Philosopher Troy Cross, a professor at Reed College known for his work at the intersection of philosophy and cryptocurrency, shared his perspective on Bitcoin’s evolving societal role in a recent interview. Cross argued that while governments are unlikely to relinquish control over money issuance in the near future, Bitcoin serves as an important check against unchecked currency creation.
Bitcoin’s role as a counterbalanceCross stated that Bitcoin offers people an alternative when faced with policies of excessive money printing by central authorities. He believes that as inflation becomes an ongoing concern, both individuals and institutions increasingly view Bitcoin as a potential safeguard for their assets.
Bitcoin puts a check on endless money printing because people will take refuge in it when trust in state-backed currencies declines.
He noted that this dynamic does not require governments to voluntarily adopt Bitcoin or stop their current fiscal practices. Instead, Bitcoin’s existence and accessibility create market pressure, offering citizens a degree of economic freedom that did not previously exist.
The adoption timeline: innovators to academicsDuring the discussion, Cross highlighted a pattern in adoption across various social groups. He observed that technological innovators were the earliest to embrace Bitcoin, followed by those in finance, and then journalists. According to Cross, academic circles are likely to lag behind, as they often adopt new technologies only after they are widely recognized and established elsewhere.
While innovators and the financial sector tend to understand the value of Bitcoin early, academics are typically among the last to seriously engage with it.
Cross suggested that resistance in academic circles stems from a degree of institutional inertia and skepticism about digital currencies. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that broader adoption will occur as education efforts continue and Bitcoin becomes a more normal part of the financial discourse.
Brand challenges and public perceptionCross addressed the perception issue facing Bitcoin, explaining that many people still confuse it with broader cryptocurrency markets or see it as too specialized. He emphasized the importance of clear messaging and education, citing recent public campaigns and increased engagement with Bitcoin-related content in major media as signs of growing interest.
He referenced survey data, such as the Nakamoto Project and a 2026 survey, showing Bitcoin’s recognition is spreading while also becoming a topic of political polarization. Despite ongoing debates, Cross noted that key metrics—such as article engagement rates—suggest the public is becoming more receptive to learning about Bitcoin.
Cross also pointed out that Bitcoin’s price movements serve as a universal signal, drawing in new participants and sparking broader conversations around financial systems and personal sovereignty.
Mini dictionary: Nakamoto Project, a research initiative collecting data and insights on Bitcoin adoption and the cryptocurrency’s influence on politics, economics, and technology.
Separation of money and stateLooking ahead, Cross argued that Bitcoin continues to force a broader conversation about the relationship between money and government. He believes that, even in the absence of direct policy changes, the option for people to store value outside traditional systems compels governments to consider the longer-term impact of inflation and currency devaluation.
Cross concluded that the ongoing increase in Bitcoin adoption and visibility reflects not just technical innovation, but also a shift in cultural attitudes towards financial independence and the role of state authority in the digital age.
In brief Crypto liquidations reached $948.22 million in 24 hours across 177,440 traders, with long positions accounting for 90.6%, per CoinGlass. Bitcoin fell 2.6% and broke support after hotter-than-expected CPI and PPI data revived bets on another Fed rate hike. Bitcoin now trades roughly 2% below the average cost of U.S. spot ETF holders near $82,300, putting those buyers back underwater. Bitcoin fell below $80,000 on Thursday for the first time in over a month, extending Wednesday’s inflation-driven slide and wiping out nearly $1 billion in leveraged crypto bets. It's currently trading just about $82,000 after several hours of increased volatility.
Ethereum and XRP dropped close to 5%, Zcash sank almost 10%, and only five coins in the top 100 managed gains above 1%. Pick any coin in the top 100 and it's likely in the red today.
Myriad: How low will Bitcoin go? Click to make your prediction.Across the market, 177,440 traders were liquidated in 24 hours for a total of $948.22 million, per CoinGlass, with longs accounting for $858.96 million, or 90.6%. Ethereum led with $282.03 million, with Bitcoin just behind at a little over $200 million.
This was the third-heaviest day for long liquidations in the last 90 days, behind October 8 and August 22. The largest single order liquidated yesterday was a $12.03 million Bitcoin long on Binance, force-closed at $80,208.96.
A liquidation happens when a trader borrows to bet on a price move and the market goes the other way. Once losses eat through the collateral, the exchange sells the position automatically, and that forced selling drags prices lower and trips the next batch of leveraged longs.
The trigger was Wednesday’s inflation report, which showed consumer prices up 3.7% year over year in September against a 3.6% forecast, with core inflation at 2.6% against 2.5%. Thursday’s Producer Price Index, which tracks business input costs, rose 6.3% annually versus a 5.5% forecast.
Much of that inflation comes from oil, with Brent crude near $104 a barrel, about 70% above a year ago amid the war between the U.S. and Iran. That feeds into fuel, shipping, and almost everything else that needs to be transported to reach consumers.
Hot inflation pushes the Federal Reserve toward higher interest rates, which lifts Treasury yields, the return investors earn for lending to the U.S. government. A bond paying around 5% with almost no risk makes Bitcoin a harder sell, while higher rates make borrowing pricier and strengthen the dollar, draining the cheap money leveraged crypto traders run on.
Iliya Kalchev, analyst at Nexo, reads the selloff as a broad exit from risk more than a Fed story, with stocks and copper falling, gold rising and South Korea’s Kospi down about 8%.
“Bitcoin has slipped to the bottom of the $81,000 to $87,000 range it has held since late September, and Glassnode flags $80,000 as the level to watch,” Kalchev told Decrypt. “It is also now roughly 2% below the average cost of U.S. spot ETF holders, near $82,300, after closing above that line on 21 of the 24 days since September 21. That puts ETF buyers back underwater, and reclaiming it is the first test of any rebound,”
On the daily chart, Bitcoin broke below $81,603, the strongest upper support from its August-to-October rally from $62,763 to $87,422, where uptrend pullbacks often stall. The drop reached $79,711 before buyers pulled the price back near $80,925, off a rising trend band near $80,286.
Bitcoin price data. Image: TradingviewThe Relative Strength Index, a 0-to-100 momentum gauge where 50 splits bulls from bears, fell to about 44, while the golden cross still keeps the longer-term uptrend intact.
A daily close back above $81,603 would reopen the path to $84,245 and the $87,422 swing high. Losing $80,286 would expose $78,002 as the next support, and then $75,092.
Kalchev sees early signs the selling is not deepening, including cooling profit-taking, but said a recovery needs more than a bounce.
“Three things need to line up for Bitcoin to push through. ETF flows have to turn consistently positive, after $681 million of outflows last week and a single $177 million inflow day. Selling by long-term holders has to ease,” Kalchev explained.
For Kalchev, a bullish market would require that leverage happens with a sustained buying instead of just a bounce. He added that a “Fed path that stops at one 25 basis point hike would take some pressure off the backdrop.”
The Fed announces its rate decision on October 28, followed by core PCE inflation data the next day and October payrolls on November 6.
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In brief Crypto liquidations reached $948.22 million in 24 hours across 177,440 traders, with long positions accounting for 90.6%, per CoinGlass. Bitcoin fell 2.6% and broke support after hotter-than-expected CPI and PPI data revived bets on another Fed rate hike. Bitcoin now trades roughly 2% below the average cost of U.S. spot ETF holders near $82,300, putting those buyers back underwater. Bitcoin fell below $80,000 on Thursday for the first time in over a month, extending Wednesday’s inflation-driven slide and wiping out nearly $1 billion in leveraged crypto bets. It's currently trading just about $82,000 after several hours of increased volatility.
Ethereum and XRP dropped close to 5%, Zcash sank almost 10%, and only five coins in the top 100 managed gains above 1%. Pick any coin in the top 100 and it's likely in the red today.
Myriad: How low will Bitcoin go? Click to make your prediction.Across the market, 177,440 traders were liquidated in 24 hours for a total of $948.22 million, per CoinGlass, with longs accounting for $858.96 million, or 90.6%. Ethereum led with $282.03 million, with Bitcoin just behind at a little over $200 million.
This was the third-heaviest day for long liquidations in the last 90 days, behind October 8 and August 22. The largest single order liquidated yesterday was a $12.03 million Bitcoin long on Binance, force-closed at $80,208.96.
A liquidation happens when a trader borrows to bet on a price move and the market goes the other way. Once losses eat through the collateral, the exchange sells the position automatically, and that forced selling drags prices lower and trips the next batch of leveraged longs.
The trigger was Wednesday’s inflation report, which showed consumer prices up 3.7% year over year in September against a 3.6% forecast, with core inflation at 2.6% against 2.5%. Thursday’s Producer Price Index, which tracks business input costs, rose 6.3% annually versus a 5.5% forecast.
Much of that inflation comes from oil, with Brent crude near $104 a barrel, about 70% above a year ago amid the war between the U.S. and Iran. That feeds into fuel, shipping, and almost everything else that needs to be transported to reach consumers.
Hot inflation pushes the Federal Reserve toward higher interest rates, which lifts Treasury yields, the return investors earn for lending to the U.S. government. A bond paying around 5% with almost no risk makes Bitcoin a harder sell, while higher rates make borrowing pricier and strengthen the dollar, draining the cheap money leveraged crypto traders run on.
Iliya Kalchev, analyst at Nexo, reads the selloff as a broad exit from risk more than a Fed story, with stocks and copper falling, gold rising and South Korea’s Kospi down about 8%.
“Bitcoin has slipped to the bottom of the $81,000 to $87,000 range it has held since late September, and Glassnode flags $80,000 as the level to watch,” Kalchev told Decrypt. “It is also now roughly 2% below the average cost of U.S. spot ETF holders, near $82,300, after closing above that line on 21 of the 24 days since September 21. That puts ETF buyers back underwater, and reclaiming it is the first test of any rebound,”
On the daily chart, Bitcoin broke below $81,603, the strongest upper support from its August-to-October rally from $62,763 to $87,422, where uptrend pullbacks often stall. The drop reached $79,711 before buyers pulled the price back near $80,925, off a rising trend band near $80,286.
Bitcoin price data. Image: TradingviewThe Relative Strength Index, a 0-to-100 momentum gauge where 50 splits bulls from bears, fell to about 44, while the golden cross still keeps the longer-term uptrend intact.
A daily close back above $81,603 would reopen the path to $84,245 and the $87,422 swing high. Losing $80,286 would expose $78,002 as the next support, and then $75,092.
Kalchev sees early signs the selling is not deepening, including cooling profit-taking, but said a recovery needs more than a bounce.
“Three things need to line up for Bitcoin to push through. ETF flows have to turn consistently positive, after $681 million of outflows last week and a single $177 million inflow day. Selling by long-term holders has to ease,” Kalchev explained.
For Kalchev, a bullish market would require that leverage happens with a sustained buying instead of just a bounce. He added that a “Fed path that stops at one 25 basis point hike would take some pressure off the backdrop.”
The Fed announces its rate decision on October 28, followed by core PCE inflation data the next day and October payrolls on November 6.
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Create an account to save your articles.
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Bitcoin retested $82,000, and the move cost leveraged short sellers $20 million in liquidations.
What happened at $82,000 A short is a bet that price will fall. Add leverage, and that bet is made with borrowed money that an exchange can pull the moment the trade moves against you.
When Bitcoin pushed back toward $82,000, some of those positions hit their liquidation thresholds. Exchanges closed them automatically, wiping out $20 million in short exposure.
Forced closures of shorts also mean forced buying. Each liquidated short has to be bought back, which can add a little fuel to the move that caused it in the first place.
Total liquidations across crypto derivatives markets topped $1 billion during some stretches of October 2026. CoinGlass data showed long positions making up roughly 80-90% of those totals.
Specific flushes included $771 million in liquidations, mostly from long trades. Separate events wiped out $120 million and $485 million at other points.
Why $82,000 keeps coming up Bitcoin has spent early to mid-October 2026 trading near $82,000. It has retested that level several times and slipped below it more than once.
Rising oil prices, fresh US inflation data, rising Treasury yields and moves in Asian equity markets have all weighed on risk appetite.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US have also seen outflows totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in a single week.
Traders have been watching a support zone around $81,000 to $82,000. A second line sits lower, near $80,100.
Leverage is shrinking, but it has not left the building The heavy long liquidations earlier in the month forced a partial clean-out of the derivatives market. Bitcoin futures open interest dropped to around $52.7 billion afterward.
What this means for traders and investors The $20 million short squeeze tells you positioning had shifted. After weeks of punishing longs, enough traders had turned bearish that a bounce to $82,000 could catch some of them offside.
Still, the size of this squeeze is a reminder to keep expectations calibrated. A $20 million flush is a ripple compared to the $771 million long wipeout.
For anyone trading with leverage, the $81,000 to $82,000 zone remains the line to watch. A clean break below it could put the $80,100 level in play.
For longer-term holders, if US spot Bitcoin ETFs stop bleeding capital, that would remove one of the clearer sources of pressure this month.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Vivian Nguyen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Bitcoin has fallen 3.6% over the past 24 hours to around $81,500 as stronger-than-expected U.S. producer inflation has renewed concerns about another Federal Reserve interest rate increase.
Summary
U.S. producer prices rose 1.3% in September, the largest monthly increase since March 2022.
Annual wholesale inflation reached 6.3%, following Wednesday’s 3.7% consumer inflation reading.
Bitcoin traded near $81,500 after recording a 24-hour low of $80,443.
CME FedWatch pricing cited in the initial report put October rate hike odds at 34%.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Oct. 15 that September’s producer price index rose 1.3% from August, accelerating from the previous month’s revised 0.5% increase.
On an annual basis, the agency recorded a 6.3% rise in wholesale prices, the fastest increase since December 2022. The release followed Wednesday’s consumer inflation report, giving investors a second set of stronger price readings before the Fed’s October policy meeting.
Bitcoin retreats after failing to clear $84,000
According to the initial market report, Bitcoin traded around $81,500 following the PPI release, with its daily decline exceeding 3.6%. The report also placed Bitcoin below its 50-day moving average and recorded a 24-hour low of $80,443.
Before the inflation releases, crypto.news reported that Bitcoin had approached $83,900 during Asian trading on Oct. 14 before retreating toward $83,500, leaving a recovery above $84,000 incomplete.
In that coverage, analyst Ali Martinez identified $84,000 as a potential breakout level on the 4-hour chart. Martinez’s proposed route toward $93,000 depended on a confirmed close above resistance and continued upward price movement; it was a conditional target rather than a forecast that Bitcoin would reach that price.
The same report cited New York Fed President John Williams’ Oct. 13 remarks that another increase could be appropriate before the end of 2026, while economic conditions did not indicate a need for additional increases in 2027.
Energy prices drive September’s wholesale inflation increase
Within the September release, BLS attributed more than 80% of the increase in final-demand goods prices to energy, where prices jumped 10.8%. The agency recorded a 20.3% increase in gasoline prices, alongside increases in diesel, jet fuel, residential electricity and crude petroleum.
