Category: Crypto market

Robinhood Bets Big: NFL, College Football Trading Hits the App

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

Robinhood announced the launch of a professional and collegiate football prediction market where users can place bets on game results. “All regular season pro matchups, as well as all college Power 4 schools and independents, are now available for customers to trade on the results of the most popular pro and college football games,” the company said in a statement.

According to the company, the new service will be launched just before the 2026 NCAA College Football and National Football League seasons. “In America, football is by far the most popular sport,” stated JB Mackenzie, VP of Futures and International at Robinhood. “Since our goal is to make Robinhood a one-stop shop for all your trading and investing needs, it makes perfect sense for us to include professional and collegiate football in our prediction markets hub.”

Robinhood previously halted its plans to allow users to trade on the Super Bowl in February after receiving a notice from the NFL.

Robinhood seemed to steer clear of making any overt references to the NFL or NCAA. “No professional or collegiate athletic association, professional or collegiate football team that is a member of any professional or collegiate football league, or any other company, agency, or government entity endorses pro and college football prediction markets,” the company stated.

SharpLink Gaming Boosts Ethereum Holdings to 740,760 ETH

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

SharpLink Gaming has aggressively purchased Ethereum (ETH) as its price soared to near all-time highs last week. According to a filing made on Tuesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), SharpLink acquired 143,593 ETH when prices surged above $4,700.

The company paid an average price of $4,648 per Ethereum, totaling $667 million for these recent purchases, which occurred at almost record-high prices.  SharpLink now owns a total of 740,760 ETH.

In addition, SharpLink disclosed that it has earned 1,388 ETH through staking rewards.

This indicates that the company has been actively participating in the Ethereum proof-of-stake (PoS) network as a validator. According to the SEC filing, as of August 2025, almost all of SharpLink’s ETH holdings have been allocated to staking, including liquid staking. The company also stated, “We acknowledge that certain aspects of our staking activities may be subject to government regulation, and guidance on this is subject to change.”

 

This new acquisition occurred shortly after SharpLink reported a second-quarter net loss of $103 million in 2025, primarily due to a paper loss from accounting for liquid staked ether (LsETH). SharpLink’s ongoing purchase of Ether is taking place amidst significant institutional interest in ETH, as spot Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuers recorded $3.7 billion in inflows from Thursday to Friday of last week.

BitMine, which is SharpLink’s largest competitor in ETH treasury holdings, announced that it had acquired 373,000 ETH, bringing its total holdings to 1.52 million ETH, valued at $6.6 billion.

Circle’s Bold Bet: New Blockchain Takes on Visa, Mastercard

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

Circle is making an effort to boost that momentum. Interest on the cash and bonds backing USDC accounted for about 95% of Circle’s second-quarter revenue, which was a windfall while interest rates were still high. However, Circle aims to diversify and secure a more stable position in digital finance amid the expected economic cuts.

Circle launched Arc, a new blockchain designed to process stablecoin payments, directly competing with Visa, Mastercard, and the cryptocurrency networks it relies on, such as Ethereum and Solana.

Circle intends to manage the system that transfers digital dollars and potentially charge fees for each transaction, rather than just issuing them.

The Circle Payments Network, a system connecting financial institutions, payment companies, digital wallets, and banking apps for instant transfers, was announced in April by the New York-based company.

Arc and CPN work together; one handles orchestration and compliance, while the other settles the actual money transfer. Fees are paid in USDC. Since its IPO, Circle’s stock has surged over 350 percent; however, the company’s outlook hints at a slowdown in growth.

According to David Koning, a senior research analyst at Robert W., non-interest revenue is expected to decline in the second half of the year, and distribution expenses are rising. Baird & Co. reported that Circle spent $407 million, or 62% of its revenue, on revenue-sharing agreements with partners like Coinbase Global Inc. in just the second quarter, aiming to increase USDC adoption.

