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France has emerged as a major hotspot for violent crypto-related crime, with authorities recording 90 cases involving kidnappings, extortion, threats, and robberies between January and mid-August 2026.
According to France’s National Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (PNACO), the country recorded around 20 such incidents in 2024 and 67 in 2025. The number climbed further in 2026, with 90 cases recorded by mid-August alone, surpassing the total for all of 2025, roughly one attack every two to three days.
The attacks have also spread beyond prominent crypto entrepreneurs and influencers, with ordinary people suspected of owning digital assets increasingly becoming targets.
Notably, the threat has already reached private homes, where attackers are using violence to force victims to surrender their digital assets.
As per the PNACO, in one recent case, four armed intruders reportedly held a family captive overnight in Vendin-le-Vieil before forcing the father to hand over approximately €40,000 ($47,000) in cryptocurrency.
The French investigators said the attacks are increasingly linked to organized criminal networks that recruit young operatives through social media and digital intermediaries.
These groups often divide responsibilities among people who may not know one another, making it harder for investigators to identify those directing the operations.
“This multi-level organization complicates the identification of sponsors and the reconstruction of the entire criminal chain,” PNACO noted.
As per the time of the report, authorities had 13 active judicial proceedings underway, with 95 suspects, including 13 minors, under formal investigation for alleged offenses including kidnapping, unlawful confinement, aggravated violence and money laundering.
The networks have also extended beyond France. A key suspect arrested in Morocco following intelligence shared by French authorities was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Investigators believe leaked personal information, social media disclosures, and phishing scams help criminals identify potential victims.
Moreover, a Chainalysis report published in August identified France as a major hotspot for violent attacks involving cryptocurrency. The firm estimated that criminals stole more than $30 million in such incidents worldwide during the first half of 2026, after a record $58 million in 2025.
An alleged 2024 breach involving a French tax official may have contributed to the increase. The official was accused of stealing and selling dossiers that included information on wealthy crypto holders, including their names, addresses, phone numbers, and financial holdings.
A separate breach disclosed by crypto tax-reporting platform Waltio in January 2026 reportedly affected around 50,000 users, potentially exposing more people to targeted crime.
Chainalysis also found that relatives and acquaintances accounted for more than 40% of victims in French incidents, suggesting criminals are increasingly using family members as leverage.
That said, the threat is not confined to France. Just this week in the United Kingdom, a cryptocurrency investor reported being restrained and threatened at knifepoint during a home invasion in which approximately $800,000 in cryptocurrency and valuables were allegedly stolen.
Cybersecurity firm Hudson Rock suggested the incident could be linked to reportedly compromised Revolut customer data, though it has not conclusively established the connection.
Such attacks, commonly known as “wrench attacks,” involve using threats or physical violence to force victims to surrender their crypto holdings. Unlike online theft, they can bypass digital security by targeting the person who controls the wallet.
France’s Interior Ministry has advised cryptocurrency holders to avoid publicizing their wealth or sharing information that could help criminals identify them.
In guidance published on January 22, 2026, the ministry warned against posting crypto holdings or profits on social media, sharing wallet screenshots, or discussing digital asset investments publicly. It also recommended using unique passwords and strong authentication to protect accounts against unauthorized access.

Cardano (ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson has outlined what could come after smart contracts, introducing “Nightframes” as a vision for AI-powered, autonomous computing.
Speaking at Saturday’s Midnight City Tokyo event, Hoskinson described a future where artificial intelligence and privacy-focused technology work together to understand users’ intentions and execute tasks with minimal human intervention.
Hoskinson argued that the growing influence of AI agents makes it worth rethinking existing blockchain infrastructure.
“Now we have these agents. We have AI, everybody. ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and all these Chinese models that are out there,” he said. “They seem to have some agency and ability to make decisions about everything we do, and they’re getting involved in our money,”
He illustrated the trend with a personal example, explaining that an AI system reviewed payments across his accounts and identified more than 115 subscriptions he described as “vampire subscriptions.” For Hoskinson, the example demonstrated how AI could help people understand and manage increasingly complicated digital and financial lives.
Hoskinson described Nightframes as a different kind of computing environment, designed to stay active and run programs while incorporating privacy and verifiable operations.
“It’s a private computer that’s always on and runs your programs. It follows your intentions. And most importantly, it’s provable,” Hoskinson said.
