The brief outage highlights the need for robust incident response and monitoring as Robinhood Chain scales, impacting user trust and network reliability.

The post Robinhood Chain restores block production after brief September outage appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin's rare low volatility suggests potential for significant price movement, indicating a maturing market with possible upside trends.

The post Bitcoin volatility drops to 1.5th percentile as Fidelity flags ‘coiled spring’ setup appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Volkswagen's strategic overhaul may enhance competitiveness and profitability but risks significant social and economic impacts from job losses.

The post Volkswagen’s board backs CEO Oliver Blume’s plan to cut 50,000 jobs appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The sanctions could significantly disrupt Iran's economy, affecting global oil markets and increasing tensions in international relations.

The post US targets Iran’s financial networks with sanctions under Operation Economic Outcast appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Hassett's remarks may shift market expectations, potentially influencing economic strategies and investor confidence amid uncertain Fed policies.

The post White House adviser Hassett hints at potential Fed rate hike consideration appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Bear Market May Not Yet Be Over, Says Fidelity 

Bitcoin may be rallying but that doesn’t mean the bear market is over. Not yet, anyway. 

A new report from asset manager Fidelity said that while bitcoin was behaving like it did in previous cycles, it could still hit a bottom in November. 

Bitcoin started rallying in mid-August after the U.S. Treasury Department said it would more than double the size of its government debt repurchases. The asset’s price recently stood at close to $81,639, up nearly 30% over a 30-day period. 

Some have since argued that bitcoin is out of its bear market. The coin touched a record high in October last year, hitting $126,080. 

“Given bitcoin’s recent performance, the bottom could already have occurred in July,” Chris Kuiper, Vice President of Research at Fidelity Digital Assets, wrote. 

“It could also drop again to make another new low in November or later,” he continued, adding that bitcoin cycles have historically not been precisely four years long, so they “aren’t reliable for timing the market.” 

Throughout most of June and July, bitcoin’s volatility was particularly muted, and the coin traded below $65,000. 

But that all changed in August after the Treasury Department’s announcement, which has since brought the so-called debasement trade back in the picture again. 

To get an idea of where bitcoin moves next, Kuiper argued that investors should pay attention to what happens with the crypto Clarity Act. Proponents argue it could provide “greater regulatory certainty and support continued innovation in the U.S. digital asset ecosystem,” he wrote. 

President Donald Trump in August urged lawmakers to get the long-awaited crypto market structure bill over the line, helping spur bitcoin’s run. The president called the draft “very, very powerful” after meeting with crypto industry bigwigs at the White House. 

The digital asset industry has long called for clear rules on how regulators should treat bitcoin, stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies. 

Lawmakers will vote on the bill this month. 

This post Bitcoin Bear Market May Not Yet Be Over, Says Fidelity  first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin-Gold Correlation Hits Six-Year High as Debasement Fears Mount

Bitcoin’s correlation with gold is at its highest in six years as investors increasingly look for ways to hedge against currency debasement. 

That’s according to a new report from Bitwise, which this week pointed out that the precious metal and leading cryptocurrency are trading in lockstep because the U.S. government has “materially intervened in the macro picture.” 

Bitcoin started surging last month, after the U.S. Treasury Department said it would more than double the size of its government debt repurchases. The coin had its best run in three years and third best August ever. 

“The last time the bitcoin-gold correlation was that high was in 2020, following the rounds of fiscal and monetary stimulus during the Covid crisis,” Bitwise’s European Head of Research, André Dragosch, wrote. 

He added that bitcoin’s correlation with the stock market dropped to a one-year low, “implying some kind of decoupling between hard assets and the stock market.”

Bitcoin has been pushed as “digital gold” for years but has sometimes traded with tech stocks as a “risk-on” asset. 

But the so-called debasement trade — when investors buy an asset as a way to hedge against a currency losing value — was a much-talked about investment strategy last year and appears to be back. 

The reason is down to the government intervening in markets, Dragosch argued. When the Treasury said it would try to rein in long-term borrowing costs, the dollar’s value slid and sent investors flooding back to gold — and bitcoin. 

The Treasury the same week also said the U.S. public debt exceeded $40 trillion for the first time. Excessive debt also undermines confidence in the dollar. 

“Investors are no longer asking whether to hedge currency debasement with gold or bitcoin. They’re simply hedging with both,” the report added. 

“Bitcoin spent its first fifteen years being priced as a risk asset. If this correlation trend with gold holds, the next fifteen may look very different.”

The leading cryptocurrency again rallied this week, and was recently trading for close to $81,438 after jumping nearly 6% over a 24-hour period. 

This post Bitcoin-Gold Correlation Hits Six-Year High as Debasement Fears Mount first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

Bitcoin Magazine

French Hill Eyes Bipartisan Path for Clarity Act Ahead of September Vote

U.S. congressman French Hill expressed the importance of bipartisan support to get the long-awaited crypto market structure bill, the Clarity Act, over the line before the midterms. 

The lawmaker told Fox Business Thursday that Democrats and Republicans have come to “narrow their differences in getting the bill drafted. 

Pro-crypto lawmakers were hoping the Clarity Act passed before Congress departed for August recess. After a delay, a vote will now go ahead on September 15. 

“Can Democrats work with Republicans and make sure America leads the world in distributed ledger technology and financial services?” Hill said. 

“This one remaining significant issue is the ethics provision, and that is best solved by passing the legislation because everybody — no matter what family they belong to, the Trumps or not — would then be under a regulatory framework fully scrutinized by the United States government in commodity and securities and banking regulators,” he added. 

The Clarity Act was first introduced by Hill, the House Financial Services Chairman, last year. 

Crypto companies have long called for clear regulations for the industry. The Clarity Act drafts a framework to formally divide oversight between regulators, distinguishing which digital assets are securities, commodities or stablecoins. 

The House of Representatives passed the bill last July but it has been stalled this year, mostly because the banking lobby clashed with crypto companies over paying customers stablecoin yield. 

A new draft tackling the issue of ethics started circulating in July. It bans government officials from promoting or making money from crypto — something Democrats have criticized the Trump family for doing. 

A group of Democrats said the bill fell short and wanted amendments. Some were accused of deliberately holding it back by Republicans like Cynthia Lummis. 

Some have praised the bipartisan work that has already gone into the bill, namely Coinbase, America’s biggest crypto exchange. The company’s Chief Policy Officer, Faryar Shirzad, said in July that while some Democratic lawmakers were holding back the long-awaited legislation, younger Democrats wanted to pass it. 

President Donald Trump in August said that in order for the U.S. to remain the “undisputed leader in Bitcoin and crypto,” lawmakers had to pass the “very, very powerful legislation.” 

This post French Hill Eyes Bipartisan Path for Clarity Act Ahead of September Vote first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

Bitcoin Magazine

Kraken and SoFi Link Crypto Trading To Banking Rails

Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, and fintech company SoFi Technologies on Thursday announced a deal to route SoFi customers’ crypto orders through Kraken’s institutional trading platform and list SoFi’s stablecoin on the exchange.

Under the agreement, SoFi will send its digital asset order flow to Kraken Prime, Kraken’s prime brokerage arm, which launched in 2025. 

Rather than filling trades against a single order book, Kraken Prime uses smart order routing to compare prices and depth across multiple venues and execute where the fill is best. SoFi said customers will see no change to the app itself.

Payward is also joining the SoFi Exchange Network, the bank’s real-time settlement system, and will list SoFiUSD — SoFi’s bank-issued stablecoin — on Kraken. 

Kraken Prime’s institutional and business clients will in turn gain access to SoFi’s business banking services and round-the-clock fiat settlement. The companies said qualified custody services would follow later.

