The crypto market had an eventful week: bitcoin first dropped amid geopolitical tensions, then recovered some losses, altcoins showed notable revival, several blockchains faced outages, and a new wave of speculative activity unfolded around Robinhood Chain.
This issue compiles key events in Web3, cryptocurrencies, and AI:
- Bitcoin and Ethereum dynamics.
- Zcash records.
- G20-level regulation discussions.
- Major incidents in DeFi.
- OpenAI and Google news.
- Gram Wallet launch in Telegram.
- Hyperliquid’s US plans.
- Kraken IPO postponement.
To follow the crypto market without unnecessary noise, it is useful to cross-check news with several sources: exchange data, on-chain analytics, regulator statements, company reports, and independent market reviews. The more important the decision, the less you should rely on a single headline or social media post.
Crypto Market: A Quick Reference Base
The crypto market is a market for digital assets: cryptocurrencies, tokens, stablecoins, NFTs, and related financial instruments. It operates around the clock, with transactions taking place through centralized exchanges, decentralized protocols, wallets, and other services. Many assets are based on blockchain: records of transfers are stored on the network, and the rules for confirming transactions are set by the consensus mechanism.
The main market participants are investors, traders, miners, validators, exchanges, market makers, protocol developers, DeFi platforms, and custodial services. Price is formed through supply and demand: if buyers are willing to pay more, the asset rises; if sellers outnumber buyers, the price falls. Quotes are also influenced by liquidity, trading volume, news, regulation, economic conditions, and the activity of large holders.
How Cryptocurrencies Are Evaluated
Cryptocurrency rankings are most often based on market cap, trading volume, liquidity, user count, network role, developer activity, and ecosystem resilience. Bitcoin is valued as the first and most recognizable crypto asset, Ethereum for smart contracts and DeFi, stablecoins like USDT for settlements and fiat pegs, and assets like Zcash or Monero attract attention for privacy features.
The market cap of an individual cryptocurrency is calculated simply: the coin price multiplied by the number of coins in circulation. The total crypto market cap is the sum of all crypto assets’ market caps. For example, if a token costs $10 and there are 1 million tokens in circulation, its market cap is $10 million.
Basic Terms
- Altcoins — all cryptocurrencies except bitcoin.
- Stablecoins — tokens whose value is usually pegged to a fiat currency or another asset.
- NFTs — unique tokens that can confirm ownership of a digital object or right.
- ETFs in crypto — an exchange-traded fund through which an investor gains access to a crypto asset or a group of related assets.
How to Buy and Store Cryptocurrency
- Choose an exchange or other reliable service to buy from.
- Register and complete verification if required.
- Fund your account in a convenient way.
- Select an asset and make a purchase.
- Decide where to store coins: on the exchange, in a hot wallet, software wallet, hardware device, or other cold storage.
For small everyday transactions, hot wallets are convenient, while for long-term storage, cold and hardware solutions are more often chosen. It is important to enable two-factor authentication, store the seed phrase offline, check addresses before transferring, and avoid connecting your wallet to suspicious sites.
The main risk for beginners is not only price drops but also storage mistakes: lost access or transfers to the wrong address are often irreversible.
Risks and Ways to Earn
Cryptocurrency can be risky due to high volatility, scams, hacks, smart contract bugs, technical failures, and sudden regulatory changes. Risk can be reduced by diversification, cautious position sizing, checking exchanges and wallets, two-factor authentication, and not keeping all funds in one place.
In the crypto market, high returns always come with high volatility: before your first purchase, it is better to decide in advance what level of risk you are willing to accept.
- Trading — trying to profit from short-term price movements.
- Long-term investing — buying an asset expecting future growth.
- Staking — earning rewards for participating in the network or delegating coins.
- Mining — issuing and confirming blocks in networks with the relevant mechanism.
- DeFi — working with lending, liquidity pools, farming, and other on-chain tools.
Where to Start
Beginners should first understand the basic terms, learn the difference between a coin, token, wallet, and exchange, then choose several reliable information sources and practice with a small amount. It is helpful to keep records of trades, study fees, read protocol rules, and gradually move from simple purchases to more complex tools.
Main Market Moves of the Week
Bitcoin: Drop, Quick Rebound, and Analyst Caution
At the start of the week, the first cryptocurrency came under pressure. On September 1-2, the price fell amid renewed tensions in the Middle East. At the same time, Brent futures peaked at $96.7, the S&P 500 index dropped, and the yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds rose to 4.8%.
By September 3, the market began to recover. Bitcoin briefly rose to $82,300, and daily liquidations reached $538.6 million, with most coming from short positions. An additional boost came from a statement by Fed member Christopher Waller, who suggested supporting the rate remaining unchanged. After that, the probability of a rate hike in September fell from 63.2% to 50.4%.
