A closely watched derivatives strategist expects Bitcoin’s next major move to begin with a violent short squeeze, only to flip into a punishing “long trap” as October opens—a sequence he argues rhymes more with late-2023 than with the euphoric blow-offs of March and December 2024. In a thread posted on September 12 and expanded over the weekend, analyst Nik Patel (@cointradernik) said the current positioning backdrop “is less like March and Dec ’24 crossovers and more like Dec ’23,” warning that the market is set up for a “multi-week whipsaw going into early/mid Oct.” He added a specific liquidation map: “Give me $1.5bn in shorts liqs on the weekly and then $2.8bn of long liqs into Oct 7th pls.” pic.twitter.com/LVsY4bU99o — Nik (@cointradernik) September 12, 2025 What Is Different This Time For Bitcoin? What makes this setup different, in his view, is the balance between spot and derivatives flows and the breadth of basis trades. “Spot vol as % of total vol [is] lower here than prior crossovers for Others OI vs BTC OI (March ’24 and Dec ’24),” he wrote, arguing that if spot demand were truly in the driver’s seat “we should expect spot vol as a % of total vol to be higher not lower.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Breaks Above Mid-Term Holder Breakeven – Is A Fresh Rally Brewing? Instead, he sees “a combination of basis trade across a broader range of markets than just BTC & ETH but also more directional levered shorts than prior occasions,” with the immediate “upside risk… even greater for a short liq cascade first.” Funding, he noted, is “benign” relative to those earlier peaks. Real-time funding data broadly corroborate the “benign” characterization. Across major venues, BTC perpetual funding hovered close to flat in recent sessions—generally in the +0.005% to +0.01% per-8-hour range—well below the overheated prints typical of euphoric tops. That keeps the door open to a squeeze without the need to first unwind extreme long leverage. Sentiment, Nik argued, is still closer to “disbelief” than euphoria. He contrasted March 2024’s ETF frenzy and December 2024’s post-election optimism with today’s more skeptical tone, pointing to a still-elevated pool of sidelined capital. “Both prior crossovers had stablecoin dominance trough at 5% ish. We are currently at 6.1% — imo this is textbook disbelief/Sidelined September positioning,” he wrote. In his base case, that war chest ultimately fuels year-end risk-taking once the whipsaw plays out: “We will almost certainly get the positioning whipsaw and bear trap during that quarterly end & monthly open window of weakness, but there are a lot more stables ready to be deployed here into year-end.” In a self-aware aside, Nik even shared a machine-generated distillation of his view: “ChatGPT coming to a similar conclusion here after I fed all these charts in, idk if that inspires confidence or concern about my view though lol.” Related Reading: Analyst Says Bitcoin Is A Strong Buy If It Overcomes $118K — Here’s Why ChatGPT wrote: “Past crossovers: signaled end-phase altseason blowoffs, fueled by euphoric longs with no dry powder left. This crossover: signals pre-phase potential — leverage is already there, but it’s balanced/shorter, with capital still on the sidelines (stables). This is why the funding differential is so important: • High funding + low stables = top-like conditions. Low funding + high stables = squeeze-ready conditions.” Renowned crypto analyst CRG (@MacroCRG) consented: “Agree with him that a big short liq event is likely before a big long liq event still lots of positioning to unwind imo from ppl expecting a bearish September. In saying that, would like the coins to bounce soon, many are at/near key pivots.” As ever with path-dependent derivatives tape, the trigger matters. Nik cautioned that a “massive short liquidation event” in the coming week could flip the script if it invites “late longs” and spikes funding into October. But absent that sudden shift, his base case remains a two-step: an upside liquidation cascade that resets shorts, followed by a rug-pull on over-eager longs into the October 7 window. Traders watching for confirmation will focus on whether funding stays contained as price lifts, whether spot participation actually broadens rather than fades, and whether stablecoin deployment reduces the cash cushion he cites. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $114,852. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
The Gemini AI app hit #1 in app stores, and now Google is the fourth-most valuable company in the world.
