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Banco Santander, Spain’s biggest bank and Europe’s fourth largest, now supports crypto trading.

Since yesterday, German users of the company’s all-digital platform, Openbank, can buy, sell, and trade five tokens: $BTC, $ETH, $LTC, $MATIC, and $ADA.

As mainstream crypto adoption expands, newer projects with their own trading bots, like Snorter Token ($SNORT), stand to benefit.

Banco Santander Now Offers 1.49% Crypto Trading Fees

According to an official press release, Banco Santander’s new crypto service comes with a competitive 1.49% trading fee (minimum €1) and no custody fees.

You also won’t have to move funds to another platform, and investor protections are guaranteed under Europe’s MiCA regulation.

Grupo Santander’s Head of Crypto, Coty de Monteverde, says the expansion reflects customer demand.

Beyond Germany, Spanish users will soon gain access to crypto trading in the next few weeks. More countries will follow after that.

But it’s not the only gateway to crypto exposure. Take Snorter Token’s trading bot, Snorter Bot, for instance: it could become one of the best crypto gateways in the Solana ecosystem soon.

Snorter Bot Turns to Solana for Lower Fees & Faster Trading

Snorter Token ($SNORT) is the official token of an upcoming trading bot, Snorter Bot.

Once launched on Telegram this quarter, Snorter Bot promises to give you a leg up in the crypto trading arena.

At first, it’ll go live on Solana to take advantage of the network’s speed and efficiency.

With execution fees as low as 0.85% (43% lower than Santander’s) and a maximum throughput of 65K transactions per second (TPS), Solana’s an ideal network for facilitating fast, low-cost trades.

Next, it’ll expand to Ethereum, BNB Chain, and other EVM-compatible networks, which will let you access more trading opportunities beyond the best Solana meme coins.

No matter the chain, the bot will offer automated sniping and copy-trading features. So, you’ll be able to instantly buy new tokens and mirror the strategies of top-performing traders to boost your likelihood of gains.

And all can be achieved without compromising security. The bot will be MEV protected and have built-in rug pull and honeypot alerts to help you steer clear of shady schemes.

$SNORT backs each of these advancements, as a sizable 25% of its total token supply is earmarked for product development.

But buying $SNORT doesn’t only mean supporting Snorter Bot’s future trajectory; it grants exclusive perks like leaderboard rewards, DAO voting power, and staking yields (currently at a 118% APY).

Considering this, it’s no surprise that $SNORT has raised over $3.9M in its presale, backed by significant whale buys of $107.1K, $91.1K, and $49.5K.

You too can get involved. Simply head to the official Snorter Token website and purchase $SNORT for $0.1047.

Alternatively, you can buy the token directly from the Best Wallet app. But don’t wait around too long: its price is anticipated to hit $0.94 following exchange listings, marking a 798%+ rise compared to its current price.

Disclaimer: This isn’t investment advice. Always do your own due diligence and never invest more than you’d be sad to lose – crypto is a volatile space. 

Authored by Leah Waters, Bitcoinist – https://bitcoinist.com/banco-santander-and-snorter-token-crypto-services

Ripple’s developer arm has floated a blueprint to bring privacy-coin-like functionality to the XRP Ledger—without abandoning the network’s long-standing emphasis on public supply integrity and compliance tooling.

In a new XRP Ledger Standards (XRPLF) discussion opened on September 13, Ripple engineers Murat Cenk and Aanchal Malhotra propose “Confidential Multi-Purpose Tokens (MPTs),” an amendment that would encrypt balances and transfer amounts using EC-ElGamal and zero-knowledge proofs, while preserving the accounting semantics of XRPL’s existing MPT framework. RippleX subsequently highlighted the proposal on X, drawing mainstream attention to what could be the most consequential privacy addition yet considered for XRPL.

Is XRP Becoming A Privacy Coin?

At its core, the draft introduces confidentiality at the token layer without obscuring aggregate supply.

Confidential MPTs provide confidential transfers and balances using EC-ElGamal encryption and Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs), while preserving XLS-33 semantics,” the authors write. Crucially, they stress that “Public auditability” remains intact because issuance limits continue to be enforced by the network’s existing invariant—OutstandingAmount never exceeding MaxAmount—so validators can verify that no new tokens are silently minted even if individual balances are encrypted.

The design leans on a practical architectural compromise. Instead of redefining supply math for a private system, issuers would maintain a designated “second account” that the ledger treats like any other holder. Public supply metrics, including OutstandingAmount, then account for both public and confidential balances, with a new ConfidentialOutstandingAmount field tracking the private portion. This lets validators enforce the same XLS-33 rule set they already understand, while transactions themselves rely on equality proofs and range proofs to ensure spends are valid without revealing amounts.

The proposal is explicit about the “twist” that differentiates it from pure privacy chains such as Monero or Zcash: selective disclosure and issuer controls are built in. The spec outlines two auditor models—an on-chain, trust-minimized approach that supports pre-defined auditors and later additions via re-encryption, and a simpler issuer-controlled “view key” option. It also proposes issuer-only freeze and clawback capabilities over confidential balances, framed as compliance tools rather than discretionary surveillance. In the authors’ words, the system enables “flexible auditability” while keeping private balances “encrypted under the holder’s key,” with optional auditor copies of the same ciphertext verifiably bound via ZK equality proofs.

To make the flow reliable at scale, the draft adopts a split-balance model that separates a holder’s encrypted funds into a spendable “Spending” balance and an “Inbox” for new incoming transfers. A lightweight merge operation prevents “stale proof” failures that can occur when a new receipt lands while a user is preparing a proof for an outgoing transfer. That operational detail, commonplace in high-throughput confidential systems, suggests the authors are mindful of UX and wallet-developer realities, not just cryptographic elegance.

If advanced, the change would arrive as an XRPL amendment and need to clear the ledger’s formal governance hurdle: more than 80% validator approval sustained for two weeks before activation on mainnet. Nothing in the discussion implies a live vote yet; the status is “Discussion,” and any production path would first require code landing in a stable server release.

Context matters here. The multi-purpose token standard (XLS-33, “MPT”) already equips XRPL with a more compact, compliance-aware fungible token primitive than legacy trustlines, including allow-lists, freeze and clawback, and on-chain metadata. Confidential MPTs don’t replace that model; they extend it. The ledger would continue to expose supply caps and enforce invariants even as per-account balances become opaque, aiming squarely at institutional tokenization where privacy, auditability, and policy controls must coexist.

Technically—and politically—the framing invites the obvious question in the headline. Is XRP becoming a privacy coin? The honest answer is ambivalent by design. On one hand, balances and amounts would be encrypted end-to-end, with ZKPs securing the flow—indistinguishable at a glance from what privacy coins promise. On the other hand, the draft hardwires audit channels and issuer recourse that privacy-maximalist communities typically reject, and it preserves validator-enforced supply checks that make “stealth inflation” mathematically impossible. That is the “Yes—and No” in a nutshell.

At press time, XRP traded at $3.01.

Stay Ahead with Our Immediate Analysis of Today’s Bitcoin & Bitcoin Hyper Insights

Check out our Live Bitcoin Hyper Updates for September 17, 2025!

In 2010, Bitcoin was worth a few cents. One year later, it hit $20. In six years, it was $17,000, and now it’s sitting at over $100K, after hitting an ATH of $123K in July.

Historically, if you’d invested in Bitcoin at launch, you’d have an ROI of 188,643,000%. The likes of Mastercard, JP Morgan, and scores of S&P 500 companies are buying Bitcoin in droves. There’s never been anything like Bitcoin before, and investors are waking up to that reality.

