Ethereum is trading around $4,200 after a strong rally from the $2,400 range. It is approaching the crucial $4,400 resistance level. The altcoin is now facing conflicting exchange trends, as its macro bullishness is being challenged by rising Binance inflows ahead of major resistance. Long-Term Bulls vs. Short-Term Bears In its latest analysis, CryptoQuant revealed that momentum indicators, including the MACD and buying volume, remain positive, but the price is nearing a historically significant supply zone. On-chain data presents a mixed picture. The Exchange Supply Ratio (ESR) across all exchanges has been in steady decline since 2022. It is currently hovering near 0.16, which means that investors are withdrawing ETH from exchanges and reducing sell-side liquidity. Such a trend is a structurally bullish signal for the long term. Binance-specific metrics, on the other hand, tell a different short-term story. The Binance ESR has been climbing since early 2025 and reached about 0.04, which indicates some holders are moving ETH onto the platform, possibly for selling, arbitrage, or participation in exchange programs. Recent netflow data also shows significant positive inflows into Binance, which, given the proximity to major resistance, may signal readiness for selling. This divergence points to two possible scenarios. A breakout above $4,400 could occur if Binance inflows subside or ESR stabilizes. This move could potentially push ETH toward $4,800 and a retest of its all-time high. On the flipside, continued heavy inflows and a rejection at $4,400 could lead to a pullback toward the $3,950-$4,000 support zone before another breakout attempt. Zooming out, the broader downtrend in the all-exchange ESR supports a bullish macro outlook, but short-term traders should monitor Binance ESR and netflows closely for signs of near-term selling pressure. CryptoQuant added that long-term investors may focus on the structural trend, which remains favorable despite potential short-lived corrections. Retail Hype and Institutional Positioning Ethereum’s latest surge is driven by a mix of retail enthusiasm, institutional accumulation, and record supply growth. As recently reported by CryptoPotato , social media sentiment strongly favors the bulls, with hashtags like #buying and #bullish trending at nearly double the rate of bearish tags. Santiment revealed that while optimism is high, excessive FOMO could briefly cool momentum. Meanwhile, institutional interest has been equally impactful – between July 10 and early August, over 1.035 million ETH, worth roughly $4.17 billion, were acquired by large players at an average price of $3,546. These purchases were made through exchanges and institutional channels, have aligned with a 45% rally from $2,600. To top that, Ethereum’s circulating supply also hit a record 121 million ETH on August 9, nearly three years after crossing 120 million. The post Two Charts, Two Stories: The Strange Divergence in Ethereum’s Exchange Data appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 16:43

Bitcoin is trading near $118,000 after reaching a new all-time high of $123,000 in July. Despite this strong price level, key data points indicate that its momentum is cooling, which could lead to a pause before any further upward movement. One such indicator is CryptoQuant’s Bull Score Index, which fell from 80 to 60 following the recent peak. The drop suggests the market has entered a bullish cooldown phase, where overall optimism remains but momentum has softened. Signs of a Cooling Market This slowdown aligns with seasonal trends, as summer months often bring lower trading volumes and reduced enthusiasm. According to a CryptoQuant report , traders appear to be taking profits after the rally, which has weakened immediate buying pressure. The observation is supported by on-chain indicators like stablecoin liquidity. This metric, which tracks new capital flowing into crypto, has stalled and even shifted negative, indicating fewer fresh funds entering the market. While USDT liquidity increased by $9.6 billion over the past 60 days, its growth rate has slowed and now falls below average levels. This means capital inflows remain, but at a much slower pace than before. Another sign of weakening momentum is the traders’ unrealized profit margin, a measure of gains held but not yet realized, which has also declined. Many holders have taken profits, lowering unrealized gains and signaling reduced momentum. Currently, this margin stands at about 7.4%, declining and below its typical trend. Together, these factors suggest a potential short-term consolidation or mild price