XRP extends losses as risk-off sentiment pressures crypto market

  • XRP falls 1.94% to $2.75 as risk-off sentiment hits crypto markets.
  • Active addresses drop from 50K in July to 19K, showing weak demand.
  • $2.70 support is key; losing it could send XRP down toward $2.08.

XRP extended its recent downturn on Monday, with the token slipping 1.94% over the past 24 hours to trade at $2.75.

The decline builds on last week’s sharp sell-off and comes amid broader weakness across the cryptocurrency market.

Analysts suggest that falling onchain activity and reduced investor appetite are weighing on the altcoin, though a potential rebound remains possible if key support levels hold.

Investor sentiment and onchain activity weaken

The latest pullback in XRP comes against a backdrop of declining risk appetite in the digital asset market.

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has fallen into the “fear” zone at 46, down from “neutral” last week and “greed” a month ago, according to data from Alternative.me.

This shift highlights growing investor caution after months of strong price action.

On-chain metrics reinforce the risk-off mood.

Active addresses on the XRP Ledger have dropped sharply, falling to around 19,250 on Monday compared with roughly 50,000 in mid-July.

Active addresses track the number of wallets sending or receiving XRP, and the steep decline indicates waning participation and lower transaction activity.

Futures market data paints a similar picture.

Open interest in XRP derivatives has contracted to $7.7 billion from $10.94 billion in recent weeks, underscoring a lack of conviction among traders.

Reduced open interest often signals weaker speculative demand, potentially amplifying downside risk in the short term.

Technical picture hinges on $2.70 support

From a technical perspective, the XRP price is testing critical support at $2.70.

The token has been consolidating within a descending triangle pattern since rallying to a multi-year peak of $3.66 in July.

This bearish formation is marked by a flat support line and descending resistance trendline.

If bulls can defend the $2.70 threshold, XRP could attempt a recovery toward the upper boundary of the triangle at $3.09.

That level coincides with both the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) and the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement line.

A successful breakout would strengthen bullish momentum and potentially propel the token toward the $3.70 region, near the apex of the current chart pattern.

However, a failure to hold above $2.70 could trigger fresh selling.

The next area of support lies between $2.60, aligned with the 100-day SMA, and $2.48, corresponding to the 200-day SMA.

A breakdown of this demand zone could expose XRP to losses toward $2.08, representing a 25% decline from current levels.

Market signals highlight uncertain outlook

Order flow dynamics suggest some resilience at the $2.70 level, with liquidation heatmaps showing buyers clustering around this price.

At the same time, significant sell orders are concentrated in the $2.87 to $3.74 range, highlighting the resistance that bulls would need to overcome for a sustained rally.

Technical indicators point to lingering downside risk.

According to Cointelegraph, XRP’s Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is flashing signals of a potential bearish crossover in September, which could push the token toward $2.17 if confirmed.

For now, XRP’s near-term trajectory appears tied to whether bulls can maintain support at $2.70. While broader market sentiment remains cautious, any rebound from this level could set the stage for renewed upside attempts.

Conversely, a breakdown would likely extend the current downtrend and deepen losses.

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Tether reverses USDT freezing on 5 chains, allows transfers, but ends issuance

  • Tether has said that while USDT transfers on the five blockchains remain possible, no new USDT will be issued or redeemed.
  • Tether is shifting its focus to Ethereum, Tron, and other high-demand networks.
  • The stablecoin market is projected to reach $2T by 2028 amid rising US support.

Tether has adjusted its earlier plan to freeze USDT smart contracts on five blockchains, opting instead to let users continue transferring tokens while halting issuance and redemption.

The change affects Omni Layer, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand, networks that now represent only a fraction of USDT circulation.

A shift from freezing to phasing out

In July 2024, Tether announced it would cease redemptions and freeze tokens on the five chains starting September 1, 2025. However, in an August 29 communication, the company seems to have reversed the freeze, opting for a halt to issuance and redemption.

However, following feedback from the communities tied to those blockchains, the company has revised its approach.

While transfers will remain possible, Tether will no longer mint or redeem tokens on these chains, effectively leaving them unsupported.

