In today's crypto world, the strategic positioning of Ethereum as a treasury reserve asset is gaining momentum. Standard Chartered's revised Ethereum price target and its prediction of Ethereum's potential for greater growth than Bitcoin, underscore the increasing institutional interest in the second-largest cryptocurrency. The key drivers of Ethereum's growth, including ETF accumulation, corporate buyers, yield advantage, regulatory tailwinds, and tech upgrades, reflect a maturing ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the legal landscape continues to evolve. Unicoin's move to dismiss the SEC's lawsuit underscores the ongoing tension between crypto companies and regulatory bodies. The case is a reminder of the importance of transparency and compliance in the crypto space. Similarly, the HashFlare Mining fraud case highlights the need for robust regulatory measures to deter economic crimes.
On the institutional front, Metaplanet's plan to raise funds for Bitcoin purchases signals a growing trend of corporate Bitcoin accumulation. This move, coupled with the company's strategy to generate returns through covered call options and expanding put option activity, reflects a strategic approach to crypto investment.
In the realm of staking, Lido's Identified Community Staker (ICS) applications demonstrate a shift towards favoring independent operators. This move could reshape the dynamics of ETH staking and potentially lead to a more equitable distribution of rewards.
Finally, the adoption of Nasdaq's Market Surveillance platform by the CFTC is a significant step towards enhancing the supervision of digital asset markets. This development underscores the increasing integration of traditional financial systems and crypto markets, and the growing importance of regulatory oversight in this nascent space.
The following article summaries have been sourced from Decrypt, CryptoSlate, NewsBTC, and Crypto Briefing. Each summary includes a direct link to the original source.
Standard Chartered, a British multinational banking and financial services company, has raised its year-end Ethereum price target from $4,000 to $7,500, according to a report by Decrypt. The bank also predicts that Ethereum could reach $25,000 by 2028 if current adoption trends continue. Key drivers of Ethereum's growth include ETF accumulation, corporate buyers, yield advantage, regulatory tailwinds, and tech upgrades. Since July, Ethereum ETFs have accumulated over $8 billion in Ethereum, with major corporate buyers such as BitMine and SharpLink aggressively investing in the cryptocurrency.
Geoff Kendrick, Head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered, believes that Ethereum corporate treasuries have the potential for greater growth than Bitcoin ones due to their ability to capture both staking rewards and decentralized finance (DeFi) leverage opportunities. Kendrick also noted that the inflows into Ethereum and Ethereum treasury companies have been significant, but they are just getting started. Furthermore, Ethereum's yield advantages through staking and DeFi utility make it potentially stronger than Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset. The combination of ETF inflows, Treasury Companies buying billions, a stablecoin boom, and regulatory clarity makes for the cleanest setup Ethereum has had in its existence.
Crypto firm Unicoin is set to file a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to Decrypt. The SEC has accused Unicoin and its top executives of misleading investors and raising over $100 million through false claims about its crypto offerings and company stock. In response, Unicoin argues that the case should be dismissed as the complaint distorts its record and ignores key disclosures. The company maintains that it has always embraced a strategy of transparency, compliance, and responsible innovation. CEO Alex Konanykhin has dismissed the SEC's lawsuit as politically motivated, accusing the former SEC Chair Gary Gensler's enforcement team of fabricating charges to block Unicoin's public listing.
The SEC alleges that Unicoin overstated the value of real estate acquisitions in Argentina, Antigua, Thailand, and the Bahamas, which were supposed to back their token. Unicoin's motion to dismiss counters this, arguing that the agency is conflating contractual commitments with completed transfers of title and insists that every deal was backed by binding agreements. The SEC also claims that Unicoin misrepresented the company’s financial position while advertising and selling "Unicoin Rights Certificates" and that Konanykhin improperly sold nearly 38 million of them to investors who were barred from participating. Unicoin refutes these allegations, stating that its marketing materials always paired optimism with explicit warnings about risk. Konanykhin has vowed to fight the lawsuit, claiming that the SEC’s actions have cost its 8,000 investors billions in lost value and hindered the success of Unicoin.
However, legal experts suggest that Unicoin faces a challenging legal battle. Katherine Reilly, a partner in Pryor Cashman’s White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement Group, told Decrypt that the SEC’s complaint reflects a more traditional securities fraud case. She added that while the Trump-era SEC has pulled back from several recent cases against major crypto players, this case may be different, suggesting that Unicoin's efforts to align itself with the new administration's allyship with the crypto industry and its emphasis on American entrepreneurialism are unlikely to sway a judge in the Southern District of New York.