SoFi holds a national bank charter and has 15.8 million members. The partnership is the latest in a series of tie-ups between Kraken and established financial firms, following arrangements with Deutsche Börse on foreign exchange and derivatives infrastructure, Nasdaq on a tokenized equities gateway, and Franklin Templeton on tokenizing exchange-traded funds.

The news comes after SoFi, a purely digital lender, last year became the first nationally chartered bank in the United States to launch crypto services for retail customers.

The company’s new SoFi crypto platform allows members to buy, sell and hold bitcoin directly within their bank accounts.

Kraken — like other crypto exchanges — is pushing into the traditional finance world, allowing users to trade stocks, bonds and other assets. The company has sold its app as a “primary account for everything.”

This post Kraken and SoFi Link Crypto Trading To Banking Rails first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Rallies Over $81,000 — And Brings BTC-Related Stocks With It

Bitcoin surged on Thursday — but industry-related stocks rose even quicker as a rally that started weeks ago again picked up steam. 

The price of the biggest cryptocurrency hit as high as $81,282 on Thursday morning in New York, a nearly 3% increase over a 24-hour period. 

Over the past 30 days, the bitcoin price has surged over 23% following both positive regulatory news and announcements from the U.S. Treasury Department regarding debt buybacks. 

But other major crypto company stocks rose quicker. Bitcoin treasury Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) was trading more than 13% higher on Thursday. The company on Monday resumed bitcoin buys after a 10-week pause to reshuffle its cash balance sheet. 

America’s biggest crypto exchange, Coinbase, also saw its stock shoot up. Nasdaq-listed COIN was trading 11% higher in the same time period. 

Elsewhere, bitcoin mining companies had a boost too. Top public companies in the space — including the Nasdaq-listed HIVE Digital, MARA, and CleanSpark — all were up on Thursday. 

HIVE Digital led the pack with a 13% jump, while MARA Holdings was up more than 10% on the day. 

Clean energy bitcoin miner CleanSpark jumped by 9%; IREN, which is slowly phasing out its mining operations to focus on AI-compute, was up by 4%. 

Bitcoin had a phenomenal run in August — its third best such month in its history — after the U.S. Treasury Department said it would more than double the size of its government debt repurchases.

The announcement, aimed to tame surging yields not seen in nearly 20 years, hurt the dollar but has benefited non-yielding assets like bitcoin and gold. 

Soon after, President Donald Trump urged lawmakers to get the long-awaited crypto Clarity Act over the line — digital asset legislation the industry has long called for. 

Investors rushed back into bitcoin exchange-traded funds as a result, throwing over $2.8 billion at the vehicles — the most since October, when the coin hit a new all-time high. 

Bitcoin had spent a lot of the year trading below $80,000 per coin, with June and July mostly below $65,000. The coin hit a new record of $126,080 in October. It is now nearly 40% below that number. 

This post Bitcoin Rallies Over $81,000 — And Brings BTC-Related Stocks With It first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

ProCap Financial sold Bitcoin to buy back discounted shares, lifting BTC exposure for remaining investors.

The Nasdaq-listed company sold about 50 BTC and repurchased more than 2% of its common stock while shares traded roughly 40% below net asset value, extending a strategy that has now retired about 10% of outstanding shares since its buyback program began.

ProCap reported about 5,305 BTC and 86.8 million shares outstanding as of Sept. 2, down from 5,355 BTC and 88.6 million shares at the end of June.

The Bitcoin balance fell about 0.9% over that period, while the share count declined roughly 2%. That lifted Bitcoin per share by about 1.1%, showing how buying stock below NAV can offset a smaller treasury even as the company sells some of its Bitcoin.

Anthony Pompliano, ProCap’s chairman and chief executive, said the company intends to keep exploiting the gap between its market price and underlying asset value.

“We continue to repurchase shares of $BRR while they trade significantly below NAV,” Pompliano said. “We have now repurchased approximately 10% of shares outstanding since we started the buyback program.”

BRR discount flips the Bitcoin treasury playbook

The strategy reverses the usual approach used by Bitcoin treasury companies, which often issue stock when shares trade at a premium and use the proceeds to accumulate more Bitcoin.

For ProCap, the economics shift when its own stock trades well below the value of the Bitcoin and cash backing each share. At Sept. 2, ProCap calculated NAV at about $3.71 per share, while BRR closed at $2.31, a discount of roughly 38%.

Selling some Bitcoin to retire deeply discounted shares can therefore leave each remaining share representing a larger portion of the company’s treasury.

ProCap used the same approach in June, when it sold about 52 BTC and repurchased two million shares at an estimated 50% discount to NAV.

The company still had $84.4 million remaining under its $100 million buyback authorization at June 30, though further purchases remain discretionary.

Its ability to keep repeating the trade will also depend on liquidity. ProCap reported $15.3 million in cash at June 30, along with $99.6 million of convertible-note principal and a $77.3 million working-capital deficit driven largely by how the notes were classified.

As long as BRR remains deeply discounted, however, ProCap has an unusual incentive: selling Bitcoin may increase the Bitcoin backing each share faster than simply holding every coin.

The post A public company sold Bitcoin and somehow gave each shareholder more BTC exposure appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin accelerated above $81,000 on Thursday as easing rate fears and fresh institutional demand lifted the broader crypto market.

On Sept. 3, Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said he could support keeping interest rates unchanged this month if August inflation continues to cool, helping push the market-implied odds of a September rate increase to roughly 50% from about 65% earlier in the day. Treasury yields declined following the remarks.

This news helped spark a rally across major cryptocurrencies, with Ethereum, XRP and Solana gaining more than 5%, while Zcash and Cardano climbed more than 10%.

Fresh capital starts replacing the short squeeze

Bitcoin’s rally is beginning to draw fresh capital from several parts of the market after its initial advance relied heavily on bearish traders being forced out of positions.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs drew $730.9 million on Thursday, their largest daily inflow since January. BlackRock’s IBIT accounted for roughly $454 million, while products from Fidelity, Grayscale and others also attracted capital.

The inflows provide a stronger source of demand after CryptoQuant found that much of Bitcoin’s earlier push toward $81,000 was driven by shorts being liquidated or closed, with relatively few traders opening new long positions. That left the first phase of the rebound dependent on forced buying that fades as bearish positions are cleared.

The latest market activity suggests that composition is starting to change.

Thursday’s ETF haul followed a strong August in which US Bitcoin funds attracted about $3.5 billion, their best month since September 2025. At the same time, spot trading activity across exchanges has accelerated sharply as Bitcoin recovered toward $80,000.

CryptoQuant data showed daily Bitcoin spot volume rising roughly three to four times from early-August lows. Binance captured the largest increase, while Coinbase and MEXC also recorded stronger activity.

Large holders have also become more active around exchanges. Hourly Bitcoin whale inflows repeatedly exceeded 2,000 BTC, while the average deposit size on Binance climbed from roughly 20 to 30 BTC to more than 50 BTC, with peaks near 75 BTC.

Those transfers point to heavier participation rather than outright accumulation, since coins sent to exchanges can also precede selling.

Combined with stronger ETF subscriptions and rising spot turnover, however, they show that the rally is drawing activity from a broader group of market participants than during its initial short-covering phase.

Notably, this market expansion is also spreading beyond Bitcoin. Seven-day cumulative altcoin deposit transactions increased from roughly 15,000 to 20,000 to around 45,000, suggesting improving sentiment is translating into greater participation across the wider crypto market.

That leaves Bitcoin entering its next test with a broader demand base than it had during the first phase of the rebound.

