Metaplanet has made headlines by acquiring 5,419 BTC for approximately $632.53 million, raising its total holdings to 25,555 BTC valued at around $2.91 billion. This acquisition positions Metaplanet as the fifth-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin globally, surpassing Bullish's holdings of 24,300 BTC. The purchase was executed at an average price of $116,724 per Bitcoin, reflecting a strategic move to bolster its Bitcoin treasury approach. This aggressive accumulation aligns with Metaplanet's broader strategy to increase its Bitcoin holdings significantly, aiming for 210,000 BTC by 2027 as part of its "555 Million Plan."
The launch of the first U.S.-listed XRP ETF generated a record $37.7 million in opening-day volume, yet XRP's price fell by 3.46% during the subsequent 24 hours. The price dropped from a high of $3.014 to a low of $2.910, indicating that institutional profit-taking overshadowed the bullish sentiment from the ETF debut. This decline was accompanied by a significant spike in trading volume, with 261.22 million XRP traded during the midnight crash, quadrupling the daily average. Analysts are now closely monitoring whether XRP can reclaim the $3.00 resistance level, which has proven challenging amid ongoing market volatility.
Dogecoin (DOGE) experienced a sharp selloff, dropping from $0.27 to $0.25, driven by record trading volumes of 2.15 billion tokens. This selloff has established new resistance levels, with traders now watching if the $0.25 support can hold or if further declines will occur. In contrast, Cardano (ADA) is facing pressure as large holders have sold over 560 million ADA, valued at nearly $500 million, in just four days. This selling activity has delayed ADA's attempt to breach the psychological $1 mark, reflecting a lack of conviction among major investors.
As institutional interest in crypto continues to grow, the market is experiencing significant fluctuations. The recent ETF launches and corporate acquisitions, like Metaplanet's, indicate a bullish long-term outlook, despite short-term price volatility. Analysts suggest that the market's reaction to these institutional moves will be critical in determining future price trends, particularly as liquidity conditions evolve with the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. The interplay between institutional adoption and market sentiment will likely shape the trajectory of Bitcoin and altcoins in the coming weeks.
BNB has experienced a remarkable surge, climbing over 10% to reach an all-time high of $1,079. This rally has been attributed to renewed institutional interest, strategic partnerships by Binance, and a more favorable regulatory outlook. Analysts suggest that while there is potential for a correction, with some predicting a dip below $1,000, the overall sentiment remains bullish due to the underlying demand and ecosystem developments surrounding BNB. The Binance Smart Chain has also seen a significant increase in transaction fees, totaling $357 million for Q3, further indicating strong market activity and trader confidence in BNB's future prospects.
On Bitfinex, bullish long positions for Bitcoin (BTC) have surged by 20% over the last three months, reaching a total of 52,774 margin trading positions. However, this increase comes as Bitcoin's price has fallen below its critical 100-day moving average of $113,283, raising concerns about potential further downside. Historically, rising long positions have often preceded price declines, suggesting that the current bullish sentiment may be misleading and could lead to forced liquidations if the market reverses.
MetaMask's newly launched mUSD stablecoin has seen its circulating supply skyrocket to 65.6 million within just a week of its launch, up from approximately 15 million. This rapid growth indicates strong user adoption and interest in the stablecoin, reflecting the increasing demand for stable assets in the crypto ecosystem.
Ethereum traders are currently leaning towards short positions, indicating a bearish sentiment in the market. However, there are signs that a surprise rally could occur, as stablecoin inflows suggest that bullish momentum may still be possible. This juxtaposition highlights the ongoing volatility in the crypto market, where trader sentiment can shift rapidly.
Ethereum's decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem has recently crossed a significant milestone, with total value locked (TVL) surpassing $100 billion for the first time since early 2022. This resurgence indicates a recovery from the previous bear market and highlights Ethereum's continued dominance in the DeFi space, where it and its layer-2 solutions account for 64.5% of the total TVL, compared to Solana's less than 9% share. The increase in TVL reflects a broader trend of renewed interest and investment in DeFi protocols on the Ethereum network. In conjunction with this growth, Ethereum's network fundamentals are also showing improvement.