corrections. Valuation Metrics and Market Outlook Valuation indicators show the market balanced near a critical point between bullish and bearish zones. The Bull-Bear Market Cycle Indicator remains slightly positive but is close to turning negative. If bitcoin’s price weakens further, the indicator could drop below zero, pushing the Bull Score Index under 40. Such a move would mark the first formal bearish market since April 2023. Given these signals, the analytics firm sees bitcoin entering a cautious phase characterized by slowing momentum instead of a definitive reversal. Market participants need to stay alert for new developments that could spark renewed buying interest and trigger the next price surge. The post Bitcoin’s Momentum Slows After Hitting Recent Record High appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 16:18

TL;DR Big investors scooped up more than $7 billion worth of ETH in the last 30 days. The asset’s price is trying to finally break $4,200. Fresh ETF inflows and a nine-year low in exchange balances point to further gains, though an RSI above 70 signals the possibility of a short-term cooldown. Whales Filled Their Bags The price of Ethereum (ETH) has been on a significant uptrend in the past month, rising by almost 50% to just south of $4,200. The resurgence was aligned with a massive accumulation from whales (investors who hold between 10,000 and 100,000 coins), who bought more than 1.8 million tokens during that timeframe. The USD equivalent of the stash is over $7 billion, while this cohort of market participants now controls 28.5 million assets, or roughly 23.6% of ETH’s circulating supply. Purchases of this type leave fewer coins available on the open market and could propel a further price rally (should demand remain steady or head north). The whales’ activity is also closely monitored by smaller players who might decide to mimic their move and distribute fresh capital into the ecosystem. Shortly after revealing the size of the accumulation, the popular X user Ali Martinez made a highly bullish price prediction. He argued that $6,400 becomes “a magnet” if ETH breaks above $4,000. Other optimistic analysts include CryptoELITES and Crypto GEMs. The former set the next target at $4,500, whereas the latter envisioned a price increase beyond $5,000 this summer. Observing These Factors At the start of the month, spot Ethereum ETFs experienced significant outflows; however, over the past three days, capital has begun flowing back into the funds. This suggests that investor interest remains solid. Spot ETH ETF Inflows, Source: SoSoValue Next on the list is the amount of ETH stored on crypto exchanges, which recently dropped to a nine-year low. This development suggests that many investors have shifted from centralized platforms toward self-custody methods, which reduces the immediate selling pressure. ETH Exchange Reserve, Source: CryptoQuant On the other hand, ETH’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) has climbed to bearish territory of 70. The technical analysis tool measures the speed and magnitude of recent price changes, and traders use it to spot potential reversal points. Readings above 70 indicate that the valuation has soared too rapidly in a short period and could be a precursor to a pullback. Anything below 30 is considered a buying opportunity. ETH RSI, Source: CryptoWaves The post What Are Big Ethereum (ETH) Investors Up To? appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 14:15

Bitcoin’s gradual price ascent continued in the past several hours as the asset slowly climbed to a 10-day peak of over $118,000. A few altcoins have doubled down on their recent gains, including LINK, which has rocketed by almost 7% to trade above $22. BTC Sees August Peak The current month didn’t start all that well for the primary cryptocurrency as it dipped to a multi-week low of $112,000 just three days in. This came amid ongoing political tension between some of the Great Powers, which included the movement of nuclear submarines. However, the asset reacted well to that dip and started to recover almost immediately. Within just a few days, by last Friday, bitcoin was already knocking on the $117,000 door. Although it experienced some resistance there, the bulls were persistent and managed to break through on Saturday. They kept the pressure on in the past several hours as well, helping BTC breach the $118,000 line. As such, bitcoin marked a ten-day high at around $118,500 earlier today. Despite losing some ground since then, it’s still around 1% up on the day. Its market capitalization has increased to $2.355 trillion on CG, while its dominance over