Options traders stay cautious near Bitcoin’s breakout zone

The stronger spot backdrop is running into a derivatives market clustered around the same price region Bitcoin needs to clear.

About 29,600 Bitcoin options worth $2.39 billion expired Friday, carrying a put-call ratio of 0.65 and a maximum pain level of $73,000. The expiry represented only about 7% of outstanding options, leaving most positioning intact.

Greeks.live said call gamma exposure, previously spread across multiple strikes, has increasingly converged as traders sell calls above $80,000, while put gamma exposure remains minimal. That positioning could create additional friction around heavily populated strikes if option sellers adjust hedges as Bitcoin moves higher.

The concentration sits directly below another major threshold.

Bitcoin reached $81,400 on Aug. 28 before retreating into a roughly $76,000 to $81,000 range. CryptoQuant’s 365-day moving average is near $82,300, a level the firm uses to distinguish stronger long-term bull-market regimes.

Its Bull Score remains at 70 after briefly reaching 80 during the August rally, the highest since October 2025. Readings above 60 have historically coincided with stronger market conditions.

Yet volatility markets are becoming less aggressive as Bitcoin approaches that test.

Monthly realized volatility increased to about 40% this week, while monthly implied volatility declined to roughly 36%. The 15-day volatility risk premium briefly dropped to negative 16% on Thursday before recovering to about negative 6%, well below last month’s peak near 15%.

Bitcoin has therefore been moving more sharply than options prices imply it will move in the coming period.

Headline leverage figures also look less extreme beneath the surface. Bitcoin open interest is approaching $48 billion when measured in dollars, but Alphractal data show the same exposure declining when denominated in BTC. Part of the rise in dollar open interest reflects Bitcoin’s higher price rather than a proportional increase in the amount of exposure traders are taking.

The result is a derivatives market that remains comparatively restrained even as Bitcoin sits beneath a major breakout level.

With call positioning building above $80,000 and implied volatility falling below realized volatility, traders appear to be pricing consolidation rather than an immediate expansion in price swings.

The next move needs buyers to stay

Bitcoin now enters its next attempt at the $80,000 to $83,000 zone with a stronger foundation than it had during the first phase of the rebound.

Short covering can accelerate a rally, but its contribution fades as bearish positions are closed. Sustained advances eventually require investors willing to keep buying at progressively higher prices.

Thursday’s ETF flows suggest that transition may be beginning.

The test is persistence. A single $730.9 million session can strengthen demand without establishing a durable institutional bid, particularly after the funds recorded a $236 million outflow earlier in the week.

Bitcoin must also absorb call positioning above $80,000 and clear the roughly $82,300 long-term threshold while the options market continues to price lower volatility.

Waller’s comments have improved the macro backdrop, but that support remains conditional on incoming inflation data. A stronger-than-expected reading could quickly restore expectations for tighter policy and reverse some of Thursday’s easing in financial conditions.

For now, Bitcoin has gained something its initial rebound lacked: a large fresh injection of spot capital alongside expanding participation across the crypto market.

Whether that becomes a sustained bull-market breakout depends on those buyers returning after the first surge. If ETF demand persists, Bitcoin’s next attempt at $83,000 may also test how long the options market’s subdued volatility expectations can hold.

The post Bitcoin’s rally over $81,000 is finding real buyers, but options traders still aren’t pricing a clean breakout appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Australian crypto firms that need financial-services authorization have until Sept. 30 to enter a compliance pathway or risk enforcement.

This week, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said qualifying digital-asset businesses must apply for or vary a license, become an authorized representative, notify the regulator of an intended market-license application or begin winding down before the deadline.

From Oct. 1, firms that require authorization but have not met the applicable conditions will lose the benefit of ASIC’s temporary no-action position. The regulator warned that breaches of financial-services law can carry civil and criminal penalties, including fines of up to 10% of annual turnover.

However, this deadline does not apply uniformly across the crypto sector.

Whether a business falls inside the regime depends on whether the digital asset or arrangement it offers qualifies as a financial product and what service the company provides. ASIC said that assessment turns on the rights, benefits, expectations and product features attached to each offering.

That makes Sept. 30 less a blanket licensing cutoff and more a deadline for firms to establish where they sit within the regulatory framework.

Firms must choose a path or step away

Businesses providing financial services involving digital assets that qualify as financial products can apply for an Australian Financial Services License, vary an existing license or operate through specified authorized-representative and related-company arrangements.

Market operators and clearing and settlement providers face a different route. They must notify ASIC in writing that they intend to apply and attend a pre-application meeting by Sept. 30, with a formal application due within 12 months.

Companies that do not want to enter the licensing system can wind down instead, but they must notify ASIC by the same deadline and stop the covered activity within the permitted period.

The no-action policy also excludes several products, including crypto lending and earn offerings, most digital-asset derivatives and certain non-cash payment facilities.

ASIC has already recorded more than 45 applications for relevant digital-asset financial-services authorizations since updating its guidance in October 2025.

The regulator originally set a June 30 deadline, then extended the transition by three months and broadened the available compliance routes.

That extension now appears to be the final buffer.

ASIC’s no-action letter does not declare the covered activity lawful or prevent courts and third parties from acting. It simply sets out when the regulator presently intends not to pursue enforcement.

The practical choice for qualifying firms is therefore narrowing quickly: enter the licensing system, restructure how they operate or leave the regulated activity behind before the reprieve expires.

The post Australia gives crypto firms until Sept. 30 to get licensed or risk enforcement appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) asked a federal court on Sept. 2 to dismiss CME's challenge to Kalshi's Bitcoin perpetual contract.

The lawsuit turns on whether a contract without a fixed expiration belongs in the US futures regime. Before the court reaches that question, the regulator says CME must first show an injury the court can fix.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission says CME is free to list a comparable digital commodity product, so the exchange cannot blame the regulator for competitive harm caused by its choice to stay out.

That threshold argument turns a dispute over one Bitcoin contract into a test of how perpetual-style futures can spread through regulated US markets.

Bloomberg reported discussions about Coinbase seeking a regulated route to selected contracts linked to prices on Hyperliquid. Kalshi is reportedly preparing to seek approval for a West Texas Intermediate crude-oil version.

Together, the examples trace a contract structure popularized in offshore crypto markets as it enters the American regulatory perimeter one venue and asset class at a time.

CryptoQuant data shows that global crypto perpetual-futures volume reached about $61.7 trillion in 2025, up 29% from the previous year, while spot trading totaled $18.6 trillion over the same period.

The CME case could shape how much of that activity US exchanges can pursue through the CFTC's futures framework.

The CFTC says CME can compete in Bitcoin perpetuals

CME sued the CFTC on June 18, seeking to overturn the agency's May 29 approval of KalshiEX's Bitcoin perpetual contracts and the accompanying policy statement. CME argued that a contract without a fixed expiration is a swap rather than a future under the Commodity Exchange Act.

The CFTC's motion said the relief CME seeks would fail to remedy the exchange's claimed competitive injury.

The agency added that CME may list similarly structured digital commodity perpetuals, characterizing any disadvantage from CME declining that opportunity as self-inflicted.

A judicial decision treating Kalshi's product as a swap would not necessarily remove competing exposure from the market because another venue might offer it under that classification. In the agency's view, a win for CME on that point would still fail to redress the alleged injury.

The current schedule gives CME until Oct. 2 to oppose the dismissal motion. A ruling on standing could leave the deeper line between futures and swaps unresolved.

The May 29 CFTC policy defined designated contract markets as those that could list similarly structured perpetuals tied to Bitcoin and digital commodities with deep, active, and continuous spot markets. Products outside that group were directed toward case-by-case review under Regulation 40.3.

