Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

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BTGO rises 0.27% pre-market as BitGo expands its HashKey Cloud partnership. BitGo and HashKey Cloud deepen ties across staking, trading, custody, and RWAs. HashKey Cloud will support Ethereum and Solana staking for eligible BitGo clients. BitGo will provide custody services to HashKey Capital and related investment funds. The partnership expands BitGo’s institutional crypto reach across key Asian markets. BitGo Holdings stock edged higher Tuesday after the company expanded its institutional digital asset partnership with HashKey Cloud. BTGO traded at $7.40 in pre-market trading, gaining 0.27% after closing unchanged at $7.38. The agreement strengthens BitGo’s reach across staking, trading, custody, and real-world asset tokenization in Asia.

BitGo Holdings, Inc., BTGO

BitGo and HashKey Cloud formally signed the strategic agreement during TOKEN2049 week in Singapore. Senior executives from both companies attended the signing ceremony at the Fullerton Bay Hotel. The partnership expands an existing relationship between two firms serving institutional digital asset markets.

The companies will cooperate across four major infrastructure areas under the new agreement. These include institutional staking, trading services, digital asset custody, and real-world asset tokenization. The structure gives institutional clients access to several services through one broader infrastructure relationship.

BitGo provides custody and digital asset infrastructure services to institutions across global markets. Meanwhile, HashKey Cloud operates staking and Web3 infrastructure under Hong Kong-based HashKey Group. Their combined operations could strengthen access to regulated digital asset services across Asian markets.

Ethereum Staking Becomes Initial Focus HashKey Cloud will become a validator partner on BitGo’s institutional staking platform. Ethereum will form one of the first supported networks under the expanded partnership. Eligible BitGo clients will therefore gain another infrastructure option for institutional ETH staking.

The arrangement allows HashKey Cloud to provide validator services through BitGo’s existing platform. BitGo will continue controlling client access based on regulatory and onboarding requirements. The companies will limit services to jurisdictions where local rules permit their operations.

Ethereum staking remains an important service for institutions seeking participation in blockchain infrastructure. However, institutions often require custody, compliance, and operational controls alongside staking services. The partnership combines these functions within a broader institutional framework.

Solana Staking and RWA Services Broaden BitGo Reach Solana will join Ethereum among the first staking networks supported through HashKey Cloud. The companies will also work together to support institutional digital asset trading flows. This approach expands the partnership beyond staking into wider market infrastructure.

BitGo will separately provide custody solutions to HashKey Capital and associated investment funds. Those services remain subject to standard onboarding procedures and separate agreements. The arrangement could deepen BitGo’s role within HashKey’s institutional investment operations.

BitGo will also serve as a custody partner for HashKey’s real-world asset tokenization projects. Tokenized assets require secure custody infrastructure to connect traditional assets with blockchain-based ownership systems. The agreement therefore expands BitGo’s exposure to another growing area of institutional digital finance.

HashKey Group operates a regulated digital asset business with a strong presence in Hong Kong. BitGo brings global custody infrastructure and services designed for institutional clients. Together, the firms aim to support digital asset adoption through regulated infrastructure across key Asian markets.

Blockchain

6 October 2026 | 09:27 Ethereum will test blocks with a 200 million gas target on Sepolia on October 6. Hours before the activation, Prysm updated its validator client so operators can follow that target without manually changing an older default.

Gas is Ethereum’s measure of computational work. It sets the amount of transaction processing a block can contain, rather than the number of transactions themselves. Raising Sepolia’s target from 60 million to 200 million gives the test network room to handle more than three times as much work inside a block.

200M gas in plain English

Ethereum is testing whether its software can build, distribute and validate substantially heavier blocks without slowing down the network or making it too demanding for ordinary node operators.

That does not translate into a fixed threefold increase in transactions. A simple transfer consumes far less gas than a complicated smart-contract action, so the final transaction count will depend on what users place in each block. Sepolia’s job is to show how the network performs when that workload grows.

Prysm’s update keeps the test on the intended setting The Glamsterdam upgrade is scheduled to activate on Sepolia at 13:53:36 UTC. Prysm version 7.2.0 could run the upgrade, yet it retained a 60M gas default unless its operator changed the setting manually.

That created an awkward gap. Ethereum could schedule a 200M-gas rehearsal, while a major validator client could still propose blocks using the earlier target. Prysm v7.2.1 adds Sepolia’s gas-limit schedule, making 200M the client’s default when the relevant part of the fork begins.

Validators still retain control over their proposer settings and can override the value if necessary. The release simply removes a manual step that could have produced inconsistent conditions across the public test.

Bigger blocks put the whole Ethereum stack under pressure Capacity is only useful when the software around it can keep pace. Execution clients need to process additional data, consensus clients need to receive and verify blocks promptly, and validators need to agree on the same chain even when each block contains a much heavier workload.

Glamsterdam pairs the capacity test with changes designed for that environment. Enshrined proposer-builder separation reshapes how blocks are assembled and passed to validators, while block-level access lists help clients identify which parts of Ethereum’s state a block will need. The upgrade also revises the gas charged for selected state-creation and state-access operations, bringing those costs closer to the long-term burden placed on nodes.

Those are the wider technical changes behind the October 6 Sepolia upgrade. Prysm’s release handles one practical requirement within that larger rehearsal: its validators must be ready to work with the higher capacity developers chose to test.

What developers will watch after Sepolia activates Part of the network Evidence the test needs to produce Validators and clients Whether different implementations continue to agree on the same chain under larger blocks. Block builders Whether block data reaches validators quickly enough for them to propose and attest reliably. Wallets and applications Whether gas estimates and contracts that rely on fixed gas assumptions continue to behave correctly. Client disagreements, slow block propagation or inaccurate gas estimates would give developers specific problems to solve. If those systems remain stable, Sepolia will provide useful evidence that the new design can handle a larger workload in a public environment.

Sepolia results come before any mainnet decision Ethereum has not scheduled Glamsterdam for Hoodi or mainnet. The Sepolia activation gives node operators, developers and application teams a shared environment where they can test the rules with tokens that carry no market value.

Prysm’s update clears a configuration issue before that process begins. The meaningful result will be the network data collected after activation: whether the intended 200M-gas workload remains reliable across the clients, validators and applications that would ultimately need to support it.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Ethereum upgrade schedules and technical specifications may change during testing.

Author

Alex is Editor-in-Chief of Coindoo and co-founder of Millennial Media Group, with nearly a decade of experience covering financial markets - crypto first, then everything else. It started in 2016 with Bitcoin. Like most people at the time, he didn't fully understand it - so he kept digging. Blockchain, tokenomics, the projects, the cycles. That curiosity never stopped, and eventually pulled him into traditional markets too: equities, commodities, macro. Not because he left crypto behind, but because you can't properly understand one without the other. What drives him is straightforward: he wants to know why something is happening, not just that it's happening. Most market coverage stops at the headline - price up, price down, here's a chart. Alex finds that kind of reporting actively unhelpful. If you walk away from an article without understanding the mechanism behind the move, what did you actually learn? He holds a degree in Tourism from New Bulgarian University - not the most obvious path into financial markets, but markets have a way of pulling in people who are simply too curious to stay out. He has authored over 200 in-depth analyses and more than 10,000 articles across crypto and traditional finance. He still thinks every day in markets teaches him something new. That's probably why he hasn't stopped.

Table of contents

Prysm, one of Ethereum’s most widely used consensus clients, shipped a last-minute patch on Oct. 5 so validators can automatically propose blocks with a 200 million gas limit when the Glamsterdam upgrade’s Sepolia test activates. The Prysm v7.2.1 release adds the Sepolia gas-limit schedule, meaning operators need no manual configuration before the fork set for 13:53 UTC on Oct. 6.

The update closes a gap left by the previous version. Prysm v7.2.0, released on Sept. 28, scheduled the fork but did not include the gas-limit change, so validators running it would have kept producing blocks at Sepolia’s old 60 million gas default and diluted the capacity test. Version 7.2.1 defaults validators to 200 million gas automatically.

Why a 200 million gas limit matters Gas measures how much computational work fits into a single Ethereum block. Raising Sepolia’s limit from roughly 60 million to 200 million gives the test network room for more than three times as much activity per block, including additional transactions, stablecoin transfers and complex applications before users begin competing for block space and fees climb. The trade-off is that larger blocks place heavier demands on the hardware running validators, which is exactly what the test is meant to measure.