However, Bitcoin is getting old for modern standards. No dApps, no smart contracts, and almost non-existent DeFi scalability. It needs an upgrade. And that’s what Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is here to do with Layer-2 technology.

Click to learn more about Bitcoin Hyper

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is a crypto project planning to launch the fastest Layer-2 chain for Bitcoin. Its goal – to bring Bitcoin’s blockchain to modern standards. This means compatibility with dApps, smart contracts, and seamless DeFi programmability for developers.

The L2 will run on a Canonical Bridge, combined with the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), for native compatibility with Solana. You’ll be able to build token programs, LP logic, oracles, games, NFT infrastructure, DAOs, and much more. All without reinventing the wheel.

To engage with the L2, you’ll deposit $BTC to a designated address monitored by the Canonical Bridge. The Relay Program verifies the details, and then mints an equivalent number of wrapped $BTC on the L2. You can also withdraw your original $BTC at any time.

If you’re looking for the newest insights on Bitcoin and Bitcoin Hyper, you’re in the right place.

We update this page regularly throughout the day with the latest insider insights for Bitcoin maxis and Bitcoin Hyper fans. Keep refreshing to stay ahead of the pack!

Disclaimer: No crypto investment comes without risk. Our content is for informational purposes, not financial advice. We may earn affiliate commissions at no extra cost to you.

HOW TO BUY $HYPER

Today’s Bitcoin Technical Analysis

After a 1.23% gain yesterday, Bitcoin is now challenging the $117K resistance, which caused a 9% fall in August.

There’s a high likelihood $BTC blasts past this resistance, seeing as it made a healthy retest on September 15. This is a strong sign the token wants to sustain its move.

Even better, Bitcoin’s September rally is coming right from the 61.8% Fibonacci level – drawn on the weekly chart from the June low ($98,242) to the August high ($124,501).

This is a picture-perfect technical pattern, suggesting BTC’s August downtrend was nothing more than a healthy pullback.

Looking forward, we can expect Bitcoin to continue trading higher, till at least the Fib high of $124,501, which also happens to be Bitcoin’s all-time high.

With the FOMC Meeting Already Potentially Priced In, Bitcoin Hyper is Still Bullish

September 17, 2025 • 11:55 UTC

Crypto analysts believe that the coming FOMC meeting, set for this Thursday, where the SEC will decide on the rate cuts, is already priced in when talking about Bitcoin’s recent push.

This is what Juan Leo, senior investment strategist at Bitwise, told Decrypt, where he stated that the cut ‘has been digested by the markets’, while mentioning that the real test comes with Powell’s post-FOMC statements.

Bitcoin is pushing to $117K ahead of the SEC’s decision, which spells good news for Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER).

As Bitcoin’s Layer 2 upgrade, Bitcoin Hyper is currently running a $16.4M presale and promises to give us fast and cheap Bitcoin transactions once the ecosystem goes public.

Learn how to buy $HYPER right here.

Bitcoin Hyper Raises $16.4M as Bitcoin Could Rebound to $120K Amid ETF Inflow Rise, Exchange Reserve Drop

September 17, 2025 • 11:00 UTC

Rising ETF inflows as well as a steady decline in exchange reserves are expected to push Bitcoin’s ($BTC) price back to $120K today.

According to data from Coinglass, ETFs bought around $2.48B worth of Bitcoin in the past week—faster than what miners can typically produce in a day.

Along with the continued drop in exchange reserves, these factors reduce the amount $BTC available in the market at the moment and push the coin’s price higher.

Continued bullishness on Bitcoin has the potential to further influence Bitcoin Hyper’s ($HYPER) ongoing presale as it aims to lower fees and speed up transactions in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

It has recently raised $16.4M, thanks to recent whale buys, including one worth $11.2K today.

Check our Bitcoin Hyper price prediction and learn why $HYPER could reach $1.50 in 2030.

Google to Launch AI Agent Systems That Enable Crypto Payments As Bitcoin Hyper Presale Goes Viral

September 17, 2025 • 10:00 UTC

Google is introducing the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open source protocol that allows AI agents to make payments on your behalf.

The system will support a wide range of payments, including credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and even stablecoins.

Google is joining forces with crypto and traditional companies like Coinbase, Ethereum Foundation, Salesforce, American Express, and Etsy to bring AP2 to life.

As the line blurs between blockchain and mainstream finance, investors are on the hunt for the next crypto to explode.

And with a layer-2 solution that makes the Bitcoin blockchain faster and Web3-ready, Bitcoin Hyper emerges as a clear choice.

It has already raised over $16.4M in its viral presale, as whales and retail investors pile in.

Visit the official Bitcoin Hyper website to join the presale before the next price surge, which is only a day away.

Bitcoin ETF Inflows At Record High Ahead of Tomorrow’s FOMC Meeting, Fueling Bitcoin Hyper’s $16.4M Presale

September 17, 2025 • 10:00 UTC

Bitcoin ETPs reached record inflows of 20,685 $BTC last week, with ETFs accounting for 97% of the number, ahead of the coming FOMC meeting.

According to Andre Dragosch, the surge in ETFs is, historically, a precursor of a coming Bitcoin bull.

With the odds of a favorable SEC decision tomorrow at 96%, according to CME Group’s FedWatch, we expect the market to pump accordingly. Bitcoin is already above $117K in preparation for the predicted rate cuts.

We expect a similar performance for Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), whose presale is now at over $16M.

As Bitcoin’s Layer 2 upgrade, promising faster and cheaper transactions, Hyper will likely see an increase in investors thanks to its utility and long-term roadmap.

Learn how to buy $HYPER right here.

Authored by Leah Waters, Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/bitcoin-hyper-live-news-september-17-2025/

Stay Ahead with Our Timely Insights of Today’s Next Crypto to Explode

Check out our Live Next Crypto to Explode Updates for September 17, 2025!

Crypto is so unthinkably huge at the moment, a nearly $4 trillion industry that’s aiming for world domination.

Recent headlines talk of Circle and Mastercard planning to add USDC to global payment systems, Ethereum and Bitcoin treasuries in the billions of dollars, and Google building its own blockchain.

Bitcoin has an all-time growth of over 180,000,000%, Dogecoin over 43,000%, and some of the newest presale coins often pump 10x, 100x, or even 1,000x on rare occasions.

Explosive potential is probably the single best description for what we’re seeing today in crypto.

Quick Picks for Coins with Explosive Potential

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) - Real-Time Layer-2 Solution for Scaling Bitcoin Launch: May, 2025 Join Presale Maxi Doge ($MAXI) - High-Impact Meme Coin Built On Strength, Staking & Conviction Launch: July, 2025 Join Presale PepeNode ($PEPENODE) - A New, Gamified Way to Mine to Earn Meme Coin Rewards Launch: February, 2025 Join Presale Wall Street Pepe ($WEPE) - Empowering Retail Traders with Viral Meme Energy & Exclusive Insights Launch: February, 2025 Join Presale Best Wallet Token ($BEST) - Get Easy, Early Access to New Curated Presale Projects Launch: November, 2024 Join Presale

If you’re looking for the most recent insights on the next crypto to explode, stay tuned. We update this page frequently throughout the day, as we get the latest and greatest insider insights for chart sniffers and traders looking for the next coin to explode.

Disclaimer: Crypto is a high-risk investment, and you may lose your capital. Our content is informational only, and it does not constitute financial advice. We may earn affiliate commissions at no extra cost to you. XRP Could be Ready for a Major Pump as Market Looks for the Next Crypto to Explode

September 17, 2025 • 11:00 UTC

Open interest in the XRP futures markets are expected to pump $XRP’s price past its present level at $3.