Federal prosecutors are seeking to overturn a sentence handed down to Estonian nationals Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turõgin, who were involved in a $577 million cryptocurrency mining Ponzi scheme. The two men were sentenced to time served, three years of supervised release, and fines of $25,000 each, a decision that has been described as "unusually lenient." The prosecutors had requested 10-year prison terms for the defendants, who pleaded guilty to defrauding 440,000 victims worldwide through fraudulent crypto mining contracts. The case has been described by Judge Robert S. Lasnik as "one of the most difficult sentencings the Court has encountered during 27 years on the federal bench."
The appeal challenges Judge Lasnik's decision, based on concerns about the treatment of foreign defendants. Legal experts believe that the appeal faces an uphill battle, as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals typically defers to a district judge's discretion unless the sentence is deemed unreasonable. The court will consider whether the judge properly calculated and considered the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the consistency of the ruling with national norms for large fraud cases, and whether the leniency undermines general deterrence in economic crimes. Despite the leniency, the defendants were required to forfeit approximately $400 million in assets for victim compensation.
Japanese Bitcoin treasury company, Metaplanet, has announced plans to raise over JPY 130 billion (approximately $880 million) via an international share sale, with the majority of the funds to be used for new Bitcoin purchases. The company's board approved the issuance of up to 555 million new shares on August 27. If shareholders approve the proposal at the meeting on September 1, Metaplanet’s outstanding stock will increase from 722 million to about 1.27 billion shares. This offering will be conducted exclusively in overseas markets, with US sales limited to Qualified Institutional Buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. The company's goal is to attract long-term institutional capital and improve liquidity in global markets.
Metaplanet plans to use roughly JPY 123.8 billion (approximately $835 million) of the funds raised to acquire Bitcoin between September and October 2025. The company's objective is to expand its Bitcoin net asset value (BTC NAV), which serves as the foundation for its preferred shares, while maximizing BTC per share and overall yield. Metaplanet, which is listed in Tokyo, already ranks as the seventh-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, with 18,991 BTC valued at about $2.1 billion. The company also plans to direct JPY 6.5 billion (equivalent to $44 million) into its “Bitcoin Income Business,” which generates returns by selling covered call options and expanding put option activity on its holdings. This strategy is expected to scale operations through December 2025. By combining aggressive accumulation with income-generating strategies, Metaplanet is betting on Bitcoin not only as a reserve asset but also as a source of ongoing cash flow.
Lido has launched Identified Community Staker (ICS) applications on the Ethereum mainnet, a verification track that prioritizes individuals in the protocol’s Community Staking Module (CSM). The ICS uses a points system based on experience, engagement, and humanity, with applicants needing to meet minimum thresholds in each category and reach at least 15 points to qualify. The program aims to favor independent operators following a surge of registrations after the permissionless opening earlier this year. Lido reports that around 450 operators signed up after the January permissionless shift, leaving less room for smaller setups to deposit validator keys.
The ICS application is based on an identification framework that uses ecosystem data. Proof of experience can be derived from EthStaker or StakeCat solo-staker lists, participation in Obol’s Techne and SSV’s operator programs, and historical CSM activity. Engagement is measured through HighSignal metrics and verified contributions via GitPOAP. Proof of humanity includes verification through Human Passport and Circles, converted to ICS points via a dedicated interface inside Passport that outputs a Unique Humanity score aligned with the ICS model. Lido states that Human Passport has over 2.2 million users, and the ICS weighting increases some credentials where the program seeks higher confidence for staker identification.
The CSM remains permissionless, participation without ICS is still available, and the new process does not replace open access. ICS functions as an additional operator type in v2, with differentiated parameters that aim to route early capacity to verified individuals while preserving controls around validator performance and strike policies. Applications are open now, with the first review round closing on Oct. 1, and approved addresses scheduled to be nominated to the on-chain ICS list through Easy Track governance around Oct. 8. Lido positions the ICS as a mechanism to route early deposits and fee share to individuals who can verify they run independent operations, using external proofs to reduce sybil risk while preserving privacy through credential-based checks rather than identity disclosure.