For final-demand goods overall, BLS reported a 2.6% monthly increase, the largest since the series began in December 2009. Food prices rose 1.2%, while goods excluding food and energy increased 0.3%, according to the release.
Across services, the agency recorded a 0.8% increase. BLS attributed nearly half of that advance to a 1.4% rise in trade-service margins, with transportation and warehousing services also becoming more expensive.
Using its measure excluding food, energy and trade services, BLS reported a 0.5% monthly increase and a 5% annual rise.
For comparison, July 15 coverage of Bitcoin’s rally after softer PPI described the opposite market reaction: Bitcoin reclaimed $65,000 after June producer inflation came in below expectations.
According to that report’s CME FedWatch snapshot, the probability of a July rate increase fell to 10.2%, down from roughly 16% after the preceding CPI release and above 30% a week earlier. The July report also recorded a 0.3% monthly decline in headline producer prices, while core PPI rose 0.2%, below the expected 0.3%.
October rate expectations remain divided after CPI and PPI
Following Wednesday’s CPI release, Reuters reported that annual consumer inflation reached 3.7%, while core inflation came in at 2.6%, exceeding the 2.5% forecast in its economist poll.
In the same report, PPHC chief economist Martin Beck said persistent inflation remained a concern, although weaker employment data and fragile consumer sentiment could allow the Fed to hold rates in October.
By Thursday, the initial report’s CME FedWatch snapshot assigned a 34% probability to a quarter-point October increase and a 66% probability to unchanged rates. Reuters separately reported roughly 30% odds, with the next policy meeting scheduled for Oct. 27–28.
Despite the inflation readings, Reuters recorded falling Treasury yields and a weaker dollar on Thursday. Its report also placed the Fed’s current benchmark range at 3.75%–4%, following September’s quarter-point increase.
U.S. Bitcoin ETF flows had slowed before the inflation releases
For U.S.-listed investment products, an Oct. 3 report documented slower Bitcoin ETF inflows during Sep. 28–Oct. 2, citing Farside Investors’ provisional figures.
According to the report, the funds attracted a provisional $82.9 million over that period, compared with $2.39 billion in the preceding week. BlackRock’s Friday entry was still pending when the figures were checked, so the reported weekly total was incomplete.
Across the individual sessions, Farside’s figures showed $31 million arriving on Monday and $66.2 million on Tuesday, followed by $148.7 million in Wednesday withdrawals. Thursday brought $102.7 million in inflows, while Friday’s reported intake stood at $31.7 million before the outstanding entry.
At the fund level, the report recorded $167.9 million in weekly withdrawals from Fidelity’s FBTC, $38.6 million from Bitwise’s BITB and $54.6 million from Grayscale’s GBTC. BlackRock’s IBIT attracted $292 million across Monday through Thursday, according to the same historical snapshot.
Litecoin (LTC) faces renewed selling pressure, with its price sliding to $59.90 after a 2.11% drop in the past 24 hours. Traders are closely monitoring whether the cryptocurrency can maintain its position above the critical $59 support level following a period of heightened volatility and weakened momentum.
Approaching critical support: price levels to watchRecent price action shows Litecoin retreating from its late September high above $70, slipping under the $64.45 mark, which had served as a key support during its previous climb. Technical analysis points to the $59–$59.40 level as a pivotal area, with the asset currently trading near the lower band of the 20-day Bollinger Band at $59.39.
While holding above this zone could allow LTC to consolidate and aim for a recovery toward $63, a daily close below it may trigger further declines, putting the next significant support at $54.18. A sustained rebound would require LTC to first recapture $63 and then test resistance at $64.45, before targeting the middle Bollinger Band line at $67.07.
Price LevelRole$59–$59.40Immediate support$63Short-term recovery target$64.45Key resistance$67.07Middle Bollinger Band$54.18Lower support if breakdown continuesMomentum indicators, derivatives data signal uncertaintyOn the daily timeframe, Litecoin’s relative strength index (RSI) sits at 40.29, well below its moving average of 56.21, suggesting that buying momentum has faded after September’s rally. Despite remaining above the typical oversold threshold of 30, its downward path points to sellers predominantly steering the market. Traders typically view a return above 50 on the RSI as an early sign of bullish momentum re-emerging.
Litecoin’s RSI trending below its average value points to diminished buying pressure, with sellers currently commanding the market. Recovery signs are likely to appear only if the RSI can climb back above 50.
Speculative activity in derivatives markets has also cooled. Data from CoinGlass shows open interest for Litecoin surged in late September, peaking near $700 million as LTC rallied toward the $70–$72 range. By October 14, open interest fell to roughly $550 million, tracking the coin’s price decline and signaling that traders are closing positions and reducing exposure.
Open interest alone does not distinguish between bullish and bearish bets. However, an increase in open interest paired with a price recovery may indicate a return of market participants, while increasing open interest amid further price drops could suggest growing bearish positioning.
Mini dictionary: Open interest — the total value of outstanding futures or options contracts in the derivatives market. Rising open interest can indicate growing market participation or increasing leverage, while falling open interest may signal traders are closing positions.
Community engagement and network activityThe Litecoin Foundation has recently highlighted its Proof of Time initiative, inviting users to share their personal cryptocurrency stories from various blockchain communities. While the campaign seeks to boost engagement across the Litecoin ecosystem, there is currently no evidence linking it directly to price moves.
Network metrics tracked by DeFiLlama provide additional insights. Daily activity generally hovers around $1 million, but the platform’s blue TVL line has trended downward since late September. While these metrics offer a broader context for LTC’s performance, recent data does not present a conclusive shift in network demand. Activity values should be distinguished from the separate scales used for transaction and active-address counts.
Despite ongoing participation on the network, lower price levels and declining TVL suggest a possible cooling in both speculative and user activity.
The near-term outlook for Litecoin depends on buyers’ willingness to defend the $59–$59.40 support region. A bounce back above $63 would turn attention to $64.45 and potentially toward $67.07, with renewed buying and stronger indicators required before any sustained recovery can be confirmed.
Ripple Prime has announced a new offering that allows institutional clients to access and settle Real World Asset (RWA) swaps against over 100 reference markets. This initiative provides 24/7 cross-margining across various asset classes, leveraging its partnership with Trade.xyz on Hyperliquid. The development marks a significant step in Ripple Prime’s expansion into the crypto-derivatives segment, which has seen substantial growth, with RWA perpetual-contract open interest surging to approximately $9 billion. Market participants appear to interpret this move as consistent with increased utility for XRP, potentially influencing its price trajectory.
Key Takeaways Ripple Prime’s move suggests increased engagement in the crypto-derivatives market, now offering 24/7 RWA swaps. Market sentiment appears consistent with a potential positive impact on XRP’s utility and adoption. Despite the potential implications, the impact is moderated by the source’s Tier 3 status on social media. What to Watch Observers should monitor reactions from key industry players such as Brad Garlinghouse, BlackRock, and Grayscale, which could provide further insights into the strategic significance of this development. Future announcements regarding XRP ETF approvals or new payment corridors involving major banks might offer additional evidence of Ripple’s expanding influence. Conversely, unfavorable macroeconomic conditions, such as sustained high interest rates or new regulatory challenges, could counteract positive sentiment around XRP’s prospects.
Bitcoin and XRP fell further on Thursday as hotter-than-expected US PPI inflation data reinforced concerns over Fed rate hikes. The data followed a hotter-than-expected CPI inflation print a day before. Stock and crypto market investors now await comments from Fed Chair Kevin Warsh later today.
US PPI Inflation Surges to 1.3 MoM and 6.3% YoY The US Bureau of Labor Statistics released the September PPI inflation data on October 15. The PPI MoM jumped 1.3% in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, above the 0.6% forecast. This marked the largest monthly rise since March 2022.
Annual PPI inflation came in at 6.3%, massively higher than expected at 5.4%. It even surpassed 5.6% in the prior month. This comes amid elevated oil prices due to a renewed US-Iran war and escalating Middle East tensions.
The core PPI reading came in hotter than expected at 0.7% MoM, pushing the annual increase to 5%. Core PPI YoY surged to 4.4%, above expectations and even the previous month’s 4.8%.
The print builds on Wednesday’s hotter CPI inflation data of 3.7% YoY, which already lifted near-term Fed rate hike odds. Markets are now pricing in 34% odds of a 25 bps rate hike in October and 66% chances of a pause, according to CME FedWatch data.
Moreover, retail sales in the US increased 0.8% MoM, after an upwardly revised 1.3% rise in August and well above forecasts of 0.3%. This shows resilience in the US economy and opens room for another potential Fed rate hike this month.
Inflation is RED hot in the US.
For anyone not keeping track, US CPI inflation is now nearly double the Fed's 2% target and US PPI Inflation is more than triple that target.
PPI inflation was expected to fall in August, but instead it surged to 6.3%, its second highest level in…
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) October 15, 2026
Bitcoin and XRP Prices Plunge Bitcoin fell near $81,500, extending the 24-hour drop to more than 3.60% after the hot PPI inflation print. It has now tumbled even below the key 50-day moving average support level. The 24-hour low was $80,443 as the broader crypto market faced pressure from elevated rate expectations.
XRP price fell deeper and holds near $1.30, down more than 5% over the past 24 hours. As CoinGape reported today, a popular analyst predicted a fall towards $1.25 before buying pressure to reclaim $1.42 and $1.60 amid strong upside momentum.
However, the 10-year Treasury yield has dropped to 5.06% as investors rotate from tech stocks to government bonds for safety amid sustained AI investments. Meanwhile, the US dollar index (DXY) pulled back from its peak to around 102.10 on Thursday.
Attention now turns to Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s fireside chat with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva later today. Any hawkish lean on inflation or Fed monetary policy could further pressure Bitcoin, stocks, and other risk assets. A more measured tone might offer temporary relief.
The XRP Ledger’s latest proposed amendments, aimed at adding native lending functions and confidential token transfers, have yet to reach the approval level required for network activation. Data captured on October 15 shows that the LendingProtocol amendment received support from 19 out of 35 validators, while the ConfidentialTransfer proposal attracted 22 votes. Both proposals remain below the necessary supermajority threshold of 29 validators for amendment passage.
Validator Support Shows Steady GrowthSupport for both the LendingProtocol and ConfidentialTransfer amendments has increased since late September. At that time, LendingProtocol had 15 validators in favor, while ConfidentialTransfer had won over 14. Despite this progress, the two amendments still lack enough sustained backing to proceed past the network’s voting requirements.
The XLS-66 Lending Protocol amendment aims to implement native fixed-term lending capabilities directly into the XRP Ledger. By leveraging code on the ledger itself, it would offer an alternative to decentralized lending platforms that depend on external smart contracts for loan origination and management.
This system is contingent on the approval of the SingleAssetVault amendment, which allows users to pool assets and receive tokenized vault shares as evidence of their participation. According to the latest data, ConfidentialTransfer currently leads with 22 validator votes, SingleAssetVault holds 21, and both lending amendments remain at 19.
The XLS-66 specification clarifies that its lending protocol would permit uncollateralized loans. Risk assessment and credit checks would remain external to the XRP Ledger, which means borrower default is still a possibility under the system’s design.
ConfidentialTransfer: Privacy for Multi-Purpose TokensThe ConfidentialTransfer amendment, described in XLS-96, would enable confidential transactions for supported Multi-Purpose Tokens through encryption and zero-knowledge proofs. With these tools, details such as token balances and transaction amounts would be kept private, although the underlying validity of transactions could still be verified by the network.
The proposal’s privacy features do not extend to all transactions on the XRP Ledger. Initially, confidentiality would apply only to supported Multi-Purpose Tokens—not to ordinary XRP transfers—if the proposal receives sufficient approval from validators.
Under XRP Ledger’s amendment framework, a proposal requires over 80% validator support for two consecutive weeks to become active. Recent figures from the amendment dashboard reveal that both LendingProtocol and ConfidentialTransfer still fall short of this mark, though support is trending upward compared to previous reports.
Institutional Impact and Technology ToolsThe new lending proposals carry additional weight for large institutional holders. Evernorth, a company traded on Nasdaq and currently holding roughly 473 million XRP, has outlined intentions to participate in new XRP-based financial strategies as soon as appropriate infrastructure becomes available.
Market observers note that the evolution of the XRP Ledger depends heavily on validator consensus, with new features only launching after consistent supermajority agreement. These governance practices are designed to maintain stability while supporting innovation across the network.
In an environment where announcements from the Federal Reserve or a rapid listing of altcoins can abruptly change market direction, many traders are seeking more efficient ways to keep up. Instead of handling charts, market news, and portfolio tracking with multiple platforms, some have started using tools like CryptoAppsy. This privacy-first solution combines real-time charts, personalized price alerts, project-specific news, and macroeconomic data—all on a single screen—with no registration required.
XRPL version 3.3.0 introduced support for several proposed features earlier in the year, but these changes do not become active by default. Network activation depends on sustained validator votes and broad community engagement.
American XRP ETFs continue to attract capital. After thirteen consecutive weeks of positive inflows, these funds are approaching $1.8 billion in cumulative net inflows. Meanwhile, Ripple is multiplying initiatives with two new agreements in international brokerage and South Korea. However, the XRP price remains under pressure.
In Brief American XRP ETFs total approximately $1.803 billion in net inflows after thirteen consecutive weeks of inflows. Their net assets reach $1.509 billion, which is $294 million less than the amount invested. On October 14, Ripple announced two partnerships: one with DriveWealth around the stablecoin RLUSD, and the other with Meritz Securities in South Korea. Thirteen Weeks of Inflows, but an Irregular Pace On October 14, the five American XRP ETFs recorded $740,400 in net inflows. Bitwise accounted for the entire inflow, bringing its cumulative inflows to approximately $688 million. Overall, the funds now show nearly $1.803 billion in positive net flows, as confirmed by XRP ETF tracking.
This dynamic contrasts with that of Bitcoin ETFs, whose inflows have sharply slowed in early October. According to SoSoValue data, XRP funds thus continue their thirteen-week positive streak, despite a less favorable market.
Why XRP Decreases Despite Capital Inflows Investments in ETFs are not enough to support the price. XRP trades around $1.32, down 7% over seven days. After hovering near $1.42 on October 12, the token retreated following the release of higher-than-expected U.S. inflation figures.
Another figure draws attention: ETFs have $1.803 billion in net inflows, but their assets are only worth $1.509 billion. This $294 million gap illustrates the effect of XRP’s decline on the value of investments.
Moreover, the token is losing ground in the market. Its share of the total crypto market capitalization has fallen from about 5% to nearly 3% in fifteen months. This trend highlights its relative decline compared to other digital assets.
Ripple Multiplies Partnerships Without Rushing Launches Meanwhile, Ripple continues its institutional development. On October 14, the company announced a partnership with DriveWealth, a brokerage infrastructure provider supporting over a hundred partners.
The two companies plan to integrate RLUSD, Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin, on the XRP ledger to facilitate transaction settlement, starting with Europe. They are also exploring cross-border payments and asset custody. However, they have not announced any launch date or volume target.