Investors have not priced in Ethereum’s (ETH) potential to replace Wall Street’s outdated settlement infrastructure, according to SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom and EigenLayer founder Sreeram Kannan. During a Sept. 15 Milk Road podcast discussion, Chalom, who previously led BlackRock’s digital asset initiatives, outlined the fundamental friction plaguing traditional finance. Current systems require day-long settlement periods, […]
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The Shibarium network, a layer-two scaling solution on the Ethereum (ETH) chain and focused on the Shiba Inu project, has suffered a major blow. Earlier on Monday, the Shiba Inu team announced that it is no longer endorsing the Shibarium network. Why Is Shibarium no Longer Supported By Shiba Inu? According to the announcement, the …
MetaMask, a well-established digital asset wallet focused on the Ethereum (ETH) ecosystem, has announced the launch of its stablecoin. The MetaMask USD (mUSD) is a stablecoin backed by the U.S. dollar, initially issued on the Ethereum network and an EVM layer two (L2) scaling solution Linea (LINEA). How Will MetaMask USD Function? The MetaMask USD …
The Shiba Inu community is on high alert after a major compromise of the Shibarium bridge over the weekend. What began as reports from blockchain security firm PeckShield quickly escalated into a confirmed attack involving validator key leaks, flash loans, and malicious state changes. Developers have scrambled to contain the breach by freezing 4.6 million BONE tokens, but the situation has revealed vulnerabilities in the security of Shiba Inu’s infrastructure and has had an impact on Shiba Inu’s short-term price action. Developer Confirms Attack Details Taking to the social media platform X, Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya revealed that the incident was probably planned for months and executed using a flash loan to acquire 4.6 million BONE tokens. After gaining access to validator signing keys, the attacker was able to gain majority control and approve a malicious state to siphon assets from the Shibarium bridge. Fortunately, the stolen BONE was delegated to Validator 1, leaving it locked by unstaking delays and giving the team a narrow opportunity to intervene. Related Reading: Shiba Inu Team Confirms Delayed Migration Is A Go, Here’s What’s Coming Dhairya confirmed that the developers immediately froze the compromised funds, suspended all staking and unstaking activity, and transferred stake manager reserves into a hardware wallet secured by a 6/9 multisignature setup. However, the moves were temporary until the extent of the validator compromise could be confirmed, but the developer assured the community that protecting assets was the team’s top priority. The breach drew quick attention from multiple blockchain security outfits. PeckShield, a leading blockchain security company, posted an Etherscan transaction showing the breach by the ShibaSwap exploiter on X. However, Kaal Dhairya noted that the Shiba Inu team is working with PeckShield, Hexens, and Seal 911 to continue investigations on the incident and the next steps to take. According to a separate analysis by Tikkala Security on X, the losses appear to extend beyond the BONE freeze. The post claimed that multiple signer keys appear to have leaked in Shibaswap, which caused an estimated $2.8 million loss. Tikkala Security pointed to an attacker address on Etherscan and explained that the exploit involved repeatedly submitting legitimate Merkle leaf exit requests tied to a root signed by ten different addresses. Market Impact And Price Outlook Despite the severity of the breach, BONE’s market price spiked by over 20% in the hours following the freeze announcement, and this is likely due to the rapid containment. However, the BONE price has calmed, and the breach could have long-term effects that extend beyond the next few days. Related Reading: Shiba Inu Breakout Structure Suggests 670% Rally To $0.000155 The Shibarium bridge is important to Shiba Inu’s strategy. Any lingering doubts about validator integrity or the scope of the losses could weigh heavily on the price of Shiba Inu and BONE. As it stands, both the Shiba Inu and BONE prices have reversed gains in the past few hours. At the time of writing, BONE is trading at $0.1959, down by 4.4% in the past 24 hours, but still up by 24% from its price point seven days ago. Shiba Inu, on the other hand, is trading at $0.00001305, down by 7% in the past 24 hours. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin (BTC) trades at the upper edge of its $108,000-$116,000 air gap range ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting on Sept. 17, and relies on the policy messaging. BTC traded at $115,046.29 as of press time, down by 0.2% in the past 24 hours. According to the Bitfinex Alpha report, Bitcoin needs a sustained break […]
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Almost three years after the SEC filed a complaint involving allegations with the Gemini Earn product, the crypto company and regulator said they had reached a potential deal.
Canary Capital Litecoin ETF fee set at 0.95% as disclosed in filings for its proposed spot Litecoin ETF pending regulatory approval.
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Polymarket disclosed other warrants in an SEC filing, a structure often tied to token rights, hinting at a potential token launch.
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Earlier this month the company registered an Avalanche trust in Delaware, a preliminary step toward launching the product.
Standard Chartered warns of risks as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana treasury companies face valuation crunch.
An uptick in Solana onchain activity, digital asset treasury allocation, and its expanding DeFi ecosystem could be the fuel that sends SOL to $300.
