Chainlink surges 51% as bullish breakout points to $18

Key takeaways

  • Chainlink has gained 51% over seven days amid improving regulatory sentiment and project-specific developments.
  • Chainlink’s total value secured rose from $43 billion in June to nearly $57 billion by the end of August—an increase of approximately 33%.
  • A partnership with Bottomline could connect payment infrastructure serving more than 600 banks to multiple blockchains.

Chainlink has gained approximately 51% over the past seven days, outperforming much of the cryptocurrency market following new regulatory proposals from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The rally has also been supported by improving Chainlink network fundamentals and several significant adoption announcements.

Chainlink’s total value secured increased from approximately $43 billion in June to nearly $57 billion by the end of August. This represents growth of about 33%, indicating that more value is relying on Chainlink-powered services across decentralized finance and other blockchain applications.

LINK has also broken above an important technical resistance, creating a potential path toward $18 if buyers maintain control.

Chainlink’s total value secured approaches $57 billion

Chainlink’s total value secured has recovered steadily since June, climbing by approximately $14 billion in two months.

TVS measures the value of assets supported or protected by Chainlink services. Rising TVS can indicate growing demand for the network’s oracle infrastructure, cross-chain communication tools, and asset-verification products.

The recovery strengthens the fundamental case for LINK by showing that the network’s usage is improving alongside its token price.

However, TVS does not represent revenue or assets directly owned by Chainlink. It measures the value dependent on its infrastructure and should therefore be viewed as an adoption indicator.

Continued growth could support LINK’s longer-term outlook, particularly if Chainlink expands further into institutional payments and tokenized assets.

Chainlink recently announced a partnership with Bottomline, a payment technology company that facilitates SWIFT transfers for more than 600 banks worldwide.

The collaboration is intended to connect Bottomline’s existing offchain payment infrastructure with multiple blockchain networks.

This could allow banks and financial institutions already using Bottomline to interact with digital assets without replacing their existing payment systems.

Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol could provide the communication layer connecting traditional financial infrastructure with public and private blockchains.

If successful, the partnership could increase Chainlink’s relevance as banks explore stablecoins, tokenized deposits and blockchain-based settlement.

The Wyoming Stable Token Commission has also selected Chainlink to provide reserve verification for the state’s Frontier Stable Token.

Chainlink Proof of Reserve will serve as Wyoming’s exclusive onchain asset-verification system for the token. The technology will publish verifiable information showing whether the stablecoin is fully supported by its underlying reserve assets.

Proof-of-reserve infrastructure is particularly important for stablecoins because users need confidence that the number of tokens in circulation does not exceed the assets backing them.

The Wyoming selection gives Chainlink a government-level use case and could strengthen its position in the U.S. stablecoin market.

If other states or jurisdictions adopt similar systems, demand for Chainlink’s verification and interoperability products could increase.

LINK breaks above the 200-day EMA

LINK moved above its 200-day exponential moving average in late August, alongside a broader recovery among altcoins.

A sustained move above the 200-day EMA is often interpreted as evidence of improving long-term momentum. It indicates that the current price has risen above its average level over a significant period.

The breakout suggests that LINK’s previous bearish cycle may be ending. However, confirmation will depend on the token holding above the moving average during future pullbacks.

The Relative Strength Index stands at 64, showing strong bullish momentum without yet entering the conventionally overbought region above 70.

This gives LINK some room to extend its rally, although the rapid 51% weekly gain increases the possibility of short-term profit-taking.

LINK’s move above the $12 resistance level confirmed a breakout from a bullish flag pattern that had been forming since the August 21 rally.

A bullish flag develops when an asset consolidates after a strong upward move. Early buyers take profits during this phase, while new buyers gradually enter in anticipation of the next advance.

A breakout above the flag’s resistance signals that buyers may have regained control.

LINK/USD Daily chart

Based on the size of LINK’s preceding rally, the technical pattern projects a target of approximately $18. This would represent around 44% upside from the $12 breakout area.

LINK must hold above $12 to preserve the bullish setup. A decisive drop back below the breakout level could indicate that the move was false and delay the projected rally.

Chainlink’s strengthening fundamentals provide additional support for the technical outlook. Rising TVS, institutional payment partnerships, and government stablecoin adoption could help sustain demand beyond short-term speculation.