Notably, the idea goes beyond smart contracts that execute predefined instructions. Nightframes could potentially host persistent AI agents that understand a user’s objectives, coordinate with services and perform tasks across digital environments.
That model could support automated payments, personal digital assistants, and other applications where agents need to make decisions and interact with blockchain infrastructure.
Moreover, it’s worth noting that Midnight is central to this story because its privacy-focused blockchain infrastructure is associated with Hoskinson’s Nightframes concept. Its technology is intended to help applications use sensitive information without making every detail publicly visible.
Midnight City provides an environment for exploring persistent AI characters and autonomous activity. Rather than functioning solely as a conventional blockchain application, the project demonstrates how digital agents might interact and continue operating in a shared world.
Hoskinson also emphasized that these systems should ultimately remain under their owners’ control, not centralized platforms.
“They work for you. They don’t work for Sony. They don’t work for Toyota. They don’t work for Charles Hoskinson. They don’t work for OpenAI. They don’t work for the US government,” he added.
That said, the Nightframes vision comes amid a broader push to expand Cardano’s capabilities across AI, privacy and decentralized finance. Midnight launched its mainnet in March 2026, while Cardano became an official chain for the x402 payment standard, which allows AI agents to pay for online services programmatically. The ecosystem is also developing Masumi, a protocol designed to support AI-agent collaboration, identity, and payments, while RealFi has advanced Cardano’s push into real-world financial services.
Moreover, in response to criticism about Cardano’s progress last month, Hoskinson pointed to the launches of RealFi and Midnight, the development of Midnight City, and integrations involving LayerZero, Fireblocks, Pyth, and Circle.

Stellar (XLM) may be gearing up for a major rally, as its post-breakout price structure remains intact.
Delving deeper, market analyst Javon Marks says XLM could be gearing up for another significant move higher, as the altcoin continues to form higher lows, a bullish signal following its breakout.
Source: Javon Marks
Marks has identified a price target of $0.681, suggesting a potential gain of more than 200% from current levels.
Per CoinGecko data, XLM is trading at $0.1842, up 2.4% over the past 24 hours.
Stellar Stablecoins Close In on $1 Billion
Beyond price action, Stellar is approaching a notable milestone in its stablecoin ecosystem.
According to Scopuly, a Stellar-based decentralized finance wallet, the network now holds about $987 million in stablecoin value, just $13 million short of $1 billion.
This figure has also risen 3.77% over the past seven days, pointing to continued growth in stablecoin activity. Crossing the $1 billion threshold would be a major stride for Stellar, reinforcing the network’s role in moving money across borders and supporting financial services.
As Stellar carves out its niche in the stablecoin space, the blockchain’s real-world asset (RWA) tokenization market recently hit a record $3.5 billion in total value.
More notably, tokenized real-world assets bring traditional financial instruments, such as funds and other investment products, onto blockchain networks, with Stellar’s growing presence in this sector illustrating heightened institutional interest.

According to a recent analysis by CryptoQuant, XRP whale inflows are soaring. Data shows a significant rise in XRP transfers by large holders to Binance.
Cumulative inflows over the last 30 days have reached 1.669 billion XRP, the highest level in seven months. This follows recent volatility and suggests increased activity as major holders move XRP onto the exchange.
The figure stood at roughly 1.65 billion XRP in September before easing. In the past few days, it has climbed back to 1.669 billion XRP, exceeding the September mark. The rebound underscores a fresh pickup in whale inflows worth watching closely.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
The analyst further highlighted the significance of the data, noting that while large holders move more XRP on to centralized exchanges, it can expand the supply available for trading and heighten the chance of downward price pressure if those holders opt to sell some of their coins.
However, treating higher inflows as proof that sales are about to happen is a losing game. The movements might simply involve shifting assets between different wallets or accessing additional features and services offered by Binance.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
As the analyst wrote:
“These data are significant because increased whale inflows to centralized exchanges can increase the amount of XRP available for trading, potentially raising the risk of selling pressure if large holders decide to sell part of their holdings. However, rising inflows do not necessarily indicate imminent selling, as transfers may also result from asset reallocations between wallets or the use of other trading services on Binance.”