At the moment, 2.83B $XRP equivalent to $8.54B are committed to these markets, signaling a wait-and-see approach among traders amid the expected Fed rate cut and the launch of the first XRP ETF in the US.

Depending on the outcome of today’s Fed announcement and the reception to REX-Osprey’s XRP ETF, $XRP has the potential to rally in the coming days.

In the meantime, traders are on the lookout for the next crypto to explode, such as Pepenode ($PEPENODE).

The project has the potential to democratize crypto mining as it will allow even non-techies to build their virtual mining rig.

Its ongoing presale has already generated a lot of buzz, allowing it to raise over $1.2M in less than two months.

To get your hands on $PEPENODE tokens, be sure to read ‘How to Buy Pepenode’.

Chinese Pudgy Pandas Raises $300K In Its First Day of Presale, Fueling Maxi Doge’s $2.2M Presale

September 17, 2025 • 10:00 UTC

The new Chinese meme coin, Pudgy Pandas ($PANDA), recorded $300K during its first presale day. Two days later it tripled that performance, such that it now sits at over $900K.

The presale is only set to last 33 days and this early performance hints at $PANDA as a potential banger post-launch.

Another noteworthy prospect is Maxi Doge ($MAXI), currently in a $2.2M presale. As Dogecoin’s buffer and more unhinged step brother, Maxi Doge brings degeneracy back into the cryptosphere.

We’re talking about 1000x-leveraged positions, no safety nets, and no fear; just yolo through the charts in the hope of retiring by 22.

You can learn what Maxi Doge ($MAXI) is right here.

Pump.fun’s $PUMP Dominates Charts With 77% Performance Last Week, Fueling Snorter Token Next

September 17, 2025 • 10:00 UTC

Pump.fun’s $PUMP pumped 77% over the last week, up nearly 270% from its bottom price. The coin saw its ICO in July, when it raised $600M, raising the company’s valuation to over $4B.

$PUMP’s success as a Solana meme reflects onto other Solana contenders like Snorter Token ($SNORT), the coin hunter’s best ally.

The project introduces the Snorter Bot, the official sniper riffle-trained Aardvark who can snipe hot tokens in milliseconds with unparalleled efficiency and for predictable profit.

You can learn how to buy $SNORT right here.

Authored by Bogdan Patru, Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/next-crypto-to-explode-live-news-september-17-2025/

Many industry experts and analysts predict $BTC to touch $1M by 2030.

Given that it has generated around 188M% returns since 2010 and governments across the world are embracing digital assets, the prediction doesn’t seem far-fetched.

But here is the problem: does the Bitcoin blockchain have what it takes to back its growing popularity, at only seven transactions per second (TPS)?

The answer is a resounding yes, thanks to Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER).

Not only does this new Layer-2 (L2) solution bring more speed and scalability to the Bitcoin blockchain, it also makes it programmable for Web3 innovation.

The best part is that the project is still in the early phases with solid technical progress.

Bitcoin Hyper offers a low-cost entry into Bitcoin’s journey ahead, making it no surprise that the viral $HYPER token presale has already reached $16.4M+.

Why Bitcoin Hyper is Trending

Bitcoin Hyper is one of the best new cryptocurrencies to buy this year, with both whales and retail investors in a hurry to secure its native crypto $HYPER.

This week alone has seen whale buys of $27.1K and $31.5K.

These purchases follow a much bigger transaction last month, where a whale swapped 35.149 $ETH worth $161.3K for $HYPER tokens.

What’s Fueling This Buying Frenzy?

To understand that, we need to first look at the pain points that Bitcoin Hyper sets out to solve.

• Bitcoin is a brilliant store of value, as its value appreciation over the years proves. But when it comes to everyday transactions, $BTC doesn’t justify the ‘currency’ in cryptocurrency.
• Transaction fees can climb so high during busy times that you’d be better off paying with fiat.
• Bitcoin transactions can also be incredibly slow. $BTC’s seven TPS is dwarfed by Visa’s 65K TPS, making it obvious why its entry into the mainstream as digital cash remains elusive.
• While Bitcoin is often heralded as the crypto king, real innovation in the blockchain space takes place elsewhere. Interestingly, it has been close to 17 years since the Bitcoin blockchain launched, but it still lacks programmability.

Web3 owes its growth to blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano for their networks, compatible with smart contracts – not Bitcoin.

As a blockchain, Bitcoin is outdated. Developers can’t rely on it for building dApps, DeFi solutions, NFTs, and meme coins.

And that’s exactly the reason why Bitcoin Hyper is trending now; it is on a mission to make the Bitcoin blockchain relevant again.

The Mechanics of Bitcoin Hyper’s Layer-2

Bitcoin Hyper is a fast, cheap, and secure L2 solution designed for Bitcoin, with two core pillars:

The first is a non-custodial Canonical Bridge. You send your $BTC to an address monitored by the Canonical Bridge, and once verified, it’s minted on the L2 as wrapped $BTC.

Unlike $BTC, you can use the wrapped $BTC across different applications, from DeFi to NFTs and games. The L2 unlocks Web3 avenues that $BTC never could.

When you want your $BTC back, simply withdraw it back to Bitcoin’s native Layer-1, any time you choose.

The second is the Solana Virtual Machine, which brings Solana-level performance to Bitcoin.

For developers familiar with Solana’s framework and tools, it will be easy to build apps onto Bitcoin Hyper. Near-instant execution and low fees are added incentives.

Visit the Bitcoin Hyper website to learn more about the L2 infrastructure.

Solid Tech Progress Justifies the FOMO

The crypto market is a decentralized space where anyone can launch a project.

Low entry barriers lead to innovation, but they can also overcrowd the market with substandard projects. Investors who have watched the crypto market for a while know that new projects are not to be judged by the promises they make.

Their dev updates matter more than their roadmap. It is for this reason, strategic investors are buying $HYPER tokens before it hits exchanges.

Here is what we can expect next:

• Better roll-up sequencing models, refined for anchoring to Bitcoin’s base layer
• Stronger dev workflows for SVM-compatible contracts, from deployment to monitoring
• Lightweight infra services (RPC, indexers, explorers) to help developers interact with Hyper efficiently
• Pathway for early builders to test contracts and infra components before the mainnet launch.

In addition, the project has undergone two smart contract audits by leading blockchain security firms Coinsult and SpyWolf. The reports clear any concerns investors may have around rug pulls and code traps – both genuine risks in the crypto space.

Backed by a strong project with consistent tech progress, it wouldn’t be surprising to see $HYPER explode on its initial exchange listings.

According to our Bitcoin Hyper price prediction, $HYPER could make a 28x gain from its presale price, hitting $0.32 by the year-end.

$16.4M Raised: The Presale Window is Now Open – But Not For Long

The $HYPER presale is racing ahead, with growing support from Bitcoin investors.

They are making a strategic move with the new token, as it is closely tied to Bitcoin’s brand value and utility.

The pro-crypto shift across the world hints at Bitcoin’s mainstream adoption. For example, Japan plans to cut crypto taxes from 55% to 20%, and the new rule treats crypto gains similarly to stock gains.

The US, on the other hand, is on a mission to become the crypto capital of the world. SEC Chair Paul Atkins reiterated this goal in his keynote address at the inaugural OECD Roundtable on Global Financial Markets.

‘An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come. And today, ladies and gentlemen, we must admit that: crypto’s time has come.’