Ethereum (ETH) continues to capture institutional attention as strong inflows into spot ETFs highlight the growing demand. Related Reading: The Big PEPE Price Breakout: Falling Wedge Pattern Points To 64% Rally According to SoSoValue, Ethereum funds recorded $638 million in net inflows between September 8–12, 2025, with Fidelity’s FETH leading at $381 million. This marked the fourth consecutive week of gains and pushed cumulative Ethereum ETF inflows above $13.3 billion. While the inflows strengthen Ethereum’s long-term investment case, historical trends and on-chain signals suggest September profit-taking risks may resurface. Despite trading near $4,520 on September 15, ETH faces mixed market signals that could dictate its next major move. ETH's price trends to the upside on the daily chart. Source: ETHUSD on Tradingview ETF Inflows Signal Institutional Confidence Ethereum ETFs are becoming a major part of the crypto market, with total assets under management surpassing $30 billion. Fidelity and BlackRock accounted for most of the latest inflows, while Grayscale and Bitwise also recorded steady gains. Institutional accumulation continues to reshape Ethereum’s market dynamics. Exchange reserves have dropped to their lowest levels since 2016, reflecting reduced selling pressure as more ETH flows into long-term holdings. Additionally, over 36 million ETH, about 30% of supply, is staked, further tightening liquidity. September’s Ghost: Profit-Taking Pressures Despite the bullish inflows, history paints a cautious picture. September has typically been a weak month for ETH, with a median return of -12.7% since its launch. Current on-chain data supports this caution: the percentage of ETH supply in profit recently peaked near 99%, signaling overheated conditions. Past profit peaks have often led to 8–9% pullbacks. Furthermore, derivatives data shows Ethereum trading within a rising wedge pattern, a structure that often precedes corrections. Key support lies at $4,485 and $4,382, while resistance levels target $4,760 and $4,945. Can Ethereum Break Toward $5K? Ethereum’s fundamentals currently remain strong. ETF inflows, whale accumulation, and shrinking exchange supply provide structural support. If ETH holds above $4,700, cascading liquidations could propel a move toward the $4,900–$5,000 range. However, traders must remain cautious. With September’s track record of corrections and elevated profit-taking signals, Ethereum could face short-term volatility even as its long-term case strengthens. Related Reading: BNB Price Holds Its Uptrend – Key Levels That Could Trigger More Gains Ethereum’s next test will be whether it can sustain momentum beyond September, breaking the cycle of seasonal weakness while capitalizing on growing institutional demand. Cover image from ChatGPT, ETHUSD chart from Tradingview
The SEC and Gemini have reached a resolution after the agency accused the exchange of not following its rules when it launched Gemini Earn.
Network activity remains the key driver of ether’s value, but much of the recent growth has been on layer-2s, the report noted.
Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor and other cryptocurrency advocates will be in Washington D.C. to push forward a strategic bitcoin reserve.
Dragonfly managing partner Haseeb Qureshi proposed a reputation system to reward users on token distributions through airdrops. On a Sept. 15 post via X, he shared a reform plan to filter airdrop farmers who dump tokens immediately after launches. Qureshi responded to Aztec CMO Claire Kart’s critique that airdrops “tank your chart” and provide “lazy […]
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The Fellowship PAC, launched in August, said it had “over $100 million” from unnamed sources to support the White House’s digital asset strategy.
SEC and Gemini Trust settle lawsuit over unregistered crypto lending, resolving allegations of operating without required registration.
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Bitcoin (BTC) price dropped over 1% during the past 24 hours, to reach a range low of about $114,665. After experiencing a heightened supply wall around $117k over the weekend, Bitcoin has led the wider altcoin market in correction as traders await a potential Fed rate cut this week. The leveraged crypto market recorded a …
France signaled it may challenge the right of some crypto firms licensed in other European Union countries to operate domestically, escalating pressure for centralized oversight of the bloc’s digital asset industry, Reuters reported on Sept. 15. Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani, president of France’s financial regulator AMF, said the agency is increasingly concerned that under the EU’s new […]
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PayPal is introducing a new peer-to-peer feature that will allow for tax-exempt payments for certain types of transactions.