The result is a faster path for qualifying digital commodity products and a separate review track for other assets. That distinction will matter as venues look from crypto toward energy and other established futures markets.

Coinbase's derivatives market page markets US perpetual-style futures with 24/7 trading and contract families tied to Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana.

The name “perpetual” covers different contract mechanics in the emerging US market. Coinbase's official help material describes the covered contracts as having five-year expirations, so they offer long-dated, continuously traded exposure, while a literal expiry-free contract requires different terms.

A June CFTC staff letter granted conditional relief for requests from Coinbase Derivatives and Bitnomial to remove expiration dates from existing digital commodity perpetual-style contracts that expired on June 30.

Regulated US perpetual-style crypto futures have moved from policy concept to operating category, even as the exact expiration mechanics vary by contract. CME's suit challenges the agency approach behind that change as rival venues adapt one of crypto's largest trading formats.

Hyperliquid would test an on-chain bridge

Hyperliquid and Payward are reportedly discussing a structure for registered US users. Payward subsidiary Bitnomial, a regulated derivatives venue, would offer selected contracts tied to token prices on Hyperliquid.

Payward completed its acquisition of Bitnomial in August, adding its US derivatives exchange and clearing infrastructure.

President Donald Trump supplied a political signal on Aug. 19, saying that his administration was working on a US route for Hyperliquid during a White House technology event.

A signed-off structure would test a bridge between a registered domestic venue and token prices formed in an on-chain market. Surveillance, market integrity, and the precise relationship between the venues would turn on the approved design.

Polymarket's international site shows live leveraged crypto perpetual markets, while Polymarket US is a separate platform. The international product demonstrates how quickly crypto-native venues are expanding the format, supplying global context.

Oil brings the model into traditional futures

In June, the CFTC requested public comment on 24/7 futures trading and perpetual contracts for storable, physically delivered energy commodities, including crude oil. That consultation placed the structure under active review in a longstanding futures market.

Kalshi is reportedly preparing a CFTC filing for a perpetual contract tied to WTI crude oil, potentially as soon as the following week.

A WTI proposal would follow the CFTC's case-by-case route. Its review would also confront the practical differences between a cash-referenced crypto contract and a market built around a physical commodity with established delivery infrastructure.

Perpetuals are being considered for a traditional commodity market where CME is an incumbent, placing the new structure closer to the core of established derivatives competition.

A quick CFTC victory on standing would preserve the agency's framework without a ruling on the futures-versus-swaps question. Other exchanges could read that result as support for proposing similar contracts, subject to the applicable listing or review process.

Continued litigation on the merits would put the statutory classification question before the court. A decision on whether a no-expiry contract can qualify as a future would create a clearer legal boundary, while the period before a ruling could complicate product planning.

Regulatory sign-off for selected Bitnomial contracts linked to Hyperliquid prices would test the on-chain bridge. Acceptance of a WTI perpetual would show the structure crossing into a traditional commodity.

The CFTC is now defending its approach in court while exchanges probe its limits, with perpetual-style products entering the regulated US market.

The next phase will depend on whether CME has standing, how a court classifies the Kalshi contract, which venues can meet the CFTC's conditions, and whether regulators allow the model to extend from digital commodities to on-chain prices and physical markets.

The post From Bitcoin to oil, perpetual contracts are breaking into American financial markets appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin registered an intraday high above $82,000 on Sept. 3, pushing above the 50-week moving average that Galaxy Research says marked the definitive end of four of Bitcoin's five comparable completed bear markets.

Galaxy's signal requires a weekly close above that line, and the Sept. 3 push through it happened well before the week's close.

A historical signal with one real exception

Galaxy's framework treats the 200-week moving average as Bitcoin's historical bear market floor and the 50-week moving average as its ceiling, with the 50-week line currently sitting around $81,800.

In four of the five completed bear markets where Bitcoin fell below that ceiling, the first successful weekly reclaim marked the bottom.

The exception came in 2021 and 2022, when Bitcoin briefly reclaimed the level twice before falling to a fresh low.

Galaxy's drawdown accounting puts the current bear market's start near a $124,800 peak in October 2025 and its low near $58,500 at the end of June, a decline of roughly 53%.

More than a chart pattern

Bitwise's Sept. 1 research argues that Bitcoin's reclaimed price levels, combined with its Long-Term Holder Supply and Risk-On Transition models, point to a new bull market cycle already underway, provided those reclaimed levels hold.

That combination makes the bullish case broader than one technical line crossing another.

CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost said Sept. 2 that Bitcoin's apparent demand, a measure of whether fresh buying is absorbing newly available supply, briefly turned negative again after its short recovery earlier in August faded.

Wallets holding more than 100 BTC added roughly 60,000 BTC during that same month even as smaller holders sold, and Glassnode's data shows real spot participation and ETF inflows behind the rally's earlier stages.

Bitcoin's buyer base is real, and it has not yet grown large enough to absorb sellers as price keeps climbing.

Several methods point to the same price band

Glassnode's latest on-chain research identifies $83,000 to $86,000 as a dense band of long-term-holder supply, the level at which the current relief rally has stalled.

At comparable prices, 68% of Bitcoin's supply now sits in profit, up from 65% during a similar test in May, meaning more coins could be sold into any further strength.

21Shares frames roughly $81,000 to $82,000 as the line separating a genuine turn higher from an ordinary bear market bounce, with $85,000 and eventually $98,000 as the next markers above it.

None of these frameworks arrived at the same number through the same method. Nonetheless, Galaxy's moving average, Glassnode's supply data, and 21Shares' regime band all independently cluster in the same broad $81,000 to $86,000 zone, a strong signal.

The rally's origin invites a closer look

Glassnode traces the current move back to a short squeeze in mid-August that pushed Bitcoin from roughly $63,500 toward $80,000.

That leg came alongside about $2.8 billion of ETF inflows, falling futures open interest, and contained funding rates, a pattern more consistent with spot buying and short covering than with leveraged longs chasing price.

ETF intake later peaked near $290 million a day, though secondary-market turnover on those same ETFs stayed closer to $3 billion daily, a quieter pace than prior expansion phases showed.

The Treasury's Aug. 19 move to at least double its long-end liquidity-support buybacks helped fuel the initial leg.

QCP has cautioned that operations function as liquidity support, well short of full monetary easing, and Fed Governor Christopher Waller has pointed to fiscal strain keeping Treasury yields elevated in the high-4% range.

Bitcoin needs a weekly close above the 50-week moving average, since Galaxy's historical signal has never been satisfied by an intraday wick alone.

It also needs to clear and hold $83,000 to $86,000, genuinely absorbing the long-term-holder supply Glassnode has identified over a sustained stretch.

Apparent demand, ETF flows, and US spot activity need to turn convincingly positive on their own, past the mixed readings seen so far.

The reclaimed levels also need to survive the profit-taking that comes with more of the supply moving into the green.

Whether the reclaim holds or joins 2021-22 as the exception

The bull case has Bitcoin closing the week above the 50-week moving average. It then clears $83,000 to $86,000 on spot demand strong enough to push through the same level where Glassnode says the current relief rally has stalled.

Under that path, $90,000 comes into view next, followed by the prior 2026 high near $98,000. Galaxy's historical signal joins its four successful predecessors, leaving the 2021-22 episode as the sole exception on record.

The bear case has Bitcoin failing the weekly close entirely or losing support back near $76,000 to $78,000. That would send it sliding toward $71,800 and eventually the $62,000 to $65,000 zone that marked the accumulation base beneath this year's rally.