– Paul Atkins, SEC Chair

As Bitcoin climbs up the charts, $HYPER is expected to follow.

But here is the distinction. Bitcoin has a gigantic market cap of $2.3T, which limits its pace, while Bitcoin Hyper is a small-cap project with more room for returns. The tokenomics is designed with eyes set on long-term growth and value appreciation.

Waiting until the exchange listing, however, might be a bad idea, as the residual FOMO from the presale could push the token price exponentially. The dynamic staking program also encourages early investments with higher APYs.

Right now you can buy $HYPER for $0.012935 and unlock a juicy 70% staking APY. Our How to Buy Bitcoin Hyper guide explains how to do just that.

Being a presale, though, the price rises in stages while the APY lowers as more holders stake their tokens. And the next price surge is less than two days away. So early action is key.

Ready to join the presale? Buy your $HYPER via the official Bitcoin Hyper website today.

Authored by Bogdan Patru, Bitcoinist – https://bitcoinist.com/bitcoin-hyper-l2-can-save-troubled-bitcoin

Data shows Bitcoin has lost interest to Ethereum and altcoins recently as their combined futures volume has broken past the 85% mark.

Ethereum & Altcoins Have Seen Their Futures Volume Rise Recently

In a new post on X, CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn has talked about the latest trend in the futures trading volume share of Ethereum and the altcoins. The futures trading volume here naturally refers to the amount that’s becoming involved in futures-related trades on the various derivatives exchanges.

Below is the chart shared by Maartunn that shows the trend in the dominance in this metric for ETH and the alts over the last couple of years:

As is visible in the graph, the futures trading volume dominance has seen a sharp increase for the altcoins recently, implying that speculative interest in these coins has gone up.

The metric is still significantly down for Ethereum compared to its earlier high, but it has nonetheless also enjoyed an uptick at the same time as the altcoin growth.

Combined, ETH and the alts occupy around 85.2% of the total cryptocurrency futures trading volume following the increase. This means that the remaining portion, Bitcoin, has gone below 15% in dominance.

Historically, periods like these have been a bad omen for not just BTC, but the market as a whole. Examples of these are visible in the chart during both the late 2024 and Summer 2025 price tops.

Thus, considering that Ethereum and the altcoins are once again dominating futures trading activity, it’s possible that Bitcoin and other assets may be in for some volatility.

In some other news, on-chain analytics firm Santiment has shared in an X post an update on how the various projects in the digital asset sector rank up in terms of the Development Activity. This indicator measures the total amount of work that the developers of a given project are doing on its public GitHub repositories.

The metric makes its measurement in units of “events,” where one event is any action taken by the developer on the repository, like the push of a commit or creation of a fork.

Here is the table posted by Santiment that shows the ranking for cryptocurrency projects on the basis of their 30-day Development Activity:

As displayed above, Ethereum is only the 10th largest project in terms of 30-day Development Activity, despite its market cap being second only to Bitcoin. The project that’s seeing its developers work the hardest right now is Internet Computer (ICP), which has the metric sitting at a value nearly three times that of ETH’s.

ETH Price

Ethereum recovered above $4,750 earlier, but it seems the asset’s price has once again faced a pullback as it’s now back at $4,450.

According to a recent report by Fidelity Digital Assets, Bitcoin’s (BTC) illiquid supply could climb to 8.3 million BTC – roughly 42% of its total supply – by Q2 2032. As a result, the digital asset’s price may experience extraordinary price appreciation by then.

Bitcoin Illiquid Supply Could Jump To 8.3 Million

For their analysis, Fidelity used two distinct BTC cohorts to determine the illiquid supply. The first cohort consists of BTC that was last moved seven or more years ago. The second cohort includes public companies that hold at least 1,000 BTC.

Bitcoin included in the first cohort was found to be highly illiquid, as its total portion of the BTC supply has only increased quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) since tracking became possible in 2016. The following chart shows the quarterly net change observed in this cohort.

When it comes to public companies holding more than 1,000 BTC, there has only been one QoQ decrease in total supply since 2020. As of June 30, this cohort held a total of 830,000 BTC.

Notably, public companies holding more than 1,000 BTC represent 97% of the total BTC held across all public companies. It is also worth noting that the vast majority of these holdings are concentrated among 30 companies.

When looking from a macro viewpoint, it can be observed that there has been an accelerating trend of holding BTC versus trading or transacting. Specifically, the rising adoption of BTC among public companies has led to a rise in illiquid supply since Q3 2024. The following chart illustrates the rise in BTC’s illiquid supply.

The report adds that at the end of Q2 2025, BTC’s circulating supply hovered around 19.8 million. Of this, close to 8.3 million BTC could become illiquid by Q2 2032. The following chart shows this projection.

The analysis predicts that Bitcoin’s maximum finite supply of 21 million is likely to become relatively more illiquid over time. Further, the trend of more companies buying BTC is likely to provide additional momentum.

The following chart further shows the change in Bitcoin’s liquid, illiquid, and still to be mined supply since Q2 2010. As can be seen, illiquid supply only started appearing in Q2 2020 and has already doubled since then.

BTC Adoption Continues To Grow

A trend spearheaded by Strategy – formerly known as MicroStrategy – the corporate adoption of BTC is not slowing down. The firm recently added to its BTC holdings, as it bought another 525 BTC.

Earlier this month, Japanese investment firm Metaplanet shared plans to raise $880 million to purchase more BTC. Similarly, Cyprus-based firm Robin Energy allocated $5 million toward its Bitcoin strategy.

Latest data shows that total BTC held by public firms recently crossed the one million mark, signifying the increasing trust in BTC as a reliable store of value. At press time, BTC trades at $115,767, up 1% in the past 24 hours.

On Tuesday, the multinational tech company Google announced the release of a new payment protocol designed to streamline the process of sending and receiving money for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. This open-source initiative expands beyond traditional payment methods like credit and debit cards to include stablecoins.

Google’s New Payments Protocol

To facilitate the integration of stablecoins, Google collaborated with US-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, which has already developed its own AI and crypto payment solutions through its x402 Bazaar program. 

Google also engaged with over 60 organizations, including major players like Salesforce, American Express, and Etsy, to incorporate a wide range of perspectives and capabilities into the new protocol.

James Tromans, the head of Web3 at Google Cloud, emphasized the protocol’s design in an interview with Fortune, stating, “We built it from the ground up to consider both existing payment infrastructures and emerging capabilities like stablecoins.” 

Over the past year, AI solutions have been one of the largest trends in the cryptocurrency sector, driven by their ability to automate complex tasks such as trading and decentralized finance (DeFi) management. 

Given the significant interest in stablecoins following the passage and signing of the GENIUS Act, the United States’ first stablecoin bill, it seems that Google is positioning itself in support of this development, as well as of the Trump administration’s support for both crypto and AI solutions. 

Many industry leaders predict a future where AI systems will communicate autonomously, potentially allowing AI financial advisors to negotiate mortgages directly with AI representatives from various institutions, or personal shopping agents to engage with AI retailers.

Tech Giants Embrace Stablecoins

The recent launch builds on a protocol introduced by Google in April, which established a standard for communication between different artificial intelligence agents. 

Tromans noted that this new payments protocol is intended to ensure that transactions between artificial intelligence agents are safe, secure, and aligned with user intentions.

Coinbase’s head of engineering, Erik Reppel, highlighted the importance of their partnership, stating, “We’re all working to figure out how we can make AI transmit value to each other.” 

Reppel believes that this new collaboration between the two giants, aims to pave the way for a more interconnected digital economy, where AI systems can seamlessly facilitate financial transactions.

Google’s entry into the stablecoin space aligns with a growing interest among major tech firms. Companies like Apple, Airbnb, and Meta are exploring stablecoin integrations, reflecting a broader trend in Silicon Valley toward embracing cryptocurrency. 

In June, e-commerce platform Shopify also announced plans to implement stablecoin payment options later this year, further indicating a shift towards new financial solutions.

Featured image from CNBC, chart from TradingView.com 

PayPal has announced crypto integration for its P2P system, adding support for Bitcoin and more alongside a new feature called PayPal Links.

PayPal To Allow Users To Transfer Crypto With Personalized Payment Links

According to a press release, PayPal has expanded its peer-to-peer (P2P) offerings to include cryptocurrencies. US users will soon be able to send and receive these tokens directly within the app, transferring not only to PayPal and Venmo, but also to other digital asset wallets. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and PYUSD are in the list of coins confirmed to be supported so far.

The news comes a couple of months after PayPal’s July announcement about adding a “Pay with Crypto” feature to help merchants accept digital asset payments in a convenient manner. This new integration into the P2P system would now allow everyday users to seamlessly transfer cryptocurrencies to friends and family.

The digital asset integration isn’t the only new feature that PayPal has revealed. Starting today, users in the US can start creating personalized payment links via “PayPal Links.” These are one-time links that users can share with others to send and receive money.

“For 25 years, PayPal has revolutionized how money moves between people. Now, we’re taking the next major step,” said Diego Scotti, General Manager, Consumer Group at PayPal. “Whether you’re texting, messaging, or emailing, now your money follows your conversations.”

According to the payments processor giant, P2P and other consumer payments saw solid growth in the second quarter of 2025, with volume jumping 10% year-over-year.

The company’s latest P2P expansion ties into its greater “PayPal World” initiative, a global platform that connects digital payments systems and wallets from around the world. PayPal World is expected to launch in late 2025, but for now, no specific timeline is known for when Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will become available in the P2P system.

PayPal has also reassured users on the tax side of P2P transfers, noting, “as always, friends-and-family transfers through Venmo and PayPal are exempt from 1099-K reporting. Users won’t receive tax forms for gifts, reimbursements, or splitting expenses, helping ensure that personal payments stay personal.”

Bitcoin Has Stalled In Its Recovery Surge

Bitcoin has steadily made its way up since the bottom at the start of the month, but over the last few days, the coin has taken to sideways movement as its price is still trading around $115,400.

Below is a chart that shows how the price action has looked for the cryptocurrency over the past month.

The sideways movement may be about to break, however, if the pattern related to dormant transactions is anything to go by. In a post on X, CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn has pointed out how BTC has just seen a large movement of coins aged between 3 to 5 years old.

In the chart, Maartunn has identified an interesting pattern. “Notice how this metric aligns with the sharp price reactions in recent times,” explains the analyst. Given that another such movement of dormant coins has surfaced, it’s possible that Bitcoin may be due some volatility.

Israeli authorities have identified a cluster of crypto addresses they say moved about $1.5 billion in Tether (USDT) that is connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

According to reports, the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) of Israel flagged 187 wallet addresses and asked platforms and service providers to take action.

Immediate freezes were limited, and most of the funds appear to have been moved before they could be held.

Israel Names Wallets And Asks For Action

The NBCTF supplied a list of 187 addresses it believes are tied to the IRGC. Tether responded by blacklisting 39 of the flagged wallets, which blocked those addresses from further on-chain transactions.

Reports indicate that only about $1.5 million is presently frozen or held, while the larger sum — roughly $1.5 billion in incoming transfers over time — has largely been shifted through other addresses and services.

Questions Remain Over Ownership And Flows

Reports have disclosed that blockchain analytics firms have urged caution about attributing direct ownership of every flagged address to the IRGC.

Companies like Elliptic have said that some wallets could belong to exchanges or third-party services used by many different users, which complicates claims of direct control.

Tracing crypto flows is possible but messy, and the distinction between transaction volume through a wallet and direct ownership matters in legal terms.

How The Funds Were Handled On-Chain

Israeli authorities say they tracked large USDT flows into the flagged network over months. While a small portion was located and frozen, most of the tokens were reported to have been moved before enforcement steps could be completed.

Tether’s decision to blacklist some wallets shows one way stablecoin issuers can act, but the moves do not recover funds that have already left the flagged addresses. The situation highlights how quickly assets can be shifted among many addresses.

Why It Matters For Sanctions And Crypto Compliance

According to market and regulatory coverage, the case illustrates the ongoing challenge of stopping sanctioned actors from using crypto to move value.

Stablecoins like USDT are widely used for cross-border transfers, and their scale makes them attractive for many users.

Lawmakers and regulators will likely watch how exchanges, wallets, and issuers respond, since cooperation by private firms can make enforcement more effective.

Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView

The crypto market is entering a pivotal week as Bloomberg analysts confirm that XRP and Dogecoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are on track to launch in the U.S.

The funds, managed by REX-Osprey, have cleared regulatory hurdles under the Investment Company Act of 1940, a pathway that has made approval faster compared to Bitcoin ETFs.

Upcoming XRP and Dogecoin ETFs Boost Optimism

The XRP ETF (ticker: XRPR) and Dogecoin ETF (ticker: DOJE) are expected to debut within days, with Dogecoin’s listing scheduled for Thursday and XRP’s by Friday.

This will be the first U.S. ETF for Dogecoin, providing traditional investors with access to the meme coin without the need for wallets or direct token ownership. For XRP, the launch signifies a milestone as it becomes the first major altcoin ETF after Ethereum to gain entry into U.S. markets.

Bloomberg’s Eric Balchunas highlighted that the XRP fund will combine direct holdings of the token with exposure to other global spot ETFs. Meanwhile, James Seyffart noted that over 90 additional crypto ETF applications are currently awaiting SEC review, including those tied to Litecoin and Avalanche.

What It Means for Altcoin Investors

The arrival of XRP and Dogecoin ETFs signals growing institutional acceptance of altcoins, moving beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Analysts believe these products could attract billions in inflows from retirement funds, brokerage platforms, and traditional investment accounts.

For Dogecoin, the ETF marks a leap from meme culture into mainstream finance. Already, DOGE has seen price momentum around $0.26–$0.28, with whales accumulating heavily ahead of the launch.

Some technical analysts argue Dogecoin is finalizing a bullish chart pattern that could push its price toward $0.35, $0.45, and even $1 if momentum holds.

XRP, on the other hand, is positioned as a utility-driven altcoin with strong liquidity. Its ETF could accelerate inflows into Ripple’s ecosystem, especially if paired with dovish global monetary policies in the coming weeks.

Broader Market Impact

The timing of these ETF launches coincides with key central bank meetings. The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates by 25 basis points, while the Bank of England and Bank of Japan will announce decisions within days.

Analysts suggest that if multiple central banks coordinate easing, the result could spark a mega altseason, driving Bitcoin past $120,000 and Ethereum beyond resistance levels.

For investors, the message is clear: XRP and Dogecoin ETFs are not just symbolic victories; they could transform altcoin adoption in traditional finance. Now we wait and see what may unfold over the next ten days.

Cover image from ChatGPT, DOGEUSD chart from Tradingview

Symbiotic, Chainlink, and Lombard have unveiled their collaboration to launch the industry-first cryptoeconomic guarantee layer for secure cross-chain Bitcoin transfers.

Symbiotic, Chainlink, And Lombard Team Up

On Monday, staking protocol Symbiotic announced its partnership with decentralized oracle provider Chainlink and Bitcoin DeFi protocol Lombard to launch the industry’s first-of-its-kind guarantee layer for cross-chain Bitcoin transfers.

The collaboration integrates Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) to secure transfers of Lombard Staked Bitcoin (LBTC) across blockchains. Additionally, it introduces two new Symbiotic vaults, backed by a Symbiotic-powered monitoring network that verifies LBTC transfers via CCIP and issues alerts in case of discrepancies, the team detailed.

One of the staking vaults will hold up to $100 million of Chainlink’s native token, LINK, while the other will have 20 million of Lombard’s upcoming native token, BARD.

Notably, the Bitcoin DeFi protocol recently discussed the launch of its native token on X, stating, “Lombard is redefining how Bitcoin moves. At the core of this movement is BARD.” The protocol revealed that the tokenomics will be shared on September 16, while the airdrop and other participant allocation claims will take place on September 18.

The integration will introduce immediate token utility for BARD holders, the announcement explained, by enabling staking into the vault via the Lombard App to secure cross-chain LBTC transfers while earning up to 15% APY.

Moreover, Symbiotic’s modular architecture will allow Lombard and partners to dynamically customize protection levels, with value transferred and no disruption to ongoing operations, “positioning this model as foundational infrastructure for the next generation of cross-chain DeFi security.”

‘A New Standard’ For Cross-Chain Bitcoin Transfers

According to the statement, the integration will deliver a “dual-layer protection system that scales with demand while setting a new standard for cross-chain Bitcoin derivatives” by combining Symbiotic’s permissionless restaking, CCIP’s modular security, and Lombard’s Bitcoin infrastructure.

This collaboration not only reinforces LBTC’s position as the leading institutional-grade, yield-bearing Bitcoin asset trusted by top DeFi protocols, but also establishes a replicable framework for securing broader DeFi infrastructure such as oracles and settlement layers, creating systemic resilience that strengthens with network growth.

Misha Putiatin, Symbiotic’s co-founder, affirmed that the protocol “turns passive crypto assets into modular, active security infrastructure,” adding that “Integrating our restaking framework with Chainlink CCIP for cross-chain LBTC transfers showcases how decentralized collateral can be deployed quickly and permissionlessly to reinforce cross-chain value flows and deliver tangible benefits to end users.”

Meanwhile, Jacob Phillips, Lombard’s Co-founder, highlighted that LBTC is “a chain asset, meeting demand across networks rather than being confined to one.” He noted that holders seek the freedom to move their Bitcoin wherever the best opportunities are, but without compromising security.

To address that, Phillips explained that “pairing CCIP’s modular architecture with Symbiotic’s restaked collateral gives our community stronger economic guarantees through staking. Each BARD staked reinforces the robustness of LBTC, aligning incentives and strengthening the integrity of our interoperability stack.”

Shiba Inu bulls are back, with on-chain data indicating heavy accumulation among the meme coin’s investors. Specifically, a 512 billion SHIB transfer has drawn the attention of the crypto community, sparking bullish sentiments towards the meme coin, which has underperformed so far. 

Shiba Inu Bulls Spark SHIB Accumulation Theory With 512 Billion SHIB Transfer

Etherscan data shows that a Kraken hot wallet moved just over 512 billion SHIB ($7.14 million) to an unknown wallet (0x95a…4C4cE), sparking speculations that Shiba Inu bulls are actively accumulating the meme coin. Typically, a move from a hot wallet to what is possibly a cold wallet indicates that investors are looking to hold the crypto asset for the long term. 

Notably, thanks to this 512 billion transfer, the unknown wallet now ranks as the 38th largest Shiba Inu holder. Meanwhile, further on-chain data suggests that this wallet might be Kraken’s cold wallet, which stores its reserves. This wallet has made several transactions since then but still holds 1.47 trillion SHIB ($19.28 million), representing an increase from the initial 512 billion that was deposited. 

This confirms that Shiba Inu bulls have indeed been busy accumulating more SHIB even amid the sideways price action from the meme coin. This is a positive development, as it could trigger a supply shock, potentially leading to higher prices for SHIB. Meanwhile, Santiment data also shows that the exchange outflows are currently outpacing the exchange inflows. 

 

On September 15, 181.87 billion SHIB were taken off exchanges, while 87.37 billion tokens were moved into exchanges. This indicates that more Shiba Inu investors are currently leaning towards accumulating more SHIB rather than offloading their tokens. These investors are likely taking advantage of the dip opportunity as they anticipate higher prices for the meme coin despite its underperformance. SHIB is down almost 40% year-to-date (YTD). 

SHIB Could Still Rally 600% From Current Levels

Crypto analyst Javon Marks has predicted that the Shiba Inu price could rally by almost 600% from its current levels. He stated that the technicals point towards a near 6x happening in price to reach the $0.000081 target despite some bearish sentiments towards the meme coin. The analyst had earlier revealed that SHIB had confirmed a bullish pattern in a regular bull divergence with the MACD histogram. 

Fundamentals also present a bullish outlook for the Shiba Inu price. The SHIB team is about to roll out the LEASH v2 migration, which is positive for the entire Shiba Inu ecosystem. Meanwhile, ShibaSwap recently launched an upgrade to enable cross-chain access, further strengthening SHIB’s utility. 

At the time of writing, the Shiba Inu price is trading at around $0.00001306, down over 5% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Pantera Capital founder and CEO Dan Morehead told CNBC that Bitcoin could climb to $750,000 within four to five years, arguing the asset still represents only a “very low single-digit percentage of global wealth” and has historically “roughly doubled every year” across the firm’s 12 years in crypto. Morehead coupled the price call with a stark consolidation thesis: only a single-digit number of base-layer blockchains will endure—led by Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

Why Bitcoin, Ethereum And Solana Will Succeed

Speaking on “Squawk Box,” Morehead framed Bitcoin’s upside as a function of its penetration into global portfolios rather than a speculative cycle. “I think it could go up to $750,000 in the next four or five years,” he said, reiterating that while a $1 million handle may be conceivable, it is a longer-dated prospect. The forecast extends a through-cycle view Pantera has pushed since launching what it describes as the first institutional bitcoin fund in 2013.

The Pantera chief also dismissed “winner-take-all” narratives in smart-contract platforms, but he narrowed the field decisively. “There’s a single-digit number of layer ones… things like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana—not thousands, but definitely not one,” he said. In his view, these chains map to distinct use cases: “Bitcoin’s digital gold,” Ethereum anchors programmability, and Solana is “very good at the performance blockchain.”

Morehead underscored Solana’s technical and market momentum to explain why it belongs alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum in the long-run cohort. “Solana’s had better performance than even Bitcoin over the last four years,” he noted, adding that the network “could do 9 billion transactions a day,” a throughput he argued exceeds activity across traditional capital markets.

While the exact comparative framing is debatable, the line reflects Pantera’s view that Solana’s execution capacity—combined with low fees—has crossed a threshold where “it’s not obvious you need a next thing” for high-speed on-chain finance.

The interview doubled as a showcase for a new public-markets vehicle offering direct, unlevered exposure to SOL while capturing native staking yield for equity investors. Morehead cast the “digital asset treasury” structure as a bridge product in an era when large-cap crypto ETFs remain unevenly available.

“Right now there’s no [spot US] ETF [for Solana]. It’s very difficult to get… For people with a brokerage account, this is the easiest way to get access,” he said, describing staking as “cumbersome” for typical retail users and positioning the listed vehicle to automate validator selection and reward capture.

Pantera’s push fits a broader 2025 pattern: public companies raising capital to hold programmatic positions in major cryptoassets—often with staking overlays—and then listing on Nasdaq as equity proxies for tokens without spot ETFs.

Just hours before Morehead’s appearance, Helius Medical Technologies announced an oversubscribed $500 million financing led by Pantera and Summer Capital to launch a Solana-backed treasury strategy, with an additional $750 million in warrants that could lift the vehicle’s size to roughly $1.25 billion. Helius said it would explore staking and conservative on-chain yield opportunities around its SOL reserves.

Asked to arbitrate Ethereum versus Solana, Morehead avoided a binary call, returning to the same consolidation arc: multiple large-cap winners, but far fewer than the thousands of L1s launched over the last cycle.

The market’s job now, he implied, is to price durable differentiation: Bitcoin as pristine collateral and macro hedge; Ethereum as the generalized settlement and execution layer for tokenized assets and DeFi; Solana as a high-throughput venue for consumer-scale and market-microstructure-intensive applications. “There would be lots of blockchains that are important,” he said, “but definitely not one.”

At press time, Bitcoin traded at $115,319.

American Express has rolled out a new way for cardholders to collect travel memories: blockchain-backed passport stamps that live on a public ledger. The stamps are meant to be keepsakes, not investments, and they are tied to in-person spending while traveling.

American Express Launches Passport Stamps

According to company information and reports, the feature — called Amex Passport — issues NFT-style stamps as ERC-721 tokens on Base, an Ethereum layer-two network.

Eligible cardholders must be US consumer cardholders with their cards linked to their online Amex account. Stamps are earned when a linked card is used in person in any of 130+ qualifying countries and regions, and past trips can be stamped retroactively for up to two years based on purchase records.

What The Stamps Show

Reports have disclosed that each stamp records simple details: the country or region visited, a date, and a short note such as a favorite meal or a memorable sight.

The stamps can be viewed in the Amex Travel app’s Passport section and can be shared to social media or saved to a camera roll. They are non-transferable, which means users cannot sell or move them to other wallets; they are intended strictly as personal mementos.

How Travelers Can Earn Stamps

American Express Cardholders who pay with their Amex card, or via Apple Pay or Google Pay tied to that card, should trigger the stamp when they make qualifying purchases abroad.

Based on reports, the smart contract implementing the program was deployed roughly 25 days before the public announcement, and more than 20,000 stamps had been issued soon after launch. That early uptake suggests some interest among frequent travelers who already use Amex while abroad.

American Express: Privacy And Technical Notes

According to published coverage, American Express aims to limit what goes on chain. Stamps avoid putting personal information such as names or exact purchase details into the public ledger.

Still, the fact that entries live on a public blockchain means there are tradeoffs — some data about visits will be visible to anyone who inspects the contract.

The company says privacy safeguards are in place, but users who are cautious about on-chain traces should be aware of those limits.

What The Numbers Show

A customer survey cited around 73% of respondents saying they want more digital ways to mark trips, while about 56% said they miss getting physical passport stamps.

The initial list of eligible places covers 130+ countries and regions, and retroactive stamping reaches back two years. At launch the program applies only to US consumer cards; corporate accounts are not included.

Featured image from SOPA Images/Getty Images, chart from TradingView

A prominent crypto analyst has suggested that the actual XRP circulating supply is much lower than most realize. With demand for tokens expected to rise from areas such as tokenized debt, gold, and stablecoins, XRP’s seemingly limited supply could tighten even more, leaving the market exposed to a sudden squeeze.

XRP’s True Circulating Supply Limited

Versan Aljarrah, financial strategist and founder of Black Swan Capitalist, has claimed that XRP’s true circulating supply is significantly smaller than widely assumed. He argues that once escrowed holdings and institutional reserves are removed from the equation, the amount of XRP available in the market is grossly reduced. 

According to Aljarrah, this overlooked fact could have enormous consequences once institutional demand from tokenized gold, debt, and stablecoins begins to flood the XRP ecosystem. He added that such a scenario could collapse the remaining market supply overnight. 

Expanding on these concerns, Aljarrah took to YouTube to frame the issue within a much larger context. He explained that XRP’s scarcity is far more than a minor technical detail, describing it as a fundamental element of the cryptocurrency’s long-term role in global finance. 

The Black Swan Capitalist founder pointed to the mechanics of XRP’s supply as further evidence that scarcity will play a major role in its future valuation. With a fixed supply of 100 billion tokens and a small portion burned with every transaction, he says that XRP could become increasingly scarce as usage grows. 

He further argued that meeting institutional scale demand would require XRP’s price to rise significantly, with some forecasts pointing to levels as high as $10,000 or even $1 million—astronomical figures that stand well beyond current market valuations. Central to this thesis is the idea that XRP could function as a world reserve asset and a form of “digital gold.” 

Aljarrah envisions central banks and institutions to tokenize assets like gold, bonds, and debt, using XRP to provide liquidity necessary for instant settlement. He suggests that doing this could effectively position XRP as a reserve currency within a tokenized economy. 

XRP Positioned As Backbone Of Future Global Finance

According to Aljarrah, XRP should not be viewed merely as a speculative cryptocurrency for retail investors. Instead, he positioned it as the core infrastructure of a new financial system designed to replace outdated and failing monetary frameworks. 

In his YouTube video, the financial strategist characterized XRP as “the plumbing of the new financial system,” built to deliver infinite scalability and solve multi-trillion-dollar inefficiencies that plague global finance today. To truly grasp XRP’s value, Aljarrah explained that investors must abandon the traditional retail mindset and instead view the token as the backbone of a tokenized global economy.

He drew attention to the inefficiencies and risks in the current financial landscape, from insolvent banks to an overloaded derivatives market, and presented XRP as the bridge currency that can connect failing systems to a modern, interoperable financial network. He further emphasized that XRP is the key that provides the liquidity and settlement power necessary for seamless cross-border and cross-asset transactions.

Shiba Inu’s Shibarium network is facing a major setback after a recent bridge exploit that allowed an attacker to move funds out of the platform. In response, the Shiba Inu DeFi team makes a public on-chain offer of a bounty to encourage the return of the stolen assets. At the same time, token prices connected to Shiba Inu fell sharply as investors reacted to the news and questioned the network’s security.

Shibarium Bridge Exploit Results In $2.4 Million Drain

The exploit begins when the attacker uses a flash loan to purchase 4.6 million Bone ShibaSwap tokens, also known as BONE. With this control, they accessed validator signing keys and approved a harmful transaction. That transaction transferred approximately $2.4 million worth of assets from the Shibarium bridge in a short period.

The impact of the stolen funds, transferred out of the Shibarium bridge by the attacker, has spread across the market. Tokens connected to the Shiba Inu ecosystem begin to lose value soon after the attack. 

The Shiba Inu token, SHIB, falls by about seven percent, dropping from $0.0000145 to $0.0000131. The K9 Finance token, KNINE, also takes a hit, losing about ten percent in value. ShibaSwap’s token, BONE, suffers the sharpest decline, falling by more than one-third in just days. 

Shiba Inu Team Sends Bounty Offer To Attacker

After the exploit, the Shibarium DeFi team makes the unusual choice of reaching out directly to the attacker through the blockchain. Public data on Etherscan shows a message sent on-chain offering the attacker a bounty of 5 Ether, approximately $23,000, in exchange for the return of the stolen funds.

According to the team, the bounty is open for 30 days, but it will begin to shrink after seven days, which puts pressure on the attacker to act fast if they want the full reward. The message itself is in clear but firm words. K9 Finance states: “Settlement is atomic when we call recoverKnine(). If you call accept(), we cannot cancel the deal. Code is law. Bounty is live. Please, act fast.” 

Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya addressed SHIB holders in an X post. Dhairya stressed that restoring security and protecting user funds remain the top priorities as the team is now collaborating with security experts to investigate the exploit. As part of the immediate response, the developers paused stake and unstake functions and moved stake manager funds into a hardware wallet managed by a multisig. 

Whether the attacker accepts or ignores the bounty, SHIB holders now have many questions about safety and trust in the system. The exploit has altered how the community views the network, highlighting why Shiba Inu holders need to closely monitor how the Shibarium DeFi team resolves the situation.

After a sharp drop in August, Bitcoin is once again aiming bullishly at its current all-time high price, as the largest digital asset reclaims and holds above the $115,000 price mark. Following its renewed upward strength, it appears the surge has triggered a notable adoption among investors, leading to a spike in BTC’s Scarcity Index.

Binance Bitcoin Scarcity Index Major Surge

Just as Bitcoin is regaining upward traction, several crucial metrics are starting to exhibit a bullish trend. Presently, the mechanics of the supply of Bitcoin on exchanges are changing once more, as evidenced by the recent dramatic increase in Bitcoin Scarcity Index on Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

In a quick-take post on the CryptoQuant platform, Arab Chain, a market expert and author, reported that the recent sudden spike in this key metric, which occurred on Sunday, marked its first time since June. This spike indicates a tightening supply environment, implying that as investor accumulation increases, there are fewer coins accessible for trading.

Therefore, this move suggests that a large amount of BTC was removed from Binance or that sell orders sharply decreased, which causes supply to become limited on the platform. According to the market expert, this shift is typically linked to the arrival of big investors, such as institutions or whales, who made substantial purchases.

Interestingly, when immediate purchasing power surpasses supply, the Bitcoin Scarcity Index rises, giving the impression that buyers are vying for BTC on the market. It is worth noting that the last time the pattern took place last June, it continued for several days, and after that, BTC experienced a massive rally to its all-time high around $124,000. 

During the surge, BTC experienced a wave of funds as this type of increase usually sparks positive news or sudden capital inflows. Should the index stay positive for a couple of days in a row, it would signal the start of a robust accumulation phase and might help the uptrend to continue.

However, in that case, if the surge is swift and is followed by an equally rapid decline, it can be a sign of speculative activity or order liquidations, which are frequently followed by a period of calm or a price correction. Looking at the scarcity chart, Arab Chain noted that this seems to be the case for BTC right now.

A Rise In The Metric To All-Time Highs

In recent months, the expert highlighted that the scarcity index has risen sharply, hitting all-time highs of over +6 before swiftly falling toward neutral and even negative territory. After this sudden spike, speculations are whether the development could impact the next market phase.

Arab Chain mentioned that this discrepancy between the high price and the index’s quick decline back to or below zero suggests that some of the robust buying impetus has started to wane. Nonetheless, this trend is validated mostly if supply is increasing or withdrawals from crypto platforms are slowing down, which is likely to influence BTC’s price trajectory.

The United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) are reportedly poised to unveil a significant agreement aimed at fostering closer collaboration on cryptocurrencies, as disclosed on Tuesday by the Financial Times. 

UK And US Officials Meet To Discuss Crypto

According to the Financial Times report, discussions surrounding this initiative took place today between UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. 

The meeting featured representatives from major cryptocurrency firms such as Coinbase (COIN), Circle (CRCL), and Ripple, alongside banking giants like Citigroup, Bank of America, and Barclays. 

Sources indicated that the agreement was arranged at the last minute, prompted by a letter from cryptocurrency industry groups urging the UK government to prioritize digital assets and blockchain in any new trade arrangements with the US, especially ahead of Trump’s upcoming state visit.

Central to the proposed agreement is a focus on stablecoins which British officials believe could enhance access for UK companies to some of the world’s most liquid financial markets. 

Shared Vision For Digital Asset Opportunities

Participants of the meeting reportedly expressed a shared belief that closer cooperation between the UK and US could unlock substantial opportunities in the digital asset space. 

Reeves had previously discussed the potential for aligning capital markets, including digital asset regulations, during a dinner with US Ambassador to London Warren Stephens, framing it as a key topic for Trump’s visit.

British officials anticipate that the collaborative efforts on capital market alignment will be highlighted in discussions between Trump and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. 

George Osborne, a former UK chancellor and current member of Coinbase’s global advisory council, recently warned in the Financial Times that the UK is lagging behind the US in its approach to cryptocurrencies. 

He stated, “On crypto and stablecoins, as on too many other things, the hard truth is this: we’re being completely left behind. It’s time to catch up.”

Last year, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce proposed a joint digital sandbox for the UK and US, which could enable regulators to access broader data in various contexts, facilitating easier entry into both markets.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Last week was a good week for digital asset investment products, which attracted a collective $3.3 billion in inflows, according to the latest weekly report from CoinShares. The latest inflow numbers pushed assets under management (AuM) back to $239 billion, just shy of August’s all-time high of $244 billion. The rebound in inflows, which came after shedding $352 million the previous week, was due to softer-than-expected US macroeconomic data and strong end-of-week price gains across the crypto market.

Bitcoin And Ethereum Lead The Turnaround

Unsurprisingly, Bitcoin recorded the strongest shift in sentiment. Particularly, investment products based on the leading cryptocurrency witnessed $2.4 billion in inflows, its largest weekly total since July. The prevailing bullish sentiment throughout the week meant that short-Bitcoin products saw modest outflows that pushed their AuM to just $86 million. 

Ethereum also swung back into positive territory after eight consecutive trading days of outflows. It registered $646 million in inflows, buoyed by four straight daily sessions of positive investor sentiment. This was a quick turnaround from the $912 million in outflows the previous week.

Other assets also benefited, with Solana-based products achieving their largest-ever single-day inflow of $145 million on Friday and ending the week at a $198 million inflow total. XRP-based products added $32.49 million, while SUI, Cardano, and Chainlink products saw inflows of $13.96 million, $1.04 million, and $1.54 million, respectively. The recovery across multiple altcoins is a noteworthy improvement in institutional confidence compared to earlier weeks of downward pressure.

Regional Trends Show US Dominance

The flows into digital asset funds were overwhelmingly concentrated in the United States, which saw $3.2 billion in inflows. Most of these were into Spot Bitcoin and Spot Ethereum ETFs, which witnessed $2.34 billion and $637.69 million inflows last week, according to data from SoSoValue.

Digital asset funds based in Germany followed with $160 million and capped the week with their second-largest daily inflow on record. However, Switzerland-based products stood out on the downside and registered $92 million in outflows that partially offset Europe’s gains.

Looking at providers, iShares ETFs in the US attracted $1.1 billion in new funds, Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund added $850 million, and Bitwise and ARK 21Shares ETFs combined for over $360 million. Meanwhile, Grayscale drew in nearly $147 million, though it is still on net outflows year-to-date.

The recovery in fund flows has lifted overall AuM for digital asset investment products to $239 billion, just 2% below August’s all-time high of $244 billion. Continued inflow this week could see the overall AuM hitting a new all-time high this week.

Bitcoin is dominating the AuM ranks with $182 billion, which is a 76.15% stake. Ethereum, on the other hand, accounts for $40 billion. The third highest AuM is Solana with $4.1 billion. Although it is far behind, Solana has witnessed impressive AuM growth this year.