This move marks the end of an era for Omni Layer in particular, once the foundation for USDT issuance, now holding just under $83 million.

EOS trails with a little over $4 million, while the remaining chains each carry less than $1 million.

In contrast, Ethereum and Tron dominate the stablecoin’s footprint, with more than $150 billion issued between them.

Focus shifts to high-demand ecosystems

The decision underscores Tether’s strategy of consolidating around chains with strong liquidity and developer activity.

Ethereum, Tron, and BNB Chain remain the company’s priority networks, while newer platforms such as Arbitrum, Base, and Solana are gaining traction, particularly for rival USDC.

By reducing attention to legacy blockchains, Tether aims to streamline resources toward ecosystems that promise scalability, user demand, and integration with broader digital finance.

Stablecoins entering a new policy era

Tether’s recalibration highlights the balancing act between legacy commitments and future opportunities.

While tokens on Omni, EOS, and other discontinued chains remain transferable, the company’s attention is firmly fixed on larger, more dynamic ecosystems.

At the same time, traditional finance players such as Western Union are exploring stablecoins to modernise remittances and improve currency conversion, pointing to a broader wave of adoption.

Additionally, the timing of Tether’s move coincides with growing policy support for stablecoins in the United States.

The recent GENIUS Act, signed by President Trump, provides regulatory backing for dollar-pegged assets as a tool to extend US currency influence in digital markets.

In addition, the US Treasury projects that the stablecoin sector could exceed $2 trillion by 2028, up from its current $285.9 billion.

Ripple’s chief executive has suggested growth may accelerate even faster, potentially reaching that mark within just a few years.

As stablecoins expand into payments, savings, and global transfers, Tether’s shift reflects both market realities and the demands of a sector rapidly preparing for trillion-dollar growth.

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PUMP token price gains momentum amid aggressive buybacks by Pump.fun

  • Pump.fun buybacks have offset over 4.2% of the PUMP token supply.
  • PUMP’s market cap has rebounded past $1.29B with volumes above $335M.
  • Pump.fun has reclaimed Solana dominance with 38k daily active users.

The PUMP token has returned to the spotlight, gaining momentum after a wave of aggressive buybacks by Pump.fun, the Solana-based memecoin launchpad.

Pump.fun’s latest moves have shifted market sentiment, with traders showing renewed confidence in the project’s ability to sustain its position at the heart of Solana’s retail-driven activity.

Buybacks fuel price recovery

Pump.fun has spent heavily on buybacks in August, with more than $62 million worth of PUMP tokens repurchased since the start of the month.

Between August 20 and 26 alone, the platform allocated $10.66 million — equivalent to more than 99% of its revenue that week — towards token repurchases.

Over a two-week stretch earlier in the month, Pump.fun spent an additional $19.26 million to scoop up nearly three billion tokens, trimming the circulating supply by almost 1%.

These buybacks have offset more than 4.2% of PUMP’s total circulating supply to date.

Each repurchase reduces selling pressure and reassures investors that the platform is backing its native asset with revenue generated from its surging activity.

This approach has already lifted PUMP’s price by more than 30% in the past month, helping the token recover from its late July lows.

PUMP market cap rebounds beyond $1 billion

The impact of these moves has been visible in market capitalisation figures.

After tumbling sharply in mid-July, PUMP has climbed back above the billion-dollar mark, reaching around $1.29 billion as of the latest CoinGecko data.

The fully diluted valuation now sits above $3.6 billion, reflecting the scale of long-term potential if buybacks and adoption continue at pace.

Trading activity has also strengthened. In the past 24 hours, PUMP recorded volumes exceeding $335 million, highlighting robust liquidity in a period where broader Solana decentralised exchanges have seen declining participation.

This rebounds positions Pump.fun as one of the most active and profitable applications on Solana, rivalling well-established DeFi players.

Pump.fun dominance draws traders back

Pump.fun’s resurgence is not only tied to buybacks but also to a significant recovery in its market share.

At the start of August, the launchpad accounted for just over 11% of Solana coins.