In that scenario, the 2021-22 exception gets company, and the August rally reads in hindsight as forced short covering that ran out of room once real demand failed to show up behind it.

Bitcoin crossed the line that has historically marked the end of its bear markets. The next few thousand dollars will decide whether enough buyers showed up to prove it.

The post Bitcoin just crossed the line that ended 4 out of 5 bear markets, but one deadly historical trap could still trigger a crash to $62,000 appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin soared past $81k, HYPE and ZEC hit smashing new ATHs and the onchain rally leveled up. Is this the first stage of the next leg up?

A year ago the fund claimed the total had not moved, and that the reserve was only shuffling coins between government wallets.

Some records exposed in the breach date to 2019, years beyond the 90-day retention Trezor said its partners had agreed to.

Monthly reported sums rose 18% on average, and the compounds now appear to be spreading beyond Southeast Asia.

Adam Aron says AMC Entertainment has no connection to the tokens and is putting outside securities counsel on the case.

Critical security alert issued as XRP Ledger based wallet users get Hit by unauthorized transactions.

Robinhood Chain appears to have suffered a network outage on Sept. 4, temporarily halting new block production.

Key crypto updates for Sep. 4: SEC clears XRP and Solana; a $566M short squeeze hits bears, and Zcash jumps above $1,000 on autonomous AI risks.

Four crypto assets added to Binance's delisting roster with another 14 set to be axed on the Binance Alpha platform.

ZCash is coming closer to the historic threshold despite the relatively bearish momentum.

Key Highlights

• Shares of Robinhood climbed 16.6% on Thursday, finishing at $124.72, marking the highest closing price since early December.
• Morgan Stanley elevated HOOD to Overweight with a new $150 price target; Scotiabank began coverage with a Sector Outperform rating and $136 target.
• Piper Sandler increased its price objective to $145, highlighting robust prediction market activity ahead of football season.
• Deutsche Bank lifted its HOOD target from $115 to $136, emphasizing Robinhood Chain as a significant catalyst.
• Total Value Locked on Robinhood Chain surged 27% in one week to $840 million, with fee generation surpassing Ethereum, Solana, and other prominent networks in a 24-hour period.

Thursday proved to be an exceptional trading session for Robinhood shares, as the stock rocketed 16.6% higher to settle at $124.72. This marked the company’s strongest closing level since December 10, fueled by a wave of optimistic analyst assessments from leading Wall Street firms.

Robinhood Markets, Inc., HOOD

The positive momentum began when Morgan Stanley’s Michael Cyprys released his updated outlook on September 1, elevating HOOD from Equal-weight to Overweight while increasing his price forecast to $150 from $124. His thesis centers on the company’s ability to convert product diversification into enhanced customer profitability.

“Customer asset levels have climbed 23% compared to last year,” Cyprys noted, emphasizing that the expanded suite of offerings encourages users to consolidate their holdings with Robinhood as their portfolios mature.

Also on September 1, Scotiabank’s Lance Jessurun launched coverage with a Sector Outperform designation and a $136 price objective. Jessurun contends that investors continue to view Robinhood through an outdated lens as merely a discount brokerage, while the reality shows a company generating income from five separate categories, with four displaying reduced cyclicality compared to traditional trading fees.

Prediction Market Activity Emerges as Major Driver

Patrick Moley of Piper Sandler boosted his price target from $135 to $145 while maintaining an Overweight stance. He identified prediction market trading volumes as a particularly promising opportunity as NFL and college football seasons approach.

Moley’s baseline scenario anticipates Robinhood users will execute approximately 29.7 billion event contracts between September and December 2026, translating to roughly $320 million in prediction market-related revenue during that window.

Despite August typically representing a sluggish period for sports betting, volumes remained healthy, partially supported by World Cup activity. The upcoming football campaigns are anticipated to deliver substantially greater engagement.

Deutsche Bank joined the chorus of bullish voices, elevating its HOOD price target to $136 from $115. The firm highlighted Robinhood Chain, the company’s layer-2 blockchain infrastructure, as a notable source of potential upside.

Robinhood Chain Demonstrates Rapid Expansion

Despite launching under two months ago, the Robinhood Chain is already generating impressive metrics. Total Value Locked across the network increased nearly 27% during the past week to reach $840 million, based on DeFiLlama tracking data.

During the most recent 24-hour period, the blockchain generated $4.59 million in fees, exceeding the fee production of Ethereum, Solana, BNB, Avalanche, and multiple major layer-2 solutions including Base and Arbitrum.

Industry observer The Milk Road highlighted that when annualized, Robinhood Chain’s seven-day revenue performance positions it as the fourth-largest contributor among Robinhood’s 14 distinct revenue categories.

Separate from blockchain developments, Robinhood disclosed that users have placed approximately $150 million into recently launched trust accounts, with typical account balances exceeding $500,000.

The company’s premium tier, Robinhood Gold, reached an all-time high of 4.8 million paying subscribers during the second quarter.

The post Robinhood (HOOD) Stock Soars 17% Following Multiple Analyst Upgrades appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• Second-quarter revenue reached $508.4 million, representing 30% year-over-year growth and surpassing the $483 million consensus forecast
• The company delivered adjusted earnings per share of 20 cents, exceeding Wall Street’s projection of 16 cents
• Annual recurring revenue climbed to $2.125 billion, marking 30% growth, with an unprecedented 242 customers contributing $100K+ in ARR
• Full-year revenue forecast was upgraded to a range of $2.043B-$2.047B from the previous $2.005B-$2.013B guidance
• Shares climbed 14.4% during Friday’s trading session after gaining 5.3% the previous day

The connected operations cloud provider delivered impressive fiscal second-quarter financial results Thursday evening, propelling IOT stock up 14.4% Friday to approximately $44.33. Shares had already climbed 5.3% Thursday, finishing at $38.75 before the earnings announcement.

Samsara Inc., IOT

Second-quarter revenue totaled $508.4 million, representing 30% year-over-year expansion and significantly exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $483 million. The company’s adjusted earnings per share of 20 cents surpassed the Street’s expectation of 16 cents.

This quarter marked the company’s fourth consecutive period of GAAP profitability, a significant achievement for an organization that faced cash flow challenges in recent years.

Annual recurring revenue grew to $2.125 billion, up 30%. Net new ARR totaled $134 million, reflecting 28% growth.

The company welcomed a record-breaking 242 new customers contributing over $100,000 in ARR during the quarter. Additionally, 20 customers generating more than $1 million in ARR were added.

Revenue from customers exceeding the $1 million threshold surpassed $500 million. This metric has maintained over 50% year-over-year growth for three consecutive quarters.

Platform Adoption Expands Among Enterprise Clients

Within the customer segment generating more than $100,000 in ARR, 96% utilize a minimum of two Samsara solutions, while 72% leverage at least three products. The company reports that enterprise customers are transitioning from isolated implementations to comprehensive deployments spanning multiple departments and operational functions.

“What begins with one use case often grows into the platform they rely on across assets, teams, and workflows,” said Amit Vyas, Samsara’s chief revenue officer.

Throughout the past year, customers digitized 340 million workflows and recorded 105 billion miles using Samsara. The platform also gathered over 30 trillion data points, representing more than 40% growth compared to the previous year.

Newer product offerings accounted for over 20% of net new annual contract value for the third consecutive quarter.

Artificial Intelligence Capabilities Expanded

The company introduced multiple AI-powered solutions during the quarter, including a Bluetooth tracking label, an AI-driven shipment center, and intelligent agents designed for safety management, maintenance scheduling, and dispatch operations.

Additional camera-based innovations include rear collision detection, blind-spot monitoring, and comprehensive 360-degree vehicle visualization. Customer adoption of select AI features increased more than fourfold during the past two months.