In South Korea, Ripple also concluded an agreement with Meritz Securities. This broker becomes its first local partner in this sector. The two companies will study custody and tokenization solutions adapted to South Korea’s regulatory framework, as Seoul prepares a first phase of regulated securitization by February 2027.
These announcements extend an already busy news cycle, notably marked by Evernorth’s Nasdaq debut on October 12. Will investments in ETFs and Ripple’s advances ultimately support the XRP price sustainably?
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Fenelon L.
Passionné par le Bitcoin, j'aime explorer les méandres de la blockchain et des cryptos et je partage mes découvertes avec la communauté. Mon rêve est de vivre dans un monde où la vie privée et la liberté financière sont garanties pour tous, et je crois fermement que Bitcoin est l'outil qui peut rendre cela possible.
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The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
US spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded net inflows of just $740,400 on October 14, underscoring a pronounced drop in fresh institutional demand compared to previous weeks. The slowdown comes despite total cumulative investments in these funds reaching nearly $1.8 billion since their initial launches in November 2025.
ETF inflows decline as trading volume contractsRecent data highlight a widening gap between the amount investors have allocated to XRP ETFs and the new funds entering the products. As of October 14, these ETFs managed approximately $1.509 billion in net assets, which is about $294 million less than their cumulative net inflows over the period.
SoSoValue, a cryptocurrency analytics provider known for its daily ETF tracker, reported that cumulative net inflows for US spot XRP ETFs had reached $1.803 billion. However, only Bitwise, a digital asset management firm specializing in cryptocurrency funds, registered new inflows on October 14, while other issuers remained flat.
These numbers present a stark contrast compared to previous months. On September 25, US spot XRP ETFs attracted approximately $22.6 million in new capital, with $14.9 million and $18 million recorded on the two prior days.
By October, daily inflows had fallen sharply, with just $740,400 reported on October 14. The entire amount was directed to the Bitwise XRP ETF.
Issuer performance and market contextBitwise has emerged as the largest single XRP ETF provider based on net inflows, accumulating about $688 million since its fund’s launch. Franklin Templeton, a major global asset manager, followed with approximately $509 million in net inflows, while Canary Capital reported nearly $487 million.
Other issuers, including Grayscale and 21Shares, reported no fresh investor inflows on October 14, reinforcing the overall trend of slowing institutional engagement.
The weaker daily inflow figures follow a period characterized by sustained institutional interest in XRP, during which XRP ETFs experienced a 13-week run of net inflows, even amid a decline in XRP’s market price.
Investors have continued to allocate funds to XRP ETFs, even as the price of the underlying digital asset weakened and daily inflow rates declined.
Market observers noted that a single session of reduced inflows does not necessarily indicate a broader investor retreat from XRP ETFs, though it does illustrate shifting sentiment among large players.
Asset value and cumulative inflows divergeAs of October 14, cumulative net inflows for US spot XRP ETFs totaled $1.803 billion, while their combined net asset value reached just $1.509 billion. This $294 million difference underscores the impact of price volatility, fund-level decisions, and other market factors.
ETF net inflows reflect the difference between investor subscriptions and redemptions, whereas net assets are based on the latest market valuations of ETF holdings. Fluctuations in XRP prices, as well as the timing of asset purchases, influence these figures and should be interpreted cautiously.
Mini dictionary: SoSoValue — A data analytics service tracking cryptocurrency ETF metrics, inflows, and assets under management for institutional and retail investors.
ETF IssuerCumulative Net InflowsNet Assets (Approx.)Latest Daily InflowBitwise$688 million—$740,400Franklin Templeton$509 million—$0Canary Capital$487 million—$0Other issuers——$0The divergence between inflows and asset values does not directly reveal investor profit or loss, as it depends on the timing of investments, subsequent market movements, and structural adjustments within the funds.
Market trends and outlookThe latest inflow slowdown comes as XRP struggled to recover from a broader October cryptocurrency market selloff. During the period from October 5 to October 9, XRP fell by about 7.3%, even as spot XRP ETFs received around $11 million in new investments.
Analysts claim that while regulated investment channels are drawing capital, these inflows have not been enough to fully balance selling pressure in the wider market.
Despite current daily inflow weakness, cumulative ETF inflows have remained resilient, suggesting that long-term interest persists even as ETF asset values track ongoing XRP price volatility.
BUSINESSWIRE: Cross River Embeds Ripple USD Stablecoin on the XRP Ledger into its Core Banking Infrastructure, Expanding Faster Payment Capabilities for Businesses
According to a recent Bloomberg report, Ripple is broadening its reach in the traditional finance space by opening up access to perpetual futures for stocks, commodities, and other traditional assets for institutional investors.
Ripple's prime brokerage arm, Ripple Prime, is launching the new service that will give institutions access to over 100 markets, including equities, stock indexes, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and commodities.
The new offerings come at a time of explosive growth in perp contracts on real-world assets, with open interest across several major platforms jumping from near zero to around $9 billion in the last year.
HOT Stories
Unlike traditional futures contracts, perpetual contracts don't expire, so users can hold leveraged positions without needing to roll them over into new contracts.
Ripple expands Wall Street ambitionsThe new products are being rolled out via Trade.xyz, which is a large trading platform for perp contracts on traditional assets on the decentralized Hyperliquid platform.
Earlier this year, in February, Ripple Prime launched crypto perpetual futures as part of its growing efforts to offer a full trading solution for institutional investors.
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The new offering includes features like cross-margining, where investors can leverage the same collateral across different positions instead of needing separate margins for each trade.
Per Michael Higgins, the international CEO of Ripple Prime, this new setup could allow institutional users to more effectively manage their capital and access new liquidity pools.
At the same time, Higgins stressed that with this new offering, institutions can gain exposure to these markets on a "more regulated" infrastructure.
Perps futures grow in appeal to institutionsThe explosion in growth for real-world asset perpetual futures has been drawing increasing interest from hedge funds and professional market makers.
As Higgins pointed out, institutional traders are now looking into various strategies around using these new instruments.
On the one hand, some investors are looking to pursue basis trades by taking positions on perps and their underlying assets to exploit price discrepancies. That would let them avoid general market exposure.
Meanwhile, Higgins indicated that traditional hedge funds are on the cusp of being able to get direct access to tokenized real-world assets.
XRP flashes three TD Sequential buy signals near $1.31 after an extended decline, putting a possible local bottom and rebound toward $1.40 in focus.
XRP is showing a cluster of TD Sequential buy signals near $1.31 after an extended decline from the $1.50 area, raising the possibility that selling pressure is approaching exhaustion.
The daily setup now carries a Sequential 13, a TD 9, and an Aggressive 13 around the same price region.
XRP Daily Chart Buy Signals and Resistance
XRP trades near $1.31 at the time of writing after spending much of October moving lower.
The latest signal cluster has appeared only after price lost several short-term support levels and returned to its lowest area on the displayed chart.
Three Buy Signals Cluster Around $1.31
The chart shows the first exhaustion marker, a Sequential 13, appearing as XRP approached the latest lows.
It was followed by a standard TD 9, while an Aggressive 13 has now formed in roughly the same zone.
These signals measure different stages of an extended directional move. A TD 9 looks for a sequence of consecutive closes that can indicate the current trend is becoming stretched.
The 13-counts go further, tracking a longer period of exhaustion.
Seeing all three appear close together strengthens the technical case that the decline is mature, but it does not confirm that the low is already in.
That distinction is important. TD Sequential readings identify conditions where a reversal can develop; buyers still need to step in and produce the price reaction.
$1.40 Is XRP’s First Recovery Test
If the $1.30-$1.32 region develops into a local floor, $1.40 becomes the first level XRP needs to recover.
From approximately $1.31, reaching $1.40 would require a gain of about 6.9%.
A move through that area would provide the first evidence that the exhaustion signals are receiving follow-through from buyers. XRP would then face the more significant resistance area around $1.50.
The chart shows that the recent decline accelerated after XRP lost the $1.50 region, making a return there a much more demanding test. From $1.31, XRP would need to recover roughly 14.5% to reach $1.50.
Buy Signals Still Need Price Confirmation
The downside remains straightforward.
If XRP continues making new lows despite the TD Sequential readings, the signals would have failed to establish an immediate turning point.
A loss of the current $1.30 area would therefore keep attention on lower support rather than the projected rebound levels.
For now, however, the setup has changed in one important respect: three separate exhaustion signals are clustering around the same price zone after a prolonged selloff.
The next test is whether that technical exhaustion translates into actual demand.
A recovery above $1.40 would strengthen the local-bottom case, while reclaiming the resistance near $1.50 would represent a much larger repair of XRP’s recent bearish structure.
Large XRP holders have ramped up their transfers to Binance, bringing whale deposits to the cryptocurrency exchange to the highest levels seen in seven months. This development comes as XRP’s price continues to slip, trading close to $1.30 after it fell below major technical support levels.
Whale inflows surge, price faces pressureData from blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant shows the 30-day total of significant XRP deposits to Binance stands at nearly 1.6 billion tokens. This figure matches levels reported in early April. By late July, the sum had fallen to about 400 million XRP, so the pace of large-holder deposits has quadrupled in less than three months. The most substantial single-day deposit activity occurred in mid-August, coinciding with XRP briefly rallying to $1.70.
Whale inflows to exchanges often attract attention because assets transferred to trading platforms are more readily available for sale. One analyst commented that increased deposits by large holders can expand the volume of XRP on centralized exchanges, increasing the risk of selling pressure as a result. While deposits do not guarantee an imminent sale, they do facilitate larger trades if sentiment weakens.
Increased whale inflows to centralized exchanges can increase the amount of XRP available for trading, potentially raising the risk of selling pressure.
PeriodXRP Whale Deposits to BinanceEarly April1.6 billion XRPLate July400 million XRPCurrent (Past 30 days)1.6 billion XRPXRP’s technical signals and support levelsXRP touched a peak near $1.66 in late September but has since dropped by about 20%. The token has fallen below the 100-day moving average and the 200-day moving average around $1.38—a bearish signal for market participants. Trading volume has also decreased, and the daily relative strength index (RSI) currently sits near 35, reflecting weak momentum. While not yet in oversold territory, the token is hovering near its next support at $1.28, having just tested this level. If downward pressure persists, the $1.00 to $1.05 area is viewed as the next significant price floor.
Technical analysts often interpret a break below two key moving averages as confirmation of a negative trend, with persistent whale deposits worsening the outlook for potential buyers.
For XRP buyers to regain control, the price would need to reclaim $1.38, putting it back above both moving averages. Until then, the market appears to remain in favor of sellers, and additional downside toward $1.20 is possible if whale inflows continue while prices stay under $1.30. Conversely, if significant deposits slow and the token holds above support, the current correction could simply represent a pause within a broader trading range.
Mixed signals from on-chain activityXRP Ledger’s on-chain data presents a mixed picture. Daily network transactions remain steady at approximately 2.4 million, and the number of active accounts has risen 10%. However, payment transactions have dropped by 38% and overall payment volume is down 52%. This pattern suggests more wallet activity, likely linked to trading rather than increased real-world payments or adoption.
Founded by Ripple Labs, the XRP Ledger is an open-source blockchain designed to facilitate global payments and currency exchange. It supports a wide range of tokenized assets and provides fast, low-cost transactions.
Mini dictionary: CryptoQuant, a blockchain analytics platform that provides real-time data on cryptocurrency flows, including exchange activity and investor behavior analysis.
Until price action reverses and whale activity subsides, analysts believe caution is warranted for market participants watching XRP’s next moves.
XRP price has fallen toward $1.31 as daily momentum weakens, while analyst Ali Martinez sees a possible test of $1.25 before a rebound toward $1.42 or $1.60.
Summary
XRP price traded near $1.318, with its weekly chart showing a decline of approximately 6.5%. Daily RSI stood at 36.84 as XRP traded near its lower Bollinger Band. Ali Martinez identified $1.25 as potential support, with conditional recovery targets of $1.42 and $1.60. CoinGlass showed prominent liquidation clusters above the market near $1.39 and $1.43. TradingView’s Binance XRP/USDT charts placed the token around $1.317–$1.318 on Oct. 15, following a decline to $1.284. The weekly chart recorded a 6.54% loss, while the daily chart showed a 1.07% decline.
XRP’s retreat coincided with renewed attention to U.S. inflation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that September consumer prices rose 3.7% from a year earlier, up from 3.4% in August, and increased 0.6% during the month.
XRP tests its lower Bollinger Band near $1.31 TradingView’s daily chart showed XRP trading just above its lower Bollinger Band at $1.3077 after briefly falling beneath it. The session’s $1.284 low marked the nearest downside reference, with the price subsequently recovering above $1.30.
XRP price daily chart — Oct. 15 | Source: TradingView The same chart placed the middle Bollinger Band, which tracks the 20-day simple moving average, at $1.4440. XRP traded approximately 8.8% below that level, leaving a sizeable gap between its current price and the indicator’s central trend line.
The upper band stood at $1.5803. Together, the three readings placed XRP near the bottom of its daily volatility range after its late-September advance faded.
TradingView’s price history showed XRP climbing above $1.60 during that earlier advance before retreating through October. The latest decline returned the token toward the lower end of the range it had occupied before that rally.
Daily momentum also weakened. TradingView’s relative strength index stood at 36.84, below both the neutral 50 level and its displayed average of 46.89.
The RSI remained above the conventional oversold threshold of 30. Its position below its average accompanied the price decline, without yet showing a recovery above either reference level.
For the daily chart, the nearest upside checkpoints were therefore a sustained move away from $1.3077 and a recovery toward $1.4440. The upper Bollinger Band near $1.58 remained further above the market.
Martinez places a potential rebound zone at $1.25 Ali Martinez’s Oct. 15 analysis described XRP as trading within a parallel channel on the hourly chart. He said the price could fall toward the lower boundary around $1.25 before staging a meaningful rebound.
XRP REBOUND INCOMING!?$XRP appears to be trading inside a parallel channel on the hourly chart.
This structure suggests XRP could still drop toward the lower boundary around $1.25 before seeing a meaningful rebound.
That’s the level I’m watching for a potential buying… pic.twitter.com/Et9Q11p08w
— Ali Charts (@alicharts) October 15, 2026 His first recovery target was the channel’s middle area near $1.42. A stronger rebound could extend toward the upper boundary around $1.60, according to his analysis.
From approximately $1.318, a decline to $1.25 would represent another 5.2% drop. A subsequent move from $1.25 to $1.42 would amount to a 13.6% rebound, while a rise from that support to $1.60 would equal 28%.
Martinez’s scenario depended on buyers responding near the lower channel boundary. His analysis presented $1.25 as a potential buying area rather than an established floor.
A separate Oct. 15 post from the analyst publishing as CW described XRP as showing a rebound near a buy wall. The accompanying order-book chart displayed a green buying zone below the recent trading range and several red selling zones overhead.
CW’s observation focused on a nearby buying response, while Martinez’s analysis allowed for another decline before a broader recovery. Both posts discussed potential rebounds within a market that remained below its recent highs.