the alts has risen to 58.4% after the drop to 58% yesterday. BTCUSD. Source: TradingView LINK Pumps Many altcoins posted massive gains yesterday, including ETH, which skyrocketed to its highest price levels since late 2021 at over $4,200. Most have lost some traction today, which is somewhat expected, but ETH has managed to defend that level. LINK has emerged as today’s top performer from the larger-cap alts, gaining roughly 7% and pumping past $22. In contrast, XRP, BNB, SOL, DOGE, ADA, BCH, HBAR, XLM, and SUI are slightly in the red following the recent rallies. The total crypto market cap has maintained above $4 trillion, which is $200 billion above the low reached on Thursday. Cryptocurrency Market Overview. Source: QuantifyCrypto The post Bitcoin (BTC) Jumps to 10-Day High, Chainlink (LINK) Soars 7%: Weekend Watch appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 12:08

TL;DR In this article, some of the most popular AI solutions, including ChatGPT’s just-released 5.0 version, will speculate on XRP’s future price movements. Some of the answers might surprise the perma-bulls. Moonshot or Pullback? Ripple’s native token made history in mid-July when it skyrocketed by over 60% within a week or so and blasted through its January 2018 all-time high of $3.4 to mark a new one at $3.65. Somewhat expected, it started to retrace in the following weeks and dipped toward $2.7. However, the bulls are back in town, pushing XRP above the crucial support-turn-resistance and now back to a support level at $3. As of press time, the asset stands well above it ($3.25), which has prompted numerous analysts and full-time XRP bulls to outline some massive predictions . To gain a more neutral perspective, though, we decided to ask ChatGPT’s latest version, Gemini, and Grok about their take on the matter. ChatGPT acknowledged the recent correction, indicating that XRP is now at a “pivotal point in its 2025 price journey.” It believes the asset has strong chances of overcoming the current hurdles, especially if the following factors play out in its favor: The Bullish Case (Moonshot Potential) Strong Institutional Interest – Speculation over a future spot XRP ETF and growing partnerships in cross-border payments could bring major capital inflows. Technical Support Holding – Key levels around $2.70–$2.80 have so far absorbed selling pressure, suggesting buyers are defending critical territory. However, it also outlined a bearish scenario, in which XRP loses some ground and heads for an extended correction. This could be prompted by post-rally exhaustion, given its massive rise since the US elections last year, and overall market uncertainty, such as the aftershock of some of Trump’s controversial global policies. Gemini outlined the recent positive developments in the Ripple-SEC legal case as bullish factors for the underlying asset’s price, and noted that it could open the door for the approval of the much-anticipated XRP ETFs in the US. “The approval of an XRP ETF, following the successful launches of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, would introduce a new class of institutional and retail investors to the asset, potentially driving significant capital inflow and price appreciation.” However, Gemini, alongside Grok, noted that XRP still faces certain risks, such as growing competition and the possibility of whales taking profits following the recent rally. Something identical transpired after the asset reached a new ATH, with whales disposing of massive token portions in just days. Conclusion In general, the three AIs were bullish on XRP’s future price movements, especially given the end of the lawsuit against the SEC, Ripple’s expansion in terms of acquisitions, and the underlying asset’s technical structure. Gemini said: “The current market sentiment, bolstered by the resolution of the SEC lawsuit and the potential for a spot ETF, overwhelmingly favors a bullish outlook for XRP. The token is at a critical juncture, with many analysts forecasting a significant rally if it can break through key resistance levels. However, as with any cryptocurrency, the path forward.” ChatGPT, though, was slightly more cautious: “XRP’s next big move depends on whether it can hold above its key $2.70 support zone and reclaim the $3.40–$3.65 range. A confirmed breakout could set the stage for a moonshot toward $4 and beyond. A breakdown, however, might drag it back toward the mid-$2 range or even lower.” It also advised traders to watch for big whale moves, the overall transaction volumes, and news related to the company behind it. The post We Asked 3 AIs: Is Ripple’s XRP Heading for a Crash or a Moonshot? appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 11:08