What the Sepolia test is expected to show Sepolia is where Ethereum developers rehearse changes using test tokens with no real value before anything reaches the main network. The earlier Platåberget test already gave developers a first look at the upgrade, and this run will show whether validators can consistently handle blocks more than three times larger than Sepolia’s previous default. Glamsterdam has not yet been scheduled for Ethereum’s mainnet, and developers will use the results to decide how much of that capacity the main network should adopt.

What happens next The Sepolia fork activates at 13:53 UTC on Oct. 6, and validators on v7.2.1 will begin proposing 200 million gas blocks without any manual change. Beyond the gas-limit schedule, the patch also turns on partial data columns by default and reworks how builders are configured in the validator client. Ethereum’s main network is not yet scheduled for the upgrade, and the Sepolia results will shape how large a capacity increase developers ultimately roll out, a process that also runs through the foundation’s longer-term Layer 1 roadmap.

AUTHOR

Entrepreneur and freelance writer based in Nakuru, Kenya. I cover cryptocurrency, the Blockchain technology, and financial topics. It’s my joy to transform the simplest phrases in a way they reach a reader’s heart to help them discover how crypto is disrupting the world as we have known it. I believe in transforming the world, one word at a time.

Ethereum began the week trading around $2,707, marking a modest gain of 0.52% over the previous 24 hours and maintaining its position comfortably above the $2,700 threshold. This stability signaled continued resilience in the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization as investors monitored key support levels.

Crypto market steadies, ETH leads with nine-month high weekly closeThe wider cryptocurrency market also showed resilience, rising 0.68% over the same timeframe as overall digital asset market capitalization reached $2.93 trillion. Bitcoin traded above $85,000, while XRP held steady above $1.50. These assets extended upward trends set in motion since mid-September.

Ethereum’s latest weekly close above $2,700 marked its highest settlement in the past nine months. Market participants described this milestone as a clear signal of growing bullish sentiment for the asset.

BitMine grows corporate ETH reservesBitMine, a prominent treasury management firm focusing on digital assets, expanded its Ethereum portfolio last week with the purchase of 15,112 ETH. This latest acquisition brought BitMine’s total holdings to 6,016,414 ETH, a position representing roughly 4.9% of the network’s circulating supply. BitMine’s recent purchase was valued at $41 million at an average price of $2,726 per token.

Crypto Banter, a digital assets analytics platform, reported that BitMine has now nearly reached its publicly stated target of acquiring 5% of Ethereum’s total supply. The company’s total digital assets, fiat currency, and staking positions are valued at $17.4 billion.

BitMine Chairman Thomas Lee noted that Ethereum outperformed the S&P 500 by 6,832 basis points in the third quarter, despite headwinds from tighter Federal Reserve policy, rising commodity prices, and elevated global bond yields.

During Q3, Ethereum appreciated by more than 70%, delivering its strongest quarterly performance since the first quarter of 2021.

BitMine’s portfolio extends beyond Ethereum, including 214 Bitcoin, a $180 million equity stake in Beast Industries, and a $117 million investment in Eightco Holdings. The company’s financial disclosures showed $643 million in liquid assets and tradable securities.

Despite active accumulation, Ethereum’s spot trading liquidity has declined, with average order book depth now 35-45% of Bitcoin’s liquidity, down from a minimum of 60% in 2025, according to CoinGecko data.

Mini dictionary: BitMine, a treasury firm, specializes in accumulating and managing digital asset reserves for institutions and funds, often acting as a large liquidity provider within blockchain ecosystems.

Analysts eye technical levels, derivatives activity surgesTechnical analyst Ted Pillows highlighted Ethereum’s recent weekly candlestick as the strongest in more than eight months. He argued that a weekly close above $2,800, alongside robust spot market demand, could push prices toward the $3,400–$3,500 range.

Ethereum’s support levels remain at $2,550 and $2,200, with $1,965 serving as a key long-term floor if downward pressure intensifies. A decisive close above $2,800 may unlock further momentum toward higher price targets.

Derivatives markets reflected increased investor interest. Ethereum trading turnover grew 15.17% to $29.02 billion and open interest climbed to $34.10 billion. Options trading activity rose sharply as well, with daily volumes up 33.58% at $1.15 billion and outstanding options open interest reaching $6.25 billion.

MetricPrevious WeekCurrent WeekChangeSpot ETH price$2,670$2,707+0.52%ETH options volume$861 million$1.15 billion+33.58%Open interest$33.72 billion$34.10 billion+1.14%Spot ETF net flows—-$138 millionRedemptionHowever, outflows continued in US spot Ethereum ETFs, which saw $138 million in net redemptions over the past week, marking the fourth consecutive session of withdrawals, based on SoSoValue statistics.

Chart analysis showed Ethereum safeguarding support at $2,657, near its 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA). If prices fall below this level, the next support territory is at $2,432, marked by the 50-day EMA. Breaking $2,790 resistance could enable an advance to $2,880 and potentially $3,066.

In the past 24 hours, Ethereum recorded $36.6 million in liquidations, with $20.4 million stemming from short positions.

Parataxis Ethereum drops Korea merger over delisting risk

Citi has overtaken Goldman Sachs to become the top firm in global IPO underwriting through September. The move follows listings such as SpaceX, SK Hynix, and the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), some of the biggest share sales in Asia and the US.

Citi Tops Global IPO Underwriting Rankings Through September Citigroup Inc. has claimed the top position in global IPO underwriting for the year through September, narrowly overtaking Goldman Sachs Group, Bloomberg reported on October 6. However, Goldman Sachs remained the top firm for equity offerings, a broader measure that also includes deals such as block trades and follow-on share sales.

The paradigm shift follows the bank’s roles in major share sales across Asia and the United States. Citi’s advance rests on three high-profile IPOs.

It worked on the National Stock Exchange of India’s $2.4 billion listing in September, one of the largest deals in the country’s history. It also served as lead global coordinator on SK Hynix’s $26.5 billion Nasdaq listing in July, the biggest U.S. share sale ever by a foreign company.

Citi also played a book-running role on SpaceX’s June offering, which raised about $86 billion and stands as the largest IPO on record. Some of the recent IPOs were fueled by demand for semiconductor capacity tied to artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

While Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were the two leading underwriters for SpaceX IPO, Citi’s participation still contributed meaningful volume. Citi thinks SpaceX stock could hit a $12 trillion valuation one day.

Team and Business Expansions Citigroup’s rise to the top of global IPO underwriting is also driven by aggressive talent recruitment and structural expansion in its equity capital markets (ECM) business.

The bank has hired many senior investment bankers globally. Last year, Citi hired Charlie Black from Goldman as head of North America technology ECM, and Bernal J. Vargas III from JPMorgan Chase & Co. as head of ECM in North America. It also named Rob Chan as head of ECM syndication in Asia.

Citigroup is also expanding into other areas, especially crypto and blockchain. Citi plans to launch digital asset custody later this year, starting with Bitcoin.

Also, Citi raised its Bitcoin target to $113,000 and its Ethereum target to $3,028 for the next 12 months. The bank expects about $5 billion in crypto inflows, supported by a gradual return of ETF and institutional demand.

Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Tom Lee, chairman of the board of crypto company Bitmine Immersion Technologies, which controls 4.9% of the world's Ethereum supply — more than 6 million ETH — said that traditional U.S. small-cap stocks are significantly undervalued. In the investor's view, the Russell 2000 index has become a "coiled spring" in October 2026. 

Lee's signal matters beyond the stock market: a turnaround in small businesses has historically served as a leading indicator for rallies in low-cap crypto assets.

Comparison of Ethereum (ETHUSD), small-cap crypto tokens (OTHERS), and Russell 2000 (RUT) recent performance, Source: TradingViewThe shift in focus at Fundstrat was prompted by JPMorgan Equity Strategy data showing a historic anomaly: short positions against Russell 2000 companies had surged to the 99.8th percentile. Median short interest exceeded 8% of shares outstanding. 

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Such extreme bearish sentiment in traditional markets points to an inevitable short squeeze — a forced closing of positions that can send prices sharply higher in a cascading move.

Why a turnaround in U.S. small businesses will revive small capsFor the crypto industry, where Lee's company is the largest institutional staker of Ether, this move signals preparation for a global shift in liquidity. Fundstrat forecasts that softer U.S. labor market data will ease hawkish pressure from the Federal Reserve, while the 10-year Treasury yield will fall below 5%. Lower Treasury yields will automatically restart risk-on mode. 

The freed-up liquidity will flow first into Russell 2000 stocks, then inevitably into low-cap crypto assets and undervalued altcoins, which have suffered from a lack of attention in recent months as Bitcoin dominated the market.