The company emphasized that its extensive data collection capabilities provide enhanced contextual intelligence for its AI systems, resulting in superior performance outcomes.

Looking ahead, management elevated its full-year revenue forecast to $2.043 billion-$2.047 billion from the earlier projection of $2.005 billion-$2.013 billion. The adjusted EPS outlook was also increased to 76-78 cents from the previous 70-72 cents range.

Wall Street rates IOT as a Strong Buy, based on 12 Buy and four Hold ratings over the past three months.

The consensus price target stands at $52.73, suggesting approximately 36% potential upside from present levels. Multiple analysts have increased their targets in response to the quarterly results.

IOT stock has advanced 9.31% year to date but continues to trade down 7.94% over the trailing 12-month period.

The post Samsara (IOT) Stock Jumps 14% Following Stellar Q2 Earnings Beat appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• Anil Chakravarthy will become Adobe’s new CEO in December 2026
• The appointment replaces Shantanu Narayen’s 19-year tenure as chief executive
• Shantanu Narayen will transition to executive chair role
• Shares of ADBE declined 6% following the announcement, extending year-to-date losses to approximately 20%
• David Wadhwani, considered a leading candidate, departed Adobe following the CEO reveal

Adobe (ADBE) unveiled its next chief executive Thursday, triggering a sharp selloff in shares as investors digested the surprising leadership choice.

Adobe Inc., ADBE

The software giant revealed that Anil Chakravarthy will assume the CEO position this December, taking the reins from Shantanu Narayen, who has steered the company for nearly two decades. The market response was swift—ADBE shares tumbled 6.41% Thursday, followed by an additional 4% decline in Friday’s premarket session. Year-to-date, the stock has lost approximately 20% and now trades at less than half its 2024 high of over $600 per share.

Currently heading Adobe’s Customer Experience Orchestration division and global field operations, Chakravarthy brings experience from his previous role as CEO of Informatica, a cloud data management company. He’s spent the past six and a half years with Adobe after joining in 2020.

The succession plan was set in motion when Narayen revealed his intention to step down this past March, sparking widespread industry speculation about his eventual replacement.

An Unexpected Choice

Market watchers at Jefferies characterized Chakravarthy as “not who many expected” to land the top position. The investment firm had projected that David Wadhwani—a nearly two-decade Adobe veteran who oversaw the company’s creative division—would secure the CEO role. Notably, Wadhwani exited Adobe’s ranks immediately following the leadership announcement.

“With his departure, we expect others to follow as Anil reshapes the organization,” Jefferies analysts indicated. They also suggested the board might pursue candidates with enhanced AI credentials.

The company’s shares have faced sustained headwinds recently as market participants express concern that artificial intelligence platforms might diminish demand for Adobe’s flagship creative software suite. This executive transition introduces additional ambiguity into an already uncertain outlook.

Wall Street Weighs In

Despite the market’s negative reaction, Jefferies analysts acknowledged that Chakravarthy might be “well tuned to the needs of Adobe’s large enterprise clients.” They expressed interest in learning his strategic vision for the creative business segment and his approach to positioning it for the artificial intelligence age.

JPMorgan analysts struck a more optimistic tone, informing clients that “in aggregate, we believe the announcement is a positive in relation to addressing the uncertainty.”

In an official statement, Narayen expressed strong confidence, saying he “could not be more confident” that Chakravarthy represents “the right person to lead Adobe’s growth in an AI-driven era.” The outgoing CEO will maintain influence as executive chair throughout the leadership handoff.

The company highlighted Chakravarthy’s track record in launching AI-powered solutions, including Adobe CX Enterprise, GenStudio, and Brand Visibility, as validation of his preparedness for the CEO position.

When the announcement first broke Wednesday evening, Adobe shares declined 1.4% in after-hours trading.

Investors will get their next major update when Adobe releases quarterly earnings following market close on Thursday, September 11.

The post Adobe (ADBE) Stock Tumbles Over 6% Following Unexpected CEO Announcement appeared first on Blockonomi.

Quick Overview

• UiPath delivered Q2 revenue of $410 million, surpassing analyst projections of $397.8 million, while EPS of $0.15 aligned with forecasts
• Shares initially surged 10% following the earnings release but dramatically reversed course, declining more than 18% during Friday’s session
• The company elevated its fiscal 2027 full-year revenue outlook to $1.789B-$1.794B, representing an increase from previous projections
• Annual recurring revenue expanded 12% compared to the prior year, reaching $1.938 billion; net revenue retention remained stable at 109%
• Price target adjustments came from multiple analysts: Mizuho moved to $14, Wells Fargo to $15, and TD Cowen to $16, while Canaccord downgraded its rating to Hold citing valuation risks

Shares of UiPath (PATH) were changing hands at $16.63 during Friday’s premarket hours, representing a decline of approximately 8.7%, following a volatile swing that saw the stock jump as high as 10% immediately after Wednesday evening’s earnings announcement.

UiPath Inc., PATH

The enterprise automation platform provider reported second-quarter revenue of $410 million, representing a 13% increase year-over-year and 16% growth when currency fluctuations are excluded. This performance exceeded the Street’s consensus estimate of $397.8 million by approximately $12 million.

Non-GAAP earnings per share registered at $0.15, precisely meeting the analyst consensus forecast.

The quarter marked UiPath’s fourth consecutive period of GAAP profitability, a significant milestone for an organization that previously struggled with negative cash flow for several years.

The company’s non-GAAP operating margin hit 21.7%, outperforming expectations by approximately 290 basis points. Meanwhile, gross profit margin remained consistent at 83%.

The company’s annual recurring revenue reached $1.938 billion, marking a 12% year-over-year increase. Net new ARR totaled $37 million, showing improvement from the $31 million recorded in the comparable quarter last year. Net revenue retention remained unchanged at 109%.

A particularly noteworthy metric: artificial intelligence played a role in 18 of the company’s 20 largest deals during the quarter. UiPath management has maintained that AI adoption serves as a catalyst for robotic process automation demand rather than a competitive threat.

Upgraded Financial Outlook

The company’s leadership team increased fiscal 2027 revenue projections by $13 million, setting a new range of $1.789 billion to $1.794 billion. Guidance for non-GAAP operating income was similarly enhanced, climbing to approximately $445 million from the prior estimate of $430 million.

Free cash flow registered $31 million for the quarter, experiencing a decline attributed to the timing of tax obligations. Management maintained its annual free cash flow projection at $425 million.

UiPath also announced executive transitions, elevating Hitesh Ramani to the chief financial officer position while Ashim Gupta will concentrate on his responsibilities as chief operating officer.

Wall Street’s Take

Mizuho Securities increased its price objective to $14 from $12 while maintaining a Neutral stance. Wells Fargo elevated its target to $15 with an Equal Weight rating unchanged. TD Cowen moved to $16, highlighting consistent execution and robust ARR momentum.

In a contrasting move, Canaccord downgraded UiPath to Hold from Buy, even while raising its price target to $17. The firm expressed concerns regarding the company’s valuation following the impressive quarterly results.

PATH shares have climbed nearly 70% over the trailing twelve months but have advanced just 12% year-to-date in 2026. Investor anxiety surrounding AI’s potential impact on traditional software revenues has created headwinds for the stock in recent months.

Stock repurchase activity declined substantially, with the company buying back 2.4 million shares in Q2 compared to 20.4 million shares in the previous quarter.

Based on current trading levels, the company carries a market capitalization of roughly $9.44 billion.