Liquidation clusters build above XRP’s current price CoinGlass’s one-week XRP liquidation heatmap showed the price falling from roughly $1.40 toward $1.31, with repeated declines interrupting short recoveries.
XRP liquidation heatmap | Source: CoinGlass At the right edge of the heatmap, prominent overhead concentrations appeared around $1.39 and $1.43. Another visible band sat near $1.34–$1.35, closer to the latest price.
Those areas represented estimated liquidation exposure at different price levels. They were distinct from the resting buy and sell orders shown in CW’s order-book analysis.
Below the market, CoinGlass displayed several bands around $1.29–$1.30, followed by additional concentrations near $1.28. The latest price swings had already passed through parts of that lower region.
The heatmap’s overhead cluster around $1.39 sat below Martinez’s $1.42 midpoint target. The stronger concentration near $1.43 was also close to the daily Bollinger midpoint at $1.4440.
Across the three datasets, the $1.39–$1.44 region contained several separate reference points: estimated liquidation exposure, an analyst’s channel midpoint and the daily moving average.
Weekly chart leaves $1.17 below and $1.56 overhead TradingView’s weekly Murrey Math indicator placed XRP between the $1.1719 lower trading-range level and the $1.5625 major support-and-resistance pivot.
XRP price weekly chart — Oct. 15 | Source: TradingView At approximately $1.318, XRP remained below that weekly pivot after its recent attempt to recover toward the $1.60 area. The chart’s next higher range marker stood at $1.9531.
On the downside, the weekly $1.1719 level sat below both the latest $1.284 low and Martinez’s proposed $1.25 support area. A move toward it would extend the decline beyond the hourly rebound setup he described.
The weekly Awesome Oscillator remained positive at 0.1283, although its latest histogram bar was red. The positive reading contrasted with the weaker daily RSI, showing that the two timeframes carried different momentum readings.
For XRP’s recovery scenario, Martinez identified $1.42 and $1.60 as conditional targets. TradingView placed the daily midpoint near $1.44 and the weekly pivot near $1.56, leaving several overhead levels between the current price and the top of his projected rebound range.
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Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
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Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Jensen Huang backs CoreWeave: The company’s financial conditions continue to improve and it does not require guarantees from NVIDIA.
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Starknet, originally developed as a scaling solution for Ethereum, has taken a crucial step toward becoming a fully independent blockchain. StarkWare, the company behind Starknet, asked its community to vote on whether the network should move away from Ethereum and operate as its own autonomous Layer 1 blockchain.
The announcement immediately sparked market activity. In early October, STRK, the platform’s native token, soared 200% before paring gains in line with broader market trends. On the day the official vote was launched, STRK recorded another significant rally, climbing 25% at one stage during the session.
Derivatives trading dominated the action, with daily futures volumes climbing to $894.84 million—almost eight times higher than spot volumes, which reached $116.38 million. This surge coincided with an unlocking of 127 million STRK tokens for early investors, further escalating volatility and overall market participation.
Trading volumes on the STRK futures market soared past $894 million as investor interest surged following the independence vote launch.
Quantum resistance and independence from EthereumEli Ben-Sasson, CEO of StarkWare, has highlighted that the move is motivated by the need for enhanced security against future threats posed by quantum computing. Ben-Sasson believes that rapid advances in artificial intelligence bring the era of quantum machines closer, increasing the risk to existing cryptographic standards.
Starknet’s technical roadmap is aligned with the goal of deploying quantum-resistant features as early as 2027. This stands in contrast to Ethereum’s current timeline, which aims to introduce similar security upgrades closer to the end of 2029. The project’s leadership has argued that becoming independent would enable it to move faster on critical security upgrades.
Mini dictionary: Quantum resistance, cryptographic techniques designed to protect blockchain networks against the potential threats posed by powerful quantum computers that could break existing encryption.
Community support, but security trade-offs remainA poll on the Snapshot platform, which will run until October 22, reflects overwhelming support for independence, with 99.88% voting in favor. Despite this show of support, the current vote is preliminary and non-binding, signaling only that detailed research and further votes lie ahead before any technical transition would begin.
STRK is set to remain the network’s exclusive settlement asset, and existing bridges to Ethereum will continue to function during and after the transition process, ensuring a degree of continuity for users and developers.
However, analysts caution that by leaving Ethereum’s umbrella, Starknet would forfeit the established security provided by Ethereum’s validator network. Currently, transactions on Starknet benefit from the protection of Ethereum’s multi-billion-dollar staked validator base. As an independent blockchain, the network’s security will rely strictly on the capitalization and security model of STRK.
STRK’s market capitalization is currently $580.24 million, significantly lower than Ethereum’s, highlighting the increased challenges facing a newly independent network.
NetworkSecurity ModelMarket CapitalizationTarget for Quantum ResistanceStarknet (potential standalone)STRK token’s market cap and validator set$580.24 million2027EthereumStaked validator networkMuch higher (multi-billion-dollar)2029 (planned upgrade)The preliminary referendum only authorizes continued research and community discussion, meaning any final technical migration from Ethereum will require months of preparation and additional votes.
In brief
Ethereum, XRP, and Solana have all dropped in value on the day, with "outsized drawdowns" compared to Bitcoin.
Experts point to Wednesday's consumer price index coming in at 3.7% and expectations of an October interest rate hike as major macro pressures.
The slide is also a natural hangover from altcoins’ “strength and momentum” over recent months.
Altcoins have taken a hit over the past 24 hours, with major tokens seeing "outsized drawdowns" compared to Bitcoin. Experts say that this has largely been prompted by macro pressures pushing prices down.
With the market cap of all cryptocurrencies dropping by 2.5% to $2.8 trillion, Ethereum dropped by 5.5% to a $289 billion market cap over the past 24 hours, XRP fell by 5.1% to $82.4 billion, and Solana slipped by 3.8% to $60.6 billion. Meanwhile, industry leader Bitcoin has slipped by 3.1% on the day and 2.6% on the week, sitting at a market cap of $1.6 trillion.
It comes after the consumer price index rose 3.7% in the year to September, as Decrypt reported on Wednesday, with Myriad predictors pointing to a 28% chance of an October interest rate hike (Disclaimer: Myriad is a prediction market operated by Decrypt's parent company Dastan).
Nick Forster, founder of options trading exchange Derive.xyz, said in a note shared with Decrypt that this shifted traders into "protection mode" as "hedging activity" on the platform doubled, and whales pulled back on optimistic bets made in spring.
Myriad: What's the Fed's next move? Click to make your prediction."This immediate pull-back from long-term upside bets alongside aggressive short-term hedging shows a dramatic regime shift," he said, "with institutional participants rapidly reassessing their macro risk exposure as the path for interest rates turns murky again."
When markets react like this, Luke Nolan, senior research associate at CoinShares, says that altcoins are impacted the most.
"[It] seems to be high beta assets just got hit harder, similar to in equities as well, where the high flyers have seen outsized drawdowns in recent sessions," Nolan told Decrypt. "Alts are typically more sensitive to financial conditions, and tightening affects the premise of liquidity expanding."
Nolan also highlighted the U.S. dollar hitting a near 18-month high as a downward pressure on the entire crypto market. He said that over a medium-term horizon, crypto tends to have an inverse correlation to the US Dollar Index, or DXY. This is partly due to crypto being priced in dollars, Nolan explained, but also because a rising dollar causes a tightening in liquidity and a fall in risk appetite.
Max Shannon, senior associate at Bitwise Europe, told Decrypt that the slide is also a hangover from altcoins’ “strength and momentum” over recent months.
Since the start of October, futures open interest in altcoins (excluding Ethereum) has fallen by $8 billion, Shannon said. To him, that shows traders have “taken chips off the table,” which is a natural reaction after such a strong run.
That pattern is playing out with Ethereum, he added. ETH outperformed Bitcoin for three consecutive months, the first time it’s managed that since March 2021, and investors have been cashing in since. Ethereum ETFs saw 11 straight trading days of net outflows totalling $782.8 million, he said, before a brief inflow on Tuesday. Money has been heading back out since, per CoinGlass data, with $129.5 million in net outflows.
"This price action is more of a consolidation period for altcoins that have already done well," Shannon told Decrypt. "Altcoins generally tend to exhibit high correlations with BTC in tough times and lower correlations, especially with idiosyncratic catalysts, in better market environments. Hence, for the near term, it is possible that these altcoins trade in lockstep with BTC, albeit more sensitively."
For prices to recover, Nolan says he wants to see expectations of an interest rate hike in October to fall. Right now, he struggles to call a bottom for altcoins as he sees valid arguments for movements in either direction.
"I could see a situation where Bitcoin loses its support and altcoins likely bleed further," Nolan told Decrypt. "The opposite could also be true: this could be just a short-term correction, and we could be back into decent market conditions soon, which if Bitcoin was to push back decently above 80k, I could very well see an outsized up move for altcoins."
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In brief Ethereum, XRP, and Solana have all dropped in value on the day, with "outsized drawdowns" compared to Bitcoin. Experts point to Wednesday's consumer price index coming in at 3.7% and expectations of an October interest rate hike as major macro pressures. The slide is also a natural hangover from altcoins’ “strength and momentum” over recent months. Altcoins have taken a hit over the past 24 hours, with major tokens seeing "outsized drawdowns" compared to Bitcoin. Experts say that this has largely been prompted by macro pressures pushing prices down.
With the market cap of all cryptocurrencies dropping by 2.5% to $2.8 trillion, Ethereum dropped by 5.5% to a $289 billion market cap over the past 24 hours, XRP fell by 5.1% to $82.4 billion, and Solana slipped by 3.8% to $60.6 billion. Meanwhile, industry leader Bitcoin has slipped by 3.1% on the day and 2.6% on the week, sitting at a market cap of $1.6 trillion.
It comes after the consumer price index rose 3.7% in the year to September, as Decrypt reported on Wednesday, with Myriad predictors pointing to a 28% chance of an October interest rate hike (Disclaimer: Myriad is a prediction market operated by Decrypt's parent company Dastan).
Nick Forster, founder of options trading exchange Derive.xyz, said in a note shared with Decrypt that this shifted traders into "protection mode" as "hedging activity" on the platform doubled, and whales pulled back on optimistic bets made in spring.
Myriad: What's the Fed's next move? Click to make your prediction."This immediate pull-back from long-term upside bets alongside aggressive short-term hedging shows a dramatic regime shift," he said, "with institutional participants rapidly reassessing their macro risk exposure as the path for interest rates turns murky again."
When markets react like this, Luke Nolan, senior research associate at CoinShares, says that altcoins are impacted the most.
"[It] seems to be high beta assets just got hit harder, similar to in equities as well, where the high flyers have seen outsized drawdowns in recent sessions," Nolan told Decrypt. "Alts are typically more sensitive to financial conditions, and tightening affects the premise of liquidity expanding."
Nolan also highlighted the U.S. dollar hitting a near 18-month high as a downward pressure on the entire crypto market. He said that over a medium-term horizon, crypto tends to have an inverse correlation to the US Dollar Index, or DXY. This is partly due to crypto being priced in dollars, Nolan explained, but also because a rising dollar causes a tightening in liquidity and a fall in risk appetite.
Max Shannon, senior associate at Bitwise Europe, told Decrypt that the slide is also a hangover from altcoins’ “strength and momentum” over recent months.
Since the start of October, futures open interest in altcoins (excluding Ethereum) has fallen by $8 billion, Shannon said. To him, that shows traders have “taken chips off the table,” which is a natural reaction after such a strong run.
That pattern is playing out with Ethereum, he added. ETH outperformed Bitcoin for three consecutive months, the first time it’s managed that since March 2021, and investors have been cashing in since. Ethereum ETFs saw 11 straight trading days of net outflows totalling $782.8 million, he said, before a brief inflow on Tuesday. Money has been heading back out since, per CoinGlass data, with $129.5 million in net outflows.
"This price action is more of a consolidation period for altcoins that have already done well," Shannon told Decrypt. "Altcoins generally tend to exhibit high correlations with BTC in tough times and lower correlations, especially with idiosyncratic catalysts, in better market environments. Hence, for the near term, it is possible that these altcoins trade in lockstep with BTC, albeit more sensitively."
For prices to recover, Nolan says he wants to see expectations of an interest rate hike in October to fall. Right now, he struggles to call a bottom for altcoins as he sees valid arguments for movements in either direction.
"I could see a situation where Bitcoin loses its support and altcoins likely bleed further," Nolan told Decrypt. "The opposite could also be true: this could be just a short-term correction, and we could be back into decent market conditions soon, which if Bitcoin was to push back decently above 80k, I could very well see an outsized up move for altcoins."
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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) face renewed ETF outflows and macroeconomic uncertainty.
Spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs recorded around $500 million and $600 million in weekly net outflows over the past week, which Charles Schwab equity research director Adam Lynch attributes to tactical institutional trading rather than weakening long-term demand.
Investors are using crypto ETFs to move substantial capital over shorter periods, benefiting from their liquidity and cost efficiency.
Lynch expects crypto ETFs to expand beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum to assets including XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE).
What Could Trigger the Next Crypto Rally?In a Schwab Network interview, Lynch identified regulatory progress and Ethereum’s upcoming Q4 network upgrade, aimed at improving speed and capacity, as potential catalysts.
Despite the Clarity Act’s setback, the CFTC and SEC are advancing separate crypto regulatory initiatives.
Grayscale research head Zach Pandl expects Bitcoin to withstand further modest rate hikes as demand for scarce assets remains supported by fiscal deficits and currency debasement concerns.
He believes Bitcoin bottomed near $58,000 in June, despite Fed rate hikes, rising bond yields and regulatory uncertainty.
Why Grayscale Favors ETH, SOL and BNB In a Coinage interview on Oct.15, Pandl identified Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) and BNB Chain (CRYPTO: BNB) as overlooked opportunities with rapidly rising institutional adoption of stablecoins, tokenized deposits and real-world assets.
Investor enthusiasm is accelerating for for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies and revenue-generating protocols.
He expects trillions of dollars in TradFi assets to move on-chain, positioning established smart contract platforms as critical infrastructure.
While privacy technologies and perpetual futures gain traction, Pandl believes investors are underestimating the long-term potential of established blockchain ecosystems.
Image: Shutterstock
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VanEck Digital Assets has asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to withdraw the registration of its Lido Staked Ethereum ETF, shelving a proposed fund that would have offered investors exposure to Ethereum staking through Lido’s stETH token. The request, submitted in a Form RW filed with the SEC on October 14, 2026, came almost a year after the sponsor first registered the product and confirms the fund never reached effectiveness.
The withdrawal closes a regulatory path that began when VanEck filed for the Lido Staked ETH ETF in October 2025. The sponsor said it “does not intend to proceed with the planned distribution” of the Trust’s shares, adding that no shares had ever been sold.
What the Withdrawal Request States
Under Rule 477 of the Securities Act of 1933, VanEck Digital Assets asked the SEC to consent to withdrawing the Trust’s registration statement, effective October 14, 2026 or the earliest practicable date. The filing covers the Form S-1 initially submitted on October 16, 2025, together with its amendments and exhibits.