While the recent rebound in this metric points to ongoing activity among large holders, it alone cannot forecast XRP’s next price move. Market observers note that tracking inflow trends alongside net flows, trading volumes, and price action remains essential to determine whether the increase will result in genuine selling pressure or simply mark higher volumes of XRP moving onto Binance.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Cardano (ADA) faces renewed selling pressure after large holders offloaded more than 110 million tokens in less than a week, raising concerns about a potential price correction.
The sell-off comes as ADA approaches a key support level, and a break below it could expose the token to further losses.
In a series of tweets Tuesday, crypto analyst Ali Martinez warned that Cardano could face a deeper correction as whale selling coincides with declining network activity. He identified $0.24 as the key level to watch, noting that a break below this support could send ADA toward $0.21.
“Cardano whales have been reducing their holdings,” Martinez wrote, citing Santiment data. “Over the past five days, large holders have offloaded more than 110 million ADA, adding selling pressure as price approaches a key support level.”
The analyst also pointed to a sharp decline in daily active addresses, which fell 41.36% from 27,248 to 15,977. The drop suggests fewer addresses interacted with the network during the period covered by his analysis, adding to concerns about weakening participation as selling pressure builds.
Interestingly, this comes even as the latest figures follow a brief increase in Cardano activity earlier this month. On October 9, Santiment reported that daily active addresses were about 27,500 on October 7 and 27,200 on October 8, roughly 1.7 times the September weekday average.
The firm linked the increase to the launch of the CIP-0113 token standard on Cardano mainnet on October 7, despite its price dropping. The subsequent decline suggests the earlier rise in participation has not yet translated into sustained growth in daily network activity.
However, the daily figures tell only part of the story. Token Terminal data cited in the supplied information placed Cardano’s monthly active addresses above 303,200, an increase of 2,000 in 24 hours. The monthly measure covers a broader period and can rise even when daily activity declines.
Moreover, Cardano’s DeFi sector showed signs of resilience. DeFiLlama data presently puts total value locked (TVL) at 272.55 million ADA, up from 263.55 million ADA on October 4, representing an increase of 9 million ADA.
Broader network participation also remains notable. Token Terminal data showed Cardano’s monthly active addresses exceeded 303,200, up 2,000 in 24 hours. While daily active addresses track activity over a single day, the monthly figure provides a wider view of network engagement.
That said, Cardano’s ongoing development could also support future adoption. Its efforts to connect Bitcoin-based assets through CIP-113 and liquidity with Cardano applications, alongside its smart contract capabilities, native assets, and Hydra scaling solution, could expand the network’s use cases, potentially boosting ADA price.
At press time, ADA was trading at $0.23, up 4.12% over the past 24 hours.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao “CZ” believes Bitcoin (BTC) could reach $1 million sooner than many investors expect, citing growing institutional adoption, expanding financial infrastructure, and the cryptocurrency’s potential role in national reserves.
Speaking at Bitcoin Asia 2026 in Hong Kong, Zhao said Bitcoin would not need another 25 years to reach the milestone. He expects broader adoption to accelerate as financial institutions and governments increasingly recognize the asset’s potential.
“I actually don’t think we need 25 years. I think it’s going to happen much quicker,” Zhao said when asked whether Bitcoin could reach $1 million within the next quarter-century.
However, he emphasized that Bitcoin’s long-term success would depend on more than price appreciation, pointing to widespread payment adoption and the possibility of pension funds holding BTC as a reserve asset.
“I think we need Bitcoin payments to happen well on a massive scale. I think we need Bitcoin to be a retirement pension fund reserve,” he added.
Zhao also reiterated his belief that Bitcoin will eventually surpass gold in importance, arguing that governments could increasingly consider the cryptocurrency when managing national reserves.
In his viiew, the transition will take time because major economies already have established systems for valuing, storing, and managing gold. Governments would need to develop comparable infrastructure for Bitcoin before significantly changing their reserve strategies.
Nevertheless, he believes the gap between the two assets leaves room for Bitcoin to catch up. He estimated that gold’s market value was roughly ten times that of Bitcoin and suggested the cryptocurrency could overtake the precious metal during the next bull run.
“I think Bitcoin will overtake gold pretty soon,” he said. “In the next bull run, it could happen.”
Zhao also recommended that governments consider holding a diversified cryptocurrency reserve. Under that approach, Bitcoin would account for more than half of the portfolio, Ethereum would receive approximately 10% to 20%, and BNB and other leading assets would make up the remainder.