Within weeks, that share had surged above 90% before stabilising around 62% of sector revenue.

Daily active users on Pump.fun have jumped above 38,000, leaving rivals like LetsBonk with only a fraction of the activity.

This resurgence has been amplified by the success of tokens like $TROLL, which soared 250% in August and reinforced the speculative energy fueling Pump.fun’s ecosystem.

The sheer number of tokens created, more than 293,000 in just two weeks, underscores how the platform has captured the imagination of retail traders seeking quick exposure to memecoin plays.

Outlook remains cautious despite bullish momentum

From a technical perspective, the PUMP token has broken above its short-term moving averages, with indicators such as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and MACD being bullish.

Hourly PUMP token price chart

In addition, the current price of $0.003625 is pressing against the $0.00375 resistance level, a key threshold that traders are watching closely.

A clear break past the resistance at $0.00375 could open the door to a return above $0.004, levels last seen before July’s selloff.

However, there are questions about the sustainability of the aggressive buybacks that cast a shadow on the long-term outlook for PUMP.

Notably, more than half of the circulating supply is still concentrated in early holders, and sudden exchange inflows could spark renewed volatility.

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21Shares launches Hyperliquid ETP on Swiss Exchange amid surging DeFi volumes

  • 21Shares lists first Hyperliquid ETP on SIX, offering regulated exposure to HYPE token.
  • Hyperliquid hits $319B monthly trades, capturing 35% of blockchain revenue in July.
  • Market concerns linger, but analysts see long-term growth in DeFi derivatives demand.

21Shares, a Switzerland-based asset manager and issuer of crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs), has listed the Hyperliquid ETP on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

The new product provides institutional and retail investors with exposure to Hyperliquid’s native token (HYPE) without the need for wallets or on-chain custody.

The listing represents the first institutional-grade investment vehicle offering direct exposure to the Hyperliquid protocol.

It arrives just days after HYPE reached an all-time high of $50.99, reflecting the platform’s growing influence in the decentralized finance (DeFi) derivatives sector.

Mandy Chiu, head of financial product development at 21Shares, praised Hyperliquid’s trajectory, stating that its “growth has been nothing short of extraordinary, and the underlying economics are among the most compelling we’ve seen in the space.”

Founded in 2018, 21Shares has a record of launching regulated digital asset products.

Its portfolio includes the first physically backed crypto ETP, as well as spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs in the US.

In Europe, the firm has built a suite of crypto ETPs spanning single-asset offerings like Solana (SOL) and Dogecoin (DOGE) to diversified baskets and staking-focused funds.

Hyperliquid’s rapid rise in DeFi

Hyperliquid launched in late 2022 as a layer-1 blockchain with a decentralized exchange specializing in perpetual futures.

Unlike many DeFi platforms that rely on automated market makers, Hyperliquid uses a traditional onchain order book to match buy and sell orders directly.

Trades are cleared in under a second without reliance on oracles or off-chain infrastructure.

The exchange’s fee structure funnels transaction costs into daily buybacks of its native HYPE token, supporting demand for the asset.

This model has helped fuel explosive growth across trading volumes, revenues, and user adoption.

In July, Hyperliquid processed $319 billion in trades—the highest monthly volume ever for a DeFi perpetuals platform.

That activity contributed to a total of nearly $487 billion in decentralized perpetual trading volume, according to DefiLlama.

The platform also captured 35% of all blockchain revenue that month, surpassing competitors on Solana, Ethereum, and BNB Chain.

Hyperliquid has since emerged as the seventh-largest derivatives exchange globally by daily trading activity, with more than 600,000 registered users as of July.

While a 37-minute outage on July 29 briefly disrupted trading, the protocol reimbursed $2 million in losses, winning support from its community for its quick response.

Balancing growth and market concerns

Despite its momentum, questions remain over market integrity.

On Wednesday, four large traders allegedly manipulated the market for Plasma’s XPL token, briefly driving its price 200% higher to $1.80 before smaller participants absorbed heavy losses.

The suspected manipulation generated $48 million in profits for the traders involved.

