In today's crypto news, we see a continued exploration of the tokenization of real-world assets, with Pokémon cards being the latest focus. This trend, while still largely conceptual, could potentially pave the way for a broader range of consumer items to be tokenized. However, the practical limitations of using such assets as collateral in DeFi, such as fragmented markets and custodial arrangements, remain a challenge.
The Bitcoin price saw a slight increase following a drop in the producer price index (PPI), indicating less pressure on producers to raise prices and making a Federal Reserve rate cut more likely. This development underscores the interconnectedness of traditional financial indicators and the crypto market, and the importance of keeping an eye on broader economic trends.
Meanwhile, the Ethereum staking exit queue has swelled following the shutdown of validators by Kiln, a response to an exploit affecting SwissBorg. This development highlights the ongoing security challenges in the DeFi space and the need for robust risk management strategies.
In institutional news, Asset Entities and Strive Enterprises have merged to form a Bitcoin treasury company, reflecting growing corporate adoption of Bitcoin. This move could structurally alter the liquidity and risk profile for retail investors, potentially increasing Bitcoin scarcity and creating new financial opportunities in public markets.
Finally, SEC chairman Paul Atkins' statement that "crypto's time has come" could signal a shift in the SEC's approach to crypto policy and enforcement, potentially having substantial implications for the future of digital assets in the U.S. This, along with Binance's partnership with Franklin Templeton to develop digital asset initiatives, underscores the increasing convergence of traditional finance and the crypto world.
The following article summaries have been sourced from Decrypt, CryptoSlate, NewsBTC, and Crypto Briefing. Each summary includes a direct link to the original source.
Tokenized Pokémon cards are gaining popularity, with some developers believing that these non-fungible tokens (NFTs) could serve as collateral in decentralized finance (DeFi). However, leading tokenized cards platform Courtyard is not currently exploring this avenue, according to its CEO. A pseudonymous developer in Canada, known as Keef, is working on a platform that would allow people to use digital representations of Pokémon cards as collateral for loans. Keef's startup is still largely conceptual, but it reflects a broader pattern of experimentation with tokenization and how NFTs representing Pokémon cards are evolving beyond their initial form.
Courtyard, a marketplace for tokenized Pokémon cards and other collectibles, has seen significant growth since its inception. Last month, the platform generated $78 million in sales volume, a nearly 2,600% increase compared to a year ago. Other marketplaces, such as Collector Crypt and Phygitals, have established similar businesses and issue their respective NFTs on Solana. However, using Pokémon cards as collateral in DeFi presents practical limitations, including fragmented markets, real-world data sources, and custodial arrangements. Courtyard may eventually explore how Pokémon cards can be used in DeFi, but it’s never been a focus for the firm, according to co-founder and CEO Nico le Jeune.
Despite the challenges, the tokenization of Pokémon cards and other real-world assets is seen by some as a potential path for the future of crypto. The term "exotic RWAs" is now being used to refer to less conventional assets such as art, wine, collectibles, and even intellectual property. AJC, a pseudonymous enterprise research manager at crypto data firm Messari, suggested that the popularity of tokenized Pokémon cards could pave the way for other consumer items to be tokenized, including sneakers, watches, and luxury clothes.
Bitcoin's price rose by 0.5% to over $114,000 after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.1% drop in the producer price index (PPI) in August. The decrease in PPI indicates less pressure on producers to raise prices, which in turn makes a Federal Reserve rate cut more likely in the coming week. Despite the increase, Bitcoin's price remains 5.7% below its price 30 days ago. Ethereum also saw a slight increase, gaining 0.2% to trade at $4,382.10. Market users on Myriad, a prediction market owned by Decrypt's parent company Dastan, are increasingly confident that Bitcoin can maintain a price above $105,000 throughout September.
However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that the "core" PPI, which excludes food, energy, and trade, rose by 0.3% month over month, its fastest pace since March. This increase has raised the year-over-year core rate to 2.8%, indicating persistent underlying price pressures even as goods inflation remains subdued. James Toledano, the COO at Unity Wallet, suggested that the consumer price index, which focuses more on what people actually pay for goods and services, could introduce some volatility to markets. Toledano will be closely watching the Crypto Fear & Greed Index to understand how traders are positioning themselves ahead of the next Federal Open Markets Committee meeting. With a week left until the FOMC announces its decision on federal interest rates, 88% of investors expect a 25 basis point cut, while 12% anticipate a 50 basis point cut.
Bitcoin's recent performance slowdown is reportedly linked to the Nasdaq’s mean reversion, which could put the cryptocurrency at risk of deeper drawdowns, according to experts. The mean reversion theory suggests that asset prices will eventually return to their historical averages after experiencing significant deviations. As such, Bitcoin is currently more at risk of deeper drawdowns. Crypto research platform Ecoinometrics noted that Bitcoin often lags when the Nasdaq 100, an index of the U.S.'s top 100 companies, undergoes a mean reversion phase with below-average 12-month returns.