Notably, Zhao joins several prominent investors who have outlined scenarios in which Bitcoin reaches $1 million.
Speaking during The Bitcoin Treasuries Conference last week, Ric Edelman, Ric Edelman, founder of Edelman Financial Engines, sees global investment flows as a potential catalyst for Bitcoin’s rise to $1 million. He estimates that BTC could reach $500,000 if investors directed 1% of their combined assets into the cryptocurrency, with a 2% allocation potentially doubling that valuation.
“If the world that owns all of those assets just allocates 1% of their portfolio to Bitcoin, that’s $500,000. If the world owns 2%, then it’s a million,” Edelman said.
However not everyone expects Bitcoin to reach $1 million, particularly within the next few years.
Previously Markus Thielen, head of research at 10x Research has questioned the mathematical feasibility of Bitcoin reaching that level by 2030. Based on an estimated circulating supply of approximately 20.1 million BTC, a $1 million price would imply a market capitalization of roughly $20.1 trillion.
That would require Bitcoin to add trillions of dollars in market value over a relatively short period, making the target difficult to achieve, according to Thielen’s assessment.
Last week, Bloomberg Intelligence senior commodities strategist Mike McGlone predicted Bitcoin could fall to $10,000, describing crypto as a “dead” asset class. On October 9, he reiterated the warning, noting that elevated US Treasury yields could signal further risks for Bitcoin and other speculative assets, questioning whether the market weakness was a buying opportunity or the start of a deeper decline.
At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $82,147, reflecting a 1.09% surge in the past 24 hours.

What would a Bitcoin rally to $295,000 mean for Ripple-linked XRP? Popular crypto YouTuber The Modern Investor has weighed in with a bullish forecast, suggesting XRP could see substantial gains if Bitcoin hits that lofty price target.
Bitcoin at $295,000: How High Could XRP Really Go?
The Modern Investor laid out ambitious price targets for some of the biggest cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Cardano. In his view, the current market cycle could either mirror previous bull runs or take crypto into uncharted territory.
“I could totally see Bitcoin going to around $295,000,” he posited. He also floated $11,000 for Ethereum and $5 for Cardano, while putting XRP’s potential price at $8.95.
With XRP trading around $1.33 on Oct. 14, a climb to $8.95 would be a roughly 573% rally, pushing the token to nearly 6.73 times its current value.
Bitcoin, meanwhile, is trading near $81,801 after gaining roughly 4.3% over the past 30 days. Reaching $295,000 would require a rally of about 260.6%, adding $213,199 to its current price.
Together, these projections show just how bullish The Modern Investor is on the current market cycle, with his targets pointing to substantial upside across several leading cryptocurrencies if the market delivers another major rally.
Key Catalysts That Could Fuel XRP’s Massive Rally to $8.95
The Modern Investor’s bullish outlook is partly rooted in the growing belief that tokenization could drive the next major wave of crypto adoption. He pointed to projections suggesting that between $5 trillion and $10 trillion in real-world assets could be tokenized by 2030, potentially bringing more capital and institutional players into the market.
He also referenced comments from Fundstrat co-founder and BitMine chairman Tom Lee, who believes the current crypto bull run could outperform previous cycles. Lee highlighted tokenization, artificial intelligence, and a more supportive regulatory climate as key differences from earlier rallies fueled by initial coin offerings, meme coins, and stablecoins.
For The Modern Investor, these emerging trends could propel the crypto market into a new growth phase, potentially delivering gains that exceed those seen in past bull runs.
Moreover, The Modern Investor believes rising crypto purchases by wealthy investors could signal that major players are preparing for a significant market shift. He cited reports of large Ethereum acquisitions and heavy XRP accumulation, arguing that the scale of these moves suggests some investors may be positioning themselves ahead of a potentially parabolic market growth.

Zcash (ZEC) is bleeding red, but a bold price prediction is keeping bulls on their toes. Despite a 14.5% drop over the past 14 days that pushed its market capitalization to $20.13 billion, the privacy-focused cryptocurrency is back in the spotlight after its co-founder called $2,000 a “no-brainer” and hinted at a longer-term target of $5,000.
Could ZEC be gearing up for a massive comeback?