Maestro, a leading Bitcoin Finance (BitcoinFi) infrastructure provider, has published the “State of BitcoinFi” report, which brings forward an ecosystem-wide analysis on its financial applications, infrastructure, and ongoing development from a store of value to empowering traditional finance’s (TradFi) on-chain transition. Maestro anticipates volumes to keep surging as enterprises continue to stack BTC in their treasuries and more idle coins are activated for yield and further uses. “We’re witnessing the convergence of TradFi and DeFi into a Bitcoin‑denominated capital market,” said Marvin Bertin, Co‑Founder and CEO of Maestro.“For the first time since 2009, the critical pieces for on‑chain financial apps on Bitcoin are in place, spanning exchanges, lending, and stablecoins. Bitcoin is evolving from a static reserve asset into a dynamic, productive financial network.” Staking And Lending With over 68,500 bitcoin in TVL ($7.39 billion), staking has become the most widely used application in BitcoinFi. Re-staking has also been steadily on the rise, with $3.32 billion BTC being re-staked, meaning the niche now secures over $10 billion through yield-bearing protocols. Babylon currently leads in scale ($4.79B), but Solv, Lombard, and CoreDAO are advancing the frontier of liquid staking tokens (LSTs), restaking strategies, and dual-token security models. Bitcoin-native lending is being spearheaded by Liquidium, with over $500M in volume. Source: Maestro Another form of staking gaining traction is dual staking, introduced by CoreDAO, with over $615M of BTC staked. The incentives include block rewards from their native CORE tokens and a share of transaction fees, which are distributed to stakers and validators. A few challenges remain, as many staking returns do not align with treasury rates, with yield and liquidity being dispersed across different chains and protocols. It is to be seen whether the durability of BTC-secured networks can continue to deliver sustainable rewards. Programmability Layers Bitcoin scaling and Layer 2 (L2) layers have $5.52 billion (52,000 coins) in total value locked (TVL), hinting at developer and user demand driven by native smart contracts, yield, and asset allocation, whilst keeping self-custody, and having settlement guarantees. The Stacks layer is leading in growth, more than doubling its TVL for Q2 and adding roughly 2000 BTC. Sidechains still hold most of the asset in BitcoinFi, but the architecture is diversifying, with rollups and execution layers looking promising. Source: Maestro Bitcoin’s legacy constraint is slowly peeling away, as the base layer was never meant for programmability. While Ethereum has over $116 billion in DeFi TVL, BTC-aligned infrastructure remains lagging at just over $5.5B in TVL across scaling layers. However, new sidechains, rollups, and various environments continue to emerge, pushing the largest asset per market cap beyond its passive store-of-value role. Metaprotocols Runes, Ordinals, and BRC-20 tokens accounted for 40.6% of all Bitcoin transactions in the first half of 2025, with BRC-20 volume reaching $128 million. Following a pullback last year, Ordinals experienced a strong recovery, with over 80 million inscriptions by mid-2025, generating 6,940 BTC (~$681M) in fees. Runes are rebounding from a sharp decline in minting and trading volume at the end of 2024. Source: Maestro Stablecoins With $860 million in TVL (over 42% Quarter-over-Quarter), this asset class has come to prevalence within the Bitcoin ecosystem, thanks to maturing L2s and growing demand for native primitives. CDP-based (Collateralized Debt Position) stablecoins, such as Avalon’s USDa ($559M), have seen early traction in BitcoinFi. High-yield stablecoins, such as Hermetica’s 25% APY offering, point towards a demand for capital-generating assets. Source: Maestro A few hurdles remain, with fragmented liquidity (the inability to conclude a transaction with one or more participants due to a lack of clearing arrangements) being one of them, as it limits market depth across chains and L2s. The oracle design remains an issue for CDPs (collateralized debt positions), and composability tradeoffs introduce rigidity between performance and decentralization. Venture Funding After a period of declining interest, BitcoinFi funding has surged to $175 million across 32 rounds in the first half of 2025, with the activities focused not only on infrastructure. In the same half of the year, out of the 32 deals, 20 were targeted on DeFi, apps, and custody. Capital is being shifted towards usability and products, with infrastructure now on the back seat. Source: Maestro The beginning of the year saw leading investment firms, such as Pantera Capital, Founders Fund, and Standard Crypto, among others, validating the niche as a popular frontier in the cryptocurrency universe. These notable deals indicate a potent combination of infrastructure depth and application-layer traction, with investor interest coming from both traditional and crypto-native firms. The post The State of BitcoinFi in Q2 2025: Research appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 09:35