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XRP eyes breakout above $1.42 as traders increase long exposure

Key takeaways

  • XRP is approaching $1.40 after defending short-term support at $1.38.
  • Futures open interest edged up to 2.24 billion XRP, indicating a modest increase in derivatives exposure.
  • The open-interest-weighted funding rate remains positive at 0.01%, showing that bullish traders are paying to maintain long positions.
  • A daily close above $1.42 could open the path toward $1.50 and $1.70.

Ripple’s XRP is down 1% on Tuesday, approaching the psychologically important $1.40 level after buyers defended support at $1.38.

The recovery follows an unsuccessful attempt to break through selling pressure around $1.50 last week. 

Holding above $1.40 would strengthen XRP’s short-term outlook, while another rejection could increase the risk of profit-taking and investor exhaustion.

Derivatives metrics remain broadly constructive, with futures open interest edging higher and funding rates staying positive. 

However, technical indicators show that bullish momentum has moderated, making the $1.42 resistance level critical to XRP’s next move.

XRP futures Open Interest edges higher

XRP’s derivatives market showed signs of stabilizing on Tuesday. Perpetual futures open interest increased marginally to 2.24 billion XRP, up from 2.23 billion XRP the previous day and 2.2 billion XRP on Sunday, according to CoinGlass.

Open interest measures the total number of unsettled futures contracts. A sustained increase alongside rising prices can indicate that traders are committing fresh capital to bullish positions.

However, current exposure remains below the 2.78 billion XRP recorded on August 15. This suggests that leverage has not fully recovered from its recent decline.

If retail traders continue increasing their exposure, the additional demand could support a sustained move above $1.40. Conversely, a decline in open interest would indicate weakening conviction and could leave XRP vulnerable to another pullback.

The open-interest-weighted funding rate held in positive territory at approximately 0.01%.

CoinGlass data shows that the rate has remained near this level since August 28. Positive funding means long-position holders are paying traders with short exposure, typically reflecting stronger demand for bullish bets.

The reading indicates that traders remain willing to pay a premium to maintain long positions despite XRP’s recent consolidation.

Nevertheless, positive funding does not guarantee further gains. If bullish positioning becomes overcrowded while XRP struggles to clear resistance, a sudden decline could trigger long liquidations and accelerate selling pressure.

Risk appetite across the broader cryptocurrency market also remains supportive. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index registered 69 on Tuesday, placing market sentiment within the “Greed” category. The reading was slightly below Monday’s level of 71.

Elevated optimism can encourage traders to increase exposure to assets such as XRP. However, a high reading may also indicate that the market is becoming vulnerable to profit-taking, particularly if prices fail to extend their gains.

Maintaining the current sentiment would support bullish positioning, while a sharp decline in the index could weaken demand for XRP and other major altcoins.

XRP must break $1.42 to target $1.50

XRP traded near $1.40 after rebounding from $1.38 support. The token remains above its major exponential moving averages, preserving its broader bullish structure.

Initial resistance sits near $1.42, where a descending trendline is limiting the recovery. A daily close above this barrier would confirm a short-term breakout and bring the recent high around $1.50 back into focus.

Clearing $1.50 could allow bulls to target the next major resistance level at $1.70.

The Relative Strength Index stands near 59, above its neutral midpoint of 50. This shows that buyers retain an advantage, although momentum is no longer as strong as it was during the earlier rally.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator has slipped modestly into negative territory. The signal points to fading upside momentum but does not yet indicate a decisive bearish reversal.

If XRP fails to break $1.42, the 200-day EMA near $1.36 represents the first major line of support.

XRP/USD 4H Chart

A daily close below that level could increase selling pressure and expose the 50-day EMA around $1.26. The 100-day EMA provides deeper support near $1.24.

These moving averages form a broad demand zone that could attract buyers during a more significant correction. As long as XRP remains above the cluster, its wider bullish structure should remain intact.

The immediate outlook rests on whether buyers can convert $1.40 into support and secure a daily close above $1.42. Success would favor a renewed advance toward $1.50 and potentially $1.70, while another rejection could send XRP back toward $1.38 and the 200-day EMA.