The post UiPath (PATH) Stock Plunges 18% Following Earnings Despite Beating Q2 Revenue Expectations appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• Q4 adjusted earnings per share reached $1.19, surpassing analyst expectations of $1.09, while revenue hit $898.2 million against a $927 million consensus
• Year-over-year revenue expansion of 25% accompanied by a robust 77% gross profit margin
• First quarter FY2027 revenue outlook of $935-$939 million exceeded Wall Street’s $927 million projection
• Shares gained 5% in Thursday’s after-hours session before retreating 3.4% during Friday’s premarket trading
• Analysts remain optimistic: JPMorgan maintains Overweight with $215 target; Stephens increases target to $225

Despite delivering solid earnings results and upgrading forward guidance, Zscaler faced an unexpected market reaction. This paradox captures the current sentiment surrounding ZS shares.

The cloud security provider announced fourth quarter adjusted earnings of $1.19 per share, marking a significant increase from 89 cents in the same period last year and exceeding Wall Street’s $1.09 projection. Quarterly revenue for the period ending July 31 totaled $898.2 million, representing a 25% year-over-year surge and topping the $877 million consensus forecast.

Share prices initially surged 5% to $186.27 during Thursday’s extended trading hours before momentum reversed. During Friday’s premarket session, ZS declined 3.4% after finishing Thursday’s regular trading at $177.80.

Zscaler, Inc., ZS

The company’s annual recurring revenue climbed to $3,771 million, surpassing consensus projections by $26 million and representing a 25% annual growth rate.

Management upgraded its first quarter FY2027 revenue forecast to $935-$939 million, exceeding Wall Street’s $927 million expectation. The company’s EPS outlook of $1.15-$1.16 for the upcoming quarter also topped the analyst consensus of $1.08.

Wall Street’s Response

JPMorgan maintained its Overweight stance with a $215 price objective, highlighting that the revenue and ARR beats represented the strongest performance witnessed throughout the year. The investment firm characterized the updated forecasts as reasonably conservative.

Stephens elevated its price objective to $225. Needham increased its target to $215. Stifel affirmed a Buy recommendation with a $200 price goal. Scotiabank also bumped its target to $200, emphasizing the improvement in new ARR growth. Canaccord Genuity preserved its Buy rating alongside a $210 target.

Following last quarter’s guidance disappointment that shook shareholder confidence, this quarter’s solid performance was viewed as a positive development.

Understanding ZS’s Market Position

Year-to-date, ZS has declined 21%, contrasting sharply with competitors CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks, which have surged 83% and 80% respectively.

Market participants have expressed concerns about artificial intelligence potentially rendering conventional security solutions obsolete. Zscaler countered this narrative, emphasizing that AI-powered threats are actually amplifying demand for its infrastructure solutions.

Management disclosed a 3% workforce reduction while announcing the successful hiring of two senior sales leadership positions. Canaccord noted that FY2027 projections might be deliberately cautious due to the continuing sales organization restructuring.

According to InvestingPro’s assessment, ZS appears undervalued at present levels when compared against its calculated fair value.

The most recent Friday premarket stock price stood at $171.65, reflecting a decline of $6.15 or 3.46%.

The post Zscaler (ZS) Stock Slides 3% Following Strong Q4 Earnings Beat – Here’s Why appeared first on Blockonomi.

Ethereum has staged a sharp recovery from the June lows and is now consolidating below $2.5K after reclaiming several important technical levels. The daily structure has improved materially, but ETH is still struggling at a key resistance area, while the latest taker-flow data suggests that aggressive buying has not yet fully confirmed the move.

Ethereum Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

The daily chart shows a clear structural recovery from the $1.5K area. ETH subsequently reclaimed the $1.9K zone and pushed above the $2K mark, with the latest impulsive move taking price toward $2.5K.

The most important development is the price moving above the previous swing-high area around $2.45K and finally creating a higher high after months of decline. However, the asset is still sitting directly below the $2.5K resistance zone and has not yet cleared it after it was rejected again today. Therefore, further upside may require a decisive daily breakout rather than another rejection from the same area.

The 100-day and 200-day moving averages have also become more constructive. Both are now sloping upward after being reclaimed, with the 200-day moving average around the $2K region being the most important support element buyers should defend.

If ETH establishes a daily close above the $2.5K resistance zone, the next major upside area visible on the chart is the next swing high at $3.4K. Conversely, a rejection could send ETH back toward the $2K-$2.1K region, which appears to be the key structural support that must be held at all costs.

ETH/USDT 4-Hour Chart

The 4-hour chart shows that most of the recent advance occurred through a very aggressive vertical move from roughly $1.9K toward $2.5K. Since then, ETH has been consolidating inside a tight range, roughly between $2.35K and $2.55K.

This consolidation is important because it follows a strong impulsive breakout. Rather than immediately giving back the entire move, ETH has spent several weeks holding above the previous breakout area. The latest candles are also moving toward the upper boundary of the range.

The $2.4K-$2.5K area is therefore the key near-term pivot. Holding around this region would preserve the bullish structure and could allow another attempt to break out higher. This would strengthen the continuation case and potentially expose the $2.8K area before the larger $3.4K resistance zone.

On the downside, a loss of the consolidation range’s low around $2.4K would weaken the immediate setup and could trigger a deeper retracement toward the $2.25K order block. Meanwhile, the 4-hour RSI remains constructive, although it has cooled from its recent spike. This suggests that momentum is still positive without being as stretched as it was immediately after the breakout.

Sentiment Analysis

The Ethereum Taker Buy/Sell Ratio chart provides a more cautious signal. The 30-day moving average of the metric has recently dropped below the neutral 1.0 level  again and appears to be hovering around 0.995, meaning aggressive sell orders have slightly outweighed aggressive buy orders across exchanges.

This is notable because ETH has simultaneously remained close to $2.5K. In other words, the latest price strength has not been accompanied by a strong increase in taker buying pressure.

The divergence does not necessarily invalidate the bullish technical structure, but it does suggest that the current consolidation may need another wave of genuine spot or aggressive futures demand before ETH can sustain a larger breakout. A move back above 1.0 in the taker buy/sell ratio alongside a decisive break above $2.5K would provide stronger confirmation for continuation and potentially lead to a genuine market recovery after months of downtrend.

The post Ethereum Price Analysis: ETH Rejected at $2.5K Again – What Happens Next? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

[PRESS RELEASE – Chicago, United States, September 4th, 2026]

Liquid Mercury today announced that ACQUA1, LLC completed the initial closing of its MERC exchange offering on September 1, 2026.

ACQUA1 is a Liquid Mercury subsidiary that operates Liquid Mercury’s Lab Company program, licensing Liquid Mercury technology to companies primarily tokenizing real-world assets and receiving fees plus a minority equity stake in return. Liquid Mercury is the majority holder and Manager.

“Over the past 18 months, dozens of companies have approached Liquid Mercury seeking to tokenize their assets,” said Tony Saliba, CEO and founder of Liquid Mercury. “Many assumed they would need to raise capital and build this infrastructure from scratch. Licensing Mercury RWA lets them launch on systems that were already live and proven, at a fraction of the time and cost. ACQUA1 token holders now own a slice of the business that earns equity, plus fees from the companies in the Lab Company program.”

Verified accredited investors subscribed by exchanging MERC for non-voting Class B units of ACQUA1 at the initial conversion rate of 10 MERC per unit. Under its operating agreement, ACQUA1 must burn 100% of the MERC it receives at each closing within five business days and may not transfer, trade, lend, stake, pledge, or otherwise deploy it.

On September 2, all 563,230,000 MERC received at the initial closing were burned via a transfer to the dead address, as the offering documents require.

