Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and crypto regulation.

Businesses are outstripping miner output several times over, potentially triggering a supply shock if exchange reserves continue to dwindle.

Bitcoin’s latest rally is spilling over into the luxury holiday market.

The Financial Times (FT) reported earlier today that private jet firms, cruise lines and boutique hotels are increasingly accepting crypto payments.

Flexjet-owned FXAIR, for instance, now takes tokens for transatlantic trips costing about $80,000, while cruise operator Virgin Voyages sells annual passes worth $120,000.

SeaDream Yacht Club and boutique hotel groups including The Kessler Collection have also added crypto checkout options, according to the FT.

High-end travel is a natural niche for crypto spending. On six-figure invoices, fees and volatility matter less, and merchants can instantly convert payments into fiat.

For customers, paying in bitcoin carries status value, echoing earlier bull-market splurges on Lamborghinis and watches. This time, the indulgence is time-saving private jets and one-of-a-kind cruises.

Still, whether it makes financial sense is another matter. Bitcoin’s most famous cautionary tale comes from 2010, when Florida programmer Laszlo Hanyecz spent 10,000 BTC on two pizzas, a purchase now worth over $1 billion in hindsight. Today’s jet bookings could invite the same regret if bitcoin keeps climbing.

Yet others see logic in cashing in.

With bitcoin recently hitting a record $124,128 on Aug. 14, some wealthy holders may view the present rally as a window to lock in gains before macro shocks send prices lower.

Inflationary pressures tied to the new U.S. import tariffs, along with wider economic uncertainty, could easily knock BTC back below $100,000, turning today’s holiday splurges into a rational hedge.

There are also tax complications.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), for instance, treats crypto as property, meaning that spending BTC counts as a taxable disposal and can trigger capital-gains liabilities. The U.K.’s HMRC applies the same principle, taxing disposals when coins are sold, swapped or spent.

The bigger backdrop, according to McKinsey data cited by the FT, is that younger affluent travelers are driving a luxury travel boom projected to nearly double spending between 2023 and 2028. For that generation, crypto is not just an investment vehicle but also a way to pay for experiences that promise freedom and exclusivity.

Bottom line: Crypto hasn’t taken over coffee shops, but at the top end of the market it is showing up. Whether that’s smart wealth management or another billion-dollar pizza mistake depends on how long this bull cycle lasts.

One of the biggest stories emerging from the Far East this month is the imminent launch of a blockchain-based version of the Japanese yen, one of the world’s major fiat currencies.

The timing for this development couldn’t be better, as the Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to raise interest rates soon, a move likely to increase the appeal of both the yen and yen-backed assets.

Earlier this month, CoinDesk reported that Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) is likely to approve the country’s first yen-denominated stablecoin as early as this fall. According to the report, Tokyo-based fintech firm JPYC plans to register as a money transfer business within the month and will spearhead the rollout of a JPY-pegged stablecoin, which will trade at a 1:1 ratio with the Japanese yen.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that are pegged to an external reference, such as the U.S. dollar, euro, or yen. These tokens play a crucial role by facilitating capital transfers used for trading, investing, remittances, or international payments, all while bypassing the volatility typically associated with other cryptocurrencies.

JPYC is not alone in pursuing a yen-pegged stablecoin. Last week, Tokyo-based financial services company Monex Group announced that it is considering launching its own JPY stablecoin aimed at international remittances and corporate settlements. Oki Matsumoto, Chairman of Monex Group, told local media, “Issuing stablecoins requires significant infrastructure and capital, but if we don’t handle them, we’ll be left behind.”

BOJ rate hike

Both leading bankers and traders expect the BOJ to hike rates in the coming months, while the U.S. Federal Reserve is seen doing the opposite.

Hiroshi Nakazawa, head of Hokuhoku Financial Group, one of Japan’s largest regional banks by assets, said over the weekend that the BOJ could raise interest rates in either October or December, assuming “things go smoothly.”

Shares in Hokuhoku Financial Group have been the best-performing banking stocks this year, with prices rallying 90% to top the Topix banks index, which includes 70 lenders.

Nakazawa’s outlook aligns with the broader market consensus on upcoming rate hikes. According to Bloomberg Economics, the recently released Tokyo inflation report likely reinforced the BOJ’s view that consumer price momentum remains strong, on track to reach its 2% target. The team forecasts a 25 basis point rate hike at the BOJ’s October meeting.

The anticipated rate hike could prompt investors to move funds into JPY-backed stablecoins. Recall that the 2022 Fed rate hike cycle was seen as boosting demand for USD-pegged stablecoins, although the appeal of stablecoins was later temporarily dented by the Terra crash in May 2022.

The BOJ raised rates twice in recent years, from 0.1% to 0.25% in July last year and then another 25 basis point hike in January. Since then, the central bank has kept rates steady.

