Kategorie: Crypto Markets

• The ZKsync team has announced the launch of its Atlas upgrade.
• Atlas is designed to boost transaction finality to one second.
• ZK price rose 7% amid the news, and bulls look poised for more.

ZKsync has unveiled its Atlas upgrade, promising near-instantaneous zero-knowledge (ZK) finality to enhance enterprise adoption and high-throughput applications.

This milestone arrives amid a robust week for the ZK token.

Per the latest data, ZK has spiked more than 20% in the past week as investor confidence reemerges across the market.

What is ZKsync’s Atlas upgrade?

ZKsync, developed by Matter Labs, has long been at the forefront of ZK rollup technology, enabling secure and efficient scaling of Ethereum.

The Atlas upgrade, rolled out on October 6, 2025, represents a pivotal evolution of its ZK Stack framework.

Specifically, the Atlas upgrade bolsters the ZKsync network as the protocol looks to meet the demands of institutional and enterprise users transitioning operations on-chain.

At its core, Atlas introduces a high-performance sequencer engineered to process between 25,000 and 30,000 transactions per second, a leap that addresses longstanding bottlenecks in blockchain throughput.

ZKsync says central to the upgrade is the integration of Airbender, an innovative proving system that achieves sub-second confirmations for ZK proofs.

“Applications such as onchain order books, perps, exchanges, and AMMs depend on fast finality to reduce risk. Airbender allows systems to verify and settle extremely quickly,” the platform wrote in a blog post.

Per ZKsync, it is proofs, and not intermediaries, that carry trust across domains.

“Anyone (chain operators, exchanges, even a user’s mobile device) can quickly verify a succinct proof and act with confidence. This is also how private chains can keep user data private while still composing with public liquidity, revealing only the ZK proof of correctness.”

ZK price forecast

The ZK token, native to the ZKsync ecosystem, has shown promising momentum amid the past week’s crypto market bounce.

ZKsync looks poised to continue higher as the Atlas upgrade goes live.

Notably, bulls have retested the critical resistance level at $0.06.

Intraday highs of $0.062 saw buyers come close to breaching a supply wall at $0.065, in place since Sept. 13.

Gains of 7% in the past 24 hours and 20% over the past week show bullish momentum.

With on-chain activity higher and the upgrade’s implications for scalability apparent, an influx of liquidity into the ecosystem will likely catalyse a ZK price uptick to $0.1.

Bulls will target the psychological $1 mark.

However, downside risks persist if the broader market sentiment flips amid profit-taking.

Conditions across the risk assets market will be critical to traders.

The post ZKsync introduces Atlas upgrade for one-second finality: what this means for ZK price appeared first on CoinJournal.

• BNY Mellon explores blockchain-based tokenized deposits to modernize payment infrastructure.
• JPMorgan and HSBC have launched tokenized deposit pilots for faster, cheaper cross-border transfers.
• Global banks embrace blockchain as new regulations boost confidence in digital asset innovation.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BNY Mellon) is exploring the use of tokenized deposits as part of its ongoing efforts to modernize its payments infrastructure.

The initiative aims to enable clients to make payments using blockchain technology, reflecting a broader shift among global financial institutions toward the adoption of digital asset frameworks.

According to Carl Slabicki, Executive Platform Owner for Treasury Services at BNY Mellon, the project aligns with the bank’s work to enhance real-time, instant, and cross-border payments.

Tokenized deposits, he said, could allow banks to “overcome legacy technology constraints,” streamlining the movement of deposits and payments both within their own ecosystems and, eventually, across the wider financial market as industry standards mature.

BNY Mellon’s treasury services business processes approximately $2.5 trillion in payments daily, underscoring the potential scale and impact of this innovation.

The bank views blockchain as a tool for making transactions faster, more efficient, and more secure — a vision shared by several leading players in the global banking sector.

Banks advance toward blockchain-based payments

Tokenized deposits are essentially digital representations of customer deposits, offering a claim against a commercial bank.

Unlike traditional transfers that may take days to settle, transactions using tokenized deposits are processed on blockchain rails, enabling instantaneous settlement.

Advocates say this model could lower costs and allow transactions to occur 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

BNY Mellon’s move follows similar experiments by other major institutions.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. launched a pilot program in June for its own token, JPMD, which represents US dollar deposits at the bank.

Meanwhile, HSBC Holdings Plc rolled out a tokenized deposit service in September, giving corporate clients the ability to transfer currencies across borders more efficiently and securely.

In Europe, the momentum has extended to collaborative efforts among banks.

A consortium of nine financial institutions — including UniCredit SpA, ING Groep NV, and DekaBank — announced plans to jointly develop a stablecoin, a blockchain-based token pegged to fiat currency and backed by liquid assets such as government securities.

Industry momentum and regulatory clarity

The banking industry’s renewed focus on blockchain comes amid increasing regulatory clarity around digital assets.

The United States recently introduced regulations for stablecoins, while the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework is now being implemented.

These developments are providing traditional financial institutions with greater confidence to experiment with blockchain-based payment solutions.

BNY Mellon, one of the world’s largest custodians with $55.8 trillion in assets under custody or administration, has been a consistent participant in blockchain initiatives.

In July, the bank announced a collaboration with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to use blockchain to maintain ownership records of money market funds.

Additionally, BNY Mellon is among over 30 global financial institutions working with Swift to develop a blockchain-based shared ledger for real-time cross-border payments.

The exploration of tokenized deposits represents another step in BNY Mellon’s broader digital transformation strategy.

As the financial system continues its gradual evolution toward tokenized and blockchain-enabled assets, BNY Mellon’s initiatives highlight how legacy institutions are adapting to a decentralized future — one where efficiency, transparency, and interoperability could redefine global finance.