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Despite localized pressure from the U.S. midterm elections, Fundstrat is maintaining its annual S&P 500 target of 8,200–8,400 points. Business fundamentals remain strong: third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) growth is approaching 30%, which has led to lower valuation multiples.

Lee's strategic bet on the Russell 2000 shows that, while Ethereum itself and other major digital assets are going through a prolonged consolidation phase, smart money is seeking the highest returns at the bottom of the traditional market, laying the groundwork for a near-term "altcoin season."

A First for Ethereum's Layer ArchitectureThe Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ) has executed what it describes as the first atomic cross-chain transaction between Ethereum's base layer and a Layer 2 network on mainnet. EEZ contributor Eduardo Antuña confirmed the milestone, calling it proof that atomic synchronous composability is now running live rather than existing only on paper.

The transaction carried 0.001 ETH and included a rollup state update, with both actions bundled into a single, all-or-nothing operation. In practical terms, that means calls on L1 and L2 either all succeed together or all revert together. There is no partial execution and no funds stranded on a bridge waiting for confirmation.

Everything is processed within a single Ethereum block under L1 builder sequencing, so the L1 and L2 pieces land in the same slot. EEZ lets connected rollups call Ethereum contracts within one transaction without requiring separate bridge infrastructure.

What the EEZ Is Designed to SolveThe EEZ is a rollup framework backed by Gnosis, Zisk, and the Ethereum Foundation. It was introduced publicly at EthCC in Cannes in March 2026. The project is built around synchronous composability, meaning a smart contract on an EEZ rollup can call a contract on Ethereum mainnet, or on another EEZ rollup, and receive a response within a single coordinated transaction. No bridge message, no async relay, no wrapped asset.

The motivation is Ethereum's fragmentation problem. Nearly $40 billion in value sits siloed across more than 60 disconnected L2 networks, each with its own liquidity pools and bridge infrastructure. The EEZ aims to allow liquidity deployed on one rollup to function effectively as liquidity across all connected rollups, with ETH as the unified gas token and Ethereum mainnet as the settlement layer.

The framework is also designed to avoid requiring protocol-level changes to Ethereum itself, instead relying on smart contracts and real-time ZK proving. September 2026 saw the team work through audit preparations, live blob encoding, and testing against real applications including CoW Swap and Uniswap v4, ahead of the experimental mainnet deployment that produced Tuesday's milestone.

Antuña described the transaction as only the beginning of EEZ's broader roadmap to advance cross-layer interaction and unified liquidity across Ethereum.

Sources:
CoinTelegraph: Ethereum Economic Zone Tests Atomic L1-to-L2 Transaction
Crypto Briefing: Ethereum Economic Zone Executes First Atomic L1-to-L2 Transaction on Mainnet
Crypto News: Ethereum Could Make Moving Between L1 and L2 Much Easier

Prysm’s v7.2.1 release sets its validators to Sepolia’s new 200 million gas limit by default, a number its previous version left at 60 million unless operators changed it by hand.

Prysm ships 200M gas limit fix hours before Glamsterdam test

Posted October 6, 2026 at 6:00 am ET.

Offchain Labs, which maintains the Prysm Ethereum consensus client, released version 7.2.1 on Monday, hours before the Glamsterdam upgrade goes live on the Sepolia testnet. With the update, Prysm validators default to a 200 million gas limit once the fork activates, rather than the 60 million the prior release used unless operators set a higher number themselves.

Glamsterdam is scheduled to activate on Sepolia at epoch 353,024, or 13:53:36 UTC on Oct. 6, according to the Ethereum Foundation’s testnet announcement. Sepolia is a test network where developers try out protocol changes before they reach mainnet. Its shared configuration was updated on Sept. 24 to lift the gas limit to 200 million at the fork.

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A Late Config Change That schedule, set under EIP-8261, arrived after Prysm had already cut v7.2.0, the version the foundation listed as Sepolia-ready. Validators on v7.2.0 would “default to a 60M gas limit in their Gloas proposer preferences,” its release notes warned, and anyone who wanted 200 million had to configure it manually. The team said a follow-up release would carry the schedule.

Version 7.2.1 is that release. For validators running it, the higher limit “needs no action,” per the notes. Operators who still set a gas limit flag from older setups will override the 200 million schedule, though, and the client now warns them about it at startup.

Gas is how Ethereum measures the computing work a block can hold. A higher limit makes room for more transactions per block but puts more load on the machines running nodes. At 200 million, Sepolia’s limit will be more than three times the old 60 million default.

The release also switches on partial data columns by default, so nodes can trade individual cells of blob data instead of entire columns, and patches a bug in how Prysm builds the first post-fork block in some cases.

Teku Still Defaults to 60M Prysm was one of two consensus clients the foundation flagged for the lower default. The foundation said in the same announcement that Teku 26.9.1 “defaults to a 60M gas limit after activation” and that Teku validators who want 200 million must set it with a command-line flag. As of Tuesday morning, 26.9.1 was still Teku’s newest release on GitHub.

Glamsterdam bundles two sets of changes, Gloas on the consensus side and Amsterdam on the execution side. Most notable are enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS), which writes the handoff between validators and block builders into the protocol, and block-level access lists, which let nodes process transactions in parallel. Vitalik Buterin has argued that ePBS alone does not stop a small group of builders from gaining outsized power.

“Hoodi and mainnet activation dates have not yet been decided,” the foundation said.

Related Listen: The Chopping Block: Bitget’s 388 Million Dollar Hack, Kalshi’s Cooked Perps Volume, and Agentic Bank Runs

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.

12h22 ▪ 4 min read ▪ by Evans S.

Summarize this article with:

BitMine continues to accumulate Ethereum. The company has just purchased an additional 15,112 ETH for about 41 million dollars. Its reserve now reaches 6,016,414 ETH, valued around 16.4 billion dollars. According to its own calculation, the company controls 4.9% of the Ethereum supply and is now at 99% of its 5% target.

In brief BitMine now holds 6,016,414 ETH, approximately 16.4 billion dollars. The company estimates controlling 4.9% of the total Ethereum supply. More than 5 million of its ETH are already staked. BitMine adds another 41 million $ to its crypto reserve The growth continues week after week. At the end of September, BitMine had already crossed 6 million ETH after purchasing an additional 17,362 tokens. One week later, 15,112 ETH were added to the stock. At the reference price of 2,726 dollars used by the company, the new acquisition represents about 41 million dollars. BitMine now holds exactly 6,016,414 ETH.

The company has not stopped its weekly purchases since the launch of its Ethereum treasury strategy on June 30, 2025. In fifteen months, it has transformed itself into the leading corporate treasury focused on Ethereum. It also remains the second largest listed crypto treasury, behind Strategy and its huge Bitcoin reserve.

BitMine calls its goal “Alchemy of 5%”. The principle: to hold 5% of the total Ethereum supply. It now estimates to have completed 99% of the way.

More than 5 million ETH are already working in staking BitMine does not simply keep its tokens in wallets. Of its about 6.02 million ETH, 5,067,309 are staked, about 84% of the reserve. The company notably uses MAVAN, its staking infrastructure designed for institutional assets.

The previous week, Cointribune noted that BitMine generated about 358 million dollars in annualized revenue thanks to staking. With the current reserve, BitMine now projects around 363 million dollars in annualized revenue.

The calculation remains variable. Staking rewards depend notably on the Ethereum network’s yield and the amount effectively staked.

BitMine’s total treasury also exceeds its ETH-only positions. The company announces about 17.4 billion dollars in assets, including its cryptos, cash, and several investments. It notably holds 214 BTC and about 643 million dollars in cash and marketable securities.

Two holdings complete the portfolio: about 180 million dollars in Beast Industries and 117 million in Eightco Holdings. ETH remains by far dominant.

The 5% of Ethereum is now very close The accumulation pace has considerably slowed compared to some purchases made earlier this year. In May, BitMine had purchased 71,672 ETH in a single week. At that time, its reserve had just exceeded 5.2 million ETH and the 5% target still seemed distant.

Today, the gap becomes much smaller. With the Ethereum supply estimated by BitMine at around 122.1 million ETH, its 6,016,414 tokens represent about 4.9%. The exact percentage may slightly vary with the network supply evolution.

Tom Lee continues on his part to defend his bet on Ethereum. The president of BitMine believes a new crypto bull cycle is underway and highlights ETH’s recent performance against several traditional assets.

The market does not fully agree with him for the whole year. Over the first nine months of 2026, the BMNR stock dropped about 3%, while ETH lost nearly 10%. However, BitMine has not slowed its purchases. 15,112 additional ETH this week. More than 6 million in total. To reach its stated goal of 5% of the Ethereum supply, not much remains to buy now.

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Evans S.