Japanese yields rise, BTC/JPY drops

Yields on longer-duration Japanese government bonds (JGBs), the third largest government debt market after the U.S. and China, have climbed to multi-decade highs, reflecting fiscal concerns and the strong expectation of an imminent BOJ rate hike.

For example, the 30-year JGB yield recently surged to a record high of over 3.2%, while the 10-year yield reached 1.64%, levels not seen since 2008, according to TradingView data.

Adding to the yen’s appeal is the narrowing gap between U.S. and Japanese 10-year yields, which has tightened to 2.62%, the lowest since August 2022. Because the USD/JPY exchange rate closely tracks this yield differential, a regression analysis by MacroMicro suggests the pair should trade around 144.43, compared to Friday’s level of approximately 147.00.

In other words, the regression analysis points to appreciation in the yen.

The strengthening yen and expected rate hikes also imply downside potential for BTC/JPY. The cryptocurrency pair listed on bitFlyer has already dropped 8% this month, hitting its lowest level since July 9. This recent sell-off has triggered a classic double top bearish reversal pattern on the daily chart.

Technical analysis using the measured move method suggests the double top breakdown could lead prices to fall to about 14,922,907 JPY. This target is calculated by subtracting the height between the two peaks and the interim trough from the trough low, indicating further downside risk for bitcoin priced in yen.

HKU's move to accept Bitcoin for tuition could accelerate digital currency adoption in education, enhancing Hong Kong's virtual asset hub status.

The post Hong Kong University’s business school considers accepting Bitcoin for tuition and donations appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Reddit's shift in royalties to artists may enhance creator incentives but could limit platform-driven NFT innovation and community growth.

The post Reddit sunsets Collectible Avatar Creator Program and shifts royalties to artists appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

• El Salvador verteilt seine staatlichen Bitcoin-Reserven auf viele kleinere Adressen, um potenzielle Risiken zu reduzieren.
• Grund dafür sind theoretische Gefahren durch künftige Quantencomputer.
• Experten sind sich uneinig, ob diese Bedrohung schon realistisch ist, doch das Land setzt frühzeitig auf Vorsorge.

El Salvador als Bitcoin-Pionier

El Salvador schrieb 2021 Geschichte, als das Land Bitcoin als offizielles Zahlungsmittel neben dem US-Dollar einführte. Unter Präsident Nayib Bukele wurde dazu ein spezielles Gesetz verabschiedet, das den digitalen Token auf eine Stufe mit der Landeswährung stellte. Damit begann ein wirtschaftliches Experiment, das weltweit für Aufmerksamkeit sorgte und zugleich viele Diskussionen auslöste.

Von Anfang an kaufte die Regierung aktiv Bitcoin mit Staatsmitteln ein. Bukele nutzte Marktbewegungen geschickt aus, um die Bestände weiter aufzustocken. Heute besitzt das Land nach offiziellen Angaben 6.285 Bitcoin, was die Entschlossenheit seiner Politik zeigt. Anfang diesen Jahres wurde der Status der Währung für Bitcoin jedoch wieder zurückgezogen. Grund dafür ist zu einem die schlechte Wirtschaftslage und hohe Verschuldung des Landes, außerdem war die Entscheidung, BTC als Landeswährung einzuführen, in der Bevölkerung eher unbeliebt.

Die Rolle des Bitcoin Office

Für Transparenz sorgt das staatliche Bitcoin Office, das regelmäßig Informationen zu den Beständen veröffentlicht. Diese Praxis hebt El Salvador von vielen anderen Staaten ab, da die Entwicklung der Reserven öffentlich dokumentiert wird. Bürger und internationale Beobachter können so nachvollziehen, wie sich das Engagement des Landes im Kryptomarkt entwickelt.

El Salvador is moving the funds from a single Bitcoin address into multiple new, unused addresses as part of a strategic initiative to enhance the security and long-term custody of the National Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. This action aligns with best practices in Bitcoin…

— The Bitcoin Office (@bitcoinofficesv) August 29, 2025

Doch mit den wachsenden Beständen kamen auch Fragen zur Sicherheit auf. Bitcoin ist zwar durch seine Blockchain-Technologie dezentral geschützt, doch einzelne Verwahrungsstrategien können Schwachstellen aufweisen. El Salvador reagierte nun auf diese Kritik und kündigte eine neue Strategie an.

Neue Sicherheitsstrategie

Das Bitcoin Office teilte offiziell mit, dass die Bestände nicht mehr zentral in einer Adresse liegen. Stattdessen werden die 6.285 Bitcoins auf viele ungenutzte Adressen verteilt. Jede Adresse soll maximal 500 BTC enthalten, um das Risiko bei Angriffen deutlich zu verringern.