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• Starknet jumps 20% amid Bitcoin’s spike to new all-time high
• The rally for BTC helped most altcoins higher, with projects in the Bitcoin decentralized finance ecosystem among top gainers.
• Starknet’s rollout of BTC staking recently is a potential catalyst for further upside.

As Bitcoin surged past $126k for its first all-time high of the largely bullish month of October, Starknet (STRK) stood out as one of the top gainers on the day.

STRK price capitalized on the BTC momentum to highs of $126,198 to post sharp gains to highs near critical resistance level of $0.20, signaling renewed investor appetite that could drive more gains.

Starknet price spikes 20%

Starknet’s STRK token led altcoin performers, rocketing 20% in the last 24 hours to reach $0.1964.

This marked the project’s strongest daily showing since its February 2025 mainnet launch, with trading volume exploding by more than 400% to $305 million.

Data shows the STRK/USDT pair saw the most frenzied activity, with millions of dollars in trades seen across Binance, Bybit and OKX among other top crypto exchanges.

The rally pushed Starknet’s market capitalization to $796 million, elevating it into the top 100 coins by market cap. STRK ranked 95th in global rankings as of writing.

Notably, the Starknet price has climbed by over 40% in the past month.

STRK price outlook: breakout and retest

As on-chain metrics show, active wallets and transaction volume on the Starknet network has seen a significant bump in activity.

With utility-driven demand rather than mere speculation, bulls managed to hold onto a bullish set up.

STRK has broken out of a multi-month descending triangle pattern, with the relative strength index (RSI) hovering at 65. The retest aligns with a bullish reversal setup.

On the downside, support levels are now firm at $0.15. Meanwhile, resistance looms at $0.20, a psychological barrier that could unlock further gains if breached.

BTC spike and what it means for STRK

Bitcoin’s ascent to a record $126,198 was like a powerful tide that lifted altcoins.

Projects to record particular gains include those bridging Bitcoin liquidity to Ethereum’s scalability layers.

Starknet, which enables BTC holders to stake wrapped assets like WBTC for STRK rewards, stands among top gainers with its 20% uptick.

Bitcoin staking on the network went live in mid-September.

On Sept. 30, the Starknet team posted:

“Bitcoin staking is fully live on Starknet Mainnet. BTC is now part of Starknet’s staking mechanism, letting Bitcoiners secure the network and earn rewards alongside STRK stakers.”

The integration has drawn institutional eyes, while Starknet’s decentralized sequencers and fee-burning mechanisms are features set to enhance its appeal.

Bitcoin’s growth includes record flows into BTC exchange-traded funds, an indicator of further interest.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s safe-haven status as the US government shutdown continues means momentum for BTCfi alts could be significant.

As Bitcoin eyes $135k per Standard Chartered forecasts, Starknet’s uptick could involve a push for $1. Key barriers include $0.35 and $0.80.

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• US. spot Bitcoin ETFs log $1.18 billion inflows, second-largest ever.

• Bitcoin hits record high above $126,000 before easing slightly.

• Institutional buying through ETFs fuels rally amid “Uptober” optimism.

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States registered their second-largest day of inflows ever on Monday, coinciding with Bitcoin’s surge to a new record high above $126,000.

Data from Farside Investors showed that the 11 US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in a combined $1.19 billion in a single day, trailing only the $1.37 billion inflows recorded on November 7, 2024, following Donald Trump’s presidential election victory.

Monday’s surge brought total inflows for October to $3.47 billion in just four trading days.

Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart noted on X that Bitcoin ETFs have now amassed approximately $60 billion in cumulative inflows since their launch last year — a reflection of sustained institutional interest in Bitcoin exposure.

BlackRock dominates ETF inflows

The BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the pack with an extraordinary $970 million in inflows on Monday.

The fund has now attracted $2.6 billion since the start of October and is nearing a historic milestone.

According to Nova Dius President Nate Geraci, the BlackRock ETF is close to crossing the $100 billion mark in assets under management (AUM), holding approximately 783,767 BTC valued at about $98.5 billion in Bitcoin and cash.

“The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF took more than 2,000 days to reach $100 billion in assets, while IBIT is on the verge of doing it in under 450 days,” Geraci observed, highlighting the unprecedented pace of capital accumulation.

Only 18 out of over 4,500 trading ETFs have surpassed $100 billion in AUM, he added.

Other major beneficiaries included the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), which saw $112 million in inflows, the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) with $60 million, and the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) with $30 million.

Institutional momentum and the “debasement trade”

Bitcoin’s rally has been heavily driven by institutional participation through ETFs, allowing large investors to gain exposure without the need for direct custody.

Analysts suggest that retail participation remains limited, underscoring the role of institutional capital in the current bull phase.

The latest rally has also been supported by what traders term the “debasement trade” — a shift toward non-sovereign assets such as Bitcoin and gold amid the ongoing US government shutdown, which has delayed key economic data and heightened policy uncertainty.

The move into Bitcoin reflects a broader sentiment among investors seeking protection against potential monetary easing and inflationary pressures.

Bitcoin steadies after record high

After touching an all-time high of $126,186 on Monday, Bitcoin pulled back slightly due to profit-taking but remained firm.

On Tuesday, the cryptocurrency traded flat at around $123,427.9.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $3.2 billion in net inflows in the week ended October 3 — the second-largest weekly haul since their inception — including $985 million on October 3 alone.

Seasonal optimism, commonly referred to as “Uptober,” has also contributed to the market’s buoyant tone.

Historically, October has been a strong month for Bitcoin, and investors appear to be positioning accordingly.

Despite minor pullbacks, analysts note that the confluence of ETF demand, macroeconomic uncertainty, and seasonal strength continues to reinforce Bitcoin’s upward trajectory.

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