At the time of writing, bitcoin was trading around $79,922.
August ended with bitcoin up 24.95%. This is the asset’s best monthly result since November 2024. The most notable surge came mid-month after Donald Trump’s meeting with crypto industry representatives and the US Treasury’s decision to double long-term bond buybacks from September 9.
The Bitcoin Cycle Momentum indicator, after eight months of weak dynamics, returned to the positive zone. CryptoQuant sees this as a possible signal of an approaching reversal, though analysts await a rise to 20-30 for more confident confirmation. Meanwhile, visible demand for bitcoin turned negative again, and short-term holders continue to actively take profits.
Analyst Darkfost noted that August’s bitcoin growth of more than 30% is not yet supported by a comparable recovery in trading activity. Volumes on Binance, Gate, and Bybit remain about 70% below October 2025 levels. In his view, sustainable market recovery requires not only price growth but also a return of liquidity.
Bitwise’s Director of Research in Europe, Andre Dragos, stated that bitcoin’s three-month correlation with gold reached its highest level in almost six years. In the recent move, bitcoin gained 22.4% for the week, gold about 5%, and the first cryptocurrency’s correlation with the stock market fell to a yearly low. This strengthened the argument for bitcoin as a hedge against currency devaluation.
Fidelity suggested that bitcoin is approaching the final phase of the current bear market. Analysts cited four-year cycles, volatility changes, and further spread of digital assets. The historical model points to a possible bottom in November 2026, but the company does not rule out that it may have formed in July or could appear later.
River presented a forecast that bitcoin could rise to the $250,000-$840,000 range in the next three to five years as its share in investment portfolios increases. According to the company, an inflow of $1.3 trillion-$5.3 trillion could raise the asset’s market cap to $5.5 trillion-$17.5 trillion. For long-term investors, River considers a portfolio share of bitcoin of at least 10% justified.
61 BTC Returned to Owner After More Than 12 Years
A UK resident recovered 61 BTC he thought lost after the Intersango crypto exchange closed more than ten years ago. He bought the coins in 2011 at about £2.94 each. In January 2026, the man contacted lawyers, and by the end of May was able to recover the entire amount. At that time, the assets were valued at £3.33 million.
Strategy Disputes MSCI and Explains BTC Sale
Strategy opposed MSCI’s proposal to change the criteria for including “Non-Operating” companies in the Global Investable Market Indexes. The company considers the initiative an attempt to remove organizations with crypto treasuries from the indexes. At the same time, Strategy emphasized that possible exclusion would not have a significant direct impact: funds tracking these indexes own only 3.1% of its shares.
Strategy CEO Phong Le also explained the sale of 3,328 BTC in early August at about $64,000 per coin. He said the decision was correct despite bitcoin’s subsequent rise, as the company needed funds for some dividend payments. At the end of the month, Strategy resumed buying and acquired 4,603 BTC at an average price of $80,318.
Altcoins: Ethereum, Privacy Coins, and Zcash Surge
Ethereum moved almost in sync with bitcoin. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap dropped on September 1-2, but by September 3 had risen to $2,529 and held above $2,500 for a while.
At the time of writing, Ethereum was trading around $2,500.
Ethereum ended August up 32.53%, outpacing bitcoin’s 24.95%. The main jump also came mid-month. The drivers were similar: changes in the regulatory agenda and US Treasury bond buybacks.
Among the week’s largest assets, VeChain, Monero, and Uniswap stood out. Notable results for the week:
- VeChain — up 23.83%.
- Monero — up 23.64%.
- Uniswap — up 19.31%.
The top ten most profitable assets also included SPX6900, Rain, Solana, Mantle, Lighter, PancakeSwap, and Stacks.
Zcash rose above $1,000 and entered the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap. Its market cap exceeded $17 billion. Over the week, ZEC grew by more than 30%, and daily futures liquidations exceeded $36 million. Trader Garrett Jin lost more than $18.5 million on a short position.
To assess such moves, traders usually look not only at charts but also at aggregator data like CoinMarketCap, trading volumes, order book depth, and liquidation structure. In periods of sharp volatility, this is as important as understanding blockchain basics: cryptography protects the network, mining ensures block issuance and confirmation in some systems, and the consensus mechanism helps prevent double spending. Against this backdrop, old assets like Litecoin and meme coins like Dogecoin remain part of the overall market picture, though the week’s focus was on bitcoin, Ethereum, Zcash, and Robinhood Chain tokens.