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XLM defends major moving averages as buying pressure builds

Key takeaways

  • XLM remains above important moving-average support zones, preserving its broader bullish structures.
  • Its long-to-short ratios rose to 1.15, approaching one-month highs.
  • XLM faces immediate resistance at $0.20, followed by targets at $0.218 and $0.237.

Stellar’s XLM is trading above important support zones on Tuesday, maintaining the possibility of further gains despite mixed momentum signals.

Derivatives data also showed an increasingly bullish tilt toward the cryptocurrency. Positive funding rates and rising long-to-short ratios indicate that more traders are positioning for an upward price move.

Derivatives traders increase long positions

CoinGlass data showed that the long-to-short ratio for XLM stood at 1.15 on Tuesday, approaching its highest level in a month.

A ratio above one means that more traders hold long positions than short positions. The latest increase therefore suggests that derivatives market participants expect XLM prices to rise.

Funding rates provide further evidence of bullish positioning. XLM’s rate became positive on September 2 and subsequently climbed to 0.0147%.

Positive funding means traders holding long positions are paying those with short exposure to maintain market balance. 

While this generally reflects bullish sentiment, an excessively high rate can eventually increase the risk of long liquidations if prices suddenly decline.

Current readings support a constructive outlook without necessarily indicating that positioning has reached extreme levels.

XLM recovery extends above EMA support

XLM traded around $0.193 on Tuesday after climbing above its major exponential moving averages.

The 50-day, 100-day and 200-day EMAs are concentrated between approximately $0.179 and $0.188. This cluster now forms a potential demand zone that could attract buyers during short-term pullbacks.

XLM’s RSI stands near 60, keeping the indicator within bullish territory without showing overbought conditions.

The MACD also maintains a mildly positive reading, with its main line above the signal line and the histogram remaining above zero. The setup suggests that upward momentum remains constructive, although buyers have not yet established a decisive breakout.

XLM faces its first significant resistance at the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level near $0.200.

A sustained break above that psychological and technical barrier could allow the price to challenge the 50% retracement at approximately $0.218. The next resistance sits at the 38.2% Fibonacci level near $0.237.

Clearing those barriers could open a path toward the descending trendline and the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement around $0.260.

On the downside, the 200-day EMA at $0.188 offers immediate support. The 100-day and 50-day EMAs provide additional protection near $0.180 and $0.179, respectively.

XLM/USD 4H Chart

If sellers push XLM below this moving-average cluster, the horizontal support at $0.177 and the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement at $0.173 would come into focus.

Buyers would need to defend this area to maintain the broader recovery. A decisive breakdown could expose deeper support levels at $0.142 and $0.139.

Overall, derivatives positioning and technical support favor further gains for XRP and XLM. However, confirmation will require XRP to overcome $1.90 and XLM to secure a sustained breakout above $0.20.

 

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KuCoin launches KCUSD with up to 4% base APR on Stablecoins

  • KuCoin launches KCUSD with a base APR of up to 4%.
  • KCUSD offers daily returns on eligible stablecoin balances.
  • KuCoin plans to expand KCUSD into collateral and trading utility.

KuCoin has launched KCUSD, a new Earn product designed to help stablecoin holders generate returns on otherwise idle balances.

The product will be available to eligible retail, high-net-worth, and institutional users, with subscriptions initially starting from as little as 1 USDT, USDC, or USDG.

KCUSD will offer a dynamic base annual percentage rate (APR) of up to 4%, with users able to earn returns simply by holding the asset.

KuCoin said there will be no subscription fee, while redemptions will be available in the same asset used for subscriptions.

Returns will be credited daily and automatically added to users’ KCUSD balances.

This structure allows returns to compound daily without requiring users to manually reinvest their earnings.

During the initial launch period, eligible users who participate with qualifying new funds may receive a promotional APR of up to 6%, according to the company.

Product targets idle stablecoin balances

KuCoin said stablecoins play a central role in digital asset market liquidity, but significant balances can remain idle in trading accounts.

Users may keep stablecoins available for margin requirements or time-sensitive trading opportunities, potentially leaving those assets without a yield.

The exchange said moving such balances into traditional staking or standalone Earn products can reduce their immediate trading utility.

The trade-off is particularly relevant for institutions, market makers, professional trading firms, and high-net-worth users that maintain large stablecoin balances for extended periods.