Der Schritt hat klare Vorteile: Private Schlüssel, die bisher auf einer bekannten Adresse öffentlich sichtbar waren, bleiben bei den neuen Adressen verborgen, solange sie nicht verwendet werden. Damit sinkt die Angriffsfläche und die Reserven sind sicherer vor potenziellen Angriffen.

Quantencomputer als Auslöser

Hintergrund dieser Entscheidung ist die Debatte um mögliche Bedrohungen durch Quantencomputer. Forscher verweisen darauf, dass Shor’s Algorithmus theoretisch in der Lage wäre, aktuelle Verschlüsselungssysteme zu knacken. Bitcoin wäre damit langfristig gefährdet, wenn die Technologie die nötige Rechenleistung erreicht.

El Salvador will diesem Szenario vorbeugen. Die Regierung zeigt, dass sie die Diskussion ernst nimmt und ihre Reserven schon heute vor einem Risiko absichert, das möglicherweise erst in vielen Jahren Realität wird.

Expertenmeinungen zum Risiko

Viele Analysten halten die Vorsorge für sinnvoll, betonen jedoch, dass Quantencomputer aktuell noch nicht in der Lage sind, Bitcoin effektiv anzugreifen. Heutige Systeme verfügen lediglich über wenige Hundert Qubits und sind zudem fehleranfällig. Für einen realen Angriff wären Millionen stabiler Qubits nötig.

Kritiker argumentieren daher, dass kurzfristig keine Bedrohung besteht und die Zukunft für Bitcoin vorerst sicher ist. Sie verweisen darauf, dass die meisten Bitcoin ohnehin auf Adressen liegen, deren öffentliche Schlüssel noch nicht preisgegeben wurden. Diese gelten selbst bei fortschreitender Quantenforschung als sicher.

Transparenz bleibt erhalten

Trotz der sicherheitsorientierten Neuausrichtung hält El Salvador am Prinzip der Transparenz fest. Das Bitcoin Office hat ein neues Dashboard veröffentlicht, auf dem die offiziellen Reserve-Adressen eingesehen werden können. Bürger und Beobachter können so weiterhin den Überblick behalten.

Damit gelingt es dem Land, Sicherheit und Offenheit miteinander zu verbinden. El Salvador bleibt so seiner Linie treu, neue Wege im Umgang mit Kryptowährungen zu beschreiten, ohne Vertrauen durch Geheimhaltung zu gefährden.

Fazit und Ausblick

El Salvador setzt ein deutliches Signal: Sicherheit geht vor, auch wenn die Bedrohung derzeit noch weit entfernt ist. Mit der neuen Strategie will das Land langfristig vorbereitet sein und zugleich Vertrauen in seine Bitcoin-Politik stärken.

Ob andere Länder diesem Beispiel folgen, bleibt abzuwarten. Klar ist jedoch, dass El Salvador erneut eine Vorreiterrolle einnimmt und die globale Debatte um Kryptowährungen und Quantencomputer neu belebt hat. Während Bitcoin in El Salvador vor allem wegen seiner Sicherheit und Wertstabilität als Wertspeicher dient, macht sich ein “neuer” Bitcoin daran, die Herzen der Investoren zu erobern.

Bitcoin Hyper – Die neue Ära von Bitcoin

Bitcoin Hyper ist die erste echte Layer-2-Lösung für Bitcoin, die Geschwindigkeit, niedrige Gebühren und moderne Smart Contracts möglich macht. Während Bitcoin selbst sicher, aber langsam und teuer ist, bringt Bitcoin Hyper Solana-ähnliche Performance direkt ins Bitcoin-Ökosystem. Mit Hilfe der Solana Virtual Machine und einer dezentralen Bridge entstehen so schnelle, günstige und skalierbare Anwendungen – von DeFi bis hin zu dApps – abgesichert durch die Bitcoin-Blockchain.

Der $HYPER Token und seine Vorteile

Im Presale erhalten Käufer $HYPER zum niedrigsten Preis – ohne Insider-Deals. Der Token dient als Treibstoff für Transaktionen und Smart Contracts, kann gestakt werden, um hohe Belohnungen zu verdienen, und eröffnet exklusive Plattformfunktionen. Mit voller Transparenz, fairer Verteilung und einer klaren Ausrichtung auf Wachstum bietet $HYPER die Chance, früh Teil der nächsten großen Bitcoin-Entwicklung zu sein.

Jetzt rechtzeitig einsteigen und $HYPER im Presale kaufen.

Bitcoin’s 13% drop from the all-time high of $124,501 it set on August 14 has left investors on edge, wondering whether this is just a deeper correction or a real shift in momentum.

But one look at whale activity over the past few days suggests the ‘digital gold’ is likely only taking a breather before charging toward new all-time highs, possibly even hitting $150K by the end of 2025.

Keep reading to learn more about Bitcoin’s immediate future, including what prominent industry voices are saying, what the charts reveal, and how you can ride this potential explosive run by loading up on Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a new altcoin currently in presale.