The Dogecoin price is once again in the spotlight, with the popular token showing strong upward momentum. Its price has risen sharply in a short period, supported by a mix of new institutional activity and fresh investor enthusiasm. At the same time, a company is building a large reserve of DOGE, demonstrating its trust in the long-term role of the cryptocurrency. First U.S. Dogecoin ETF Sparks Market Excitement In the past day alone, Dogecoin has gained around 14%, pushing its weekly rise to nearly 38%. This strong run has carried the price to about $0.2963, the highest level the coin has seen in eight months. The next test for traders is whether DOGE can reclaim the $0.30 mark, which the token last reached during the early-year bull frenzy. Related Reading: Expert Crypto Trader Says Dogecoin Price Looks ‘Very Good’, Here’s Why Much of the price momentum comes from the announcement of the first-ever Dogecoin exchange-traded fund in the United States. Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas announced that the Rex-Osprey Doge ETF, also known as DOJE, is set to debut. While the launch, initially scheduled for last Friday, Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart later explained that trading would begin the following week instead. Even with the slight delay, the confirmation from Rex Shares that the ETF is coming has been enough to push enthusiasm higher. The new product is being rolled out under the Investment Company Act of 1940, showing that it is structured to meet strict U.S. regulatory standards. It also arrives at a time when more than 90 other crypto ETFs are waiting on SEC approval. For Dogecoin, the arrival of DOJE is a key moment because it opens the door for bigger investors and institutions to buy in through a regulated channel. CleanCore Solutions Targets 1 Billion DOGE For Corporate Treasury Alongside the excitement over ETFs, large corporate players are entering the Dogecoin space. CleanCore Solutions, a U.S.-listed company, recently announced that it has already secured more than 500 million DOGE. The company now plans to double this amount and hold 1 billion DOGE within the next month. Securing a substantial amount of DOGE for its own treasury would solidify Dogecoin as part of its long-term strategy. Related Reading: XRP Price Is Ready To Break Out, But You Should Watch Out For $3.13 To make sure the holdings are stored securely, the company is working with Bitstamp for custody on behalf of Robinhood. CleanCore’s long-term target is to control up to 5% of Dogecoin’s total circulating supply, a move that would give DOGE a powerful corporate backer. The entry of CleanCore, combined with the upcoming ETF launch, provides Dogecoin with both institutional credibility and retail excitement simultaneously. The latest developments could give the popular meme coin enough momentum to push even higher, with another double-digit gain possible before the end of the week. Featured image from DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitwise files S-1 application for Avalanche ETF, seeking SEC approval to launch an AVAX-focused exchange-traded fund for investors.
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Bitcoin’s $113,000 zone emerges as a critical support with new investors absorbing whale supply, hinting at one of the last discounts before new highs.
The National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing of Israel said that crypto should be seized.
The XRP price is flashing a bull flag pattern on its weekly chart, hinting at an explosive breakout ahead. A crypto analyst has highlighted $3.6 as the key resistance in this formation, noting that if XRP can clear this level, the path toward an ambitious End of the Year (EOY) target of $23 is expected to come into view, with short-term milestones anticipated along the way. XRP Price Bull Flag Signals Explosive Potential Crypto market expert Stedas has drawn attention to XRP’s weekly chart, highlighting the formation of a classic bull flag pattern, one of the strongest continuation signals in technical analysis. His XRP price analysis, shared in a post on X social media, shows that the cryptocurrency’s recent sideways movement and consolidation phase are forming the “flag” of the pattern after a sharp rally that created the “flagpole.” This structure typically suggests that a new explosive leg upward could soon unfold once resistance is cleared. Related Reading: XRP Price Gets Tighter: Here’s The Level Keeping It From Price Discovery According to Stedas, the critical level to watch is the $3.6 mark. A decisive break above this resistance could ignite XRP’s next rally phase, potentially unlocking price levels far beyond its current range and former all-time highs. The analyst has identified $6, $13, and even $23 as potential end-of-the-year targets. While these levels may seem ambitious, they align with the behaviours of bull flag patterns, which have historically driven powerful and sustained rallies following periods of consolidation. Notably, XRP’s momentum picked up after it reclaimed the $3 range earlier this month with strong buying pressure. However the price has since slipped to $2.97 following a 3.5% pullback in the past 24 hours. Despite the dip, Stedas’s bull flag framework suggests that XRP is shifting out of its stagnant zone and is now primed for acceleration. If market sentiment aligns with the technicals, the cryptocurrency could be looking at its most significant rally in years. The next few weeks may also prove decisive, as the market awaits confirmation of whether the analyst’s current setup can deliver on its bullish outlook. XRP Retests Fib Zone With $4.6 Target In Play Crypto analyst, Rose Premium Signals, has also shed light on XRP’s structure, focusing on its mid-term outlook. The analysis suggests that XRP has completed a bullish retest, strengthening the case for upside continuation. According to him, XRP has just bounced off the 0.5 – 0.618 Fibonacci retracement zone, a range that often serves as a textbook support level before continuation moves. Related Reading: XRP Price Confirms Descending Trendline Breakout, Here Are The Targets Rose Premium Signals has highlighted an entry zone between $2.85 and $3.05, which XRP has already tested and respected with notable strength. The analyst argues that this confirmation marks a valid long setup backed by clear technical structure, Fibonacci alignment, and broader market resilience. From this zone, the chart projects a climb toward $4.67, which serves as the first official target in this mid-breakout scenario. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
REX-Osprey’s Dogecoin ETF (DOJE) and XRP ETF (XRPR) commence trading on Sept. 18, according to information shared on Sept. 15. Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas confirmed DOJE starts trading on Sept. 18, noting that the TRUMP, BONK, and Bitcoin funds lack confirmed trading dates. On the same day, REX Shares confirmed that the XRPR […]
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The brokerage is seeking SEC approval for Robinhood Ventures Fund I, which would trade on the NYSE and expose retail investors to private companies.