KCUSD initially addresses this issue through a hold-to-earn model, allowing users to generate returns while holding the product.

KuCoin also plans to expand KCUSD’s utility in the future by integrating it as collateral or margin.

The company said this planned functionality is intended to reduce the trade-off between earning returns and maintaining access to capital for trading activities.

KuCoin plans broader utility for KCUSD

KuCoin CEO BC Wong said the launch reflects the company’s view that digital asset infrastructure needs to focus not only on access and liquidity but also on how efficiently capital can be deployed.

“Our long-term view is that yield, liquidity and risk utility should not remain in separate silos,” Wong said.

KuCoin described KCUSD as an infrastructure layer that could connect liquidity, asset productivity and risk management across its ecosystem. The product is expected to begin with yield generation before progressively expanding toward collateral and trading utility.

The company said the development reflects a broader shift in digital finance, with stablecoins increasingly being positioned as productive capital rather than solely as settlement assets or reserves.

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Bittensor targets $300 as TAO extends five-day rally

Key takeaways

  • Bittensor trades higher on Monday, extending its five-day gain to approximately 25%.
  • TAO’s social dominance has increased amid renewed interest in AI tokens and the launch of the Buttensor meme coin on Solana.
  • TAO open interest reached a three-month high of $428.57 million, indicating growing derivatives activity.

Bittensor (TAO) trades in positive territory on Monday, extending its steady five-day rally to approximately 25%.

The artificial intelligence-focused token gained 16% last week before rising another 12% on Sunday. TAO has now reached a two-month high as buyers target a breakout above the psychological resistance at $300.

Social activity surrounding Bittensor is also increasing, supported by renewed interest in AI-related cryptocurrencies and the launch of a similarly named meme coin on Solana.

Bittensor meme coin drives attention toward TAO

A Bittensor parody token named Buttensor (BUTT) launched on Raydium, a Solana-based decentralized exchange, on Monday.

The meme coin’s debut followed Raydium’s official launch of TAO trading on the platform a day earlier. BUTT was subsequently paired with TAO.

The meme coin’s tokenomics direct transaction fees toward automatically purchasing TAO and distributing the acquired tokens to BUTT holders. The arrangement connects speculative activity around the meme coin with demand for Bittensor’s native token.

However, the sustainability of this buying pressure will depend on continued trading activity and retail interest in BUTT.

The release of ChatGPT-6 Astra has also coincided with renewed demand for AI-focused cryptocurrencies.

Santiment data shows that TAO’s social dominance climbed to 0.05% on Thursday following Astra’s release. The metric has since risen to 0.12%, with the launch of Buttensor contributing to the increase in online discussion.

Social dominance measures an asset’s share of cryptocurrency-related conversations. A rising reading can indicate growing investor interest, although elevated social activity can also accompany speculative price movements.

Activity in Bittensor’s derivatives market has strengthened alongside the price rally. CoinGlass data shows that TAO open interest reached a three-month high of $428.57 million on Monday. 

The increase indicates that traders are adding positions rather than simply closing existing contracts during the rally.

Rising open interest alongside an advancing price generally supports a bullish outlook. However, a large buildup in leveraged positions could increase volatility and liquidation risk if TAO suddenly reverses.

TAO momentum strengthens near $300

Bittensor trades comfortably above its 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day exponential moving averages, which are clustered between approximately $220 and $236.

Its position above these major indicators confirms the strength of the current uptrend and provides several potential support levels during a correction.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator remains above its signal line in positive territory, suggesting upside momentum is intact.

However, the Relative Strength Index has reached 70 on the daily chart. This reading places TAO at the threshold of overbought conditions and warns that the rally could temporarily cool as traders take profits.

TAO/USD 4H Chart

The psychological $300 level represents TAO’s immediate resistance. A confirmed daily close above $300 would reinforce the bullish outlook and could open the path toward $369, a high recorded on Sept. 13, 2025.

Conversely, rejection from $300 could trigger a pullback toward the 200-day EMA near $236. If that support fails, the 100-day EMA at $222 and the 50-day EMA around $220 form a deeper demand zone.

TAO’s outlook remains bullish while it trades above the moving-average cluster, but overbought conditions leave the token vulnerable to a short-term correction before another breakout attempt.

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