Crypto Legend Says You Better Not Sell the Dip

According to Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao, the founder and former CEO of Binance, the biggest mistake crypto investors can make is selling the dip.

The best part about CZ’s latest indirect bullish prediction? He’s done it twice already this year, and both times, he was spot on.

• The first was on April 27, when he tweeted, ‘I hope you bought the dip,’ after which Bitcoin surged 20% in just a couple of weeks.
• The next came on June 23: ‘Remember, by definition, everything before the next ATH is a dip.’ Soon after, Bitcoin jumped 23%.

So, another pro-Bitcoin tweet from the crypto legend might be all the confidence some investors need heading into the final few months of what has already been a stellar year for crypto.

Bitcoin at a Golden Cross Ready to Explode

On the charts, Bitcoin is currently at a golden cross, as noted by @AltcoinGordon, a crypto analyst and investor with 800K+ followers on X.

He also pointed out that altcoins are now the most oversold they’ve ever been, suggesting that the upcoming Bitcoin rally could usher in very happy times for the entire market.

Even better? The last couple of times Bitcoin formed a golden cross, it skyrocketed 2,200% and 1,190%, respectively. Could something similar be on the cards now? We can certainly hope so.

All in all, there’s clearly no dearth of institutional bullishness on Bitcoin, such is the token’s potential for life-changing returns.

However, the fact remains that for the vast majority, Bitcoin is simply too expensive to snag in any meaningful quantity, making it hard to see the kind of gains early $BTC investors enjoyed back in 2012-2018.

But what if there were a Bitcoin-themed altcoin that could help you ride the upcoming ‘digital gold’ rally while also generating far better returns – the kind hardly possible with mainstream cryptos today?

Enter Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a brand-new altcoin currently in presale, building the first-ever Layer 2 solution for Bitcoin.

Its goal? To turbocharge the network with lightning-fast speeds, ultra-low fees, and full Web3 compatibility.

Understanding Bitcoin Hyper’s Potential Revolutionary Mission

Don’t mistake $HYPER for just another cash-hungry altcoin trying to profit off Bitcoin’s hype and make a few bucks by simply associating itself with the OG crypto.

Why’s this important? Because right now, Bitcoin processes just seven transactions per second, which is about 400x slower than Solana or Ethereum.

Add in high transaction fees and little to no support for Web3 or dApps, and you’re left with a cryptocurrency viewed almost exclusively as a store of value and investment vehicle.

Bitcoin Hyper aims to change that with its new Layer 2 solution for Bitcoin, integrating the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) to bring, as the name suggests, Solana-like performance to Bitcoin.

Put simply, $HYPER may be offering a never-before-seen opportunity for Bitcoin to expand its appeal beyond just being a portfolio steroid.

How Does Bitcoin Hyper Work?

While the SVM powers the Web3 environment on $HYPER’s new Layer 2, a decentralized, non-custodial canonical bridge will let users interact with that ecosystem, including DeFi trading, NFTs, gaming, DAOs, lending, staking, and more.

All you need to do is deposit your Layer 1 $BTC tokens into a designated Bitcoin address monitored by the canonical bridge. The bridge then locks those tokens and mints an equivalent amount of $BTC on $HYPER’s Layer 2.

Once you’re done interacting with the Layer 2 apps, you can simply submit a withdrawal request, and the bridge will release the locked $BTC back to your Bitcoin address on Layer 1.

The Bitcoin Hyper Presale Is Beaming with Investor Attention

Savvy investors would, for all intents and purposes, never miss out on such a game-changing new cryptocurrency project.

As a result, they’ve piled into the Bitcoin Hyper presale, which has already raised over $13M, all in anticipation of it going berserk once it lists on exchanges.

Promisingly, our Bitcoin Hyper price prediction suggests the token could hit $0.32 by the end of this year – a staggering 2,400% gain from current levels.

At the time of writing, 1 $HYPER is priced at just $0.012835. That means a $100 investment today could realistically turn into around $2,500 in just a few months.

Visit Bitcoin Hyper’s official website for more information.

Disclaimer: This article is not financial advice. Crypto investments are highly risky, so kindly do your own research before investing.

The following is a guest post and analysis from Vincent Maliepaard, Marketing Director at Sentora.

2025 has marked a turning point for XRP, combining explosive price gains with transformative shifts in its core narrative. In July, the token hit an all-time high of $3.58, propelled in part by decisive legal victories. Beyond price action, Ripple’s launch of the RLUSD stablecoin has gained significant traction, and the network is now doubling down on expanding XRP’s footprint in the DeFi ecosystem.

The foundation of XRP’s breakout was laid when the SEC dropped its lawsuit against Ripple, removing a significant regulatory overhang that had suppressed institutional interest for years. This legal resolution as well as the Trump administration’s crypto-friendly policy framework, including the GENIUS Act, catalyzed a broader bull market across digital assets.