Regulation: G20, Thailand, and the Perpetual Futures Dispute
G20 finance ministers and central bank heads acknowledged that digital assets can play a transformational role in economic growth. Participants agreed to promote regulatory frameworks that support innovation while maintaining financial stability. Special emphasis was placed on FATF standards for virtual assets, as well as on fraud and money laundering risks via cryptocurrencies.
Thailand’s SEC approved the Travel Rule for digital asset operators. Companies will be required to collect and transmit information about crypto transaction senders and recipients, verify counterparties, and confirm control over non-custodial wallets. The new requirements take effect February 27, 2027, and transaction data must be stored for at least five years.
The CFTC asked a federal court to dismiss CME Group’s lawsuit against allowing crypto perpetual futures in the US. The regulator said CME had not proven harm from competition with Kalshi and could itself launch similar products. The conflict began after the CFTC allowed BTCPERP from Kalshi to be classified as a future. CME insists such instruments should be considered swaps.
Security Incidents and Suspicious Schemes
GOLD, Tectonic, Fogo, and Injective
Lookonchain recorded a likely rug pull of the GOLD token on the Solana network. Fifteen wallets linked to the team sold 224.5 million GOLD for about $330,000 and made around $312,000 in profit. Before the sell-off, these addresses, along with the developer, controlled 82.45% of the token supply. Interest in the project was fueled by an alleged connection to the Trump Organization, but Trump Coins representatives later denied any involvement with GOLD.
DeFi protocol Tectonic lost about $75 million due to a price manipulation attack on TONIC. In 20 minutes, the attacker raised the token’s value about 100 times and used it as inflated collateral for loans. About $6 million was transferred from Cronos to Ethereum, with another $60 million remaining on Cronos.
The Fogo team halted the blockchain after detecting unauthorized activity and reports of Fogo Foundation compromise. The attacker obtained 400 million FOGO worth about $3 million. The network was suspended as a preventive measure to prevent further movement of affected assets.
Injective did not process blocks for 3 hours and 42 minutes amid a possible attack with damages up to $4.9 million. On-chain analysts estimate the attacker may have exploited binary options features and trades between their own subaccounts, causing the protocol to account for more funds to be returned than actually remained in the system.
Tether Lawsuit and Mass Password Resets on X
Two entrepreneurs from Thailand filed a lawsuit against Tether in federal court in New York. They are challenging the freeze of about 42.4 million USDT on ten Ethereum addresses. The plaintiffs claim the company blocked the assets after an informal request from Homeland Security Investigations, when authorities did not yet have a warrant, court order, or subpoena.
Social network X is investigating a wave of unauthorized password reset requests. Users reported numerous emails and confirmation codes. The company suggested attackers may be trying to access accounts amid the expansion of X Money, but found no signs of internal system breaches so far.
Sality Botnet and Fake Investment Platforms
US and European authorities disrupted the P2P Sality botnet, which since 2003 had been used to spread malware, conduct cyberattacks, and steal cryptocurrencies. The network’s infrastructure was linked to more than 11 million unique IP addresses. At its peak, the operator could simultaneously control up to 1 million infected devices.
Ukrainian law enforcement dismantled a network of fake investment platforms through which criminals stole cryptocurrencies using a built-in drainer. Investigators identified 62 victims from more than 20 countries. More than 46 Ukrainian citizens may have been involved in organizing the scheme.
Such episodes again show why security remains a key topic for the industry. For users, a crypto transfer is not like a regular bank transaction: in most cases, a mistake or theft cannot simply be reversed by an intermediary. Therefore, wallet software, exchange systems, API connections, and access control are critically important protection elements.
Artificial Intelligence: Cyber Risks, New Models, and Deals
OpenAI and 155 other organizations called on businesses and governments to urgently strengthen cybersecurity amid growing AI capabilities. Participants expect attacks to become more sophisticated in the coming months and propose more actively using AI to find vulnerabilities, restrict access rights, update outdated systems, and expand threat data sharing.
US federal authorities sold Anthropic shares confiscated from former Alameda Research and FTX executives Caroline Ellison and Nishad Singh. The shares were sold to existing company investors, presumably in 2025. Buyers, transaction price, and state proceeds were not disclosed. Experts valued the package at $250 million-$1.1 billion at the time of sale.
Gal Gadot supported the use of AI in filmmaking, but only with protection for actors’ performances and likenesses. In the film Bitcoin, the technology was used to create sets and lighting. The actress insisted on banning AI from altering or reproducing her performance.
OpenAI recognized Astra as its first model to reach a critical threshold in cybersecurity capabilities. During tests, the system independently found previously unknown vulnerabilities, built exploit chains, and discovered two zero-day vulnerabilities in V8. The company strengthened protective mechanisms and will limit initial access to the most advanced features.
