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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Wormhole price outlook turns bearish after rallying on HyperEVM integration

  • The Wormhole (W) price surge has faded as Bitcoin weakness drags the crypto market lower.
  • Technical analysis shows bearish momentum with support at $0.08 under pressure.
  • HyperEVM launch on Wormhole expands cross-chain liquidity and developer adoption.

Wormhole’s cryptocurrency, W, has faced a sharp bearish pullback after briefly rallying on the news of HyperEVM’s integration into its ecosystem.

The much-anticipated integration connected Wormhole to Hyperliquid’s high-performance blockchain, opening new cross-chain liquidity channels.

However, despite the promising expansion of utility, bearish signals across technicals and derivatives have cast a shadow over its price outlook.

HyperEVM integration expands Wormhole’s reach

The HyperEVM launch represents a milestone for Wormhole’s long-term ecosystem strategy.

Notably, HyperEVM brings EVM compatibility directly into Hyperliquid, a performant L1 blockchain capable of processing 200,000 orders per second with billions in daily trading volume.

By integrating with Wormhole, HyperEVM enables cross-chain liquidity access while allowing developers to deploy ERC-20s and interact with HyperCore’s deep on-chain order books.

Users can now move assets seamlessly between HyperEVM and Wormhole’s 40+ supported blockchains through the Wormhole Portal.

Developers, on the other hand, can integrate token transfers into their applications with just a few lines of code using Wormhole Connect.

A rally cut short

The initial market reaction to the HyperEVM announcement was strong.

On August 29, Wormhole surged more than 33% in just a few hours, climbing from $0.079 to $0.106 as traders rushed in to bet on a longer-term upside as the integration unlocked asset transfers between HyperEVM and over 40 blockchains.

However, the enthusiasm was short-lived.

As Bitcoin (BTC) slipped below $110,000, Wormhole lost momentum and began to slide back toward the $0.08 support zone.

By the close of trading, much of its intraday gains had evaporated. The sharp rejection at the $0.085 mid-range resistance underscored how fragile the rally had been.

Technical analysis flash warning signs

Price charts confirm that Wormhole (W) remains under heavy bearish pressure.

On the weekly timeframe, the token has been unable to break past its swing highs, with resistance set near $0.104 and support at $0.054.

Since April, it has made new swing lows, leaving its broader market structure tilted to the downside.

The daily chart highlights a defined trading range between $0.071 and $0.098. While volatility has picked up, momentum indicators are pointing in the wrong direction for bulls.

The Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) remains negative at -0.21, suggesting consistent capital outflows from the market.

The Awesome Oscillator has also tilted toward weak bearish momentum, while the Stochastic RSI is approaching overbought conditions that could signal another downward move.

Daily Wormhole price chart

Short-term action is equally cautious. On the two-hour chart, Wormhole (W) is hovering above the $0.08 order block, a level that recently provided the base for its rally.

If the support at $0.08 gives way, the path toward the lower end of the range near $0.071 becomes more likely.

Wormhole derivatives show retail optimism, but risk looms

Data from Coinglass reveals an interesting split between retail traders and top accounts.

The overall W derivatives trading volume has fallen sharply by 48% to $532 million, even as open interest rose slightly to $75 million.

In addition, the global long-to-short ratio stands below parity at 0.95, reflecting a mild short bias.

However, on Binance and OKX, account ratios showed a clear lean toward longs, with retail traders heavily positioned for a rebound.

In contrast, top traders’ positions were almost evenly balanced, hinting at a hedging stance rather than conviction.

This divergence leaves retail longs vulnerable if the broader bearish trend continues.

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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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South Korea cracks down on crypto scam after BTS star Jungkook hit in 39 billion hack

  • 258 victims’ personal data stolen from six public and financial portals.
  • BTS star Jungkook targeted with 8.4B won HYBE stock theft attempt.
  • 21.3B won in virtual assets stolen, 12.8B won recovered by police.