The token has also benefited from a strategic revaluation as institutional investors engaged in speculative rotation toward under-owned large-cap cryptocurrencies, recognizing XRP as a legitimate capital layer rather than a speculative trading vehicle.

This thesis was reinforced by Ripple’s launch of the RLUSD stablecoin in late 2024, which quickly scaled to a $600 million market cap and demonstrated real-world utility in driving adoption momentum. The ecosystem expansion has continued with the launch of the XRPL EVM sidechain, enhancing interoperability and smart contract functionality, while anticipation builds around the potential approval of an XRP ETF that could further accelerate institutional adoption.

Let’s dive in for a breakdown of XRP’s growth and momentum, new players in the ecosystem and XRP’s breakthrough in DeFi.

XRP’s Growth and Momentum

XRP’s concentration dynamics reveal a mature institutional ownership structure that mirrors traditional financial assets, with the top 10 wallets controlling approximately 41% of circulating supply, expanding to 50% among the top 20 holders and over 70% within the top 100. This concentration pattern indicates institutional capital allocation rather than retail speculation, which supports XRP’s evolution into an institutional asset class.

The token’s transformation from a previous cycle laggard to a favorite gained significant validation through Coinbase’s integration. In July, the exchange launched cbXRP, a wrapped token backed 1:1 by XRP specifically designed for cross-chain functionality. This infrastructure development immediately unlocked new use cases, with Moonwell becoming the first major DeFi protocol to support cbXRP, enabling community members to lend and borrow the wrapped token within the platform’s DeFi ecosystem.

Growth of cbXRP on Moonwell has been steady, gradually growing to over $1.2 million in liquidity since its launch in June. While this may be far from XRPs typical multi-billion dollar headlines, it marks an important milestone in XRP’s DeFi journey.

These developments signal a fundamental shift in how traditional exchanges and DeFi protocols are positioning XRP, moving beyond simple trading solutions. The combination of concentrated institutional ownership, enhanced technical infrastructure through wrapped tokens, and expanding lending markets demonstrates that XRP is experiencing adoption momentum as capital flows increasingly recognize its utility as a cross-border settlement layer and institutional-grade digital asset.

Expanding into DeFi

The expansion of XRP into decentralized finance represents a natural progression for what Gabriel Halm of Sentora describes as a blockchain that has “successfully established itself as a digital payment network,” with DeFi development being “an intuitive next step in creating a comprehensive finance ecosystem for XRP.” This evolution addresses a critical gap in XRP’s utility, as the token historically lacked the fundamental DeFi primitives.

Flare Network has emerged as one such infrastructure provider for XRPFi, through the introduction of FAssets—which upon launch, enables XRP holders to convert their tokens into FXRP, a wrapped version of XRP. This operates in a non-custodial, trust-minimized framework which uses smart contracts for cross-chain verification.

Upcoming Yield Opportunities for XRP in DeFi

While users can currently earn a modest yield (around 0.1% currently) by supplying cbXRP on Moonwell, significantly higher returns may be on the horizon with the upcoming launch of the Firelight Protocol on Flare.

Firelight aims to bring economic security and yield generation to the XRP ecosystem, much like how EigenLayer has unlocked additional staking yield for Ether. By leveraging staked XRP for economic security, Firelight’s architecture could enable innovative DeFi applications—such as on-chain insurance—that were previously not feasible.

As Hugo Philion, Co-Founder of Flare Network, explains:

“Firelight offers on-chain XRP yield opportunities, both for institutions and retail holders, improving capital efficiency for XRP and further bolstering its utility.”

Looking Ahead

XRP’s growth story is shifting from short-term price cycles to long-term structural evolution. The convergence of regulatory clarity, institutional adoption, and DeFi expansion, driven by platforms like Base, Moonwell, Flare, and Firelight, broadens XRP’s utility and potentially establishes it as a yield-bearing asset.

While it may not yet be a dominant force in DeFi, these developments could strengthen XRP’s role as a bridge between traditional finance and emerging on-chain opportunities.

The post What’s behind XRP’s move to DeFi? appeared first on CryptoSlate.

If you’re new to Bitcoin or the only sats you hold are in an ETF or a centralized exchange, you’d be forgiven for not knowing about Core vs Knots and the entire OP_RETURN saga. But if you’ve weathered a few cycles, HODLed like a champ, and are still scratching your head, it’s time you opened your eyes: the 2025 ‘spam wars’ bear all the hallmarks of the block size wars almost a decade before it, and it’s getting ugly fast.

Like the block size wars, the spam wars involve a fundamental ideological clash over the core principles of Bitcoin, particularly scaling versus decentralization, and whether to prioritize network capacity and ease of use over a simpler, permissionless protocol.