The sponsor confirmed the registration statement was never declared effective, that no securities have been or will be issued or sold under it, and that no preliminary prospectus was distributed. The request was signed by Matthew A. Babinsky, vice president of VanEck Digital Assets.
A Fund That Never Reached Effectiveness
The Lido Staked Ethereum ETF was proposed as a vehicle for exposure to Ethereum staking built on Lido’s stETH, a liquid staking token representing staked ETH. Unlike the spot crypto funds VanEck has already brought to market, the staking-linked product never advanced to an effective registration, and the withdrawal removes one of the more closely watched test cases for a staking-enabled exchange-traded product.
What It Means for Staking-Enabled ETFs
VanEck continues to operate spot crypto ETFs, including its Solana ETF, which launched in November 2025 without a staking component. A fund tied to staking rewards remained in registration for nearly a year before the sponsor pulled it.
The filing gives no reason for the withdrawal beyond the sponsor’s decision not to proceed, so it does not by itself establish why the product stalled. Whether other sponsors keep pursuing staking-enabled ETFs is the next signal to watch.
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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.
Nillion has issued a clarification, announcing it will gradually shut down its Nillion L2 over the coming weeks, as the project is now operational on the Ethereum mainnet. Users still holding NIL tokens on the L2 are required to migrate their assets to Ethereum L1 before the shutdown, with a dedicated bridge portal provided. The team stated that the earlier post sparked concerns among some users, prompting this clarification, and emphasized that the adjustment is purely a maintenance operation.
Ahmed Barakat is a journalist and copywriter based in Georgia with a growing focus on blockchain technology, DeFi, AI, privacy, digital assets, and fintech innovation.
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US spot XRP ETFs recorded about $740,000 in net inflows even as the coin lost 6% of its price over 24 hours. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Hyperliquid funds lost nearly $400 million combined on October 14. The contrast is notable as inflation pressure weighed on crypto prices.
Crypto prices slid after a hotter-than-expected US Consumer Price Index reading on October 14. A higher inflation print can dampen expectations for monetary easing, putting pressure on risk assets; the broad market move helps explain why positive XRP ETF demand did not translate into a same-day price gain.
As for today, XRP ETFs have recorded 13 consecutive weeks of net inflows, with the last losing week ending July 10 at about $7.2 million in outflows. Cumulative net inflows reached a record $1.80 billion, evidence that demand for the funds has persisted through a weak stretch for the underlying token.
The pace has cooled from its late-September peak. The week ending September 25 brought $75.6 million in inflows, followed by $4.7 million and $11.3 million in the next two weeks, respectively.
This gap between flows and fund size is important. XRP ETF net assets fell from $1.77 billion on September 25 to $1.51 billion as the token price declined, despite continued net additions; lower asset values can offset inflows.
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XRP Whale Deposits, Supply Counterweight, and Price Recovery PathXRP price remained about 64% below its all-time high of $3.65, set on July 17, 2025. At the same time, its 30-day XRP whale deposits to Binance reached 1.669 billion XRP, a seven-month high, compared with roughly 1.65 billion XRP in September.
Trade XRP on Bybit and Get a Chance to Win Our $1,000 USDT Airdrop
Higher exchange inflows can increase the amount of XRP available for sale, adding a potential supply overhang while ETF buyers continue accumulating. But deposits are not proof of selling; the transfers may reflect wallet reshuffling or use of other Binance services, and the reported metric alone does not confirm that holders sold their coins.
The setup is therefore a tension, not a confirmed reversal signal. If the market continues to price the inflation data negatively, XRP can remain under pressure despite ETF inflows; if the streak persists and whale deposits do not turn into verified selling, the demand-versus-supply imbalance remains unresolved.
The next test is whether the wider market stabilizes after the October 14 CPI reaction. Until that happens, sustained fund demand has yet to demonstrate that it can outweigh macro-driven selling in the spot market.
Aztec Network wants to be quantum-proof by the end of 2030. The privacy-focused Ethereum Layer 2 laid out that goal in a post-quantum security roadmap published on October 15, 2026.
The plan has two layers. Aztec controls the first one. The second depends on Ethereum itself, which has its own priorities and its own schedule.
What Aztec is actually promising
The first concrete deliverable lands in February 2027. That is when Aztec plans to ship hardened developer libraries alongside improved off-the-shelf contract patterns.
Contracts on the network are written in Noir, Aztec’s programming language, and cover both public and private state.
The main threat these libraries target is known as a harvest-now-decrypt-later attack. An attacker collects encrypted data today, stores it, and waits. Once quantum computers become capable enough, the attacker cracks it open at leisure.
For a privacy network, that risk is pointed. Data posted to a public blockchain does not disappear. If it is encrypted with methods that age badly, today’s confidential transaction becomes tomorrow’s open book.
The milestones between now and 2030
After the February 2027 libraries, Aztec has proposed two further checkpoints for choosing its post-quantum building blocks, known as cryptographic primitives.
In March 2027, the target is selecting post-quantum signatures. In July 2027, the focus shifts to public-key encryption.
Both dates are proposals, not commitments carved in stone.
The end goal, by the close of 2030, is full post-quantum security across applications, protocols and Ethereum’s settlement layer. Aztec says a complete migration will require extensive changes to Ethereum’s data availability mechanisms.
A head start, according to Aztec
Aztec argues its existing infrastructure already includes foundational design choices that resist certain quantum threats, differentiating it from many other systems that rely heavily on elliptic curve cryptography.
Co-founder Zac Williamson pointed to that foresight in the protocol’s original design.
Why this matters beyond Aztec
No immediate market reaction or token-related developments accompanied the announcement.
Developers building private applications on Aztec get a clear date for when stronger tools arrive, making it easier to plan launches and audits around February 2027. Users who rely on Aztec for confidentiality face harvest-now-decrypt-later risk from data created today. Aztec’s roadmap ties its security timeline to changes in base-layer data availability, adding pressure for those changes to stay on Ethereum’s agenda.
The checkpoints to watch are the February 2027 library release and the two primitive decisions in March and July 2027.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Jensen Huang backs CoreWeave: The company’s financial conditions continue to improve and it does not require guarantees from NVIDIA.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said data center operator CoreWeave’s financial health is improving. Nvidia is CoreWeave’s computing equipment supplier. Speaking at an event in Stockholm, Huang stated: “CoreWeave’s strength grows stronger every day.” He believes Nvidia does not need to provide financial guarantees for CoreWeave. “I am optimistic. In fact, their cost of capital is declining.” Earlier, credit market confidence in CoreWeave had deteriorated, with concerns rising over its default risk, and Huang is trying to restore market confidence in the company. CoreWeave is a key case testing the sustainability of business models for emerging AI infrastructure firms. These firms emerged to meet the nearly unlimited growth in AI computing power demand as described by companies like Nvidia. Backed by suppliers including Nvidia, CoreWeave and similar entities have taken on large amounts of debt, sparking market concerns about circular financing generating artificial demand.
2 minutes ago
During intraday U.S. stock trading, most crypto-related concept stocks turned positive, with Circle surging over 7%.
According to market data from BIT (bit.com), most US-listed cryptocurrency-related stocks turned positive during US trading hours. Circle (CRCL) rose 7.10%, Block (XYZ) gained 3.80%, Strategy (MSTR) rose 3.79%, Coinbase (COIN) gained 3.29%, and BitMine (BMNR) rose 1.71%.
2 minutes ago
Nasdaq is currently experiencing network issues, and clients may intermittently encounter data gaps.
Nasdaq stated it is currently experiencing network issues, which may cause intermittent data gaps for its clients. The firm recommends clients use Chicago-based data sources as a backup.
2 minutes ago
Jupiter launches YOLO, a high-leverage trading product modeled after PaperTrade, supporting up to 1000x leverage.
Jupiter co-founder SIONG announced in a post that Jupiter Labs has launched an experimental high-leverage trading product called YOLO, which offers leverage ranging from 500x to 1000x. The product adopts the JLP model framework, simulating positions based on real market prices, with actual realized profits and losses—no need to execute corresponding leverage positions in the open market. YOLO’s profits are disbursed from a dedicated fund pool. If the fund pool lacks sufficient liquidity to settle profit positions, payouts may be queued instead of processed instantly. SIONG emphasized that this model differs from traditional perpetual contracts, carrying its own unique risks and limitations. He stated that launching YOLO under Jupiter Labs is to provide a testing ground for such new financial products and trading experiences, without the need to adapt to existing offerings. Currently, YOLO remains in the early stage of development, with room for further improvement. The launch was inspired by PaperTrade, he added.
2 minutes ago
Final implementation rules for the GENIUS Act are expected to be released by the end of October.
Crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett reported that Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Director Jonathan Gould said the final rules for the OCC’s implementation of the GENIUS Act are expected to be released soon, by the end of October. Gould made the remarks at the "Building the New Digital Economy" event hosted by the Milken Institute, which was held concurrently with DC FinTech Week.
2 minutes ago
The three major U.S. stock indices opened lower but climbed higher, with the S&P 500 index turning positive.
According to market data from BIT (bit.com), the three major U.S. stock indexes opened lower and moved higher: the S&P 500 turned positive, the Nasdaq’s decline narrowed to 0.4%, and the Dow Jones rose nearly 1%. Among component stocks, Micron Technology neared a positive turn after falling more than 6% earlier; Microsoft, Apple, and Google gained 0.5% each, while SanDisk and SpaceX fell 3%.
STRK stakers and delegators have until Oct. 22 to say whether the Ethereum scaling network should research a move to its own chain, though a "Yes" would not approve the switch itself.
Starknet stakers and delegators are voting on whether the network should research becoming its own post-quantum Layer 1
Posted October 15, 2026 at 11:23 am ET.
Anyone staking or delegating STRK can now vote on whether Starknet, StarkWare’s Layer 2 on top of Ethereum, should research breaking away to run as a standalone post-quantum blockchain.
The non-binding Snapshot poll opened at 09:32 UTC on Oct. 15 and closes at the same time on Oct. 22. Voters can pick “Yes, this should be researched,” vote against further research, or choose “Neutral, I need more information.” StarkWare called it the first governance vote on the potential transition.
The ballot is narrow by design. Backing the research “does not constitute approval of a transition to an L1,” the proposal reads, and “any future decision to proceed with a transition would be subject to a dedicated governance process.”
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Security Is the Stated Reason
Henri of the Starknet Foundation laid out the reasoning in a forum post attached to the poll. The components Starknet runs itself can be made quantum-resistant soon, he wrote, while its bridge and its data availability layer move on Ethereum’s schedule. Operating as its own Layer 1 would end that reliance.
The post noted that Starknet already uses hash-based STARK proofs and native account abstraction, and said no timeline for a switch has been set. Two things will not change under any outcome: “STRK is the token, with no new token,” and bridges from Ethereum into Starknet remain open.
A “Yes” result would kick off research that would produce more detailed proposals and further polls. A “No” means post-quantum work continues with Starknet as a Layer 2. A “Neutral” result keeps the forum thread open until the missing answers arrive.
Early Tally
By about 14:40 UTC on Oct. 15, 293 votes had been cast, and 99.9% of roughly 179.8 million in voting power backed “Yes,” according to Snapshot data. The poll has no quorum requirement.
“Becoming an L1 is a big deal. So is post-quantum security. We want to hear what the community thinks,” StarkWare co-founder and CEO Eli Ben-Sasson wrote on X.
How It Got Here
Ben-Sasson first floated the idea on Oct. 8, alongside a talk at Token2049, asking whether an L1 “for post-quantum agility” was a good or bad idea. Starknet’s own account said that day it was considering the move with 2027 as its target for full quantum resistance. Two days later, StarkWare posted that “Starknet becoming an independent L1 is our clearest path forward.”
Results will be visible as soon as voting closes.
Related Listen: Why a Hidden Public Key Still Can’t Protect Your Bitcoin From Quantum Computing
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.
Ethereum, XRP, and Solana recorded sharper declines than Bitcoin over the past day, with analysts attributing the drop to renewed macroeconomic uncertainty and a shift in trader sentiment across the cryptocurrency market.
Altcoins see steeper declinesThe total cryptocurrency market cap fell 2.5% to $2.8 trillion. Ethereum declined 5.5% to a $289 billion market cap, XRP fell 5.1% to $82.4 billion, and Solana dropped 3.8% to $60.6 billion. By comparison, Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, declined 3.1% on the day and 2.6% over the week, lowering its market cap to $1.6 trillion.
Asset1-Day ChangeMarket CapEthereum-5.5%$289 billionXRP-5.1%$82.4 billionSolana-3.8%$60.6 billionBitcoin-3.1%$1.6 trillionMarket observers linked the sell-off to the latest US consumer price index reading of 3.7% and mounting expectations of an interest rate hike in October, both of which intensified macroeconomic pressures on riskier assets like cryptocurrencies.
Hedging and liquidity shiftsNick Forster, founder of options trading exchange Derive.xyz, stated that increased volatility prompted traders to move into “protection mode.” He observed that hedging activity on his platform doubled over the past day, while large investors reduced their exposure to optimistic positions established in the spring.
This immediate pull-back from long-term upside bets alongside aggressive short-term hedging shows a dramatic regime shift, with institutional participants rapidly reassessing their macro risk exposure as the path for interest rates turns murky again.
Luke Nolan, senior research associate at CoinShares, explained that altcoins, which are generally considered high beta assets, are more vulnerable to sudden drops in the broader market. He noted that the US dollar’s move to a near 18-month high contributed to downward pressure, as cryptocurrencies often exhibit an inverse correlation to the US Dollar Index (DXY).
Mini dictionary: US Dollar Index (DXY), a measure that tracks the value of the US dollar relative to a basket of foreign currencies. A rising DXY signals a stronger dollar and can mean reduced risk appetite for alternative assets like cryptocurrencies.
Nolan said that tightening financial conditions reduce liquidity and risk appetite, further pressuring altcoins. He indicated that he would watch for any changes in expectations for interest rate hikes before predicting a rebound in prices.
High beta assets just got hit harder, similar to equities, where high-performing stocks have seen outsized drawdowns in recent sessions. Altcoins are typically more sensitive to financial conditions, and tightening affects the premise of liquidity expanding.
Profit-taking follows altcoin rallyMax Shannon, senior associate at Bitwise Europe, said part of the recent sell-off reflects traders taking profits after a strong multi-month rally in altcoin prices. Futures open interest in altcoins excluding Ethereum has dropped by $8 billion since the start of October, indicating that traders have reduced risk after the latest uptrend.
Shannon noted that Ethereum outperformed Bitcoin for three consecutive months, a streak last seen in March 2021, prompting investors to realize profits. Ethereum ETFs witnessed 11 straight trading days of net outflows totaling $782.8 million, followed by a small inflow on Tuesday, with $129.5 million in new outflows since, based on CoinGlass data.