South Korean authorities have uncovered one of the country’s largest cyber fraud cases, dismantling an international hacking ring that stole nearly 39 billion won from high-profile victims.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confirmed that the group exploited weak security across government, IT, and financial platforms to steal data from 258 people, which was later used for large-scale SIM-swap fraud.

The suspects targeted wealthy business leaders, lawyers, athletes, crypto investors, and celebrities, including BTS member Jungkook, who narrowly avoided losing 8.4 billion won worth of HYBE stock.

Investigations revealed the cross-border scale of the operation, stretching from Seoul to Bangkok.

Hackers exploited data from 258 victims

Between July 2023 and April 2024, the ring infiltrated six public and financial portals with weak protections. The breaches exposed personal details such as resident registration numbers and financial verification data.

Police said 258 victims were affected, including 75 business executives, 11 lawyers and officials, 12 celebrities, six athletes, and 28 virtual asset investors.

Collectively, the group accessed accounts with combined holdings estimated at 55.22 trillion won, with some single accounts exceeding 12 trillion won.

To execute the fraud, the hackers created 118 mobile accounts under the names of 89 victims. These accounts were then used to bypass security checks and siphon money directly from bank and crypto wallets.

In total, 16 victims lost 39 billion won, while financial institutions managed to block a further 25 billion won in attempted thefts. The largest confirmed loss involved 21.3 billion won in virtual assets.

BTS star Jungkook targeted with 8.4 billion won attempt

The scheme gained widespread attention after police confirmed that BTS member Jungkook was one of the intended victims.

Hackers attempted to move 8.4 billion won worth of HYBE stock under his name, but the suspicious transaction was blocked before funds left the account.

Officials credited banks and agencies with flagging abnormal activity, preventing Jungkook’s potential losses. In total, police managed to recover 12.8 billion won through swift interventions, including freezing accounts and stopping withdrawals.

However, investigators highlighted that the case exposed a critical weakness in South Korea’s non-face-to-face authentication systems, which the group manipulated to carry out its operations.

Arrests across South Korea, China, and Thailand

The investigation began in September 2023, when unauthorised mobile phone activations were first reported to Namdaemun Police Station. Over the following months, 16 suspects were identified and detained.

The ringleaders, identified only as Mr. A (35) and Mr. B (40), moved frequently between China and Thailand. Both were eventually arrested in Bangkok in May after Seoul police collaborated with Thai authorities and Interpol.

Mr. A was extradited to South Korea on August 22 and faces 11 charges, including large-scale fraud and hacking, while Mr. B remains in custody in Thailand pending extradition.

Three suspects are still in detention in South Korea, while the rest face prosecution for fraud, hacking, and violating the Information and Communications Network Act.

Police noted that the outcome could have been far worse had the group been allowed to continue operations.

Crypto scams rising in South Korea

The case adds to a growing wave of cybercrime linked to cryptocurrency in South Korea. On May 15, Jeju police arrested 25 suspects for running fake investment schemes that defrauded 48 people of 734 million won.

In a separate incident, a police officer in Incheon was charged with embezzling 700 million won from investors in a bogus crypto project.

Meanwhile, Park “Jonbur Kim,” known as the “Coin King,” is on trial for manipulating the Artube coin, which caused investor losses of 68 billion won.

Authorities are also investigating large-scale money laundering. Prosecutors say unlicensed brokers funnelled 943.4 billion won through Neteller Pay between 2019 and 2024, earning 26 billion won in commissions.

Assets worth 4.4 billion won in Ethereum have since been seized from hidden wallets.

Cases have even extended into romance scams, with a man in his 50s losing 100 million won in July, and celebrity-linked fraud, with actress Hwang Jung-eum facing trial for embezzling 4.3 billion won from her agency for crypto purchases.

Despite these risks, South Korea remains one of the world’s most active crypto markets. Chainalysis data shows $130 billion in inflows in 2024, with over 10.8 million Koreans trading digital assets.

More than 10,000 investors hold balances above 1 billion won, especially among traders in their 20s. Regulators are now preparing to approve the nation’s first spot crypto ETFs and a won-pegged stablecoin, as major exchanges expand custody services to institutions.

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