Over the past week, transaction fees on the network have increased by 40%, and the number of active wallet addresses has risen by 10%. This uptick in activity suggests a growing demand for ETH, as all transactions on the Ethereum network require the token, thereby benefiting validators and enhancing network security through increased fees and the automated burn mechanism that reduces supply.
YZi Labs, the family office of Binance co-founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, has deepened its investment in Ethena Labs, which is developing the USDe stablecoin. This stablecoin has quickly become the third-largest U.S. dollar-denominated crypto asset, with over $13 billion in circulation. The investment aims to bolster Ethena's growth, particularly as it expands its offerings on the BNB Chain, including the development of USDtb, a fiat-backed stablecoin, and Converge, an institutional settlement layer in collaboration with Securitize and partners associated with BlackRock.
USDe operates as a "synthetic dollar," utilizing backing assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL), paired with short perpetual futures positions to maintain its $1 peg. This innovative approach has allowed USDe to achieve significant milestones, including crossing the $10 billion supply mark faster than any other dollar-pegged crypto asset, indicating a robust infrastructure supporting its growth.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has outlined the company's ambition to evolve into a financial "super app," which would integrate a wide range of financial services, including crypto. This vision is supported by recent legislative momentum in Congress, which could facilitate the development of such an application. Armstrong highlighted the launch of the Coinbase credit card, which offers 4% back in Bitcoin, as an example of how traditional banking services can be reimagined using crypto infrastructure. The integration of services typically associated with banks and fintechs onto crypto rails aims to provide users with a comprehensive financial platform that encompasses spending, savings, payments, and investing.
This strategic direction not only positions Coinbase as a potential bank replacement but also reflects a broader trend of leveraging blockchain technology to enhance financial service delivery.
Recent data indicates a troubling rise in physical attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders, with incidents increasing by 169% since February 2025. A total of 48 attacks have been reported this year, reflecting a 33% increase compared to all of 2024. The rise in Bitcoin prices has made holders, including everyday users and executives, more attractive targets for criminals. Security experts emphasize the importance of self-custody tools and best practices as the threat landscape evolves.
The alarming trend underscores the need for enhanced security measures among crypto investors, particularly as the value of digital assets continues to rise.
China's push for de-dollarization in Latin America is facing challenges as stablecoins, particularly USDT, gain traction in the region. Despite China's efforts to promote the yuan, retail consumers in inflation-strapped or capital-controlled economies prefer USDT for its stability, speed, and liquidity. Currently, Bolivia settles about 10% of its trade in yuan, while Brazil has renewed a RMB 190 billion ($26 billion) swap line, highlighting the ongoing shift towards the yuan. However, the demand for USDT continues to rise, indicating that Chinese exports are inadvertently fueling dollar demand rather than yuan demand, complicating Beijing's monetary policy goals.
Former President Donald Trump's ongoing criticism of the Federal Reserve, particularly targeting Chair Jerome Powell, could have significant implications for U.S. monetary policy and the dollar's strength. Trump's recent actions include petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, marking a potential shift in the Fed's political independence.
Analysts from Lloyds Bank suggest that these political pressures may hinder the Fed's ability to shift towards a dovish stance, which could lead to a deeper sell-off in the U.S. dollar as market expectations adjust to a potentially more reactive rather than proactive monetary policy.
The trial of the alleged mastermind of a $7 billion cross-border investment fraud is set to begin in London on September 29, with the case expected to set precedents for how authorities in the UK handle compensation for crypto-related financial crime. The defendant is Chinese national Zhimin Qian, who is the alleged organizer of a Ponzi scheme, the proceeds of which were laundered into Bitcoin now worth some $7 billion.
A $200 million crypto Ponzi scheme has unraveled, exposing a vast global fraud that lured 90,000 investors with fake returns and funded outrageous luxury spending. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Sept. 17 that the chief executive of a global bitcoin investment venture has pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme, which has left investors facing $63 million in losses.
© 2025 Daily Signals. All rights reserved.