He described the current market environment as a “consolidation period” for altcoins that had previously rallied strongly. Shannon said that while altcoins tend to move in tandem with Bitcoin during difficult periods, they can diverge, particularly when unique catalysts emerge.
Looking ahead, Nolan said a recovery would likely depend on expectations for US interest rate decisions. He added that uncertainties made predicting a clear short-term direction for altcoins challenging, as a further drop in Bitcoin could deepen losses, but a robust move above $80,000 could swiftly reignite altcoin momentum.
Four major altcoins have flashed technical buy signals on October 15, 2026, as XRP, Solana, Dogecoin and Hyperliquid continue falling, prompting analysts to examine whether recent selling has created an opportunity for a price rebound.
Summary
Four altcoins, XRP, SOL, DOGE and HYPE, displayed TD Sequential buy signals during recent selling.
XRP traded near $1.31, while analyst Ali Martinez identified possible recovery targets above current prices.
Solana approached $100 support, with potential rebounds toward $111 and $120 dependent on renewed demand.
Dogecoin tested $0.080 support as analysts monitored $0.087 and $0.094 for potential price recoveries ahead.
Crypto analyst Ali Martinez identified buy signals across the four cryptocurrencies using the TD Sequential indicator, which tracks price movements to identify possible exhaustion in a trend. The signals appeared as the U.S. inflation report weighed on cryptocurrency prices, although a confirmed reversal would require stronger buying activity.
BUY SIGNALS ON XRP, SOL, DOGE, HYPE
Should you buy the dip?
1/6 🧵👇
— Ali Charts (@alicharts) October 15, 2026
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that September consumer prices increased 0.6% from August, bringing annual inflation to 3.7%. The figures exceeded expectations and prompted traders to reassess the Federal Reserve’s interest rate outlook.
XRP leads these altcoins with three buy signals
XRP traded near $1.31 at press time, down 3.43% over 24 hours and 6.57% across seven days, according to CoinGecko. Trading volume stood at approximately $2.39 billion, while its market capitalization reached $83.1 billion.
Martinez reported that XRP had produced three TD Sequential buy readings near current prices. The signals included a Sequential 13, a TD 9 and an Aggressive 13, which the analyst interpreted as possible evidence that selling pressure was approaching exhaustion.
The analyst identified $1.40 as the first recovery target, followed by resistance near $1.50. Those targets depend on buyers returning to the market and prices holding above nearby support.
A separate hourly chart showed XRP moving within a parallel trading channel. Martinez warned that the price could revisit the channel’s lower boundary near $1.25 before establishing a stronger recovery.
XRP REBOUND INCOMING!?$XRP appears to be trading inside a parallel channel on the hourly chart.
This structure suggests XRP could still drop toward the lower boundary around $1.25 before seeing a meaningful rebound.
That’s the level I’m watching for a potential buying… pic.twitter.com/Et9Q11p08w
— Ali Charts (@alicharts) October 15, 2026
If XRP rebounds from that support, the analyst identified $1.42 as a possible intermediate target, with $1.60 near the upper boundary.
Meanwhile, institutional investment flows present a different picture from the recent price decline.
According to SoSoValue data, U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds recorded net inflows for 13 consecutive weeks, bringing cumulative inflows to approximately $1.80 billion.
Weekly inflows slowed after reaching $75.6 million in the week ending September 25. The following two weeks recorded $4.7 million and $11.3 million, respectively.
XRP ETF flows, source: SoSoValue
Large cryptocurrency holders, however, have been transferring more XRP to Binance. CryptoQuant analyst Arab Chain reported that 30-day whale inflows reached approximately 1.669 billion XRP, a seven-month high.
The analyst noted that exchange transfers could increase the supply available for selling, although some movements may involve internal transfers or other exchange services.
An earlier analysis of Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP buy signals identified similar technical conditions during the October 8 market decline. XRP’s latest signals have appeared at a lower price level.
Solana tests $100 support as a new buy signal appears
Solana was trading around $101.98 at press time, representing a 3.86% decline over 24 hours and a 10.24% loss over seven days.
CoinGecko’s data placed its daily trading volume near $4.08 billion and market capitalization at approximately $60.46 billion.
Martinez observed that Solana’s daily TD Sequential indicator had produced a buy signal as the cryptocurrency approached $100.
He compared the latest reading with a sell signal that appeared in late September, which preceded a correction of approximately 14%.
3/6 $SOL is approaching $100 as the TD Sequential flashes a buy signal on its daily chart.
The indicator’s sell signal in late September preceded a 14% correction. If this new signal is confirmed by stronger buying, Solana could rebound toward $111, then resistance near $120. pic.twitter.com/biicOHlMqv
— Ali Charts (@alicharts) October 15, 2026
The new signal could support a rebound if buying pressure improves. Martinez identified $111 as the first resistance target and $120 as the next level.
However, the analyst did not establish that either target would be reached. A sustained move below $100 could weaken the proposed recovery setup.
Among the four altcoins under review, Solana has recorded the largest seven-day decline. Away from price charts, the Solana Foundation has expanded its presence in China.
Foundation Chief Strategy Officer Rachel Conlan shared images of the organization’s new Shanghai office and promotional displays across the city’s skyline.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao commented on the development, noting that BNB Chain had not achieved a comparable promotional presence in mainland China.
The foundation has scheduled events in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Beijing through its Solana Accelerate China program.
It's amazing to see that Solana was able to advertise and even get an office in China. 👏@BNBChain was not able to do this, so far. 🤣
Hopefully, what's good for one industry player is also good for the rest. https://t.co/fNRRWnAGpt
— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) October 15, 2026
China continues to restrict cryptocurrency trading, and the foundation’s promotional activities do not establish that mainland residents can legally access unrestricted cryptocurrency trading services.
Dogecoin flashes a buy signal near $0.080
Dogecoin traded around $0.07977 during Thursday’s market session, down 4.93% in 24 hours and 8.62% over the preceding week.
CoinGecko data showed daily trading volume of approximately $1.03 billion and a market capitalization of $12.47 billion.
Martinez reported that Dogecoin’s daily TD Sequential indicator had generated a buy signal as the token returned to support near $0.080.
The analyst identified $0.087 as an initial recovery target if support holds and demand increases. Resistance near $0.094 represents a second level to monitor.
The latest signal follows several sessions of falling prices, leaving DOGE slightly below the support level identified in the analysis. Other traders have presented longer-term recovery scenarios.
Crypto Patel identified $0.1186 as a potential bullish breakout level after examining Dogecoin’s multiyear price structure.
The analyst proposed targets at $0.2818, $0.7559 and $2.00 if the cryptocurrency eventually confirms a sustained move above resistance.
CAN $DOGE HIT $2 IN THE NEXT BULL RUN? 🚀#DOGE is retesting a multi-year accumulation zone after breaking its long-term descending trendline. The next major bullish trigger is a breakout above $0.1186.
Those projections are speculative and require price changes far beyond the short-term recovery levels identified by Martinez.
Trader Tardigrade suggested that Dogecoin’s monthly chart was developing an inverse head and shoulders pattern.
The analyst placed the neckline near $0.10 and described a monthly close above it as a possible breakout confirmation.
For traders considering these altcoins after the selloff, Dogecoin’s immediate setup remains centered on $0.080 support and the nearby $0.087 resistance level.
Hyperliquid approaches $80 as traders watch $86
Hyperliquid’s HYPE token traded near $79.61, down 1.98% over 24 hours and 7.89% across seven days.
CoinGecko data placed its daily trading volume at $859.3 million and market capitalization near $17.70 billion.
Martinez identified a fresh TD Sequential buy signal around $80. The analyst noted that an earlier signal on October 1 preceded a rebound of nearly 11%. He suggested that a comparable recovery could bring HYPE toward $86, followed by resistance near $93.
5/6 $HYPE is trading near $80 with a fresh TD Sequential buy signal.
The previous buy signal on October 1 preceded a rebound of nearly 11%. If this one gets similar follow-through, Hyperliquid could test $86, then resistance near $93. pic.twitter.com/4BYkZFs7kI
— Ali Charts (@alicharts) October 15, 2026
The October 1 rebound provides a historical comparison, not confirmation that the new signal will produce the same result.
HYPE’s latest price remained below the $80 reference level. A recovery above that area would place the first resistance target back in focus.
Among these altcoins, HYPE recorded the smallest daily decline, although its weekly performance remained negative.
Hyperliquid founder Jeff Yan recently discussed the project’s regulatory approach during an interview with Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast.
Yan argued that U.S. regulators should focus on the companies operating financial markets through Hyperliquid’s infrastructure, while treating the underlying blockchain as a separate technical system.
His comments concerned how financial rules might apply to businesses using the network, not an announcement of new regulatory approval for HYPE.
Earlier reporting on Hyperliquid’s regulatory status in Singapore documented the platform’s operations and questions surrounding oversight.
Hyperliquid remains unavailable to U.S. users. Kraken parent Payward has separately discussed plans to use Hyperliquid technology for regulated derivatives services, subject to the necessary approvals.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Cardano's founder Charles Hoskinson has quipped that Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney could be a holder of XRP after Ripple's CTO Emeritus David Schwartz shared an amusing photo from Times Square in New York City.
Schwartz kick-started an odd chain of events by posting a selfie in front of a gigantic billboard for Sydney Sweeney's latest project for a sports prediction marketplace Novig.
@JoelKatz I knew she had XRP
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— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) October 14, 2026 Not long after, Hoskinson joined the chat with a hilarious follow-up comment: "I knew she had XRP."
Then, Schwartz posted a new selfie from the same spot. This time, a series of vibrant green billboards to celebrate Evernorth's Nasdaq listing. "Got it this time!"XRP Ledger's co-creator quipped.
The photos were snapped against the backdrop of Evernorth's important milestone: the XRP treasury company celebrated its arrival on the public markets by ringing the Nasdaq closing bell on Oct. 14.
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Evernorth started trading under the XRPN ticker on Oct. 12. The company made its public debut with 473 million XRP in its treasury and $300 million in gross cash proceeds.
Two prominent names in the crypto space cracking jokes about the whole affair amused many in the XRP community, who also jumped on the bandwagon.
New controversial campaign from Sydney SweeneyThe billboard in the selfie Schwartz shared is part of Sweeney's new and provocative ad campaign for Novig, which is a sports-related prediction market.
The "Just Sports" campaign came out on Sept. 9 and showed the actress almost topless, strategically covering herself with sports gear.
The ad was highly controversial. Many female athletes went on record to voice their frustration over the sexualization of the campaign, but Sweeney's defenders have rejected such accusations as ridiculous.
Earlier, Sweeney was also at the center of a crypto controversy. In July 2024, her X account was hacked to promote a fake Solana-based SWEENEY meme coin.
The hackers posted messages that misleadingly claimed Sydney Sweeney was endorsing the token. The posts were eventually removed.
In July 2025, unverified reports surfaced that Ripple had allegedly hired Sydney Sweeney for a promotional campaign for XRP. However, an official announcement about the partnership never came.
Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, has praised the network’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem as Strike Finance reported a new annual percentage rate (APR) for USD stablecoins.
Strike Finance, a Cardano-based on-chain perpetuals platform, announced that its RealFi integration was now generating more than 54% APR for USD stablecoins deposited in its liquidity vault.
Reacting to Strike Finance’s update on the yield offering, Hoskinson said in a post on X, “Not bad, Cardano. Looks like we got the best DeFi.”
Not bad Cardano. Looks like we got the best DeFi https://t.co/EBwr0MYQWV
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) October 15, 2026
Cardano Community Delighted by Charles Hoskinson’s Support Hoskinson’s remarks highlight his confidence in Cardano’s growing DeFi ecosystem and its potential to attract more capital.
Meanwhile, Strike Finance also shared its ambition to attract more investment, stating, “We want billions…”
Cardano stake pool operator Sssebi welcomed Hoskinson’s support, writing, “Love to see this part of Charles that promotes the ecosystem.”
His reaction reflects the community’s appreciation for Hoskinson’s public support of projects building on Cardano.
Love the see this part of Charles that promotes the ecosystem🫶
— Sssebi🦁 (@Sssebi) October 15, 2026
RealFi Reaches $5.1 Million in TVL In a separate thread, Cardano ambassador and DRep Angry Crypto Show reported that RealFi had issued more than $7.6 million in stablecoins and tokenized funds on the Cardano network.
Data from Token Terminal also showed that RealFi’s total value locked (TVL) had surpassed $5.1 million.
These figures point to growing activity for RealFi within Cardano’s DeFi ecosystem. The platform brings real-world financial assets and yield-generating products on-chain.
RealFi generates returns from assets such as U.S. Treasury securities, money market funds, and investment-grade credit. Through its integration with Strike Finance, these yields can be combined with Strike’s liquidity vaults.
Strike-RealFi Integration Aims to Attract More Investment Strike introduced RealFi’s yield products to its liquidity vaults through its Borrow & Earn platform. The service allows eligible users to borrow USD using supported assets as collateral and deposit the borrowed funds into supported liquidity vaults.
Strike previously advertised APRs of up to 50% on USD. Its latest report of more than 54% marks an increase in the advertised rate.
However, returns can change depending on market conditions and vault performance. Users who borrow against their assets also risk liquidation if their collateral loses value or they fail to meet borrowing requirements.
Hoskinson had previously praised the partnership, describing RealFi as open for business through Strike and calling it one of Cardano’s notable decentralized applications.
The partnership combines RealFi’s yields from real-world assets with Strike’s borrowing and liquidity services. Both platforms aim to attract more users and investment to Cardano DeFi ecosystem.
Cardano (ADA) is approaching a critical recovery point, and analyst Giannis Andreou identifies the $0.22–$0.24 range as a key demand zone shaping its next move.
In his latest technical analysis, Andreou said ADA is testing this demand area, with the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement level at $0.2278 reinforcing the zone. Holding this range would establish a higher low and position the token for a recovery toward higher price levels.
However, Cardano faces near-term selling pressure. According to CoinMarketCap data, ADA trades at $0.2212, down 6% over the past 24 hours and 12.5% over the past week. Despite the recent decline, the token retains an 8.9% gain over the past month, while remaining down 33.5% year to date.
ADA Must Reclaim $0.26–$0.28 Before Breakout Attempt
Andreou’s bullish scenario hinges on Cardano holding its current demand zone and reclaiming the $0.26–$0.28 range. A recovery above this resistance zone would put $0.2910 in focus as the next major breakout level.
A break above $0.2910, followed by a successful retest, would open the door to further gains. Andreou identifies $0.3206 and $0.3698 as subsequent price targets, with $0.4277 marking another resistance level ADA must overcome.
The analyst’s chart projects a potential advance to $0.4834. From the chart’s reference price of $0.2354, this target represents an increase of approximately 105%.
The bullish projection hinges on Cardano holding its demand zone, recovering intermediate price levels, and breaking through the identified resistance areas. These milestones define the path toward the projected target.
Cardano (ADA) price chart by Giannis Andreou showing multiple price scenarios for Cardano.