Fascinated by Bitcoin since 2017, Evariste has continuously researched the subject. While his initial interest was in trading, he now actively seeks to understand all advances centered on cryptocurrencies. As an editor, he strives to consistently deliver high-quality work that reflects the state of the sector as a whole.

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Multi-chain stablecoin wallet combines simpler transfers, flexible gas-fee options, security features, and practical use cases with one ambition: to become the world’s easiest stablecoin wallet.

Changer+ today announced the launch of its self-custodial stablecoin wallet, built to make holding, moving and using stablecoins simpler.

Changer+ supports major stablecoins including USDT and USDC across Ethereum, TRON, BNB Chain and Solana, with more networks and stablecoins planned.

To celebrate its launch, Changer+ is offering new users three free transactions per device on each chain – Ethereum, Solana, and BNB Chain from October 6 to November 6, 2026.

Changer+ is built around a simple belief: people should not need to understand every blockchain, gas token, or transaction mechanic just to use the stablecoins they already have.

Stablecoins Should Just WorkUsing stablecoins can still mean figuring out which network a token is on, choosing the right transfer route, sourcing a separate gas token, and navigating unfamiliar transaction steps. Changer+ is designed to move more of that complexity into the background.

“People should not have to become blockchain experts just to use stablecoins,” said Leon Gao, CEO of Changer+, with over a decade of experience in product development in the fintech and payment industry “The technology underneath can stay sophisticated. What users see should feel simple, clear and dependable.”

Simplicity Without Giving Up ControlMaking stablecoins easier to use should not mean taking control away from the user.

Changer+ is self-custodial, meaning users retain control of their private keys and authorize their own transactions.

For Yun Han Wong, CGO of Changer+, who has spent years working in Web3, preserving that principle is fundamental to trust.

“Trust is everything in Web3,” Yun Han said. “The early crypto idea of ‘being your own bank’ was really about ownership — having control over your own assets instead of simply handing that control to another intermediary. We want to preserve that ethos while making stablecoins much easier to use. Convenience should not mean giving up control.”

Technology and Security Built around the UserChanger+ is designed to remove common friction from everyday stablecoin use.

On supported transactions, Changer+ lets users cover network-related transaction costs without first having to acquire the blockchain’s native gas token. 

For example, a user holding stablecoins does not necessarily need to separately acquire ETH, TRX, BNB, or SOL before completing a supported transaction. 

Changer+ has also completed an independent security audit, vulnerability assessment, and penetration testing (VAPT) conducted by Echo Pulse, a CREST-accredited and Singapore-licensed cybersecurity service provider. 

These capabilities are led by Zack Chen, CTO of Changer+, an NUS-trained technopreneur with years of software development experience overseeing Changer+’s multi-chain architecture and security development.

“Good engineering should reduce the complexity users have to manage while keeping the experience clear and reliable,” Zack said.

Making Stablecoins More UsefulChanger+ goes beyond holding and transferring stablecoins by giving users more ways to put them to practical use.

Current capabilities include global eSIM data plans, a lifestyle ticket marketplace, and security risk signals that help users identify suspicious activity and potentially unsafe addresses, with more use cases planned.

“Our ambition is not to build another wallet people download and forget,” Leon said. “We want to make the whole stablecoin experience easier — from holding and transferring to actually using them.”

As stablecoins increasingly move beyond crypto trading into payments, remittances and everyday digital commerce, the experience of using them remains fragmented across networks and wallets. 

Changer+ was built to close that usability gap. 

Backed by a private family office, Changer+ is taking a long-term approach to building the product. Rather than centering the platform around a project token or speculative rewards, the company is focused on usability, self-custody, security, and practical stablecoin utility. 

“Stablecoins should just work,” Yun Han added. “Fewer unnecessary crypto steps, more useful things you can do with them, and the user stays in control.”

Changer+ is available on iOS and Android.

Download IOS app：https://apps.apple.com/us/app/changer-stablecoin-wallet/id6744874111

Download Android app：https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=plus.changer.app&hl=en

Learn more: www.changer.plus

Join communities: https://linktr.ee/ChangerPlus

Launch Special

Enjoy three free transactions on each chain – Ethereum, Solana, and BNB Chain from October 6 to November 6, 2026.*

Available only to new users who install the Changer+ app and register during the campaign period. Network fees are covered for three eligible transactions per device. Terms and conditions apply. Changer+ reserves the right to amend or withdraw the offer.

About Changer+

Changer+ is a Singapore-incorporated, self-custodial stablecoin wallet built to make stablecoins easier to use.

With multi-chain stablecoin support across major blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain and TRON, Changer+ brings together simpler transfers, flexible gas-fee options, security risk signals and practical use cases — while users remain in control of their private keys.

Backed by a private family office, Changer+ combines payments experience, Web3 expertise and security-led engineering with one ambition: to become the world’s easiest stablecoin wallet.

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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.

BitMine Immersion Technologies’ stock fell 3% in the first 9 months of 2026, according to chairman Tom Lee. Ethereum (ETH) dropped 10% over the same stretch, leaving the stock ahead by 731 basis points.

Lee tied the gap to several company actions and singled out one of them. However, the comparison looks different once BitMine’s own ETH holdings and its closest rivals enter the picture.

In BitMine’s weekly update on October 5, Lee called the gap notable because it came during a bear market.

“We accomplished this via many actions, including executing the largest ever crypto treasury equity buyback, acquiring 21 million shares in 2026 alone,” Lee said

BitMine also kept buying Ethereum. It added 15,112 ETH in the week through October 4. That lifted its holdings to about 6.02 million tokens, or 4.9% of supply.

The firm’s lead over its token fits a pattern seen among the biggest crypto treasury companies this year. The largest Bitcoin and Solana treasuries also beat their own tokens, some by wider margins, Yahoo Finance data shows. 

Digital Asset Treasury Stocks Vs. Tokens. Source: BeInCryptoStrategy rose 0.8% through September while Bitcoin (BTC) fell. Forward Industries gained 18% as Solana (SOL) slipped. SharpLink, another Ethereum treasury firm, climbed 3.8% over the same period and finished ahead of BitMine.

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Where Ethereum Needs to Go for BitMine’s Stack to Turn GreenMeanwhile, the ETH on BitMine’s balance sheet is still worth less than the company paid for it, a loss that predates this year’s rally. Artemis data on October 6 put the company’s unrealized loss at $3.6 billion, the largest on its treasury chart.

Unrealized Profit and Loss of Digital Asset Treasury Firms. Source: ArtemisETH traded at $2,703.67 at press time, down 1.07% over 24 hours, per BeInCrypto Markets data. The price sits about 45% below its $4,946.05 peak from August 24, 2025.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto MarketsCiti’s 12-month Ethereum target of $3,028 implies about 12% upside from current levels. Still, Artemis’s loss figure and the current price imply an average cost near $3,300 per ETH. Ethereum would need to rise roughly 22% to reach that level, so the stack would stay underwater at Citi’s target.

Lee has argued that crypto is entering its biggest bull cycle yet. During the third-quarter rally, BitMine gained about 99% while ETH rose 71%. The fourth quarter will test whether that edge holds, and whether Lee’s bull call plays out at all.

BitMine now sits roughly 88,600 ETH short of its 5% supply target. Whether its weekly buying continues past that mark will shape how much support the company keeps giving Ethereum.

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October’s strongest established crypto candidates have liquid markets, active developer communities and events that can be checked against public records. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB and XRP each meet the longevity test, but their October cases depend on different things. A scheduled testnet, an ecosystem conference or a validator vote can change expectations without creating token demand by itself.

Summary

Bitcoin remains the largest cryptoasset, with an October 5 closing price near $85,771 on CoinGecko. Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade is targeted for the fourth quarter, with a Sepolia test scheduled for October 6 and no confirmed mainnet date. Solana has four Accelerate China events between October 16 and 22, while its faster finality upgrade still needs production evidence. BNB Chain targets a late October Jenner testnet, with its mainnet upgrade planned for late November. XRP Ledger’s Batch amendment is nearing an October decision, subject to validator support and the outcome of a security fix. The word “best” in a market headline needs a test. For this selection, a coin must have an established trading history, a substantial and observable community, a usable network or clear monetary role, and a dated development or demand question for October. These criteria do not rank expected returns. Market capitalization can make an asset easier to trade, but it also means a major price move requires much more capital than a small token does.

The list was selected on October 6. CoinGecko’s bitcoin history records an October 5 close of $85,771, while its global market dashboard offers a changing snapshot across all assets. Prices and market capitalizations should be checked at publication. A catalyst is an event to investigate, not a promise that a token will appreciate on the event date.