However, data from CryptoQuant shows that the 30-day rolling correlation between Bitcoin and the Nasdaq has dropped close to zero, which could be a positive sign for the cryptocurrency. The last time these two assets decoupled in July 2025, Bitcoin bounced 18% and reached a new all-time high. Ryan Lee, chief analyst at Bitget, views this recent drop in correlation as a result of Bitcoin's maturation as an independent asset class, and sees it as a neutral to bullish development. Furthermore, the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, where a quarter-point rate cut is expected, could trigger a rally for risk-on assets like Bitcoin.
The Ethereum staking exit queue has swelled to over 2 million ETH following the shutdown of validators by Kiln, one of the largest enterprise staking firms in the industry. Data from the Validator Queue shows approximately 2.46 million ETH waiting to exit the network, compared to around 800,000 ETH waiting to be staked. This has resulted in extended wait times for investors, with those looking to exit facing a delay of about 43 days, and those wanting to stake new assets facing a wait of nearly two weeks.
Kiln's decision to exit its Ethereum validators is a response to an exploit affecting SwissBorg, which recently lost $40 million on Solana due to a vulnerability in an API provided by the staking service provider. Kiln CEO Laszlo Szabo stated that exiting validators was a responsible step to protect stakers, and the firm is closely monitoring the process to ensure the security and reliability of its services. The firm began its staged withdrawal on September 10, which could take between 10 and 42 days to complete. During this period, rewards will continue to accumulate, but it may take stakers up to nine days to fully access their withdrawn ETH. Kiln has also paused certain services while reinforcing its infrastructure alongside the validator exit.
Bitcoin's value rose to $113,000 following a surprising drop in US producer prices in August, which reinforced a weaker inflation outlook. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.1 percent decline in the Producer Price Index (PPI), contrary to the predicted 0.1 percent increase. The annual core PPI also fell to 2.8 percent from July's 3.4 percent. This data release came after last week's revelation that August nonfarm payrolls had only added 22,000 positions and unemployment had risen to 4.3 percent. Furthermore, a separate benchmark revision showed that total employment had been overstated by 911,000 jobs, leading to a cumulative downward adjustment of 1.5 million over the past year.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented that these corrections indicated that the Federal Reserve had been maintaining a restrictive policy based on incomplete data. Despite this, average hourly earnings rose by 0.3 percent on the month and 3.7 percent from a year earlier, matching forecasts. The markets reacted positively to the softer PPI print, interpreting it as support for Federal Reserve rate cuts at the September policy meeting. Alongside Bitcoin's rise, Ethereum also gained 1.2 percent to $4,372, and the S&P 500 climbed 0.34 percent to $654, as investors anticipated easier financial conditions.
The latest iPhone 17 from Apple is nearly 50% cheaper when priced in Bitcoin or Ethereum compared to last year's model, according to a report from CoinGecko. Data shows that the iPhone 17 now costs just 0.0072 BTC, compared with 0.014 BTC for the iPhone 16. This is due to the surge in Bitcoin's price, which almost doubled from $57,049 during last year's release to $111,033 during this launch cycle. The trend is similar across Apple's lineup, with the new iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and Pro Max also requiring less Bitcoin.
The same trend is observed with Ethereum. The price of an iPhone 17 in Ethereum is 0.1866 ETH, down from 0.3386 ETH for the iPhone 16. This is due to Ethereum's price jumping from $2,359.57 to $4,282.40 in the past year, a gain of more than 80%. This isn't the first time crypto gains have reshaped iPhone affordability. In 2011, the iPhone 4S cost more than 162 BTC, but today, despite a higher price tag, the iPhone 17 requires less than 0.008 BTC. Similarly, in 2015, an iPhone priced at $649 translated to roughly 876 ETH, but ten years later, the new iPhone can be bought for less than a fifth of a single ETH.
Asset Entities and Strive Enterprises have merged to form a new company, Strive, Inc., aiming to establish the first publicly traded asset management Bitcoin treasury company. The merger, approved by Asset Entities shareholders, resulted in a 52% surge in the company's stock price, reflecting strong investor confidence. Strive, Inc. plans to raise $1.5 billion to buy and hold Bitcoin as a long-term investment, which is expected to reduce the circulating supply of Bitcoin and potentially push prices higher. The merger is also anticipated to maximize Bitcoin exposure for shareholders, which could amplify long-term returns if Bitcoin continues its upward trend.
The merger has also fueled bullish market sentiment, driving Bitcoin prices further upward. Retail investors stand to gain indirect exposure to Bitcoin’s price and treasury management by owning shares in the new entity. Mergers like this could structurally alter the liquidity and risk profile for retail investors, increasing Bitcoin scarcity and creating new financial opportunities in public markets. Increased corporate adoption and treasury accumulation are also expected to boost investor trust, benefiting crypto projects tied to Bitcoin’s ecosystem, such as Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER).