Ethereum (ETH) has surged past the $4,200 mark for the first time since December 2024. The latest milestone comes with a retail optimism, which is overshadowing bearish views. Bullish Hashtags Dominate Social Media Ether is currently trading above $4,200, and this surge has sparked optimism among traders. In fact, social media sentiment shows a strong bullish tilt, with hashtags like #buying, #bought, #bullish, and #higher trending alongside ETH. On the other hand, bearish commentary, including #selling, #sold, #bearish, and #lower, is appearing at roughly half the rate. Crypto analytics platform, Santiment highlighted the growing retail-driven enthusiasm but warned that excessive FOMO could temporarily stall the rally’s momentum if sentiment becomes overly one-sided. Meanwhile, institutional activity has also played a major role in Ethereum’s latest climb. Since July 10, over 1.035 million ETH worth approximately $4.17 billion have been accumulated by unidentified whales or institutions, according to pseudonymous blockchain analyst EmberCN. The purchases were made via exchanges and institutional platforms, and coincided with a 45% price surge from $2,600 to $4,000. Most holdings are believed to belong to institutions or US-listed firms with ETH reserves, excluding the known SBET address. The average acquisition price during this period was about $3,546, signaling large-scale strategic positioning. Beyond market mood and accumulation, the altcoin has broken a historical supply record. Another Milestone For Ethereum As of August 9th, Ethereum’s circulating supply has reached a record 121 million ETH, as per network data shared by CryptoQuant. The milestone comes nearly three years after the network hit 120 million ETH on August 22, 2022, following a slow but consistent increase. Ethereum currently issues around 2,500 to 3,000 ETH daily. While new ETH is minted daily, staking continues to play a significant role in shaping net supply growth. Every ETH locked in staking contracts is temporarily effectively removed from circulation, which offsets a portion of new issuance and acts as a check on inflation. In total, Ethereum has minted approximately 157.18 million ETH to date. This figure is achieved after combining the 121 million in circulation and over 36.18 million locked in staking. The dual mechanism of issuance and staking-driven absorption creates a balance in the network’s monetary base. Although the deflationary narrative has softened for now, the long-term price impact will hinge on whether network activity can justify the growing supply. If demand lags, inflationary pressure could weigh on valuation; if it matches or exceeds supply growth, the expansion may support continued price stability or appreciation. The post ETH Breaks $4.2K, Whales Remain Bullish and Call ‘Higher’ appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 07:14

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may be entering a new phase in its approach to digital assets. This shift may have gone largely unnoticed by the market, according to Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management. Market Sleeping On SEC’s Pivot? In a recent investor note, Hougan pointed to the speech delivered by SEC Chair Paul Atkins at the America First Policy Institute, titled “American Leadership in the Digital Finance Revolution.” Hougan described the document as “the most bullish government document I have read in my entire crypto career.” The speech outlined a comprehensive agenda, which is referred to as “Project Crypto.” This, according to Hougan, includes a blueprint to modernize digital asset regulation in a way that boosts innovation and positions the United States as a leader in the global crypto economy. While the broader market has not yet responded, Hougan believes that Atkins’ vision has not been priced into the market. He explained that investors are underestimating how a friendlier SEC stance could catalyze a structural pivot across multiple crypto sectors. “I’ve studied and written about crypto nonstop for the past eight