Supporters of Bitcoin Core, the long-standing reference implementation, and Bitcoin Knots, an increasingly popular alternative maintained by developer and CTO at Ocean Mining, Luke Dashjr, are at loggerheads, and the gloves are coming off.

Core vs Knots, what’s happening?

At the center of the controversy is Bitcoin Core’s planned removal of the 80-byte limit on OP_RETURN data in its upcoming v30 release, scheduled for October 2025.

This technical change, intended to boost flexibility and unlock new use cases for embedding data on Bitcoin’s blockchain, is fiercely opposed by Knots backers, who argue it transforms the main network into a dumping ground for non-financial transactions and spam.

Core developers, like Peter Todd and Jameson Lopp, claim the change supports broader innovation, like digital art and document verification. They support everyone’s right to use the Bitcoin blockchain as they feel and not have governance or morals thrust upon them. Lopp posted:

“I truly detest politics. Thus I have little patience for those who try to impose traditional governance models onto Bitcoin. If you don’t like anarchy, you’re free to leave.”

Knots supporters like Samson Mow and Luke Dashjr warn that the upgrade risks bloating the blockchain, undermining Bitcoin’s neutrality, and weakening its monetary purpose. Dashjr warned:

“What do you think will happen now that Core is opening the floodgates to spam, and essentially endorsing it? (No matter what they say, that’s how spammers will take it.) Any chance we have of making Bitcoin a success will go out the window – unless the community takes a clear stand and rejects the change.”

Network philosophy and neutrality

The Core vs Knots dispute highlights deeper ideological rifts about Bitcoin’s function. Should Bitcoin remain a strictly monetary settlement layer, or can it evolve to serve more experimental on-chain data needs, so long as fees are paid?

Core’s apparent policy shift is seen by some as relinquishing its gatekeeping role, allowing any use case if the user pays. Knots supporters, however, emphasize control with features like anti-spam protection and argue that the removal of data caps could centralize power and threaten scalability.

Miners and relay service operators play a pivotal role, determining which transaction types end up in blocks and how the network responds to diverging software preferences. Node operators, too, have increasingly migrated to Knots: its share of the network doubled over six weeks in May-June 2025, and has now reached ~17% of all Bitcoin nodes, a sign of growing protest and possible fragmentation ahead of Core’s v30 launch.

Where is it heading?

While there is no hard fork yet, mounting tensions and the possibility of blocks or transactions being rejected by different software clients evoke memories of the 2017 SegWit split.

The Core vs Knots scenario also raises another fundamental issue surrounding the true decentralization of the Bitcoin network: how many of Bitcoin’s supporters run their own node? Dashjr posted:

“Bitcoin’s greatest threat to survival is that far too few people are using a full node. For Bitcoin to work, at least 85% of economic activity needs to do so.”

With technical, political, and philosophical stakes at play, October’s Core v30 release may define the next era of Bitcoin development and decentralized consensus, determining whether diversity in software serves Bitcoin’s resilience or sparks an outright chain split.

The post The battle between Bitcoin Core vs Knots is getting ugly appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Welcome to the Asia Pacific Morning Brief—your essential digest of overnight crypto developments shaping regional markets and global sentiment. Monday’s edition is last week’s wrap-up and this week’s forecast, brought to you by Paul Kim. Grab a green tea and watch this space.

Last week, Bitcoin’s price experienced a roughly 4% decline. While this is not uncommon for the notoriously volatile cryptocurrency, it’s certainly unsettling for investors who had watched its price surge above $120,000 just two weeks ago, only to see it fall back to the $100,000 level.

The Whale’s Ripple Effect

What drove this sudden downturn? A closer look reveals a two-pronged attack from a whale and a faltering stock market.

The initial trigger for the price drop was a single, long-time Bitcoin holder. According to on-chain analytics platform Lookonchain, this “whale” held over 100,000 bitcoins.

Last Monday, they abruptly began selling off their holdings on exchanges like Hyperliquid and shifting into Ethereum (ETH). This sell-off lasted over a day, causing Bitcoin’s price to plunge from around $114,000 to $108,600.

Fortunately, once the cause was identified as a one-off event, the market stabilized and began to recover. By Thursday night, Bitcoin had clawed its way back up to $113,500, nearly its starting point before the drop.

AI Stocks Bring Down the Broader Market

Just as Bitcoin was on the mend, an unexpected new threat emerged. Leading AI and data center companies, which have been a primary engine of the US stock market’s rise all year, released disappointing Q2 earnings reports. The reports cited concerns over high debt and declining profitability.

• CoreWeave (CRWV) saw its stock plummet by 33.1% after its Q2 report.

• Marvell Technology (MRVL) fell about 19% after its data center sector underperformed market expectations.

• Even market leader NVIDIA (NVDA), despite achieving record Q2 revenue, was not immune, dropping 3.32% as the negative sentiment spread.