How were the five candidates chosen? Bitcoin has operated since 2009, Ethereum since 2015, XRP Ledger since 2012, BNB Chain since 2020 and Solana since 2020. Their histories include periods of heavy volatility and operational disputes. Longevity alone is not a safety certificate, but it gives readers more evidence than a newly created token’s few trading sessions. Public code, onchain records, developer documentation and long running communities make a claim about adoption easier to test.

The selection spans distinct sources of value. BTC is a scarce monetary asset. ETH is used to pay for Ethereum execution and secure its proof of stake network. SOL is the native asset of a high throughput chain. BNB pays network fees and participates in its ecosystem. XRP is used for XRP Ledger fees and can serve as a bridge asset, though a tokenized transaction on XRPL does not necessarily buy XRP as a payment asset. Putting all five in a single “October event trade” would hide these differences.

The calendar matters too. The BLS release schedule places September CPI on October 14. The Fed’s October calendar places the policy meeting on October 27 and 28. A network milestone can arrive on schedule yet be outweighed by yields, ETF flows or a fall in the wider risk market. We therefore look for independent confirmation in actual usage and trading rather than assigning a price target to the event.

Bitcoin: Large and liquid, but without a protocol launch Bitcoin’s October case rests on cash demand and its longest running monetary policy. The Bitcoin supply schedule caps issuance at 21 million BTC and estimates the next halving in 2028. October 2026 has no scheduled halving. A “halving catalyst this month” would be an incorrect reason to include BTC. The near term events are the inflation releases, Fed decision and the completion of weekly fund flow reports.

U.S. spot bitcoin exchange traded funds took in about $2.39 billion during the week ending September 25, according to Farside’s fund table. A crypto.news account of that week documents the concentration of inflows early in the period. Fund creations are observable institutional access, but investors can sell bitcoin into the same demand. One positive week does not establish an October trend, and a rising fund asset value can reflect bitcoin’s price instead of new subscriptions.

Bitcoin’s established network and market depth make it the clearest benchmark for the other four. Its risk is the same scale that makes it familiar: a move from roughly $85,000 back toward the prior high above $126,000 would require substantial sustained buying. The relevant October test is whether complete weekly ETF rows, cash market activity and price hold together after CPI and the Fed meeting. A negative spot demand estimate or repeated redemptions would undermine the immediate bull case even if a conference fills a calendar elsewhere.

Ethereum: Glamsterdam moves through a public test Ethereum’s official roadmap targets Glamsterdam for the fourth quarter but says its mainnet date is unconfirmed. The changes include enshrined proposer builder separation and block level access lists, both designed to address block production and execution efficiency. Public testing can reveal problems as well as progress. An October 6 Sepolia activation is a testnet milestone, and it should never be presented as the mainnet upgrade itself.

The protocol has an unusually broad developer and application base, but that does not make the token immune to demand shocks. A block execution improvement may raise capacity while reducing the amount users pay for a given activity. Lower costs can attract usage; whether they produce net ETH demand depends on transaction volume, fee burn, staking and the rest of the market. A crypto.news account of the Sepolia test sets out what remains before production activation.

Readers should check the test outcome, client readiness and whether a mainnet schedule is formally agreed. Ethereum’s event calendar lists October gatherings and November’s Devcon in India, but a conference is a venue for announcements, not a protocol upgrade. Ether remains an October candidate because it has actual network use and a verifiable engineering path. The risk is that testing slips, technical issues appear or the market has priced in the proposed benefits long before activation.

Solana: Four October events and a harder engineering test The Solana Foundation’s Accelerate calendar lists Shanghai on October 16, Hangzhou on October 18, Shenzhen on October 20 and Beijing on October 22. The series gives developers and financial firms a near term forum for product announcements. None of those dates obliges an institution to launch an application or purchase SOL. A useful post event check is a public deployment, fee paying usage or committed liquidity, with a date and entity attached.

Solana’s more consequential engineering promise is Alpenglow, a change designed to reduce finality from roughly 12.8 seconds toward about 150 milliseconds. A public developer network and validator work are tests of that proposition. An earlier crypto.news examination of finality frames the question for operators. The credible price case depends on a production rollout that maintains safety, not a demonstration in which only ideal conditions are shown.

Solana has a large consumer and trading community, a deep application ecosystem and products that give traditional investors exposure. Its vulnerabilities include congestion, concentration of activity in speculative tokens and the gap between theoretical throughput and user experience when load rises. A recent crypto.news look at the October setup notes the difference between an upgrade narrative and actual ETF demand. Follow validator participation, network failures and durable fees after each launch announcement.

BNB: Jenner has a testnet window, not a mainnet event BNB Chain’s announcement places the Jenner testnet fork in late October and the mainnet fork in late November, with exact times and release versions yet to be announced. The October claim is therefore narrow. Successful testnet activation would move the engineering process forward; it would not mean Jenner was already live for all BSC users.

The 2026 technical roadmap describes work on execution performance, lower fees, storage and developer tools. BNB’s role in fees means usage can connect to token demand, but fee reductions may mean each transaction consumes less BNB. Growth in transaction count should be weighed against fee revenue and token supply, not treated as a one for one price driver. The network’s exchange linked ecosystem brings distribution, and that same connection creates concentration and regulatory exposure.

BNB has an older and larger application base than a newly launched layer 1. That is why it belongs in an established coin feature. The October watch is whether the published Jenner binaries, test results and final mainnet timing match the announced window. If the fork slips or its benefits are small under real load, the testnet headline provides little independent reason for BNB to outperform.

XRP: Validator approval is a condition, not a launch promise The RippleX roadmap covers changes to XRPL’s transaction and token features. Batch aims to combine dependent actions, a potentially useful tool for atomic settlement. A security fix and validator vote make timing contingent. An earlier crypto.news feature on Batch separates the capability from the work a financial institution still has to do around issuance, custody and legal claims.

The XRP Ledger amendment documentation explains that amendments need sustained validator support before activation. Readers should verify the specific Batch amendment’s vote, the version running on validators and any published bug fix. A tentative activation date is conditional, and a release number is not proof that institutions are using the feature in production.

XRP has a long lived holder base and a network that processes payments and token transactions. A rise in institutional activity on XRPL need not produce a proportionate rise in XRP demand: issuers can represent other assets, while XRP fees per transaction are small. The price case strengthens if real applications settle repeatedly, liquidity deepens and XRP is used for more than mandatory fees. If the amendment fails its approval test, the October event thesis needs to be updated rather than rolled forward without explanation.

Which October catalyst is most concrete? Ethereum’s Sepolia activation has a specific public test date. Solana’s four conferences have specific venues and dates, but no guaranteed protocol change. BNB’s Jenner announcement has a late month testnet window and an explicitly later mainnet target. XRPL Batch has a validator process whose outcome depends on support and the security fix. Bitcoin’s macro and fund flow tests have a published reporting calendar but no engineering launch. These are different degrees of certainty.

The ordering does not predict relative returns. A testnet can activate and ETH fall; bitcoin can rise on cash inflows with no new upgrade; SOL can rally before its events and reverse afterward. A large community helps distribute information and applications, but social reach cannot replace users, fee payments or flows. For each candidate, compare the price before and after the event with BTC and the global crypto market, then inspect the associated onchain or fund measure.

The five names overlap with many broad market products. A portfolio of them is not five independent bets when macro liquidity drives all five simultaneously. XRP, BNB and SOL carry distinct technology and governance risks on top of general crypto volatility. Readers should not infer an allocation or a ranked recommendation from the order of this feature.

What to watch Bitcoin: Complete weekly spot ETF creations and redemptions after CPI, alongside spot demand and yields.

Ethereum: Sepolia results on October 6, subsequent client releases and any confirmed Glamsterdam mainnet schedule.

Solana: Verifiable applications from the October 16 to 22 events and validator evidence from Alpenglow testing.

BNB: Jenner testnet release and activation notice, with mainnet still targeted for November.

XRP: The specific Batch amendment vote, the security fix and later production usage by identifiable issuers.

FAQ What is the best established crypto to buy in October 2026? No one asset is best for every buyer. Bitcoin has the deepest monetary track record; the other four have different network use and October milestones. The article identifies questions to test, not a universal purchase recommendation.

Why include Bitcoin without an October network upgrade? Its potential October catalyst is changing cash demand around published macro events and weekly ETF flows. The next halving is estimated for 2028.

Is Glamsterdam launching on Ethereum mainnet on October 6? No. October 6 is a Sepolia testnet milestone. Ethereum’s roadmap targets mainnet in the fourth quarter without a confirmed date.