Forex Signals Brief Aug 19: Canada Inflation and Home Depot Earnings Release

Posted on by Skerdian Meta

A subdued U.S. trading session reflected investors’ attention shifting from Wall Street to Washington, where high-level discussions on Ukraine and European security drew the spotlight. Continue reading “Forex Signals Brief Aug 19: Canada Inflation and Home Depot Earnings Release” →

SEC Delays Decision again on Spot XRP ETF Filings

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

The securities regulator has once again postponed deciding whether to accept or reject Nasdaq’s proposal to list and trade CoinShares’ XRP ETF, according to the first update released minutes ago. According to the filing, the SEC has moved the final decision date to October 23, 2025, by extending the review period past the original deadline of August 24.

 

It clarified that this extension gives it more time to assess the new public comments it has received and the proposed rule change. Investors would have regulated exposure to Ripple’s token through conventional markets if the CoinShares XRP ETF is approved.

It would be structured under Nasdaq’s Commodity-Based Trust Shares framework. Following this announcement, rumors circulated that the SEC has also postponed a decision on two additional XRP ETF applications, submitted by Bitwise and Canary.

Ripple’s token fell below $3 earlier today, following the general market-wide correction in recent days. Even though it is currently just above it, some analysts cautioned earlier today that there is still a risk of another price collapse to as low as $2

TeraWulf: Google’s Stake in WULF Fuels Bitcoin Mining Stock Rally

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

TeraWulf (WULF), a company specializing in high-performance computing (HPC) hosting and Bitcoin mining, announced a major expansion at its Lake Mariner data center campus in Western New York, supported by a new funding round from Google.

The stock rose even as a $400 million convertible note offering was also announced simultaneously. Operations are expected to begin in the second half of 2026.

The expansion includes CB-5, a new purpose-built data center that will add 160 MW of critical IT load. Google’s support for project debt financing was increased by $1.4 billion to bolster the expansion, bringing its total commitment to approximately $3.2 billion. Google’s pro forma equity stake will grow to 14 percent through warrants to purchase 32.5 million shares of WULF. The lease for CB-5 maintains the same economic terms as Fluidstack’s previous contracts for CB-3 and CB-4, ensuring consistent terms across the campus.

Paul Prager, CEO of TeraWulf, stated, “This expansion highlights the unparalleled size and capabilities of the Lake Mariner campus.”

 “The addition of CB-5 strengthens our strategic partnership with Google, increasing our contracted capacity with Fluidstack, a crucial financial partner in developing next-generation AI infrastructure. This partnership extends the one announced last Thursday, when TeraWulf secured two 10-year agreements with Fluidstack.”

Google initially planned to back $1.8 billion in lease obligations to support the buildout and project-related debt financing in exchange for an 8 percent ownership stake. WULF shares surged by 59% in a single day.

TeraWulf also announced the expansion, along with a private offering of convertible senior notes totaling $400 million, due in 2031, with an option for initial buyers to purchase up to an additional $60 million within 13 days.

Forex Signals Brief Aug 18: From Powell to Walmart and PANW Earnings This Week

Posted on by Skerdian Meta

Markets enter a pivotal week with a heavy lineup of central bank decisions, inflation releases, and corporate earnings that could define near-term momentum across equities, currencies, and commodities. Continue reading “Forex Signals Brief Aug 18: From Powell to Walmart and PANW Earnings This Week” →

ETH Bulls hold $4K, Ethereum shows Exhaustion

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

Ethereum dropped below the $4,400 mark, extending its decline from a recent peak of $4.7K  despite the asset’s otherwise stable fundamentals. The decline has been accompanied by synchronized selling in top DeFi altcoins and ERC20 tokens. ETH was trading at $4.3K at the time of reporting. Market players are still watching to see if the crucial $4,400 support level holds, though.

Technical analysts have identified a crucial resistance level for Ethereum (ETH) at $4,000. A successful breakout above this level could set a target around $4,500.

If Ethereum maintains strength above its current support zone near $4,400, it may re-establish its support range between $4,600 and $4,800. On the other hand, if it falls below $4,400, a short-term pullback may occur. Ethereum’s price has shown a significant breakout against Bitcoin (BTC), suggesting that the cryptocurrency market may be undergoing a structural shift.