Still, optimism for Hyperliquid’s long-term trajectory remains strong.

At the WebX 2025 conference in Tokyo, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes projected that the HYPE token could rise 126-fold over the next three years, citing the exchange’s robust fee revenue and the broader expansion of stablecoins.

As institutional-grade products such as the 21Shares Hyperliquid ETP launch, investor access to emerging DeFi infrastructure continues to expand.

While governance and market risks persist, Hyperliquid’s rapid ascent underscores the growing demand for decentralized derivatives and the financial instruments designed to track their performance.

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Ethereum ETFs log $4 Billion in August net inflows, outperforming Bitcoin counterparts

  • Ethereum ETFs log $4B August inflows, set for second-largest month since launch.
  • Bitcoin ETFs face $622M outflows in August, while Ethereum funds gain strong traction.
  • ETH ETFs narrow gap in trading volume, even as BTC funds hold lifetime inflow lead.

US spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are poised to post around $4 billion in net inflows for August, marking their second-largest monthly tally since launching in July and underscoring a sustained period of outperformance against Bitcoin ETFs.

Data compiled by The Block highlights a notable shift in investor sentiment toward Ethereum products, even as Bitcoin ETFs continue to dominate in lifetime inflows.

Ethereum ETFs extend momentum over Bitcoin

The relative strength of Ethereum ETFs has been evident since mid-July, coinciding with a surge in ETH’s price that lifted the cryptocurrency from a year-to-date loss against Bitcoin to a 13.8% gain as of Friday.

From July 17 onward, Ethereum ETFs consistently outpaced Bitcoin products, outperforming them on all but seven trading days during that stretch.

Cumulative net inflows since mid-July stand at $7.1 billion for Ethereum ETFs, far eclipsing the $505 million registered by their Bitcoin counterparts over the same period.

In July, Bitcoin ETFs still held a slight edge, pulling in $6 billion versus Ethereum’s record $5.4 billion.

However, August has told a different story. Bitcoin ETFs are currently tracking net outflows of $622.5 million, while Ethereum ETFs are on pace for $4 billion in net inflows with just one trading day left in the month.

Over the past two months, Ethereum ETFs have attracted $9.5 billion in net inflows compared to $5.4 billion for Bitcoin products.

Despite this recent momentum, Bitcoin ETFs remain well ahead in lifetime cumulative inflows, securing $54.6 billion since launch compared to Ethereum’s $13.7 billion.

It is worth noting that Bitcoin ETFs began trading six months earlier, giving them a significant head start.

Daily inflow streak broken

Ethereum’s dominance in daily inflows came to a halt on Thursday after a seven-day winning streak.

Bitcoin ETFs registered $178.9 million in inflows on the day, led by Ark Invest’s ARKB with $79.8 million.

BlackRock’s IBIT, typically the largest Bitcoin ETF by flows, added $63.7 million.

Meanwhile, Ethereum ETFs collectively recorded $39.1 million in inflows, with BlackRock’s ETHA leading the pack at $67.6 million — the strongest daily performance among all Ethereum funds.

While Bitcoin ETFs continue to maintain a lead in daily trading volumes, Ethereum products have closed the gap significantly.

On Thursday, Bitcoin ETFs generated $2.5 billion in trading activity compared to $2 billion for Ethereum ETFs, reflecting growing market interest in the latter.

Market dynamics and outlook

Despite strong inflows, Bitcoin’s price remains range-bound near $111,000, said BRN Head of Research Timothy Misir in a report by The Block.

He noted that while ETF demand continues to absorb more than twice Bitcoin’s daily issuance, the lack of stronger spot market conviction is keeping price action relatively muted.

For Ethereum, short-term market pressures remain in focus. Misir pointed out that ETH’s slip below the $4,500 support level suggests potential weakness despite robust ETF inflows.

The contrasting flows highlight an evolving dynamic in the crypto ETF space.

Investors appear increasingly willing to allocate toward Ethereum as the asset gains traction in trading activity and fund flows, even though Bitcoin retains dominance in overall assets under management and trading liquidity.

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