Zcash Founder Fires Up Bulls With $2,000 ‘No-Brainer’ Call and $5,000 Target
Zcash co-founder Eli Ben-Sasson is refusing to back down from his ambitious price outlook, even as ZEC faces renewed selling pressure.
In an October 15 post on X, Ben-Sasson reiterated his prediction that ZEC could eventually hit $5,000 and described a move to $2,000 as a “no-brainer.” He also said he backed the $2,000 price target through OffMarket, a privacy-focused platform connected to the prediction market Polymarket.
His latest remarks build on an earlier forecast that ZEC would surpass $5,000 before the end of 2026. The crypto entrepreneur had previously predicted that Zcash would trade above $1,200 by September 25, a target the cryptocurrency successfully cleared during its September rally.
However, the road to $5,000 remains steep. ZEC has retreated sharply from its September highs, so a fresh wave of buying pressure would be needed to make Ben-Sasson’s bullish prediction come true.
Zcash Races Against the Quantum Clock
Ben-Sasson’s bullish forecast comes as fresh concerns about the future of crypto security grip the industry, potentially putting privacy-focused projects like Zcash in the spotlight. Last week, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake urged the sector to prepare for a possible “bunker mode” scenario, warning that advances in artificial intelligence could threaten existing cryptographic protections even before quantum computers become powerful enough to do so.
Zcash is ramping up efforts to shield its network from emerging security threats. Zakura, a Zcash full-node implementation that helps validate transactions and maintain the network, recently said its team is targeting January to make the software quantum-resistant and reasonably resilient to AI-driven threats. If achieved, the milestone could mark a major step in Zcash’s long-term security push.
However, January remains a target, not a confirmed deadline, and the team has not yet announced an official activation date for the network-wide upgrade.

In recent on-chain activity, US government wallets reportedly deposited $1 billion in cryptocurrency to Coinbase Prime. The recent deposits include over 12,000 BTC related to the infamous 2016 Bitfinex hack, as well as large amounts of USDT and other assorted tokens.
This is one of the largest transfers in a long time from US government crypto accounts to a cryptocurrency exchange, and it has sparked speculation about the future of the major stash.
The move was reported by on-chain analysis firm CryptoQuant:
Image Source: X
Despite their massive size, these deposits are only a small percentage of the government’s total crypto assets. According to Arkham, the US owns almost $25.38 billion (306,795 BTC) in Bitcoin alone, and it has labeled the accounts accordingly. In addition to BTC, it also holds smaller amounts of ETH, wrapped BNB, and other tokens. Overall, the cryptocurrencies are spread across 600 addresses.
How Does the US Government Own So Much Crypto?
The US government doesn’t have a policy of buying Bitcoin, even though current President Donald Trump has aggressively pursued a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. As a result, all of the crypto holdings can be traced back to aggressive law enforcement actions.
They include the 2016 Bitfinex hack and the FTX-Alameda Research scam. The reason why Coinbase Prime is the primary choice here is that it is an institutional custodian partner of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Why is this a Big Deal?
The crypto community is abuzz with the presumption that the US government is looking to offload a serious amount of BTC in the near future, starting with the first billion dollar sale related to this deposit. The rumors make sense because previously, the American government had only deposited smaller amounts to Coinbase Prime.
This massive deposit is serious and could mean a reversal of the Trump policy to keep the strategic reserve whole and avoid selling. He had earlier directed that forfeited Bitcoin “shall not be sold” except in limited cases involving court-ordered restitution or other lawful purposes like settling the ongoing Bitfinex and FTX cases. However, there has been no communication from the White House regarding this move, and the recent deposits could just mean consolidation rather than a liquidation move.
The Future
While there is no indication that the US government is going to immediately liquidate this billion dollars’ worth of Bitcoin, the move is indeed setting the wheels in motion for a potential sale.
If Trump decides to sell off the stash, possibly to cushion the immense impacts of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, it will create enormous selling pressure in the market, as the state’s wallets have over $25 billion in BTC waiting to be liquidated. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.

Bitcoin (BTC) is increasingly tied to the stock market.
Mike McGlone, Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior commodity strategist, believes Bitcoin has increasingly become a “stock-market puppet,” citing its strong correlation with U.S. equities and its tendency to swing more sharply.