Will a Solana conference make SOL rise? No event guarantees a price move. Public deployments, use and fees after an announcement provide a better test than attendance alone.

Is BNB Chain’s Jenner upgrade happening in October? The late October window is for testnet. The announced mainnet target is late November and exact fork details remain subject to publication.

Does XRPL Batch require investors to buy XRP? The network requires XRP for fees, but the assets moved in a batch can be other tokens. Additional business use does not automatically translate into a large XRP purchase.

Are these five coins safer than small new tokens? Their longer history and liquidity provide more information, but all can lose value sharply. Operational, regulatory and market risks differ by coin.

When should the October case be reassessed? Recheck the dated event status, full fund flow rows and actual network usage after the relevant October release. An unconfirmed or delayed milestone changes the premise.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Figures reflect regulatory filings and reporting available at the time of writing and change with each disclosure. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or asset. Always do your own research. Information is accurate as of October 6, 2026.

In brief The SEC approved Cboe's request on October 2 to list six 3x funds from Volatility Shares tracking Bitcoin, Ethereum, gold, silver, crude oil and natural gas. Each fund targets three times the daily performance of futures contracts on its asset, and the order sets no launch date. The approval follows SEC warning letters on leverage above 2x in December 2025 and a March 2026 request to avoid 5x products. The SEC approved a rule change on October 2 that lets the Cboe exchange list six funds built to deliver three times the daily price moves of Bitcoin, Ethereum, gold, silver, crude oil, and natural gas, per the agency's order.

The funds come from Volatility Shares, the firm behind existing 2x Bitcoin and Ethereum products. Shares will trade on Cboe's BZX Exchange like a regular stock.

Myriad: How high will Bitcoin go? Click to make your prediction.An ETF, or exchange-traded fund, is a basket of assets you buy and sell through a brokerage app like a share. A leveraged one uses debt and other financial tools to amplify returns, and losses.

These funds aim for triple. If Bitcoin futures rise 2% in a day, the fund aims to gain 6%. If they fall 2%, it aims to lose 6%.

The funds mainly get that exposure through futures, which are contracts to buy or sell an asset at a set price on a later date.

But there’s a catch in the word "daily." These funds reset every day, so the 3x promise applies to one day at a time. Over longer stretches, results can drift far from three times the asset's move.

So, for example Bitcoin futures drop 10% on Monday, then rise 10% on Tuesday. The asset ends down 1%, while a 3x fund falls 30%, gains 30% and ends down 9%. If you have $100 worth of Bitcoin, a 30% drop takes off 30% of $100, which is $30, leaving you with $70 net. A 30% gain adds 30% of $70, which is $21. You're at $91, overall 9% down after the movement.

The SEC and FINRA have warned investors about exactly this. Their alert says returns over more than a day can differ significantly from the daily target.

Why the SEC had to voteCboe's fast-track listing rules for commodity funds exclude products that chase a multiple of an asset's return, so the exchange needed the SEC to approve these funds individually. Apart from the 3x target, the funds must meet all of Cboe's other listing requirements.

The SEC leaned on existing guardrails. Brokers must act in a retail customer's best interest under Regulation Best Interest, and FINRA, the brokerage industry's self-regulator, requires tougher sales and margin (borrowing) rules for leveraged products.

Volatility Shares launched the first leveraged crypto ETF in the U.S. in 2023, tracking Bitcoin futures. Spot Bitcoin ETFs, which hold the coins directly, arrived in January 2024 after a decade of rejections.

Then the race for more leverage began. In October 2025, Defiance filed for 49 funds with 3x long and short exposure, and Volatility Shares filed for 5x products.

The SEC pushed back. In December 2025 it halted review of products above 2x exposure and sent warning letters to nine issuers, including ProShares. In March 2026, it asked issuers to avoid 5x products.

Volatility Shares kept shipping 2x funds anyway. In April 2026 it launched 2x funds on Cardano, Stellar, and Chainlink, adding to existing 2x products on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP.

These aren't the first 3x products. Earlier ones tied to silver, crude oil and natural gas, from other issuers, have since left the market, per the order. A 3x gold product from another issuer still trades.

The order sets no launch date. According to Cboe's filing, the shares can't trade until each fund's registration statement takes effect.

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Nearly 1.44 million ETH is waiting to begin staking, down 31% from Sept. 1 but still facing a roughly 25-day delay.

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Geneva, Switzerland — October 5, 2026 — The Office of Justin Sun today announced the newest recipients of the Justin Sun Prize: independent researcher Wouter van Doorn, mathematics Ph.D. student Quanyu Tang, and mathematics researcher Yanyang Li from Nanjing’s Southeast University, recognized for contributions spanning six Erdős problems.

Wouter van Doorn is an independent number theorist who began researching mathematics as an undergraduate in 2010 and continued collaborating and publishing after leaving academia following his master’s degree. Quanyu Tang (汤泉宇) is a mathematics Ph.D. student at the University of Science and Technology of China whose research spans number theory, combinatorics and AI-assisted mathematical discovery.

Erdős problems are mathematical questions posed or popularized by Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős about numbers, patterns and other mathematical structures. Often simple to state but difficult to solve, they have helped shape research in number theory and combinatorics, with some remaining open for decades. The Erdős catalog, compiled and maintained by Thomas Bloom, a mathematician and Royal Society University Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, has more than 1200 problems. 

Van Doorn and Tang worked with Yanyang Li, from Southeast University’s School of Mathematics in Nanjing, to solve Erdős Problem #650, determining exactly how many integers can always be matched to distinct multiples within a specified interval. Van Doorn also produced computer-checkable proofs in Lean, software for verifying mathematical reasoning, for #369, concerning consecutive integers with restricted prime factors; #457, about whether a short run of consecutive integers can collectively contain every prime in a given range; and #469, concerning whether the reciprocals of a special class of numbers expressible as sums of their divisors add to a finite total.

Tang separately resolved #1044, establishing a sharp lower limit for boundary lengths of regions defined by polynomials, and contributed alongside Li to a wider team’s solution of #1196, bounding weighted sums over sets of integers in which no member divides another.

Their work on #650 offers a concrete example of how human judgment and AI can complement each other. ChatGPT helped develop the proof strategy, while Aristotle, an AI system for mathematical reasoning, repaired a gap during Lean formalization. The researchers then simplified the argument and wrote the final proofs and exposition.

“This experience taught me how public feedback can sharpen a research question, and how AI-assisted discovery can combine mathematical judgment, collaboration and rigorous verification,” Tang said.

These are the program’s first confirmed awards, recognizing both mathematical discovery and the work needed to make proofs independently checkable. Information about the Justin Sun Prize, its problem catalog and recipient contributions is available through the program’s public GitHub repository.

The prizes will be paid out in either USDT on TRON (TRC-20) or USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20) based on the recipient’s choice. For more information, please visit www.hejustinsun.com/prize. 

About the Office of Justin Sun

The Office of Justin Sun supports Justin Sun’s global business, philanthropic and public initiatives across technology, blockchain, artificial intelligence, scientific research, investment, art and space exploration. 

Justin Sun is the Ambassador and former Permanent Representative of Grenada to the World Trade Organization and the Founder of TRON. TRON is the leading blockchain for the stablecoin revolution, processing over $13 trillion in volume since its inception. In the world’s emerging markets, people rely on USDT on TRON to access the global financial system.

A protégé of Alibaba founder Jack Ma, Sun has been recognized internationally for his work in the digital asset industry, including a Forbes cover profile in April 2025 and multiple appearances on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. In August 2025, he flew aboard Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission, becoming the 712th person in history to travel to space. His broader interests span technology, investment, philanthropy, art, gaming, and space exploration.

Office of Justin Sun Contact:

[email protected] 

About Justin Sun Prize 

The Justin Sun Prize is an academic initiative established by Justin Sun to support advances in mathematics, formal verification, and AI-assisted scientific discovery. The prize is decentralized and built around the principle that mathematical work should be judged by the strength, rigor, and verifiability of the proof itself, not the prestige or reputation of those submitting it.

Justin Sun established the prize in his own name as a long-term commitment to return wealth created through mathematics and technology back to mathematics itself. Its legacy is intended to be defined by the body of work it recognizes and the laureates whose discoveries stand the test of time. The prize links clearly defined mathematical challenges to machine-verifiable proof. Its guiding principles are openness, public benefit and open-source access.

Visit https://www.hejustinsun.com/prize for more information. 

Contact:

[email protected]

Solana has kicked off Q4 in a way that has put the spotlight back on the SOL/ETH ratio.