OpenAI is also developing automatic AI shutdown mechanisms for detecting dangerous behavior after the Hugging Face hack incident. The company plans to strengthen model monitoring and isolation. US lawmakers demanded details of the incident and are simultaneously considering the AI Kill Switch Act.
Google introduced Gemini 3.8 Flash and Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber. The first model is aimed at programming and autonomous agent processes, the second at cybersecurity tasks. Flash Cyber is available to vetted specialists and in tests detected more than 70% of vulnerabilities in Google's internal codebases.
Nvidia agreed to buy Hugging Face for $12.93 billion. After the deal, the platform with more than 18 million users will remain open. Nvidia plans to scale the service's infrastructure and expand developer and company access to AI technologies.
Telegram, Hyperliquid, Kraken, and Robinhood Chain Boom
Pavel Durov announced the launch of the non-custodial Gram Wallet based on The Open Network directly in Telegram. The wallet is currently available to a limited group of users, but access is planned to expand to the messenger’s audience of over 1 billion people in the coming weeks.
Hyperliquid Labs is negotiating with Kraken's parent company, Payward, to enter the US market. It is assumed that clients will be able to trade perpetual crypto futures through the Payward-controlled Bitnomial platform. The relevant infrastructure proposal has reportedly already been sent to the CFTC.
Payward postponed the Kraken IPO until at least Q2 2027 due to unfavorable market conditions. This is the second delay in 2026: earlier, plans were suspended amid a crypto market downturn, weak trading volumes, and pressure on company valuations.
Shares of China's Farmmi soared more than 320% amid hype around the Money Mushroom (JINQIAN) memecoin on Robinhood Chain. The token's market cap reached about $60 million, and FAMI trading volume on Nasdaq increased by about 150 times. However, the FAMI token used in the crypto pair is not an official Robinhood Stock Token and is not directly linked to the company's real shares.
The PONS token rose more than 360% in seven days amid a sharp increase in Robinhood Chain activity. Its market cap exceeded $500 million. The launchpad of the same name generated a record $5.95 million in fees in one day and processed about $400 million in trading volume, accounting for more than 63% of the network's launchpad market.
AMC CEO Adam Aron criticized Robinhood over tokenized AMC shares and stressed the company has no connection to their issuance. Amid the conflict, a related tokenized AMC memecoin MEME appeared on Robinhood Chain. Its FDV grew 206,400% in one day to $131.7 million with a trading volume of $41.5 million.
The story with tokenized stocks once again blurred the lines between the crypto market and traditional finance. For investors, it is important to distinguish a real share as a financial instrument, a tokenized representation, and a speculative memecoin. It is equally important to understand how a given asset is reflected in company accounting, especially for corporate treasuries and public issuers.
Other Events of the Week
- CFTC — fine of more than $172,500 for a former White House staffer for trading on Kalshi.
- NEAR — blockchain transition to Confidential by Default mode.
- Crypto companies — record $640 million spent on buybacks of their own tokens.
- Donald Trump's son's fund — investments in Polymarket up to $300 million.
- Ethena — launch of a neobank on Avalanche with cashback and savings rate.
- Catastrophe bonds — blockchain issuance planned for 2027.
- Revolut — first step toward obtaining a US banking license.
- Coinbase — infrastructure provider decisions remain a key factor for digital asset accessibility to retail and institutional clients.
What Else the Editorial Team Covered
The team prepared material on where DeFi yields come from: from lending and pool fees to vaults and complex strategies. Risks of high APY and who actually pays for the yield are covered separately.
A guide to the free Claude Academy from Anthropic was also published. It explains which courses and practical scenarios are available to users, how to start learning, and how to get a personalized badge.
In a separate review, the team examined Claude Fable 5.1 — Anthropic's new flagship model for programming and intellectual tasks. The focus was on model capabilities, benchmarks, cost, and a practical test creating a 3D aircraft engine model.
Another review is dedicated to Gemini 3.8 Flash — the third Flash line update from Google in six weeks. The material covers improvements, prices, the Flash Cyber version, and a test creating a 3D game from a single prompt.
Arthur Hayes published an essay, Atención, on the problems of the European financial system and their potential impact on global liquidity and the crypto market. The author's key points and trading strategy are summarized.
In addition, the team tested and reviewed a service for crypto and fiat operations: what services are available, how exchange works, and what users should pay attention to.
Other materials of the week include:
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- Selection of 15 AI tools for marketing and SMM.
- Order Flow analysis for intraday futures trading.
- Comparison of six anti-detect browsers.
- Review of key investments in blockchain and crypto assets for August 2026.
- Regular updates to the Incrypted crypto calendar.
