🟠 Bitcoin Climbs Past $81,400 as ETF Inflows Resume
Bitcoin is trading just above $81,400, with ETF inflows returning to the market after a period of outflows.
The move has been sharp enough to push the RSI into overbought territory, signaling that momentum is stretched even as the broader price structure remains intact.
Analysts note that both the bullish trend and exhaustion indicators are active simultaneously — a setup that reflects a fast-moving market rather than a broken one.
⚖️ SEC moves toward 24/7 equity trading and on-chain markets
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is advancing on two fronts: preparing regulatory groundwork for 24-hour equity trading and proposing updated transfer-agent rules designed to accommodate blockchain-based settlement.
Together, the moves signal a meaningful shift in how traditional financial markets could operate — continuous trading windows and on-chain infrastructure are no longer fringe concepts but active areas of SEC policy work.
For crypto and tokenized-asset markets, the development is notable. Regulatory acceptance of always-on trading and blockchain-compatible settlement infrastructure could accelerate the convergence between traditional finance and on-chain markets.
An unidentified wallet transferred $221,226,193 in USDC directly to Coinbase in a single on-chain transaction, drawing attention across crypto markets.
Large stablecoin inflows to exchanges are closely watched as potential signals of upcoming trading activity, though the sender's identity and intent remain unconfirmed.
⚖️ Crypto leads all sectors with $206M in political spending
Crypto firms outspent every other corporate sector in U.S. political donations over the 18 months through June, contributing $206 million out of a record $646 million total, according to Public Citizen's analysis of FEC filings.
Combined with AI and online betting, the three sectors accounted for $344 million — more than half of all corporate political spending in the period. The GENIUS Act, which addresses stablecoin regulation, has already passed as one legislative outcome tied to this lobbying push. Further crypto-focused legislation remains on the Congressional agenda.
The scale of the spending underscores how central regulatory outcomes have become to the crypto industry's strategic priorities in Washington.
📊 Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP post 25–30% gains in August
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP have all recorded significant gains through August 2026, with BTC rising nearly 25% and both ETH and XRP surging over 30% each.
The moves come as the broader crypto market staged a recovery, drawing renewed attention to the three largest assets by market cap heading into the final weeks of Q3 2026.
Whether the momentum holds through quarter-end remains an open question, as traders weigh the strength of the rally against broader market conditions.
💵 Argentina routes 94% of peso crypto trades into stablecoins
A new report from a16z crypto reveals that stablecoins now account for 94% of all peso-denominated crypto trading volume in Argentina — one of the highest adoption rates globally.
The finding points to a sustained preference for dollar-pegged digital assets among Argentine users, who continue to seek protection from local currency volatility. This trend persists even as Argentina's inflation rate has declined from recent peaks, with wallet downloads and stablecoin usage remaining resilient.
The data underscores how stablecoins are functioning less as a speculative instrument and more as everyday financial infrastructure in high-inflation economies — a dynamic increasingly cited in policy and investment discussions around global crypto adoption.
🟠 IMF Clears $140M for El Salvador, Confirms Bitcoin Buys Used No Public Funds
The IMF has confirmed that all Bitcoin added to El Salvador's official holdings since June 2025 was funded entirely through private donations, with no public money used for accumulation.
The confirmation came as part of a staff-level agreement covering the combined second and third reviews of El Salvador's 40-month Extended Fund Facility. Subject to IMF Executive Board approval and completion of agreed prior actions, the country is set to receive approximately $140 million — part of a broader $1.4 billion loan program. El Salvador has continued acquiring roughly 1 BTC per day.
The IMF's position marks a shift from a year ago, when the fund had stated the Bitcoin reserve total had not moved and was only shuffling coins between government wallets. The latest review clears a key compliance hurdle, with the fund now satisfied that Bitcoin accumulation has not drawn on public finances.