In an October 1 interview with Wealthion, McGlone questioned Bitcoin’s performance and maintained his bearish outlook despite continued buying from large holders.
According to McGlone, Bitcoin is down about 4% this year, while the S&P 500 is up about 3%.
He also noted that Bitcoin had underperformed the stock market for nearly five years, challenging the idea that the top cryptocurrency consistently serves as an alternative investment to traditional financial assets.
Interestingly, McGlone’s pessimism doesn’t stop there, since he hasn’t abandoned his controversial prediction that Bitcoin could fall to $10,000.
What’s his argument? He notes that the broader cryptocurrency market is still undergoing a “purge,” suggesting further downside could emerge before the market finds a sustainable recovery.
Bitcoin Whales Keep Buying the Dip
In contrast to McGlone’s view, Ash Crypto has pointed to a different trend, reporting that five wallets bought 1,076 BTC, worth about $90.42 million, in a single day.
Source: Ash Crypto
The market analyst acknowledged that even as retail investors panicked over the current market dip, larger holders were taking the bulls by the horns, accumulating more Bitcoin.
These purchases add to a broader pattern of whale activity that has attracted attention during the current market weakness.
According to market analyst Ali Martinez, Bitcoin whales accumulated 16,010 BTC over five days as the price declined from around $87,000 toward $80,000.
What does this buying activity show? It suggests that some large holders see lower prices as an opportunity to accumulate more, not a reason to exit their positions.

Ripple’s partnership with Stripe-owned wallet infrastructure provider Privy is giving developers a new way to integrate XRP Ledger functionality into their applications, potentially expanding XRPL adoption and creating a longer-term catalyst for XRP.
If the integration drives more network activity and stronger demand for XRP, it could support the token’s price over time. However, the impact will depend on actual usage, as broader access to XRPL does not automatically translate into increased buying pressure for XRP.
Stripe-Owned Privy Embraces XRPL
San Francisco-based fintech firm Ripple has teamed up with Stripe-owned wallet infrastructure provider Privy to bring XRP Ledger (XRPL) support to its developer platform, opening new opportunities for developers building blockchain-powered applications.
The integration lets developers add XRPL wallets to their apps without building the underlying infrastructure from scratch. They can create and manage wallets, sign transactions, and support XRP, Ripple’s dollar-pegged RLUSD stablecoin, and other assets issued on the network, potentially making it easier to develop applications around the XRP Ledger ecosystem.
“Stablecoins are changing how money moves, and XRPL has been building for payments from the start. We’re excited to make Privy wallets available to developers building on XRPL, from global payments to agentic commerce, and whatever comes next,” Privy co-founder and CEO Henri Stern, who heads crypto and stablecoins at Stripe, opined.
The integration also highlights the growing potential of agentic commerce, where AI agents can independently manage funds, execute transactions, and make payments. Privy’s programmable wallet technology enables developers to create and manage XRPL wallets, let users authorize transactions, and seamlessly integrate crypto payment capabilities into their applications.
The platform also lets users export their private keys or recovery phrases, enabling them to transfer their wallets to other compatible services.
XRP Ledger Records 13 Million AI Payments
The announcement comes amid a surge in AI-driven payment activity on the XRP Ledger.
Last week, RippleX engineering chief J. Ayo Akinyele revealed on X that the network had processed more than 13 million agent payments through the x402 protocol, accounting for roughly 25% of ledger activity.
The collaboration with Privy aligns with Ripple’s broader effort to advance AI-driven commerce. In June, the company introduced an AI Starter Kit designed to help developers create autonomous payment applications that use XRP, its RLUSD stablecoin, and the x402 payment protocol.
Privy is also preparing to expand the integration with features that could make XRPL payments even easier to use. Upcoming additions include programmable transaction rules and gas sponsorship, letting developers control how transactions execute and cover network fees for users.
What It Means For XRP Price
The potential impact on XRP’s price hinges on whether Ripple’s partnership with Privy translates into real adoption and increased demand for XRP. Easier access to XRPL wallets could encourage more developers to launch payment applications, stablecoin services, and AI-driven transactions on the network. If this increases XRP use for transaction fees, liquidity, and payments, it could strengthen the token’s long-term growth outlook.