years. I’ve long been bullish about the future of crypto, and I’ve said that all assets will eventually move over blockchain-based rails. But after reading the speech, I’m realizing I have to think bigger – and move to a faster timeline. If it wasn’t priced in for me, I’m going to guess it wasn’t priced in for others.” Based on the content of the speech, Hougan identified three key themes poised to benefit: Layer 1 smart contract platforms like Ethereum and Solana, public trading platforms such as Coinbase and Robinhood, and decentralized finance protocols, including Uniswap and Aave. Hougan warned that the market’s failure to acknowledge this regulatory inflection point could represent a missed opportunity. The exec also noted that such moves have historically resulted in outsized gains across high-beta sectors. While skepticism remains due to the SEC’s longstanding adversarial stance toward the crypto industry, Hougan’s interpretation of Atkins’ remarks suggests a serious re-evaluation is underway. Calls For Privacy Protections and DeFi Inclusion Adding to this regulatory narrative was a noteworthy speech from another SEC official. Earlier this week, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce called for stronger protection of financial privacy and crypto users’ rights during a speech at the Science of Blockchain Conference. She criticized the country’s financial system’s surveillance practices, while arguing that the Bank Secrecy Act and tools like the SEC’s Consolidated Audit Trail compromise individual freedom. Peirce even went on to highlight the benefits of DeFi and privacy-preserving technologies like zero-knowledge proofs. She urged regulators not to criminalize open-source developers or force reporting in peer-to-peer crypto transactions. The post ‘It’s a Generational Opportunity:’ SEC’s Crypto Pivot Could Supercharge Ethereum and DeFi appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 06:44

A violent attack in central Paris has left a man without a hard drive containing €2 million worth of Bitcoin. The incident, which took place on Tuesday evening, August 5, is the latest in a growing pattern of crypto-related crimes in France. Details Of The Attack According to local media reports, the incident began at around 7:15 p.m. at the Peninsula Hotel, a luxury establishment located on Avenue Kléber in Paris’s 16th arrondissement. Hotel staff alerted the police after witnessing five unknown men approach one of their guests and demand, “Give us 400,000 euros, and it’s over.” The victim was then forcibly taken from the hotel to an area near the Arc de Triomphe, where he was physically assaulted. Officers from the anti-crime brigade quickly responded and arrested all five suspects in the 8th arrondissement. Initial investigations revealed that the group may be connected to a nearby nightclub, where the victim allegedly owed €40,000. Police believes the suspects were attempting to collect that debt by force. The victim was briefly interviewed by authorities and said he had been beaten and threatened. He reported that the attackers took his iPhone 13 Pro Max and a hard drive containing Bitcoin worth around €2 million. He added that a previous incident had occurred the week before, during which the same individuals had displayed a weapon. The suspects were taken into custody at the First District Police headquarters for extortion. During the night, investigators from the Anti-Banditism Brigade took over the case. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that five people were in custody and that investigations and hearings are ongoing. Crypto Crime in Paris on the Rise This isn’t the first time Paris has made the headlines for crypto-related crime. The country has endured a series of violent kidnappings targeting individuals in the industry. The most recent case happened in May and involved a failed attempt by a masked gang to abduct relatives of the co-founder of French Bitcoin exchange Paynium. Twenty five suspects were later indicted for the failed abduction. Another incident saw the father of a crypto millionaire being hijacked while walking their dog. David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, and his wife were also taken from their home in France in January, with French special forces rescuing the couple after a 58-hour ordeal. The operation led to multiple arrests, including individuals with prior crypto-related convictions. Both cases involved a ransom demand, with the victims being released with missing fingers. The post Paris Man Robbed of €2M in Bitcoin Following Violent Kidnapping appeared first on CryptoPotato .

2025-08-10 00:45