This decline in AI stocks led the Nasdaq to fall 1.32%, its steepest drop since the employment-driven plunge on August 1st. And because Bitcoin has shown a high correlation with the Nasdaq since June, its price dropped 3.72%.

This sequence of events illustrated how interconnected today’s risk assets have become.

What’s Next for Bitcoin?

With Bitcoin struggling, market forecasts are mixed. Some analysts remain bullish, predicting a swift recovery, while others fear a further drop to the $100,000 level.

Many expect the price to find support around $107,000, but some pessimists warn of a deeper correction to $92,000 if the downturn intensifies.

This pessimism stems from Bitcoin’s recent lack of momentum compared to Ethereum, which has garnered more market attention. Despite a similar 6.31% drop last week, Ethereum’s sentiment and upward momentum remain strong.

At one point, the “unstaking fear” among Ethereum investors seemed widespread, but it now appears to have largely faded. Tom Lee, chairman of Ethereum DAT company Bitmine, even claims ETH could reach $5,500 in a few weeks and hit $10,000-$12,000 by year’s end. This would require a monumental 100% price increase in four months from its current trading price of $4,483.

Two major macroeconomic events could sway the market in the coming week. The first is Tuesday’s US bond auction, which will see nearly $290 billion in short-term bonds hit the market. This could hurt liquidity and put further pressure on Bitcoin.

The second is Friday’s US non-farm payroll (NFP) release and unemployment figures. A weak NFP below 60,000 could increase expectations for continued interest rate cuts, likely boosting risk assets like Bitcoin.

Last week’s events prove that Bitcoin’s price is now more closely tied to global liquidity and the broader US market than its own internal drivers. Investors should remain cautious during this period of high potential volatility.

The post It Was a Tumultuous Week: What Drove the Price Drop? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, has issued one of his starkest economic warnings yet. The renowned investor declared that “Europe is toast” as bond markets collapse and political unrest spreads.

His grim outlook was amplified by Bitcoin (BTC) evangelist Max Keiser, who urged investors to move wealth into the pioneer crypto and consider El Salvador as a safe haven from the West’s unraveling economies.

Kiyosaki Says Europe is in Crisis Amid Bond Collapse

In a post on X (Twitter), Kiyosaki painted a dire picture of Europe’s financial and social stability.

The finance author highlighted that France may face bankruptcy. He also noted Germany’s energy policies rendering its manufacturing sector “busted,” and Britain’s bond market collapsing by over 30%.

Against these backdrops, Kiyosaki indicates that the global economy has lost faith in Western nations’ ability to service their debts, citing Japan and China’s ongoing dump of US Treasuries in favor of gold and silver.

“EUROPE is TOAST…French people are on the verge of a Bastille Day revolt… Civil war in Germany is brewing… This insanity is why I continue to recommend you save yourself — and save gold, silver, and Bitcoin,” Kiyosaki wrote.

His comments also highlighted the breakdown of the traditional “60/40” portfolio model of stocks and bonds, long marketed as safe.

With US Treasuries down 13% since 2020 and European bonds sinking deeper, Kiyosaki warned that conventional financial planning has become a dangerous illusion.

Max Keiser Calls Advocates the El Salvador Play, Cites Fourth Turning

Max Keiser, Bitcoin advisor to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, echoed Kiyosaki’s warning, framing France’s turmoil as part of the “Fourth Turning.” This alludes to a generational cycle of crisis that brings systemic upheaval.

“France is just entering the 4th Turning and things (like inflation) will get much worse. Move to El Salvador — we are EXITING the 4th Turning — before France requires an exit visa to leave,” Keiser said.

Keiser’s remarks position El Salvador, the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, as an economic and geopolitical hedge.

For him, Bitcoin is not just an investment but a lifeboat for those seeking to escape collapsing fiat systems.

Other voices echoed the warnings. Commentators on X noted that every empire historically falls under the weight of too much debt, too many wars, and detached rulers.

The analyst compared Rome’s currency debasement and Britain’s empire decline, framing today’s turmoil as part of an age-old cycle.

“Bonds were supposed to be the safe asset. They’re imploding. 60/40 portfolios? Dead. Gold is memory. Bitcoin is exile,” he wrote.

Crypto educators like NianNian Academy, affiliated with Changpeng Zhao’s Giggle Academy, acknowledged Kiyosaki’s concerns but urged balanced approaches. They asked whether the world faces a “monetary reset” or a deeper crisis first.

Still, with Europe facing revolt, America buried in debt, and bonds broken, the new safe haven may be digital, and, according to Keiser, located in El Salvador.

The post Max Keiser Says Flee to El Salvador as Kiyosaki Declares Europe ‘Toast’ appeared first on BeInCrypto.

According to the latest on-chain data, the Bitcoin price has closed beneath a crucial level for the second time in 2025. Here’s how the premier cryptocurrency reacted the last time this happened.