However, increased XRPL activity does not automatically mean XRP’s price will rise. Applications may rely on RLUSD or other ledger-issued assets, and transaction growth alone may not generate substantial buying pressure for XRP. The key catalyst for price appreciation will be whether the integration drives measurable demand for XRP itself, rather than simply expanding activity across the XRPL ecosystem.
For now, the partnership is best viewed as a potential long-term adoption catalyst for XRP, rather than an immediate price trigger. The strongest bullish signal would be evidence that the integration is generating sustained XRP-based payments, new funded wallets, and greater demand for XRP as a transaction and liquidity asset.

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan believes Bitcoin could mirror gold’s dramatic growth after its first ETF launch and reach a $30 trillion market value.
Speaking in a recent interview, Hougan noted that gold was valued at only $2 trillion to $2.5 trillion when the first gold ETF debuted in 2004. That asset later expanded to around $30 trillion, largely through institutional adoption, well before recent concerns over government debt intensified interest in it.
Bitcoin ETFs arrived when the cryptocurrency’s total market capitalization stood near $2 trillion. Hougan argued Bitcoin could follow a similar trajectory and climb to $30 trillion, a level that would produce a substantial price for each coin.
He stressed that the journey would not be smooth, noting that significant volatility, with sharp rises and declines, is inevitable. According to Hougan, Bitcoin’s greatest risk is not technical weaknesses in the protocol or threats from quantum computing. Instead, it lies with investors themselves and their ability to remain committed through both bull and bear markets.
Many participants have already suffered losses from burnout or excessive leverage during past cycles, he observed. Despite those challenges, Hougan sees material, potentially life-changing upside remaining in the asset. He expects that growth to unfold over roughly a decade.
“I think people who don’t think Bitcoin can follow the same pattern… we launched ETFs when it was about $2 trillion. I think it could easily do what gold did, which is run up to $30 trillion, and that arrives at a pretty nice price target.” He asserted.
Hougan added that he has personally set aside a portion of his own capital with a ten-year horizon in mind, emphasizing that the comment is not financial advice. He described the prospective outcome as likely to reward those who stay the course.

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is fostering efforts to secure Bitcoin (BTC) and other digital assets following emerging security concerns. The platform proffered several solutions but hinted that a full security upgrade could take years.
Coinbase Preps Ahead of Q-Day
Bitcoin security researchers are in full gear on quantum threats to digital assets. This year, multiple groups, including exchanges, validators, and developers, joined broader efforts as supercomputers and artificial intelligence (AI) advanced.
Coinbase, the leading US exchange holding about 5% of BTC in custody, highlighted the importance of early preparations towards migrations. However, full migrations could take years because of the decentralized nature of the assets and other factors.
The exchange is exploring flexible output designs like P2MR (BIP-360) and P2TRv2 to separate the container from the signature. Second, Coinbase researchers suggest a stage protection that lets wallets use a hybrid construction before the final signature policy settles.
“While stateful PQ signature schemes could be smaller and faster than stateless ones, managing state in digital signatures is notoriously error-prone and could even lead to forgery. If stateful signatures are supported, we think it is important to also have a stateless option available,” they added.
Furthermore, as most users noted, MPC-friendliness is at the core of every upgrade. According to the team, implementing it can prevent key theft, particularly for larger organizations. While no single solution satisfies all concerns, users praised the exchange’s initial efforts.
A major roadblock remains old dormant assets that might migrate later than expected. In April, community researchers proposed multiple solutions, but the debate still lingers.
Coinbase suggests a path for these wallets to migrate later, adding that discussion can proceed alongside technical work to prevent slow implementation. These community efforts are needed to prevent the possible widespread losses of Q-Day.
This year, researchers warned that supercomputers will break digital asset cryptography within three years. Initial reports sparked fears and security roadmaps across altcoins, but Bitcoin remained slow as expected.
Coinbase and other firms are contributing to the upgrade through the Bitcoin Security Consortium: “…We want to contribute to the community’s efforts and help create the conditions for careful, sustained progress.”

A mystery crypto whale has been dumping Bitcoin and reinvesting in Ethereum recently, according to on-chain analysis. Normally, whales dump other cryptocurrencies for Bitcoin, but this is going the other way. The whale has reportedly sold $89 million worth of Bitcoin and immediately converted it into Ethereum.
