% Fibonacci extension level at $1,322.

The RSI hovers in overbought territory around 74, and the MACD bounces off its signal line, extending its upward trend and suggesting robust but increasingly stretched upside momentum.

ZEC/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, initial support emerges at the prior Fibonacci anchor around $888, ahead of a dense cluster formed by the 78.6% retracement at $773 and the 50% retracement near $643, which aligns with the 50-day EMA at $651.

Ethena holds firm above $0.1600 at press time on Friday after a 12% rise the previous day. ENA firmly trades above the 50-, 100- and 200-day EMAs at $0.1185, $0.1090, and $0.1279, respectively, underpinning the broader bullish structure.

The 50% retracement level of the $0.2633 to $0.0699 range at $0.1356 has just been reclaimed as a nearby floor, while the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $0.1982 serves as the overhead resistance. A confirmed breakout above $0.1982 could target the previous swing high near $0.2633.

The RSI around 66 and MACD line marginally holding above the signal line hint that upside momentum remains in play, albeit at a more measured pace after the recent surge.

ENA/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, initial support is seen at the 50% retracement near $0.1356, followed by the 200-day EMA at roughly $0.1279.

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

Bitcoin back above $81,000 as hike odds fade, Zcash leads with 15% jump