📈 Goldman Sachs Holds $2.25B in Bitcoin Yield ETFs
Goldman Sachs has disclosed a $2.25 billion position in Bitcoin income ETFs, making it one of the largest institutional holders in this segment and placing it well ahead of BlackRock in this specific product category.
The bulk of the position is concentrated in BTCI, a Bitcoin covered-call ETF. The fund carries a 26.73% distribution rate and a 1.62% SEC yield, but also posted a negative 41.66% one-year NAV return — a key risk factor for investors evaluating income-focused Bitcoin products.
The move signals growing Wall Street appetite for Bitcoin yield strategies, even as the trade-off between high distributions and capital erosion remains a central concern with this fund structure.
⚖️ Erebor hits $9.5B valuation six months after opening
Erebor, a nationally chartered U.S. bank co-founded by Palmer Luckey and Joe Lonsdale, has reached a $9.5 billion valuation just months after opening its doors in February 2025.
The bank already holds $4.6 billion in deposits and generates $100 million in annualized revenue — metrics that put it ahead of most publicly traded U.S. banks at a comparable stage. Erebor has been widely positioned as a successor to Silvergate, which collapsed in 2023 and left a significant gap in crypto-friendly banking infrastructure.
The speed of Erebor's growth signals renewed institutional appetite for regulated banking rails that serve crypto businesses — a segment that has struggled to find reliable partners since the 2023 banking crisis.
Goldman Sachs has agreed to acquire NEOS Investments for up to $2.25 billion, adding approximately $30 billion in assets and 19 options-based income ETFs to its asset management arm. The deal is expected to close in Q1 2027.
The acquisition brings Goldman direct exposure to crypto income products, including the Bitcoin High Income ETF, Boosted Bitcoin High Income ETF, and Ethereum High Income ETF. Combined with its existing holdings, Goldman's derivative ETF platform would reach $130 billion in total assets.
One analyst noted the move puts Goldman in direct competition with BlackRock's BITA fund. The deal marks a significant step by a major Wall Street institution into crypto-linked ETF products.
🟠 Metaplanet and Hut8 Pull $125M in Bitcoin off Exchanges
Two Bitcoin treasury companies moved a combined 1,966 BTC — worth roughly $125 million — off exchanges within a three-hour window on August 12.
Metaplanet led with a 1,473 BTC withdrawal, followed approximately two hours later by Hut8, which pulled 493 BTC. The moves signal continued accumulation and cold-storage strategy by corporate Bitcoin holders.
Exchange outflows of this scale are typically associated with long-term holding intent, as assets moved off exchanges are less immediately available for sale.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin this week published a direct comparison between Ethereum's 2023 roadmap and the Ethereum Foundation's current draft, revealing a significant overhaul in the network's long-term priorities.
Quantum resistance and privacy have moved from peripheral considerations to core pillars of the updated plan — areas that featured far less prominently in the 2023 blueprint.
The shift signals how Ethereum's development direction has evolved in response to emerging threats and user expectations, with the Foundation now treating these features as fundamental rather than optional upgrades.
🏦 eToro Buys TradeZero for $231M as Crypto Revenue Falls 73%
eToro has agreed to acquire US brokerage TradeZero Holding Corp. for up to $231 million in a cash-and-stock deal, marking the platform's third acquisition this year and its most direct push into the American retail trading market.
The deal gives eToro a fully licensed US broker-dealer with options trading capabilities — something it has lacked. Crypto net contribution among eToro users fell 73% year-over-year, while equities drove a 9% overall rise in net contribution to $229 million in Q2. The acquisition is not expected to close until the first half of 2027 and requires regulatory approval; TradeZero's CEO previously settled SEC charges in 2022. eToro stock fell 10% on the news.
The move signals a deliberate pivot toward US equities as crypto activity on the platform cools and regulatory pressure on its token offerings continues.