Initial Closing Highlights

• Initial closing: September 1, 2026
• MERC burned: 563,230,000
• Transferred to the dead address September 2, 2026
• Units issued: 56,323,000
• Non-voting Class B units of ACQUA1, LLC under Rule 506(c) of Regulation D
• 10 MERC per unit
• Evidenced on-chain by ACQUA1-C tokens
• ACQUA1-C tokens convert one-for-one into ACQUA1 tokens upon issuance
• Remaining closings: On or about October 30 and December 31, 2026
• ACQUA1 may skip or terminate at its discretion
• The conversion rate at subsequent closings may differ

Verification Links

Burn transaction

ACQUA1-C contract

Verified accredited investors can request full terms at acqua1.liquidmercury.com/contact.

About Liquid Mercury

Liquid Mercury powers professional crypto trading and digital asset marketplaces. The company delivers institutional-grade infrastructure, access to deep liquidity, and best-in-class trading tools and workflow automation across its Pro, OTC, and RWA platforms. Through Mercury RWA, Liquid Mercury is extending that infrastructure into tokenized real-world assets, with $MERC serving as the access and platform layer token. For more information, visit www.liquidmercury.com.

Investor Notice

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Class B units of ACQUA1, LLC and the ACQUA1 tokens representing them are offered and sold in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Rule 506(c) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, solely to verified accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D, and solely pursuant to ACQUA1’s confidential private placement memorandum, as supplemented, and definitive subscription documents, which contain important information, including risk factors. ACQUA1 tokens are restricted securities, are subject to transfer restrictions under ACQUA1’s operating agreement and may remain illiquid indefinitely; investors should not assume that Rule 144 will be available. Statements regarding future revenues, valuations, portfolio performance, and subsequent closings are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties; actual results may differ materially. The MERC contract has no burn function; tokens are removed from circulation by transferring to the dead address. Supply outstanding excluding the dead address is 5,436,770,000 MERC, as of the date of publication.

The post Liquid Mercury Announces Initial Closing of ACQUA1 Offering appeared first on CryptoPotato.

This Friday, we examine Ethereum, Ripple, Cardano, Binance Coin, and Hyperliquid in greater detail.

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum was flat this week. Still, the price held well above the support at $2,400. However, the volume has been falling since the initial rally, and volatility has decreased significantly compared to the early days.

While a consolidation period is normal, this is also a period of weakness in the price action when sellers could make their return. Nevertheless, as long as the key support is not challenged, buyers continue to have the upper hand.

Looking ahead, ETH must stay above $2,400 if it wants the rally to continue. So far, buyers appear in control, but the road towards $2,800 could be bumpier compared to the past few weeks.

Ripple (XRP)

XRP was also mostly flat this week, booking a modest 2% gain. The price has been moving sideways between $1.3 and the resistance at $1.6. This range also kept the price in check between February and May this year.

To get momentum back, this cryptocurrency will need to break away from this range. That will likely see volume and volatility return as well. Based on the current price action, buyers have the advantage, but this could change if they fail to clear $1.6.

Looking ahead, the market is showing some indecision here after a strong pump. While a continuation would put an end to the bear market, it is still too early to say this is it. That’s why buyers may be hesitating here.

Cardano (ADA)

ADA closed 5% higher this week after a good push from buyers, with the price retesting resistance at $0.23. At the time of this post, the resistance remains intact but could be put under pressure by any renewed buying.

For Cardano to confirm a bottom under $0.15, the price has to move beyond its current resistance. Buyers were rejected there in August. However, another push in September could be successful.

Looking ahead, this cryptocurrency is ripe for a strong rally as soon as $0.23 turns into a key support. That can easily see ADA move towards $0.30 and $0.40 if buying volume picks up.

Binance Coin (BNB)

This week, Binance Coin held well above the support at $690, but did not manage to distance itself much beyond that. That’s the reason why the price is up only 1% in the past seven days.

While momentum has been decreasing, BNB is very close to making a higher high. Any price above $745 would confirm it and likely see this cryptocurrency continue its rally towards $900 next.

Looking ahead, the market may be taking a pause right now before momentum returns. While the price action favors a continuation of the rally, a higher high is needed to give it confidence.

Hype (HYPE)

This week, Hyperliquid managed to break above the $85 resistance and closed 4% higher. This both confirmed a higher high and new price record. The question is if this level can hold as support or sellers will turn it into a resistance again.

If the latter, then buyers will likely move to the support at $76 next to defend the recent gains. Still, HYPE has been in a rally for weeks without any significant pullback or correction. One should be expected eventually.

Looking ahead, HYPE could continue its push higher until it hits the psychological level at $100. Sellers could be making a stand there if buyers decide to go for it. But for now, best to watch the price reaction at $85 in the coming days.

The post Crypto Price Analysis Sep-04: ETH, XRP, ADA, BNB, and HYPE appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The US economy added almost three times as many jobs as expected in August, triggering an immediate sell-off for risk-on assets like bitcoin as investors reassess the chances of another Federal Reserve rate hike.

The cryptocurrency’s price had risen to over $81,000 before the news went live, but plunged immediately by $2,000 to $79,200.

More specifically, the US economy added 162,000 jobs in August, according to data shared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The general expectations were for roughly 55,000-58,000 new jobs, which means that the actual numbers were significantly higher. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%.

The July reading was also revised sharply higher, from a previously reported loss of 23,000 jobs to a gain of 21,000. Average hourly earnings increased 0.3% monthly and 3.1% annually.

A strong labor market gives the Federal Reserve more room to keep monetary policy tight, which, given Kevin Warsh’s hawkish speech from last week, spells trouble for risk-on assets like bitcoin.

The blowout jobs number weakens one argument for keeping rates unchanged: that the US labor market needs protection from tighter monetary policy. Higher interest-rate expectations typically push Treasury yields and the greenback north while reducing the relative appeal of risk assets.

Although the jobs report does not guarantee a September rate hike, as inflation remains the biggest concern for the US central bank, it certainly gives investors a lot to think about ahead of the CPI data next week.

The post Bitcoin Price Plunges After Blowout US Jobs Report: Here’s Why appeared first on CryptoPotato.

[PRESS RELEASE – Los Angeles, California, United States, September 4th, 2026]

Digital collectibles platform MEMONS has officially launched its service. MEMONS is a digital collectibles platform where users can obtain digital cards of various rarity levels by opening Capsules, collect them, and trade them with other users through the Marketplace.

Unlike conventional collectible services that end once an item is acquired, MEMONS connects Capsule Opening, Collection, and Marketplace functions within a single platform. This creates a continuous ecosystem in which collecting and trading continue even after cards are obtained.

MEMONS combines the concepts of collecting, scarcity, and trading—widely used across the global collectible card, loot box, gacha, and digital asset markets—within a digital environment.

Recently, Web3 projects have increasingly expanded beyond token- and community-centered models into services where users can actively participate, including IP, gaming, digital content, and marketplaces.

In line with this trend, MEMONS is expanding into a digital collectibles platform that can connect various IPs and Web3 projects, beginning with APEPE.

About MEMONS

MEMONS is a digital collectibles platform that brings Capsule Opening, Collection, and Marketplace experiences together within a single ecosystem. Users can obtain digital cards of varying rarity levels, build their own collections, and trade cards with other users through the Marketplace.

Incubated within the APEPE ecosystem, MEMONS is designed as a scalable platform capable of supporting various IPs, characters, and Web3 communities. APEPE serves as its founding IP and core ecosystem partner.

Website: https://memons.io

The post Digital Collectibles Platform ‘MEMONS’ Officially Launches appeared first on CryptoPotato.