Technically speaking, SOL/ETH closed Q3 nearly 6% lower, showing that Ethereum significantly outperformed Solana in the last quarter. Whereas SOL returned 60%, ETH delivered 73% ROI, meaning that in FOMO fashion, Ethereum currently has the stronger setup heading into Q4.

But Solana’s latest on-chain activity suggests the gap might be beginning to close. According to Blockworks data, Solana has kicked off Q4 processing more spot DEX volume than Ethereum mainnet, all of Ethereum’s L2s and Hyperliquid combined. In figures, that means Solana processed over $1.6 billion in spot DEX volume, up more than 50% on Ethereum.

Source: Blockworks As a critical metric of on-chain activity, the early divergence could set up a stronger SOL/ETH setup in Q4.

The reasoning behind this is simple: Higher DEX volume is an indicator of increased activity on the Solana blockchain, which could lead to higher demand for the network, thereby giving SOL more room to appreciate against ETH. Interestingly enough, the liquidity setup is already starting to support this thesis.

According to RWA Foundation, stablecoin market cap across the top 10 chains grew by $815.7 million in the last 24 hours. Solana alone captured nearly 50% of that growth, adding $378.1 million. For SOL, that fresh liquidity could fuel even more capital into the ecosystem, giving its DEX a further boost as Q4 begins.

The key takeaway? One sector could already be pointing to where this liquidity and rising DEX activity are heading. So, if Solana [SOL] continues to capture a larger share of this activity, it could serve as the next catalyst for SOL to gain ground over Ethereum and potentially set the stage for a SOL/ETH breakout.

Can tokenization give Solana the edge over Ethereum? In a recent post, Solana highlighted a development that caught the market’s attention.

Nasdaq listed it, Solana moved it.” A drone defense company had more trading volume on Solana than its home exchange while Fiserv plugged in 90+ banks and credit unions. Solana also posted $365 million in Q3 app revenue, its tenth consecutive quarter leading the pack in crypto-native assets.

According to AMBCrypto, the main takeaway is that a Nasdaq-listed company saw more volume on Solana than its home exchange, signifying that tokenized assets are the driving force behind the network’s growth, with the tokenized stock trading volume on Solana crossing a record $4.4 billion in September.

Source: X While Ethereum [ETH] still holds dominance in the wider RWA space, Solana’s Q3 momentum in the tokenized stocks and real-world use cases arena is helping to close the gap. If the trend continues, the increased level of tokenization activity could provide Solana with a key catalyst for capturing more on-chain volume and potentially narrowing the gap with Ethereum in Q4.

In this regard, the fact that Solana kicked off October by outperforming Ethereum in terms of DEX volume could be seen as a precursor to the on-chain dominance of SOL, which could eventually lead to a breakout of the SOL/ETH pair above the 0.05 resistance level.

Final Summary Solana’s on-chain activity is picking up, giving SOL a chance to catch up with ETH in Q4. Growing tokenization could be the key catalyst, potentially helping SOL/ETH break above 0.05.

Real Vision founder Raoul Pal remains bullish on crypto’s long-term trajectory, arguing that improving liquidity could lift Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), Sui (CRYPTO: SUI) and other digital assets.

Pal argues Wall Street’s tokenization push and AI adoption strengthen the sector’s underlying growth story.

Bitcoin Awaits Dollar ‘Green Light‘Crytocurrencies remain "super oversold" relative to the Nasdaq, gold and broader liquidity conditions, leaving room for the market to catch up, Pal said in a CoinTelegraph interview on Oct. 2.

But the key signal for the next leg higher is the U.S. dollar.

"If the dollar starts weakening, then we get a green light for further movement in crypto," according to Pal.

For now, elevated bond yields, a strong dollar and geopolitical uncertainty are limiting liquidity.

AI has captured much of the capital available to risk assets, with crypto tending to rally when the AI trade pauses.

Pal declined to provide a near-term Bitcoin price target but said the widely discussed $1 million Bitcoin thesis is plausible if adoption, ETFs, institutional participation and BTC’s use as collateral continue expanding.

Pal stated he would have "no issue" with Bitcoin reaching that level by around 2032.

Which Tokens Offer Different Risk-Reward BetsBeyond Bitcoin, Pal is particularly focused on Ethereum, Solana and Sui, viewing major Layer-1 networks as infrastructure plays on the continued expansion of blockchain activity.

He pushed back against the idea that Solana is already positioned to overtake Ethereum, pointing to Ethereum’s significantly greater "economic density" per user.

Pal estimated Ethereum has roughly $200,000 in total value locked per active user versus around $2,500 for Solana.

He argued Ethereum remains deeply embedded across stablecoins, DeFi, tokenization, real-world assets and digital art.

Solana, meanwhile, has significantly more speculative activity and smaller transaction sizes, but Pal still expects both networks to grow.

Bigger Crypto Investment ThesisPal remains bullish on Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC), arguing privacy demand could grow as investors seek assets outside TradFi infrastructure. However, he cautioned its sharp rally makes further upside difficult to gauge.

While meme coins can drive crypto adoption, Pal warns against excessive speculation and favors 80%-90% of a portfolio in higher-quality assets.

With Wall Street increasingly adopting blockchain infrastructure, Pal expects tokenized assets and AI agents to drive more activity toward major Layer-1 networks through 2030.

"I think everything will be tokenized," he said.

Image: Shutterstock

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (@BitMNR) has pushed its corporate Ethereum treasury to 6,016,414 $ETH, bringing the company's total base of crypto, liquidity, and strategic assets to $17.4 billion.

Closing In on the 5% Target Under Chairman Tom Lee (@fundstrat), the firm now holds 4.9% of $ETH's total circulating supply of 122.1 million coins. That puts Bitmine at 99% of its self-declared "Alchemy of 5%" accumulation target, a goal the company set at the launch of its Ethereum treasury strategy on June 30, 2025. In other words, the firm has gone from zero to near-full execution of that objective in just 15 months.

The milestone cements Bitmine's position as the largest corporate Ethereum treasury in the world. The company's crypto holdings rank as the number one Ethereum treasury and number two global treasury, behind Strategy Inc., which reportedly owns 840,447 BTC valued at approximately $66 billion.

Staking Revenue and the MAVAN Platform The Bitmine treasury is not simply a passive holding. Earlier in 2026, the company launched MAVAN (the Made in America VAlidator Network), an institutional-grade staking platform that was originally developed to support Bitmine's own Ethereum treasury but has since expanded to serve institutional investors, custodians, and ecosystem partners.

As of early September 2026, Bitmine's total staked ETH stood at 5,067,309, valued at $12.6 billion at $2,495 per ETH. Annualized staking revenues are projected at $330 million.

The company has acquired ETH every week without exception since the strategy launched. "Bitmine's track record of consistent buying of crypto is unmatched by any public company in the world," Lee stated.

Beyond Ethereum, Bitmine also holds smaller strategic positions in Bitcoin, Beast Industries, and Eightco Holdings, which it describes as "moonshot" equity stakes. The company operates as a blockchain technology firm primarily in the United States, engaging in ETH treasury operations, BTC ecosystem services including consulting and advisory work, and disciplined digital asset treasury management.

Sources:
Bitmine ETH Holdings Announcement, Nasdaq Press Release
Bitmine Ether Treasury Hits 4.8 Million ETH, CoinDesk
BitMine Immersion Crypto Treasuries, CoinGecko

Tom Lee’s BitMine has added about $41 million worth of Ethereum, lifting its total ETH holdings above 6.02 million tokens as the company moves closer to its 5% supply target.

BitMine ETH Holdings Reach 6.02 Million Tokens BitMine Immersion Technologies said its Ethereum holdings reached 6,016,414 ETH as of October 4, 2026. At an ETH price of $2,726, the position was valued at about $16.4 billion. The company added 15,112 ETH during the latest week, equal to roughly $41 million at that price.

BitMine said its Ethereum balance now represents about 4.9% of the total ETH supply of 122.1 million tokens. The company has been working toward owning 5% of the network’s supply, a goal it calls the “Alchemy of 5%.” BitMine began its Ethereum treasury strategy on June 30, 2025.

Tom Lee said, “Bitmine has bought ETH each and every week since the inception of the ETH Treasury Strategy on June 30, 2025.” The company reported total crypto, cash, marketable securities and other investments of $17.4 billion.

Staked ETH Passes 5 Million Tokens BitMine has staked 5,067,309 ETH, worth about $13.8 billion at the stated Ethereum price. The staked balance represents roughly 84% of the company’s total ETH holdings.

The company operates MAVAN, short for Made in America Validator Network, as part of its staking strategy. BitMine developed the platform for its own Ethereum treasury before expanding it for institutional investors and other market participants.