Decentralized exchange Hyperliquid is facing allegations of whale manipulation on its platform, as its HYPE token hit a new all-time high. The claims surfaced after analytics firm SpotOnChain reported that a group of large wallets caused a 200% surge in the price of XPL to $1.80, before it quickly fell again. The firm suggests that the main orchestrator of this alleged manipulation profited over $15 million, while three others made between $9 million and $13 million. Meanwhile, those on the wrong side of the trade reportedly lost over $6.5 million in total. Another blockchain platform, Lookonchain, noted that the situation forced whales shorting XPL to inject liquidity to protect their positions.
Despite these allegations, Hyperliquid's HYPE token reached a record price of $51.05 on August 27, marking a 10% increase in 24 hours. This surpassed the asset's previous high in July of $48.55. Prices have since corrected to around $48.8, but the token still showed a 7.5% daily gain at the time of reporting. This momentum reflects wider growth across Hyperliquid's trading platform. In July, Hyperliquid processed $330.8 billion in combined spot and perpetual volume, a 39% lead over Robinhood's $237.8 billion across all asset classes. This marked the third consecutive month that Hyperliquid outpaced the US trading giant.
Bitcoin is currently trading around $111,000, following a period of volatility and a drop from its all-time high of $124,500. Despite attempts to push higher, the momentum remains weak, with some analysts suggesting a deeper correction may be on the horizon if buyers cannot demonstrate stronger conviction. Top analyst Axel Adler has highlighted the behavior of Bitcoin's annual Adjusted MVRV, which has hit the 1.0 zone. This indicates that the short-term average (30-day) is almost identical to the longer-term average (365-day), suggesting the market is in a balancing phase. The recent volatility and profit-taking are being offset by the longer-term growth trend, keeping the overall market structure neutral.
Historically, the 1.0 level has often represented a pause within bullish cycles rather than the end of them. It signals that the market is digesting recent gains as short-term holders transfer coins to longer-term investors. The future direction of Bitcoin, whether it tests lower demand zones or stabilizes before another increase, will likely be decided in the coming weeks. Adler emphasizes that the current situation at the 1.0 zone should not be mistaken for the end of a cycle. Instead, it represents a pause within an ongoing bullish structure. As long as the annual basis does not reverse downward, the market is essentially redistributing coins from short-term speculators into the hands of more patient holders.
Bitcoin continues to consolidate after a sharp drop from its all-time high of $124K, now trading near $110,823. The daily chart shows BTC struggling to hold above the $110K support zone, which has become a key battleground for bulls and bears. On the upside, Bitcoin must reclaim the $115K–$117K region to shift momentum back in favor of bulls. Failure to do so risks further consolidation and market uncertainty. The rejection at the $123K level last week highlighted strong overhead resistance, with sellers stepping in aggressively.
Crypto market analyst HolderStat has identified a potential breakout setup for XRP, one of the most closely monitored cryptocurrencies in the market. The analyst's study reveals that XRP is currently in a consolidation phase, with a significant resistance line standing in the way of a potential rise to $4. HolderStat's analysis on TradingView shows that XRP has recently broken out from a large triangle formation that developed over several months. However, after peaking, the price entered a consolidation zone. The cryptocurrency is now trading sideways near $3.20-$3.48, suggesting that buyers may be absorbing sell pressure in preparation for the next move.
HolderStat's analysis also identifies $3.48 as the immediate resistance line that traders are closely watching. If XRP can decisively break above this line, it could potentially reach higher targets of $3.8 and possibly $4, levels not seen since the 2018 bull market. On the other hand, if XRP fails to maintain the $3.20 support level, it could face renewed selling pressure, potentially leading to steeper price corrections. The analyst's chart structure suggests that momentum is building for XRP, with the sideways price action seen as a healthy pause before the next move.
In a follow-up analysis, HolderStat shared a 6-hour chart showing a similar but more detailed accumulation pattern for XRP. The shorter timeframe reveals that the token has been printing higher lows while consolidating within a channel, often indicating that bulls may be taking control. The analysis also emphasizes the importance of the $2.70 support level. As long as XRP maintains this critical zone, the bullish structure remains intact, and the price has a strong chance of breaking higher. If a successful move beyond $3.20 – $3.40 on the 6-hour chart is confirmed, it would reinforce the bullish continuation outlook presented in the daily analysis. Other market watchers, such as SwallowAcademy, support these findings, suggesting that the market appears to be coiling up for the next potential rally.