Losing $0.22 Exposes Lower Support Levels
Meanwhile, the immediate risk to Andreou’s outlook is a decline below $0.22. His chart identifies $0.2278 as the 0.618 Fibonacci level, making this area a critical test for buyers.
A breakdown below this zone puts the $0.2110 Fibonacci level in focus as the next support. Further selling pressure would shift attention to the $0.19–$0.20 support zone. Such a decline would invalidate the higher-low setup and delay the projected recovery.
For now, Cardano next move hinges on buyers defending the $0.22–$0.24 demand zone amid the recent price decline. A recovery toward $0.26–$0.28 would strengthen the bullish outlook, while a break below $0.22 would expose ADA to further losses.
What Other Analysts Say About ADA’s Next Move
Meanwhile, analyst More Crypto Online also warned that Cardano could fall to another low before staging a sustained recovery. However, a pullback may also create an opportunity for ADA to resume its rally.
The analyst identified $0.315 as a key resistance level, with a breakout opening the way toward $0.405 and strengthening the bullish outlook.
On the downside, ADA needs to hold the $0.16–$0.215 support zone to preserve its recovery prospects. A drop below $0.16 would significantly weaken the bullish scenario and increase the risk of further losses.
Donald Trump named XRP, Solana and Cardano in his March 2025 cryptocurrency reserve announcement, triggering a market rally.
His executive order ultimately prioritized Bitcoin while placing other cryptocurrencies under a separate US Digital Asset Stockpile.
The government cannot actively purchase XRP for the stockpile under the existing order without additional executive or legislative action.
President Donald Trump once appeared to give XRP a major political endorsement, naming the Ripple-linked cryptocurrency among five digital assets proposed for a US crypto reserve.
But more than a year later, an important question remains: Does Trump actually support XRP, or was the announcement largely political messaging?
The answer lies in the difference between Trump’s March 2025 social media announcement and the executive order that followed.
While the president publicly named XRP, the administration’s formal cryptocurrency strategy established a clear preference for Bitcoin.
Why Did Trump Include XRP in His Crypto Reserve Announcement?
On March 2, 2025, Trump announced on Truth Social that his proposed US crypto reserve would include XRP, Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA).
He subsequently added Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), describing the two largest cryptocurrencies as central to the reserve.
The announcement triggered an immediate market reaction.
According to Reuters, the cryptocurrency market gained more than $300 billion in value within hours, while Bitcoin jumped over 11% and Ethereum climbed approximately 13%.
However, controversy emerged over how XRP entered the discussion.
In May 2025, Politico reported that a lobbying firm previously working for Ripple had helped craft Trump’s original crypto reserve message.
Trump was reportedly angered after learning about the firm’s Ripple connection.
The account raised questions about whether XRP’s inclusion reflected a carefully developed government strategy or outside lobbying influence.
Bitcoin Reserve vs XRP Stockpile: What Trump’s Executive Order Actually Says
On March 6, 2025, Trump signed an executive order establishing two separate government cryptocurrency holdings structures.
The distinction matters.
The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve holds government-owned Bitcoin obtained through forfeitures, with provisions for additional budget-neutral acquisitions.
The US Digital Asset Stockpile, meanwhile, covers other cryptocurrencies acquired through criminal or civil forfeitures.
Unlike Bitcoin, XRP cannot be purchased for the stockpile under the existing executive order without further executive or legislative action.
The order also does not explicitly name XRP, Ethereum, Solana or Cardano as mandatory holdings.
Instead, the stockpile’s composition depends on the digital assets the government legally obtains.
Treasury has discretion over managing those assets, including potential sales, whereas Bitcoin deposited in the strategic reserve is intended to remain held.
Is Trump Bullish on XRP, and Could the US Government Buy It?
Trump’s announcement demonstrated political recognition of XRP, but it did not establish a government investment commitment.
That distinction is especially important for XRP price predictions.
A government purchasing program could potentially create additional demand. Simply retaining confiscated tokens does not produce the same market effect.
As of October 2026, publicly available official information does not establish the existence of a dedicated federal XRP buying program or a verified total of XRP held in the stockpile.
For Ripple and the broader XRP ecosystem, regulatory clarity and institutional adoption may therefore matter more than Trump’s original announcement.
The administration’s crypto-friendly direction could support industry development, but it does not guarantee XRP purchases, price appreciation, or preferential treatment.
The bottom line: Trump publicly backed XRP’s inclusion in a proposed crypto reserve, but his implemented policy gives Bitcoin a fundamentally different status. Until Washington authorizes XRP purchases or establishes a more explicit policy, claims that the US government is actively accumulating XRP remain unsupported.
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Dr. Guneet Kaur is a senior editor at CCN.com and a Science Fellow at Exponential Science. She is a fintech and blockchain expert with extensive experience in digital finance education, blockchain ecosystems, and cryptocurrency markets. She has worked with global media such as Cointelegraph, as well as education and blockchain platforms, to design and lead strategic content and learning initiatives. As an educator and assessor for top-tier executive programs, she bridges real-world fintech trends with academic insight.
Dr. Kaur is also a published researcher and peer reviewer across fintech and data science journals, including Financial Innovation Journal and International Journal of Big Data Intelligence and Applications. Her work spans data-driven analysis, Web3 innovation, and technical content development. With a strong foundation in both industry and academia, she translates complex financial technologies into practical applications, empowering learners, professionals, and institutions across the rapidly evolving digital finance landscape.
A light-hearted mix-up in Times Square has given the XRP community something to talk about. Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz posted a selfie in front of actress Sydney Sweeney’s billboard for sports prediction platform Novig, and Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson could not resist a joke.
“Oops, wrong billboard”
Schwartz shared the photo on X with the caption, “Oops, wrong billboard.” The ad behind him promoted Novig, a sports prediction marketplace, and featured Sweeney.
Hoskinson replied within the hour: “I knew she had XRP.” The joke played on the idea that the XRP Ledger’s co-creator had accidentally promoted a sports betting app instead of an XRP milestone.
“Got it this time”
Schwartz followed up with a second selfie, this time in front of the right screens. The billboards showed Evernorth’s branding and its Nasdaq ticker, XRPN.
“Got it this time,” he wrote.
Evernorth, the XRP treasury company led by former Ripple board member Asheesh Birla, holds about 473 million XRP and raised roughly $300 million in gross proceeds. Its shares began trading on Nasdaq this month, and the company rang the Nasdaq closing bell on October 14.
Ripple marked the moment on X, calling Evernorth “a new milestone for the XRP ecosystem” that puts “XRP to work via institutional strategies.”
XRP fans see a price signal
Some XRP holders read more into the post. One X user claimed that the last time Schwartz posted about Sweeney, XRP jumped about 80%, from $0.98 to $1.78, before pulling back. T
Sweeney’s past brushes with crypto
This is not the first time Sweeney’s name has surfaced in crypto. In 2024, a hack of her X account was used to promote a fake Solana token. Reports in 2025 also claimed Ripple had hired her to promote XRP, but no official announcement ever followed.
There is no indication that Sweeney owns XRP, and Hoskinson’s remark was clearly a joke.
Story Ends Here
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The Cardano Foundation wants more people looking over its researchers’ shoulders. The Swiss not-for-profit has announced a recurring forum called the Research Exchange, and the first session is set for October 19, 2026.
The Foundation announced the series on October 15, 2026, through its X account, @Cardano_CF. The stated goal is simple: make the Foundation’s research work more visible and gather community input for continuous improvement.
What the first session covers
The inaugural Research Exchange runs on October 19, 2026, from 13:00 to 13:30 UTC. It will be hosted on Google Meet.
Two researchers will lead the session. Manvir Schneider, a Senior Research Scientist at the Foundation, will present alongside Juan Beccuti, a Researcher in Economics and Governance Blockchain.
Their agenda has three main parts. First, they will outline the scope of the Foundation’s research. Second, they will walk through projects that are completed and projects still in progress. Third, they will explain the mechanisms the community can use to engage. The idea is that outside input can help shape which research priorities the Foundation tackles next.
For anyone who wants to read ahead, the Foundation points to its research hub at cardano.org/research.
Why a research forum, and why now
The Research Exchange is pitched as a bridge between the Foundation’s research team and the broader Cardano ecosystem and researchers who work outside the Foundation entirely.
The initiative builds on the Foundation’s existing emphasis on academic rigor and peer-reviewed work in protocol design. A recent example is research presented at AFT 2026 that dealt with proof-of-stake dynamics and governance mechanisms.
What this means for the Cardano ecosystem
The Research Exchange launch carries no immediate market or token-related announcements.
For developers and researchers, a regular session with named researchers lowers the barrier to understanding why certain protocol design choices get made. It also gives outsiders a clearer channel to flag ideas or concerns before they harden into code.
The Foundation has framed the series as a way to collect input that feeds back into its research agenda.
For now, the first test arrives on October 19 at 13:00 UTC. Schneider and Beccuti will lay out what the Foundation studies, what it has finished, what remains in progress, and how the community can weigh in on what comes next.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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Traders betting on higher prices of Cardano (ADA) are under increased pressure as a wider sell-off in the cryptocurrency market is leading to liquidations that are heavily skewed toward longs.
Cardano (ADA) extended its drop early Thursday following a hotter-than-expected CPI report, with the continued price decline taking a toll on bulls, who suffered the brunt of liquidations.
According to CoinGlass data, Cardano saw a total of $4.27 million in liquidations, with longs accounting for almost all of this figure at $4.2 million while shorts came in at $73,080. The imbalance between long and short liquidations yields 5,747%, highlighting the extent to which bullish leveraged traders have been affected by the latest market decline.
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At the time of writing, ADA was down 1.33% in the last 24 hours to $0.224, after reaching a low of $0.216.
Market hit by significant selloffThe broader crypto market saw significant selling pressure as Wednesday's inflation data ignited concerns that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates this month.
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Data released Wednesday showed consumer prices rose 3.7% in the 12 months through September, up from 3.4% in August and above economists' expectations. Core CPI climbed 2.6%, accelerating from 2.4% the previous month.
Losses worsened on Thursday, with $913 million in futures positions liquidated over the past 24 hours, according to Coinglass data. The majority of these were longs, or traders expecting the price to rise.
Cardano Leios testnet enters next phaseThe Musashi Dojo, a public Cardano testnet for Ouroboros Leios, has moved to its next phase. Running from late June 2026 through the mainnet hard fork, Musashi Dojo hosts successive node releases, from early prototypes to release candidates.
According to a recent announcement by Input Output, the Musashi Dojo has entered its Fire phase, the third among the five stages of the testnet, intending to raise the load step by step, testing the protocol and hardening the code to production grade at each level.
The Musashi Dojo testnet moves through five stages, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void, each named after a book in Musashi's 1645 treatise, the Book of Five Rings.
Following the mainnet launch of Leios, Cardano will support an initial 5 to 20 times increase in throughput capacity.
A Wall Street Journal investigation has linked Tether to $6.3 million in payments made to a consulting firm co-owned by Bo Hines, the former executive director of the White House Crypto Council, while he was still in office and actively shaping U.S. stablecoin law.
Signal Chats and the Compliance Window Push The Journal reviewed internal messages showing Hines participated in a Signal group chat with his Nxum partners.
In those chats, he reportedly shared legislative talking points and GENIUS Act updates. His partners, in turn, communicated directly with Tether’s CEO.
The WSJ report, published on October 15, 2026, identifies the firm as Nxum, a consultancy Bo Hines co-founded alongside his father and a marketing executive.
According to the Journal, he held a one-third ownership stake in Nxum throughout his entire White House tenure, which ran from January to August 2025.
The payments began around May 2025, when an arrangement between Tether and Nxum was brokered, months before Bo Hines left government. After departing in August, he joined Tether first as a strategic advisor.
That hire, Tether Appointing Bo Hines as Strategic Advisor, was framed at the time as a compliance push. CEO Paolo Ardoino called it a once-in-a-century move for Tether’s U.S. strategy.
Hines also reportedly pushed to extend the GENIUS Act compliance window from 18 to 36 months, a change that particularly benefited Tether over more U.S.-centric rivals. The GENIUS Act, signed in July 2025, is the first federal framework governing dollar-backed stablecoins.
Six U.S. Agencies Now Have 35 Days to Finalize Stablecoin Rules under that law. The Federal Reserve has since released two proposals covering reserve requirements and bank-issuer licensing.
Federal Reserve Unveils Two Proposals for Stablecoin Issuers Under GENIUS Act, now setting the compliance benchmark Tether must meet as the largest dollar-pegged stablecoin issuer globally.
Nxum has denied any wrongdoing. The firm says Bo Hines held only a passive investment stake and had no knowledge of the Tether payments while in government. Ethics rules, Nxum argues, did not require him to divest.
Tether Under Pressure, and the Revolving-Door Risk The conflict-of-interest questions arrive at a difficult moment for Tether. The U.S. Senate has already scrutinized USDT’s role in sanctioned wallets.
Tether Defends Itself as Senate Probe Links USDT to Sanctioned Iran Wallets. Roughly 84% of reviewed sanctioned wallets held USDT as their primary asset. Tether says it froze nearly $550 million in Iran-linked USDT in 2026 at U.S. authorities’ request.
Despite the scrutiny, Tether has pressed ahead. It named Bo Hines CEO of its U.S.-regulated stablecoin effort, USAT, issued through Anchorage Digital and backed by Cantor Fitzgerald-custodied Treasuries.
Tether to Launch U.S.-Based Stablecoin USAT with Bo Hines as CEO. A later investor pitch reportedly referenced a potential Tether purchase of 25% of Nxum for another ~$56 million, a figure the WSJ says appears in documents it reviewed.
The story also raises concern about leadership continuity at the White House Crypto Council. Patrick Witt, the council’s most recent executive director, has since departed.
Patrick Witt Exits White House Crypto Council as Executive Director, leaving the council without senior staff after the earlier exits of Hines, Harry Jung, and David Sacks.
Before leaving, Witt had backed the CLARITY Act’s Stablecoin Rules, a follow-on bill to the GENIUS Act that stalled in the Senate in September 2026 and remains uncertain.
For investors, the central risk is regulatory credibility. Even without proven illegality, sustained congressional or enforcement attention could pressure USDT liquidity, institutional adoption, or the planned USAT product.
Tether has released a 254 million parameter speech recognition model that can transcribe conversations directly on smartphones, smart glasses and humanoid robots without sending audio to cloud servers.
Summary
Tether has released TranscribePsy, a 254 million parameter AI model that processes speech locally on smartphones, smart glasses and humanoid robots without cloud access.
The model transcribed 10 minutes of audio in 1.65 seconds on an iPhone 17 Pro Max and performed faster than several competing speech recognition systems in Tether’s tests.
TranscribePsy supports 25 European languages on laptops and eight on phones, with dedicated versions optimized for Apple’s Neural Engine.
The open source release is part of Tether’s QVAC AI project, which focuses on running AI applications directly on consumer devices while keeping user data private.
According to an October 14 announcement from Tether AI Research, the open source model, called QVAC TranscribePsy, supports multilingual speech recognition and is designed to operate on devices with limited computing power.