Lee said, “Annualized staking revenues are now projected at $363 million.” He also said BitMine’s staking activity generated a seven-day annualized yield of 2.63%.

BitMine also holds 214 Bitcoin, $643 million in cash and marketable securities, a $180 million stake in Beast Industries and a $117 million position in Eightco Holdings.

Tom Lee Expects a Larger Crypto Bull Cycle Lee said BitMine expects the current crypto market cycle to develop into a larger bull run than previous cycles. The company plans to publish its October chairman’s message under the title, “Crypto bull underway  this cycle likely the largest.”

Lee is scheduled to deliver a keynote at Token2049 in Singapore on October 7, 2026. BitMine was also added to the Russell 1000 Large-Cap Index on June 26, 2026.

The company’s Series A preferred stock trades on the NYSE under the BMNP symbol, while BitMine common shares trade under BMNR.

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Ethereum price reached $2,707 on Monday, rising 0.52% over 24 hours while holding above $2,700. The move keeps a near-term advance toward $3,000 in focus for the week.

The wider cryptocurrency market gained 0.68% during the same period, lifting its capitalization to $2.93 trillion. 

Bitcoin price remained above $85,000, and XRP was trading above $1.50 as the major cryptocurrencies continued their gains. The latest advance follows several weeks of gains across these assets since the middle of September.

Ethereum reportedly recorded its first weekly close above $2,700 in nine months, adding to the positive outlook. 

Bitmine Buys 15,112 ETH as Ethereum Holdings Top 6 Million The Ethereum treasury firm Bitmine acquired 15,112 ETH last week, lifting its holdings to 6,016,414 tokens. Those holdings represent approximately 4.9% of Ethereum’s total supply, bringing the company closer to its 5% ownership target.

🚨BITMINE JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER 15,112 ETH!

Bitmine added 15,112 ethereum:native over the past week, about $41 million at the $2,726 price in the release.

Holdings are now 6,016,414 ethereum:native, 4.9% of supply, and the company says it is 99% of the way to its 5% target.

Total crypto, cash and stakes are $17.4 billion.

— Crypto Banter (@crypto_banter) October 5, 2026

The weekly addition was worth roughly $41 million, based on the release’s quoted Ethereum price of $2,726. Bitmine’s cryptocurrency holdings, cash, securities and investment stakes reached a combined $17.4 billion, according to the company’s latest update.

Analyst Predicts Ethereum Above $3,000 After Strong Weekly Close Crypto analyst Ted Pillows said Ethereum recorded its highest weekly close in more than eight months. He identified $2,800 as the key threshold for a sustained upward move.

$ETH closed its highest weekly candle in 8+ months.

Now, Ethereum needs a weekly close above $2,800 with strong spot demand and it’ll rally towards $3,400-$3,500. https://t.co/ODGEN0lLag

— Ted (@TedPillows) October 5, 2026

The analyst said strong spot demand and a weekly close above that level could support gains toward $3,400–$3,500. His analysis also marked initial support near $2,550 and another around $2,200. The chart showed $1,965 as another support level if downward pressure intensifies.

Ethereum Open Interest Climbs to $34.10 Billion The Ethereum derivatives market recorded higher activity, with trading volume increasing 15.17% to $29.02 billion. Open interest rose 1.14% to $34.10 billion, indicating an increase in the value of outstanding contracts.

Source: Coinglass data The volume of options increased by 33.58% to $1.15 billion, the highest increase of the metrics reported. Options open interest rose 1.62% to $6.25 billion, indicating increased options contract values outstanding.

Ethereum Price Analysis The ETH price rallied about 13% from its September price, which was nearly $2,400, and consolidated at around $2,718 on October 5.

The Relative Strength Index registered 57. This positioning suggests a mild bullish tilt.

The MACD line stood at 7.45, above the signal line at 4.71, with a positive histogram reading of 2.73.

A sustained four-hour close above $2,800 could open the way toward the marked resistance level at $2,900. Further gains could bring $3,000 into focus, representing approximately 10.4% upside from the displayed price. 

Source: TradingView Rejection near $2,800 could further extend consolidation, with $2,600 being a key support to watch. Failure of that support would compromise the recovery and might lead to a reversion of the previous trading range from $2,400.

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The countdown is currently on for Ethereum's Glamsterdam upgrade, scheduled to activate on Sepolia at epoch 353,024, slot 11,296,768 on October 6, 2026, around 13:53:36 UTC.

Glamsterdam combines the Amsterdam execution layer upgrade with the Gloas consensus layer upgrade. Its headlining changes are enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS) and block-level access lists (BALs), which change how blocks are produced and validated to support greater L1 throughput.

The Sepolia testnet deployment brings Glamsterdam one step closer to its mainnet activation. Following a successful activation on Sepolia, Glamsterdam will launch on the Hoodi testnet, followed by the mainnet, on dates yet to be specified.

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Ahead of the testnet launch on October 6, 2026 at 13:53:36 UTC, non-staking Sepolia node operators are urged to update their execution and consensus layer clients to releases that support the scheduled Sepolia activation.

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This also applies to Sepolia stakers, who should ensure that both their beacon node and validator client are updated. They should also review their client's upgrade instructions for the new ePBS duties and any changes required to builder or validator tooling.

Glamsterdam improvementsEIP-7732 brings the separation between block proposers and builders into Ethereum's consensus protocol. The change also separates consensus validation from execution validation, giving validators more time to validate execution payloads.

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EIP-7928 introduces enforced block-level access lists that record the accounts and storage locations accessed during a block, together with post-transaction state changes. Together, ePBS and BALs provide a foundation for scaling execution capacity while keeping block validation practical for node operators.

Glamsterdam adjusts gas accounting to better reflect resource usage. EIP-8037 increases and separately meters the cost of creating state, while EIP-8038 updates state-access costs.

The upgrade also includes ETH transfer logs, a slot-number opcode, a higher maximum contract size, a deterministic factory contract, and new stack-manipulation instructions. Consensus changes include forward-compatible data structures, excluding slashed validators from proposing, and increased exit and consolidation churn.

In brief Bitmine bought another 15,112 ETH (~$41 million), raising its holdings to 6,016,414 ETH (about $16.4 billion), or 4.9% of supply—99% of the way to its "Alchemy of 5%" target—extending a weekly buying streak. Chairman Tom Lee said a crypto bull market is "underway," touting ETH's outperformance of the S&P 500 by 6,832 basis points this quarter despite macro headwinds. Total holdings, including cash and "moonshots," hit $17.4 billion. Bitmine Immersion Technologies extended its unbroken buying streak this week, scooping up another 15,112 Ethereum, worth about $41 million, as chairman Tom Lee insisted a crypto bull market is "underway."

The NYSE-listed company said Monday its holdings now total 6,016,414 ETH, valued at roughly $16.4 billion at a reference price of $2,726 per coin. (Disclosure: Tom Lee is one of several investors in Dastan, Decrypt's parent company.)

Myriad: Where does Ethereum go next? Click to make your prediction.That represents 4.9% of Ethereum's 122.1 million token supply, leaving Bitmine, by its own reckoning, 99% of the way to its goal of controlling 5% of the network, a target it calls the "Alchemy of 5%," reached in just 15 months.

The purchase continues a run that hasn't paused since Bitmine launched its treasury strategy on June 30, 2025, with the firm buying Ethereum every week since. Lee argued the company's stock had outperformed ETH even through the 2025-2026 bear market, noting BMNR fell 3% over the first nine months of 2026 while ETH dropped 10%.

He also said Ethereum has dwarfed other macro assets this quarter, outpacing the S&P 500 by 6,832 basis points despite headwinds including a hawkish Federal Reserve, surging oil and rising global bond yields.

Counting cash, other tokens and what it calls "moonshot" investments, Bitmine's total holdings reached $17.4 billion as of Saturday. That includes 214 Bitcoin, $643 million in cash and marketable securities, a $180 million stake in Beast Industries and a $117 million position in Eightco Holdings, which Bitmine describes as one of the few public equities offering indirect exposure to OpenAI.

Bitmine remains the world's largest Ethereum treasury and the second-largest crypto treasury overall, trailing only Michael Saylor's Strategy, which holds about 847,666 BTC.

Strategy recently posted a $21 billion third-quarter gain and resumed Bitcoin buying, while Metaplanet sold and rebought 10,000 BTC to make a point about its treasury mechanics.

Bitmine continues to generate staking income, with 5,067,309 ETH, about 84% of its holdings, staked through its MAVAN platform for projected annualized revenue of roughly $363 million.

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