Bonk core contributor Nom (@TheOnlyNom) has suggested that a new wave of Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) vehicles aimed at Solana (SOL) could move its price more rapidly than comparable Bitcoin or Ether treasuries. This is due to Solana's smaller market cap, heavy staking that reduces immediately available float, and the ability for treasuries to purchase discounted or locked tokens before they reach the open market. Nom argues that SOL DATs will be more efficient at accumulating currently trading supply compared to Ether or Bitcoin DATs. He also states that the recent announcements of $2.5 billion in SOL DATs should be viewed similarly to a $30 billion raise for Ether or $91 billion for Bitcoin.
Nom also discusses the risk from the FTX bankruptcy estate, suggesting that it is decreasing rapidly. At the time of bankruptcy, FTX's estate held 41 million SOL tokens, most of which went to Galaxy and Pantera with strike prices of approximately $64 and $102. This is currently significantly profitable at Solana's current price of around $190. Nom estimates that there are about 5 million units of 'Estate SOL' remaining to be unlocked, or about $1 billion notional. He compares this to broader unlocks, stating that there are about 21 million units of Solana remaining to unlock until 2028, or approximately $4 billion notional at current pricing.
Nom further argues that issuance plus unlocks create persistent sell pressure unless matched by price-insensitive buyers. He believes that DATs can meet this demand more efficiently if they accumulate outside the open market. He also emphasizes the difference between "trading supply" and headline "circulating supply", stating that the latter is not equivalent to the amount available on the market, especially for staked assets. He concludes that Solana's lower valuation compared to Ether or Bitcoin means that a dollar spent on a SOL DAT has a greater price impact than on chains with lower staking penetration.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has adopted Nasdaq's Market Surveillance platform to enhance its supervision of derivatives and digital asset markets. This move is part of a modernization initiative led by Acting Chair Caroline Pham to transform the CFTC into a "21st century regulator". The Nasdaq system, one of the world's most widely used surveillance technologies, will provide the CFTC with automated alerts and cross-market analytics to help prevent fraud, manipulation, and abuse.
The Nasdaq Market Surveillance platform, which serves over 50 exchanges and 20 international regulators globally, enables integrated monitoring across CFTC markets. It identifies potential manipulation patterns across multiple asset classes, conducts transaction-level analysis, and generates automated alerts across products and trading venues. The system offers real-time analysis capabilities through comprehensive order book data access, crucial for preventing market abuse in both traditional and crypto asset markets. The technology upgrade comes as the CFTC expands its regulatory scope, especially in digital asset markets.
Dominari Holdings, a financial services firm based in New York and backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., has announced the formation of a Crypto Advisory Board to support its expansion into digital assets. The board's first members are fintech executive Sonny Singh and blockchain entrepreneur Tristan Chaudhry. Singh, co-founder and CEO of crypto education platform Beluga and former BitPay chief commercial officer, has a history of securing major funding and launching crypto debit cards. Chaudhry, an early crypto investor, has built multiple DeFi protocols and is currently developing Polyester, a cross-chain decentralized exchange.
The new advisory board will provide strategic guidance for Dominari’s acquisitions and partnerships in the digital asset space, working alongside the company’s existing advisory board that includes the two sons of President Donald Trump. Dominari Holdings has recently emerged as a key player in several crypto and digital asset deals. The firm is linked to American Data Centers, an AI infrastructure venture launched in partnership with Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. In March, American Data Centers partnered with Hut 8 to form American Bitcoin, a mining company aiming to become the world's largest and most efficient Bitcoin operation. Dominari Securities, Dominari Holdings' principal subsidiary, facilitated the reverse merger that brought blockchain project Tron public in the US via Nasdaq-listed SRM Entertainment.
The Cronos (CRO) token experienced a near 50% surge following an announcement by Trump Media & Technology Group and Crypto.com. The two entities revealed their plans to establish a joint digital asset treasury company focused on acquiring the CRO token. The new entity, named Trump Media Group CRO Strategy, will be capitalized with $1 billion in CRO tokens, $200 million in cash, $220 million in warrants, and a $5 billion equity line of credit provided by Yorkville affiliate YA II PN.
In addition to this partnership, Cronos also unveiled its 2025-2026 roadmap, which outlines three main growth engines: infrastructure, distribution, and demand. As part of the infrastructure initiative, Cronos plans to launch a tokenization platform for various assets, while the distribution strategy will leverage Crypto.com’s network of over 150 million retail users. The company aims to achieve $20 billion in CRO via public markets, $10 billion in tokenized assets, and 20 million users by 2026. Despite these ambitious plans, Crypto.com has faced criticism for reissuing 70 billion CRO tokens that were previously burned, a move seen as undermining community expectations of decentralization and transparency.