The company said the model can transcribe 10 minutes of audio in 1.65 seconds on an iPhone 17 Pro Max using Apple’s Core ML framework.
TranscribePsy is part of Tether’s QVAC AI project, which focuses on running artificial intelligence applications locally. Its release gives developers access to speech recognition software that can operate without an internet connection.
For smart glasses, the model can process audio received over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi with minimal delay. Humanoid robots can run the software on their onboard processors, leaving computing capacity available for functions such as navigation, visual recognition and physical movement.
Tether said local processing could be useful in medical consultations, legal interviews, therapy sessions and journalism, where recordings may contain confidential information.
Tether’s TranscribePsy model records strong benchmark results
In performance evaluations released by the company, TranscribePsy recorded an 8.02% word error rate on the Open ASR Leaderboard and 6.58% on Multilingual LibriSpeech.
Its word error rate on Common Voice was 21.56%, with Tether claiming the model outperformed other systems in the same parameter category.
The 254 million parameter model was compared against larger alternatives, including Qwen3-ASR-0.6B, omniASR-CTC-1B-v2, OWSM-CTC-v4 and Whisper-Medium.
Despite having fewer parameters, TranscribePsy performed better on the Multilingual LibriSpeech benchmark than several models three to four times its size, according to the research team’s findings.
Tests conducted across six smartphones showed the model was 2.6 times faster than the next fastest system and 5.7 times faster than Whisper-small when running on phone CPUs.
Its iPhone optimized version required less than half the disk space and 1.7 times less memory than a competing Core ML model included in the evaluation.
Speech recognition accuracy was measured using word error rate, which compares the words generated by a transcription system against the original spoken content. Lower scores indicate fewer transcription errors.
Tether published the evaluation configurations alongside the model to allow researchers to reproduce the reported results.
Speech recognition software supports 25 European languages
TranscribePsy has been released in four versions designed for different hardware and language requirements.
One laptop model supports 25 European languages, while a smaller language configuration focuses on eight commonly used languages.
For mobile devices, Tether provides a GGUF version that operates through the parakeet.cpp engine in qvac-fabric-speech.
A separate Core ML version is optimized for Apple’s Neural Engine, allowing compatible iPhones to perform transcription using dedicated hardware.
The models are designed to handle continuous audio, producing text shortly after speech is detected. Tether said the system could support voice controlled applications that respond without sending recordings to external servers.
According to the company, local speech processing reduces the need to transmit conversations that may contain personal or confidential information.
Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO, said the company wanted users to retain control over their conversations as voice enabled devices become more common.
“The future of AI shouldn’t mean giving centralized platforms a front-row seat to our personal lives,” Ardoino said.
He described TranscribePsy as an example of speech recognition technology that can operate entirely on personal devices without depending on centralized infrastructure.
Tether expands its QVAC AI development tools
TranscribePsy follows several releases under Tether’s QVAC project during 2026.
In April, Tether introduced the QVAC SDK, an open source development toolkit for running AI applications on smartphones and computers.
As crypto.news previously reported, the toolkit supports iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux, with functions covering text generation, speech processing, image recognition and translation.
The software uses QVAC Fabric, a customized version of llama.cpp, alongside Holepunch technology for peer to peer model distribution and delegated processing.
Before the SDK release, Tether had integrated BitNet LoRA into QVAC Fabric in March to support training and running large AI models on consumer hardware.
At the time, the company said it had fine tuned models containing up to 3.8 billion parameters on devices including the Pixel 9, Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16.
Its tests covered models with up to 13 billion parameters on the iPhone 16, while GPU processing delivered speed improvements ranging from two to 11 times compared with CPU baselines in the company’s evaluations.
Tether’s research into decentralized computing has extended beyond AI models.
In September, Ardoin disclosed progress on a peer to peer search engine designed to operate across distributed nodes.
The team had stored the complete Wikipedia archive across 100 nodes and demonstrated search functionality without relying on a centralized search service.
The search engine remains under development, with the team working on an architecture intended to support thousands of interconnected nodes.
Tether’s earlier AI work included the QVAC Genesis I dataset, released in October 2025 with 41 billion synthetic tokens intended for training models in mathematics, science and technical reasoning.
Alongside the dataset, the company introduced QVAC Workbench, a consumer application that allows users to run supported AI models locally.
TranscribePsy released with open model weights
The latest TranscribePsy release is available under the Apache 2.0 license, with Tether identifying research and educational use as part of the release.
Developers can access the model weights, mobile GGUF builds, Apple Silicon Core ML versions and evaluation configurations.
Within the QVAC Psy ecosystem, the speech recognition software is intended to work with other specialized models, including VisionPsy, TranslatePsy-Nano and MedPsy.
Tether identified document analysis, translation, navigation and private note taking as possible applications for future integrations. The October release provides the speech recognition component, while those combined applications remain prospective.
The research team, operating under Tether Data, S.A. de C.V., said its continuing work covers compact models for processing audio, text, images and video on consumer devices.
According to DefiLlama data, Papertrade has generated a cumulative revenue of $42.24 million in its first six days since launch, currently ranking second in global protocol daily revenue rankings—surpassing Circle and trailing only Tether. Separately, Papertrade’s official website shows the protocol has distributed a total of $41.58 million to PAPER stakers, meaning 98.46% of its revenue is allocated to token holders who stake their tokens. It should be noted that the above protocol revenue is calculated from three sources: a 2% fee on realized profit and loss (PnL) of closed trades on the platform, a 2% fee on collateral from liquidation losses, and liquidity provider (LP) balances transferred to PAPER stakers after exceeding the $5 million LP cap. Thus, the so-called "protocol revenue" largely stems from LP balance growth driven by platform traders’ losses. Per official documentation, PAPER stakers’ dividends come from two streams: a 2% protocol "tax" revenue (split equally with developers), and all LP balances exceeding the $5 million cap, which are fully allocated to stakers. As a result, the protocol forms a closed loop where "losers receive platform equity (PAPER), winners take the losers’ funds, and the protocol taxes winners to subsidize the losers."
Tether's payments reportedly began in May 2025 while Hines led the White House stablecoin effort, with the first one going to an intermediary's marketing company.
Tether payments reportedly reached Bo Hines' firm through a marketing middleman
Posted October 15, 2026 at 7:01 am ET.
Nxum, a small consulting firm that Bo Hines co-owned while he led the White House’s stablecoin push, has taken in about $6.3 million under a marketing deal with Tether, the Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 14. The first installment was paid in May 2025, before the GENIUS Act became law.
Hines was executive director of the White House’s digital assets council, formally the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets. He also held a one-third stake in Nxum, a firm he started with his father, Todd Hines, and marketing executive Gary Dennis. According to the Journal, his ethics disclosures show he kept that stake after stepping back from running the company in early 2025. Tether later hired him to lead its new U.S. division.
The Journal said its account rests on messages, internal documents and payment records it reviewed. Unchained has not independently verified those records. Tether did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Unchained. Unchained could not reach Nxum or Hines for comment.
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How the Money Moved The Journal said it traced the money through blockchain records. Nxum did not sign with Tether directly; the contract went to Notorious, a marketing firm run by Peter Vincer, at $415,000 a month, billed six months at a time over at least two years. Tether’s first installment, $2.49 million, left Bitfinex, an exchange under the same parent company, on May 11, 2025. Vincer held back $498,000 and forwarded the remainder to an Nxum wallet. After Hines left government, the contract moved to Nxum, and installments of the same size landed in its wallets in December 2025 and April 2026.
The Journal reported, citing people involved in the negotiations, that Hines pressed lawmakers to lengthen the law’s compliance window to 36 months from 18. Tether needed more time than its U.S. competitors to comply and was the main beneficiary of the longer period, according to the report. Hines passed talking points to his Nxum partners in June 2025 while they were in contact with Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, the Journal reported, citing Signal messages.
On Aug. 9, 2025, 22 days after Trump signed the GENIUS Act, Hines said he was leaving the White House. He joined Tether in September.
Denials and Responses A Nxum representative reportedly told the Journal that Hines was unaware of and uninvolved in the firm’s Tether business while in the White House, and that he “did not receive any Tether-derived funds during that period, and had no economic relationship of any kind with Tether while serving in the White House.” The representative reportedly added that “it was not necessary for Tether to enter into any payment arrangements, as it could (and did) simply use the weight of its market position to advocate for an extension of the compliance period.”
Tether reportedly did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment. A White House official reportedly told the paper that Hines no longer works there and that staff are expected to follow federal ethics rules.
The Nxum-linked Fellowship PAC, which is chaired by Tether government affairs head Jesse Spiro, paid Nxum Group $6.55 million across five disbursements between January and April 2026, mostly for issue advocacy advertising, the Journal reported, citing Federal Election Commission records.
Tether is already under scrutiny in Washington. Last month, Sen. Richard Blumenthal urged Treasury and the Justice Department to investigate the company after Democratic staff of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report on Iran’s use of USDT.
Related Listen: Weekly Recap: Tether Eyes U.S. Stablecoin, Wall Street Embraces Tokenization
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.
A Wall Street Journal investigation has revealed that Nxum, a small consulting firm co-owned by Bo Hines, received approximately $6.3 million through a marketing arrangement with Tether as the GENIUS Act, a key stablecoin law, passed through Congress.
Payments and contract structureAccording to internal documents, messages, and payment records reviewed by the Journal, the first payment was made in May 2025, several weeks before the GENIUS Act became law. The records indicate that Tether channeled its payments through Notorious, a marketing agency managed by Peter Vincer, rather than signing a contract with Nxum directly.
The contract with Notorious was valued at $415,000 per month, with payments billed for six months at a time over at least a two-year span. On May 11, 2025, Bitfinex, a crypto exchange affiliated with Tether’s parent company, sent the first installment of $2.49 million to Notorious. Of this, Vincer reportedly withheld $498,000 and transferred the remainder to a wallet controlled by Nxum.
DatePayerRecipientAmountMay 11, 2025BitfinexNotorious$2.49 millionDecember 2025Tether/BitfinexNxum$2.49 millionApril 2026Tether/BitfinexNxum$2.49 millionFollowing Bo Hines’s departure from government, ongoing payments were reportedly sent directly to Nxum, with additional installments occurring in December 2025 and April 2026.
Mini dictionary: GENIUS Act — A US legislative act focused on establishing regulatory standards and compliance deadlines for stablecoin issuers.
Bo Hines’s role and the compliance extensionBo Hines served as a leader in the White House’s stablecoin negotiations during the period when these payments began. The Journal cited unnamed sources involved in negotiations, stating that Hines advocated for extending the compliance window for the GENIUS Act, seeking to move it from 18 to 36 months. This extension would have primarily benefited Tether, which reportedly required more time than its US-based competitors to meet the law’s requirements.
The Journal’s review of Signal messages indicates that Hines provided talking points to Nxum partners in June 2025 while they were interacting with Tether’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino. Twenty-two days after Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act, Hines announced his departure from the White House, later joining Tether directly in September.
Response from involved partiesA representative from Nxum reportedly stated that Hines had no knowledge of, or involvement with, the firm’s dealings with Tether during his government service, adding that he “did not receive any Tether-derived funds during that period, and had no economic relationship of any kind with Tether while serving in the White House.” They further claimed that Tether could have pursued compliance extensions independently, without the need for any outside arrangements.
Nxum’s representative emphasized that Bo Hines had no awareness of the Tether business during his White House tenure and had no financial connection to Tether while employed there.
Tether reportedly did not respond to requests for comment from either the Journal or other news outlets. A White House official confirmed that Hines no longer works there and reiterated that all staff are expected to follow federal ethics rules.
Ongoing scrutiny of TetherTether, the company behind the USDT stablecoin, remains under government scrutiny in Washington. In the previous month, Senator Richard Blumenthal called on the Treasury Department and the Justice Department to investigate Tether, referencing a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report on Iran’s use of USDT for cross-border payments.
Sen. Blumenthal requested a federal probe into Tether’s activities in response to allegations involving USDT transactions linked to sanctioned entities.
Tether, founded in 2014, is one of the largest stablecoin issuers worldwide and maintains operational ties with numerous crypto trading platforms through its parent company.
Tether Invests in AIsa to Expand Its Push into AI-Powered Payments and Programmable Money
Investment advances Tether’s ambition to give people and businesses greater access to knowledge and financial tools 15 October 2026 – Tether Capital today announced a strategic investment in AIsa, a company that enables AI agents to access and pay for data, software, and computing services.
As AI agents move from answering questions to conducting research, using software and managing workflows, they keep running into purchasing systems built for people. Reaching a paid data source or software tool often means opening a separate account, subscription, or contract, which leaves a person to set up each service before the agent can get to work.
AIsa removes that friction by combining access and payment in one platform. Developers can connect agents to AI models, data, APIs, software tools, and computing resources through a single interface. Usage is billed in fiat or stablecoins, with spending limits set by the business. An agent doing market research, for example, can retrieve paid data as needed, without anyone managing a separate subscription for every source.
Tether believes wider access to AI must come with wider access to the financial tools needed to use it. By supporting AIsa, it aims to help more people and businesses benefit from technology that can increasingly carry out work on their behalf.
“We want people to have access to knowledge and financial tools, and the freedom to decide how they use them,” said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. “As AI agents take on more work, people need a way to give them access to services while keeping control over what they spend. AIsa is building that infrastructure, and we see an opportunity to make these capabilities useful to a much wider group of people and businesses.”
AIsa reports more than 250,000 agents running on its platform and over 100 million transactions processed. Its network offers access to more than 5,000 APIs, skills and models through one key, with payment per call instead of separate vendor contracts. Businesses can buy resources as needed, and providers can sell their services directly into automated workflows. For smaller teams, that means research, analysis, and other specialist work with far fewer subscriptions to manage.
AIsa’s previous funding round drew backing from leading technology companies, financial institutions and venture investors, including major groups in Asia. Tether’s investment builds on that support and expands its presence in agentic payments.
The investment fits a pattern in Tether’s recent work. It follows its investment in NEURA Robotics, which included plans to integrate Tether’s Wallet Development Kit (WDK) and QVAC into robotic systems so machines can run AI locally and transact within predefined limits. WDK enables developers to build self-custodial wallets, while QVAC is designed to run AI directly on users’ devices. Backing AIsa extends the same goal, giving people greater control over their money and access to intelligence, to the services they need when agents do the work.
About Tether Capital
Tether Capital is the independent investment arm of Tether, the largest company in the digital assets industry. Based in El Salvador, the company deploys capital from Tether’s profits and excess reserves across a wide range of sectors where technology, infrastructure, and real-world utility intersect.
Its portfolio includes investments in artificial intelligence, financial services, energy, biotechnology, education, and digital media, as well as strategic stakes in industries such as commodities, remittances, and sports and entertainment. Tether Capital supports ventures with long-term potential to improve access, efficiency, and resilience in both emerging and developed markets. Its work supports Tether Group’s broader mission to strengthen decentralized systems, promote infrastructure resilience, and expand real-world access to open, transparent technologies.