Analysts and on-chain data suggest that Ethereum could be entering a new phase of relative strength compared to Bitcoin. After being constrained by a multi-year downward trend, the ETH/BTC ratio has completed a falling wedge pattern—typically associated with bullish reversals—by breaking above key resistance levels in mid-2025.

Ethereum’s potential rise could have significant implications for the entire cryptocurrency industry. Stronger ETH prices may attract developer activity and liquidity back to the network, bolstering its role as the leading platform for smart contracts and decentralized finance (DeFi).

While the current outlook appears promising, analysts warn that volatility remains a possibility. A failed retest of support or significant profit-taking could interrupt the upward trend. Nonetheless, Ethereum’s relative strength is expected to remain stable, primarily due to ongoing inflows and accumulation trends. The ETH/BTC ratio is above its long-term trendline, a position it hasn’t held in several years.

Strategy Hints at New Bitcoin Buy with $74 Billion Stash

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

Strategy’s executive Chairman, Michael Saylor, hinted at a possible new Bitcoin acquisition, prompting speculation among investors and the broader cryptocurrency market. Saylor used cryptic phrases like “insufficient orange,” referencing the company’s previous Bitcoin purchases, in various social media posts from late July and early August 2025.

Bitcoin has been high this week but did miss a new record high.

Strategy began acquiring Bitcoin in 2020 as part of a corporate treasury strategy to hedge against macroeconomic uncertainty and establish the asset as a long-term store of value.

These signals suggest that Strategy may be considering expanding its already substantial Bitcoin holdings, which are currently valued at around $74 billion.

Saylor has reaffirmed the company’s confidence in Bitcoin’s potential, and his recent comments imply that MicroStrategy might still view its current Bitcoin holdings as insufficient. He hinted this on August 9. Traders and analysts closely monitor Saylor’s social media because his posts often precede official company announcements. Previously, his actions have led to brief spikes in Bitcoin’s price, even without official filings.

Currently, investors are on alert, awaiting updates from regulatory filings or corporate communications from Strategy. The company’s stock often moves in tandem with Bitcoin’s price, illustrating the measurable impact of its Bitcoin purchases on both markets. Analysts have begun interpreting these signals.

Andre Dragosch suggested on August 17 that traders monitor MicroStrategy’s weekly Bitcoin buying rate against an average of 8,675 BTC per week in 2025 as a potential marker of market activity.

Ripple Faces Crypto Armageddon, XRP crash below $3

Posted on by Olumide Adesina

XRP remains uncertain about its position and is currently trading below $3, having failed to build on the brief recovery seen between May and July. Bulls were encouraged that the worst was over when whale flows briefly turned positive during that period. However, the gains on the charts quickly faded.

 

Market watchers say that to stop the decline, whale flows need to turn positive and exceed +5 million XRP daily. Without such buying pressure from major players, XRP might be heading toward another significant correction.

The SEC approved two multi-crypto spot ETFs but delayed their launch, which added pressure on XRP. The Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund (BITW) was approved by the SEC to convert into an ETF on July 22. However, the launch was delayed when the agency also issued a stay order.

Furthermore, the timing couldn’t be worse. Given the signs of exhaustion in the larger cryptocurrency markets and the ongoing regulatory uncertainty, XRP needs all the support it can get. Losing whale support at this critical moment could lead to a much sharper decline. When the agency approved a rule change to allow the Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund to become the Grayscale Digital

 

A stay order issued by the SEC also prevented Grayscale from launching the ETF, which invests in ADA, SOL, ETH, BTC, and XRP. The high of $3.3826 on August 8 could be reached with a breakout above the $3.2 resistance level. If $3.3826 is sustained, the bulls might be able to reach the all-time high of $3.6606 (Binance Exchange) on July 18. However, the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) could be exposed if the price drops below $3. In that case, XRP might test support at the low of $2.7254 on August 3.