Is The BTC Price Correction Worsening?

In an August 30 post on social media platform X, crypto analyst Burak Kesmeci revealed that the Bitcoin price could be at risk of further corrective action after falling below a critical on-chain level for a second time this year. The relevant indicator here is the Short-Term Holder (STH) Realized Price, which measures the price at which short-term investors bought their coins.

For context, short-term holders often refer to investors who have held their coins for 155 days or less. The realized price offers insights into the cost basis of these newer market entrants, who are more sensitive to price fluctuations and show more propensity to move due to sudden changes in prices.

The Bitcoin price typically trends above the STH Realized Price during periods of bullish intensity, while it lags below the metric during bear markets. Hence, this short-term realized price often acts as a dynamic resistance and support for the price of BTC.

The Bitcoin price recently closed beneath the STH Realized Price of around $108,928 on Friday, August 29. However, that wouldn’t be the first time the price of BTC would be closing below the short-term holders’ cost, as it also did earlier in the year.

In February, the market entered into an extended period of correction after the price of Bitcoin closed beneath the STH Realized Price. The flagship cryptocurrency fell almost 20% from around $92,000 to $76,000 between the end of February and the end of April.

With the Bitcoin price closing below the Short-Term Holder Realized Price, the premier cryptocurrency stands at risk of the current pullback worsening. If history repeats itself, investors could also see the price of BTC fall 20% to around $86,000.

Kesmeci said:

In this cycle, as Bitcoin rises not parabolically but like a step-by-step ladder; closings below the STH realized price signal to us that the correction may continue in an annoying way.

Bitcoin Price Overview

After being under intense bearish pressure going into the weekend, the price of BTC has somewhat stabilized over the past day. However, the Bitcoin price has struggled to return above the psychological $110,000 level.

As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $108,675, reflecting a 0.4% increase in the past 24 hours. According to data from CoinGecko, the market leader is down by more than 5% in the past seven days.

US-based crypto ETFs have witnessed a change in dynamics in August, which has seen inflows tipping towards Ethereum ETFs. However, last week’s trend of strong inflows ended with substantial outflows on Friday, with Ethereum ETFs leading the retreat with $164.64 million and Bitcoin ETFs following with $126.64 million. This sudden reversal coincides with an interesting timing of stubborn inflation data that seems to have rattled institutional investors.

A Sudden Reversal At Week’s End

According to data from Farside Investors, US-based Spot Ethereum ETFs ended the week with $164.64 million in outflows. The outflows came from Fidelity’s FETH with $51 million, Bitwise’s ETHW with $23.7 million, Grayscale’s ETHE with $28.6 million, and Grayscale’s ETH with $61.3 million. BlackRock, on the other hand, witnessed neither inflows nor outflows into its Spot ETH ETFs, alongside 21Shares, VanEck, Invesco, and Franklin Templeton Ethereum ETFs.

Friday’s outflows were a jarring departure from the steady gain that had defined Ethereum’s Spot ETFs since August 21. Ethereum’s six-day inflow streak, which had added about $1.876 billion, was brought to an abrupt end with the outflows on Friday. As a result, total assets under management for Spot Ethereum ETFs dipped to $28.58 billion.

Ethereum ETF Flow: Farside Investors

Meanwhile, Spot Bitcoin ETFs also recorded their first daily decline since August 22 with $126.64 million in outflows on Friday. As a result, their total assets under management dropped to $139.95 billion.

However, not every issuer felt the pressure with Bitcoin. Fidelity’s FBTC led the exodus with $66.2 million, followed by ARKB’s $72.07 million and GBTC’s $15.3 million in outflows. On the other hand, BlackRock’s IBIT still managed $24.63 million in inflows and WisdomTree’s BTCW drew in $2.3 million amid the wider outflows. 

Bitcoin ETF Flow: Farside Investors

The underlying cause of the outflows can be attributed to investors digesting the latest data on inflation released on Friday. Notably, the US core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index climbed 2.9% year-over-year in July, the fastest pace since February, creating fears that the Federal Reserve may hold off on rate cuts.

What May Lie Ahead This Week

As a new trading week begins, Spot ETF flow in both Ethereum and Bitcoin is likely to depend on how investors continue to interpret the data. If inflation pressures persist, institutional investors may retreat further at the beginning of the week. However, any signs of cooling could see inflows resume mid-week, particularly into Ethereum, where fundamentals are currently favorable.

On the price side of things, Bitcoin’s hold above the $108,000 price may offer some relief. However, it needs to stay above $110,000 in order for any upside move to gain momentum. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $109,910.

For Ethereum, a daily close above $4,500 could confirm the return of bullish confidence, whereas a slide below $4,400 might signal further weakness. At the time of writing, Ethereum is trading at $4,470, up by 1.7% in the past 24 hours.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView