In today's crypto news, regulatory actions and institutional strategies are at the forefront. Wisconsin Democrats have proposed bills to regulate crypto kiosks, a move that echoes the broader global trend of increased scrutiny on the crypto sector. The proposed regulations, which include strict consumer protection measures and mandatory refund policies, could serve as a blueprint for other jurisdictions grappling with similar issues.
Meanwhile, Stripe's partnership with Paradigm to develop a payments-focused blockchain, Tempo, underscores the growing institutional interest in leveraging blockchain for financial services. However, the success of this venture may hinge on its ability to address privacy and openness issues, a persistent challenge in the industry.
In the trading arena, Ethereum's options market is seeing significant growth, indicative of increased derivative activity. This trend aligns with the recent surge in Ethereum's price, and the bullish sentiment could drive further upward momentum.
VivoPower's plan to acquire $100 million in Ripple shares after the SEC cleared the path for new fundraising is a strategic move that could offer significant upside potential for its shareholders. This highlights the growing trend of companies diversifying their holdings with digital assets.
Finally, TMTG's progress in launching a spot Bitcoin ETF, subject to SEC approval, signals the ongoing institutional interest in crypto investment products. However, the association with Donald Trump could invite increased public and regulatory scrutiny.
Overall, the day's news underscores the increasing intertwining of traditional financial structures with the crypto world, be it through regulatory actions, institutional strategies, or market behaviours.
The following article summaries have been sourced from Decrypt, CryptoSlate, NewsBTC, and Crypto Briefing. Each summary includes a direct link to the original source.
Wisconsin Democrats have proposed two identical bills aimed at regulating crypto kiosks, in response to a significant increase in fraud complaints and losses. The bills, Senate Bill 386 and Assembly Bill 384, were introduced within a two-week period and are designed to control the operation of digital currency terminals across the state. The proposed regulations come in the wake of an alert from the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which reported a 99% increase in crypto kiosk fraud complaints in 2024, with victim losses rising by 31% to nearly $247 million.
The proposed legislation would require crypto kiosk operators to obtain money transmitter licenses and implement strict consumer protection measures. These measures include fraud alerts, identity verification protocols, and spending restrictions. The bills also propose a daily exchange limit of $1,000 per customer and a cap on operator fees at "$5 or 3 percent of the transaction amount." Additionally, each machine would be required to display prominent fraud warnings. The bills also mandate the collection of comprehensive identity information, including names, birthdates, addresses, phone numbers, and government-issued photo identification before any initial transaction. The proposed regulations also include mandatory refund policies for fraud victims who alert authorities within 30 days. Both bills are currently awaiting committee review.
Stripe, a financial technology firm valued at $91.5 billion, is reportedly partnering with Paradigm, a crypto and research-driven venture capital firm, to develop a payments-focused Layer 1 blockchain named Tempo. The project, which is currently in stealth mode, was discovered through a job listing on the Blockchain Association’s careers board. The listing described Tempo as a "high-performance, payments-focused blockchain." The post was removed after Fortune reached out to Stripe for confirmation. This development follows Stripe's recent efforts to strengthen its crypto stack, including the $1.1 billion acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure firm Bridge and the purchase of digital assets wallet developer Privy.
According to analysts, Tempo could potentially offer predictable fees and performance for high-volume payment processing. However, its success may depend on its ability to address privacy and openness issues. Ryan Yoon, a senior analyst at Tiger Research, suggests that Stripe's control over blockchain infrastructure could eliminate dependency risk and provide direct control over uptime, throughput, and fee predictability. However, others argue that Tempo's value will depend on its ability to address user experience and privacy gaps in on-chain payments. Dan Dadybayo, research and strategy lead at Unstoppable Wallet, suggests that the key differentiator would be if Stripe makes the infrastructure open enough for other payment providers to build on, rather than keeping it as a proprietary channel.
Bitcoin's weekend rally experienced a slowdown on Monday as traders cashed in on their profits. Market experts are predicting a potential decrease if Tuesday's U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) print is higher than anticipated. Data from Bitcoin options indicates that traders are preparing for a potential downside risk with puts. The recent dip in Bitcoin's value is primarily attributed to profit-taking, as evidenced by a significant decrease in open interest and cumulative volumes delta. A decrease in open interest suggests traders are closing their positions, while a drop in cumulative volume delta indicates selling as traders profit from long positions.
According to data from on-chain options platform Derive, the $95,000 and $100,000 puts accounted for 10% of all Bitcoin options last week. Sean Dawson, head of research at Derive, revealed that these puts make up almost 40% of all open interest for the end of August. Market participants are keenly awaiting the U.S. Consumer Price Index report for July. A lower reading would support the U.S. Federal Reserve's dovish stance on rate cuts, making borrowing cheaper for businesses to invest in the market. However, a higher CPI print could potentially halt the rally, as per Singapore trading firm QCP. Market sentiment is currently more focused on how the CPI figure could reshape expectations for Fed policy and, consequently, liquidity conditions for crypto, rather than the CPI figure itself.
Ethereum's options market is experiencing significant growth, with open interest reaching $13.75 billion, the highest level seen in 2025, as per data from Glassnode. This figure is a substantial increase and is nearing the all-time high of $14.6 billion achieved in March of the previous year. The surge is indicative of an increase in derivative activity as traders position themselves for potential price fluctuations. Options offer investors a method to gain exposure to Ethereum's future price swings or to hedge against losses while retaining their ETH holdings.
Options are particularly appealing to institutional investors and sophisticated trading desks looking to implement more advanced strategies. Deribit market data shows that the majority of ETH positions are leaning towards bullish bets, with calls outnumbering puts. There are noticeable spikes in open interest at strike prices of $4,000, $5,000, and $6,200, suggesting that traders are placing large bullish bets, nearly $2 billion in total, on these levels. This bullish sentiment is concurrent with Ethereum's price surge of approximately 18.5% over the past week, pushing the price above $4,000. This ongoing rally has encouraged traders to secure positions in anticipation of potential gains, further driving the upward momentum.
VivoPower International PLC has announced plans to acquire $100 million in Ripple shares, marking a significant step in its broader strategy to incorporate XRP into its corporate treasury. The investment will give VivoPower exposure to 211 million XRP tokens, which are currently valued at approximately $696 million. The company will hold both Ripple shares and XRP tokens, making it the first publicly listed US company to offer its shareholders access to both. VivoPower will obtain full legal ownership of the Ripple shares it acquires, with its name recorded directly on Ripple’s shareholder register. The company has partnered with leading digital asset custodians such as BitGo and Nasdaq Private Market LLC to facilitate these transactions.
This move aligns with VivoPower’s long-term goal of building a robust treasury model that diversifies its holdings and offers significant upside potential for its shareholders. The company will avoid purchasing Ripple shares held in special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) due to the extra fees and complexities they bring. An independent auditor will conduct quarterly reviews of VivoPower’s Ripple shareholdings to ensure transparency and accountability. The purchase of Ripple’s shares comes after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) granted the blockchain firm a waiver from the “bad actor” designation, which had stemmed from a 2020 lawsuit in which the SEC accused Ripple of selling unregistered securities. The waiver clears the way for Ripple to seek new investment without legal barriers.
Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) is progressing with its plans to launch a spot Bitcoin ETF, as indicated by its amended registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The ETF, which will be listed on NYSE Arca under the ticker B.T., aims to directly hold Bitcoin and track its market price. Crypto.com will serve as the exclusive custodian, prime execution agent, and liquidity provider, while Yorkville America Digital will sponsor the ETF. The ETF's structure will comprise 70% Bitcoin, 15% U.S. Treasury securities, and 15% in cash or cash equivalents. However, the launch is contingent on SEC's approval of the updated Form S-1 registration and a separate Form 19b-4 listing application.
The proposed ETF is part of TMTG's broader Bitcoin-focused strategy, which includes building a corporate Bitcoin treasury and expanding into digital asset products through its financial services division. The company has already invested significant capital in Bitcoin this year, positioning itself as an aggressive corporate entrant into the sector. If approved, the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF would compete with established issuers like BlackRock in a market that has attracted both institutional and retail investors. The ETF's association with Donald Trump, the company's majority shareholder, could potentially attract a unique investor base but also invite increased public and regulatory scrutiny.
Bitcoin and Ethereum have seen a significant rally over the weekend, with Ethereum surpassing the $4,000 mark for the first time in eight months. Bitcoin also rebounded from its previous week's crash below $113,000, pulling the rest of the crypto market along with it. This bullish reversal has sparked a flurry of predictions about the future trajectories of both Bitcoin and Ethereum prices.
Ex-Wall Street trader Vivek Raman has reignited optimism among crypto investors with his prediction. Following a notable weekend rally, Raman anticipates Bitcoin and Ethereum reaching new all-time highs soon. He suggests that the current rally is far from over, predicting near-term prices for both cryptocurrencies. According to Raman, Ethereum could reach $8,250 per coin, pushing its market cap to $1 trillion. Concurrently, he believes Bitcoin could hit as high as $150,000 in the near term. Raman also suggests that investors could shift from Bitcoin treasury companies into Ethereum, triggering a Wall Street run on Ethereum.
Looking at a longer timeframe, Raman forecasts Bitcoin could hit as high as $250,000, while Ethereum could reach $25,000. This would put Ethereum's market cap at a staggering $3 trillion, while Bitcoin could approach a $10 trillion market cap. Raman's predictions align with other crypto experts, such as Fapital, who predict Bitcoin could reach as high as $889,969 and Ethereum as high as $28,000 by 2032. Despite the varying timeframes, there is a consensus that Ethereum could eventually surpass the $20,000 target.
Zora, a decentralized social network, has seen its native token, ZORA, surge nearly 50% to hit a new all-time high (ATH) of $0.145, driven by a spike in user activity and recent key integrations. The platform allows users to turn social media posts into tradable tokens by automatically minting them, with over 2.06 million tokens created since its launch. Despite initial backlash over concerns of unfair allocation and potential centralization following the launch of its native ZORA token in April, the token has seen a remarkable performance since July, surging 1,573% in the monthly timeframe to hit a market capitalization of $438.9 million.
The ongoing rally has been driven by numerous factors, including crucial integrations and large holders increasing their balances. Since mid-July, users can mint their tokens using the Zora platform without leaving the Base App, making it more accessible and convenient for investors. Following the integration, Base overtook Solana in terms of tokens launched. Additionally, Binance announced the launch of the ZORA/USDT perpetual futures trading pair with up to 50x leverage on July 25, a week after the Base App integration, further fueling the token’s rally. Despite a 50% drop from the July highs at the start of August, the token and the platform have seen a significant recovery over the past week, with its price rallying 128% and token creation activity surging nearly 27% since August 4.
Aayush Jindal, a seasoned financial markets expert with over 15 years of experience in Forex and cryptocurrency trading, is renowned for his technical analysis skills. Known for his ability to guide investors through the complex world of modern finance, Jindal has developed a reputation as a trusted advisor and senior market expert. His natural aptitude for deciphering complex systems and identifying patterns, coupled with his curiosity for understanding market dynamics, has positioned him as a leading authority in Forex and crypto trading.
In addition to his financial expertise, Jindal is also a software engineer, using technology to optimize trading strategies and develop innovative solutions for navigating financial markets. His background in software engineering allows him to leverage advanced tools and algorithms, giving him a competitive edge in the ever-evolving financial landscape. Jindal also serves as the director of a prestigious IT company, leading initiatives to drive digital innovation and transformation. Despite his professional commitments, Jindal values work-life balance, often exploring new destinations and immersing himself in different cultures.
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Spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US have seen a record daily net inflow of over $1 billion, the highest since their debut, according to data tracked by Farside Investors. This surge in investor interest comes as Ethereum (ETH) trades around $4,300. BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) and Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH) also reported their largest single-day inflows, attracting about $640 million and $277 million respectively. Except for Invesco’s fund, all other Ether ETFs posted positive results. BlackRock continues to hold its top position, with assets under management exceeding $13 billion as of August 11.
The strong performance of Ethereum funds, which are currently on a five-day winning streak, coincides with ETH hovering around its highest level since December 2021. The digital asset is now approximately 12% away from its all-time high of $4,868 set in November 2021 during the bull run market, as per TradingView data. This price surge is happening alongside aggressive accumulations by publicly traded companies such as Tom Lee’s BitMine and SharpLink Gaming. Additionally, Fundamental Global, soon to be renamed FG Nexus, which recently filed a $5 billion shelf registration with the SEC to expand its Ethereum accumulation strategy, announced it had acquired 47,331 ETH as part of its ambition to take a 10% stake in the network.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is considering filing an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. Musk alleges that Apple is unfairly restricting AI companies from achieving top rankings in its App Store, with the exception of OpenAI. Musk's AI company, xAI, is in direct competition with OpenAI. He claims that Apple's favoritism towards OpenAI is unjust, as he believes xAI's Grok 4 Heavy has outperformed OpenAI's latest AI model, GPT-5.
Apple has been working closely with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT's functionality across its platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. This collaboration aims to enhance Siri's conversational skills, integrate ChatGPT within Apple's writing applications, and improve image and document comprehension. Following the announcement of this partnership, Musk threatened to ban Apple devices in his companies, describing the integration of OpenAI technology into Apple's operating systems as an "unacceptable security violation". He even suggested that visitors to Tesla, SpaceX, and his other firms might be required to surrender their Apple devices.
Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel has disclosed a 7.5% stake in 180 Life Sciences, which is rebranding as ETHZilla, an Ethereum-focused corporate treasury vehicle. This information was revealed in a recent SEC disclosure. Thiel and his investor group reported beneficial ownership of over 11 million shares of 180 Life Sciences. Following this announcement, shares of 180 Life Sciences (ATNF) saw a significant increase, jumping over 11% at Monday’s close and surging roughly 57% in overnight trading.
180 Life Sciences announced its Ethereum treasury plan in late July. On Monday, the biotech firm stated it sold $156 million in senior secured convertible notes due 2028 to an institutional investor, following a recent $425 million private placement. The proceeds from these transactions will primarily fund Ethereum purchases, yield-bearing assets, and the company’s iGaming operations, while also monetizing legacy biotech IP. This marks the second Ethereum treasury company in which Thiel's investor group has stakes. In mid-July, Thiel reported holding over 9% of Tom Lee’s BitMine Immersion, currently the biggest corporate ETH holder with close to $5 billion in its treasury.