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is an innovative Layer-2 solution for Bitcoin, designed to eliminate Bitcoin’s pain points, such as slow transaction speeds and high costs. Powered by its native token, $HYPER, the Layer-2 integrates a Canonical Bridge that allows users to send their Bitcoin to a dedicated wallet, where it is minted on the Hyper Layer-2 as wrapped Bitcoin. This can then be used for instant payments, DeFi, and dApps. The Layer-2 also integrates the Solana Virtual Machine, enabling faster, cheaper transactions. The Bitcoin Hyper presale has already raised over $14.8 million, with significant whale buys last month, suggesting that $HYPER could be set to soar.
The article from NewsBTC is a personal narrative by Godspower Owie, a crypto enthusiast and employee of Bitcoinist and NewsBTC news outlets. Born and raised in Edo State, Nigeria, Owie credits his family as his backbone and support system, stating that their unwavering support has been instrumental in his journey. He was introduced to the world of cryptocurrency three years ago by a friend who had made significant gains from his crypto investments. This piqued Owie's interest and led him to delve deeper into the crypto space.
Despite experiencing the volatile ups and downs of the crypto market, Owie's passion for the field has remained steadfast. He believes in the potential for growth and excellence in the crypto industry, and he is committed to contributing to its development. He speaks highly of his colleagues at Bitcoinist and NewsBTC, describing them as the best people he has worked with. Owie also shares his personal interests, which include football, singing, dancing, and acting. He values his time, work, family, and loved ones, and is driven by his dreams rather than illusions. He aspires to be a boss someday, leading a team just as he has been led by great people. Despite acknowledging the challenges ahead, Owie remains optimistic about his journey in the crypto space.
The 12-hour Dogecoin chart, as analyzed by Cantonese Cat (@cantonmeow), reveals an Adam and Eve double-bottom pattern that has been forming since early August. The first trough, referred to as "Adam," represents a sharp V-shaped sell-off into the swing low at $0.18864. The second trough, "Eve," is a broader, rounded base formed through late August and early September, with the price repeatedly defending the lower-mid range around the $0.20–$0.21 band. This band aligns with the 0.136 Fibonacci retracement at $0.19976 and the 0.236 level at $0.20836.
The Adam and Eve pattern is a two-stage reversal structure, characterized by a rapid, vertical capitulation (Adam) followed by a slower, more symmetrical and rounded retest (Eve). The pattern is validated by a breakout through the "neckline," which is defined by the intervening peak between the two troughs. The pattern's neckline coincides almost perfectly with the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement, plotted at $0.24473. As of the latest 12-hour candles, DOGE has rallied from the rounded "Eve" base to test this band, and is currently trading around $0.241. The primary price target, calculated traditionally, is approximately $0.30082. This target sits between the Fibonacci extension cluster marked on the chart: the 1.0 extension at $0.28746 and the 1.272 extension at $0.32236, with higher extensions shown at 1.414 ($0.34223) and 1.618 ($0.37294).
Paul Atkins, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has publicly declared that "crypto's time has come." This statement indicates a significant change in the regulatory tone towards digital assets. The SEC plays a pivotal role in the regulation of digital asset markets in the United States, and any comments from its leaders are keenly observed for indications of policy direction.
Atkins' assertion that the moment for cryptocurrency has arrived could potentially signal a shift in the SEC's approach to crypto policy and enforcement. The SEC's stance on digital assets has a considerable influence on the market, and changes in leadership often hint at possible changes in regulatory strategies. This recent announcement by Atkins could therefore have substantial implications for the future of digital assets in the U.S.
Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, is joining forces with global investment firm Franklin Templeton to develop digital asset initiatives. The partnership aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized markets by creating accessible, reliable products that focus on yield generation and settlement efficiency for global investors. The collaboration will leverage Franklin’s regulatory-grade tokenization capabilities and Binance’s deep liquidity and global access to digital asset markets.
Franklin Templeton's Franklin OnChain US Government Money Fund (FOBXX), represented by BENJI shares, is one of the leading tokenized money market funds, managing approximately $742 million in assets as of September 8. Sandy Kaul, EVP, Head of Innovation at Franklin Templeton, sees blockchain as an opportunity to reimagine legacy systems, not a threat. Roger Bayston, EVP and Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, emphasized the need for digital assets to be accessible and dependable. Catherine Chen, Head of VIP & Institutional at Binance, reiterated Binance's commitment to bridging crypto with traditional capital markets. Further details about the collaboration and new product launches will be announced later this year.
Trump Media has filed a registration statement for five America First-themed equity exchange-traded funds (ETFs), marking a significant expansion beyond its core social media platform, Truth Social. The company, trading under the ticker DJT, has not yet disclosed further details about the investment strategies, underlying holdings, or launch timeline for these proposed ETFs.
The registration covers five distinct equity-focused funds that will carry the America First branding. This move signifies Trump Media's entry into the asset management space, extending its business operations beyond its primary social media platform. The details surrounding the proposed ETFs, including their investment strategies and underlying holdings, remain undisclosed.