On-chain reporter Lookonchain tweeted regarding the matter:
Image Source: X
According to Lookonchain, the whale sold a massive chunk of BTC over the last 3-4 days, totaling 1,074.36 BTC. Based on the latest valuation, the sell-off totaled $89 million. Initially, it was thought to be profit-taking, but the big player immediately converted the funds into Ethereum, showing clear intent to swap the number one cryptocurrency for the number two.
All in all, the whale bought over 36,159 ETH, and there is no indication they’ll slow down any time soon. The average price paid was $2,500–$2,530 per ETH. The move highlights a small but growing trend of ditching BTC for ETH.
The Future
This isn’t the first time this kind of rotation has occurred. On-chain analysts have regularly reported this behavior. In September, Lookonchain reported transactions showing a whale converted 1,100 BTC into tens of thousands of ETH. A sizeable quantity of the newly acquired Ethereum tokens was staked for passive rewards.
This comes as the broader cryptocurrency market stalls and trades in relatively narrow ranges. Analysts are currently unsure about the market’s immediate future, and technical indicators point to both bullish and bearish bias. Ethereum has recovered well over the last couple of months, but nothing so major that it signals a complete flip.
So, when whales continue to swap Bitcoin for Ethereum, especially through Hyperliquid and other major platforms, they’re pursuing a clear long-term strategy, not just opportunistic trades.
As for the whale, the identity of the major player remains shrouded in mystery. It could be an individual or a financial organization using cryptocurrency’s relative privacy to stay on the sidelines. However, once they make these transactions, their activity remains publicly visible, and on-chain analysts flag it for future reference.

RippleX, Ripple’s engineering and software development team, has patched a critical vulnerability in the XRP Ledger (XRPL).
Notably, the flaw could have let attackers create about 18.45 trillion XRP in a single transaction, potentially breaching the network’s original 100 billion token supply cap.
Researchers from US-based cybersecurity startup Veria Labs discovered the flaw using an artificial intelligence-powered security agent, which developed a working exploit in a local test environment. The vulnerability had remained undetected in the XRPL’s payment-processing code since 2015.
In an October 12 report, the researchers warned that the flaw could have put XRP’s reported $94 billion market value at risk. The vulnerability involved an integer overflow in XRPL’s payment engine. When a transaction processed multiple decentralized exchange orders, the software could incorrectly calculate the total XRP required to settle them.
This allowed sellers to receive the full amounts associated with their orders while the buyer was charged substantially less. A second arithmetic error in the ledger’s supply-protection mechanism could then prevent the transaction from being rejected.
Veria Labs estimated that a single successful transaction could create more than 184 times XRPL’s original XRP supply. The researchers also said the attack could be repeated under the right conditions.
“An attacker could have created spendable XRP far beyond the total supply in a single validated transaction,” Veria Labs stated.
The firm reported the vulnerability on September 22, 2026. The fix was merged the following day, and the emergency software release, rippled 3.4.1, arrived on September 25.
The response bypassed XRPL’s standard amendment process, which generally requires support from more than 80% of trusted validators over two weeks.
For context, developers opted for an immediate software update because publishing the patch while waiting for the usual approval process could have exposed the vulnerability to attackers before the network was fully protected. The disclosure says more than 80% of default validators upgraded on release day.
The disclosure follows a separate August security incident in which an attacker stole approximately $200,000 from the tx XRPL cross-chain bridge. The attack involved software that incorrectly recognized transactions as deposits even though the corresponding XRP had not reached the bridge’s reserves.
The bridge operator subsequently halted the service and addressed the vulnerability.
That said, on Sunday XRPL developers announced plans to strengthen security testing through mandatory retesting of fixed vulnerabilities before releases and expanded AI-assisted bug detection.
“Together with RippleX and the community, we will ensure the XRP Ledger is protected against such vulnerabilities. This means radically applying Formal Verification and AI adversarial testing, collaborating closely with security researchers, and strengthening the bug bounty program.” They stated on X.

XRP has climbed 70% from its previous accumulation zone, according to market analyst Crypto Patel, who says the $1 to $1.20 range is critical to the top altcoin’s next major move.
Source: Crypto Patel
Presently trading at $1.37 per CoinGecko data, XRP is well above the accumulation zone between $0.75 and $0.95 identified by Crypto Patel.
Notably, the analyst has identified the $1 to $1.20 zone as a potential re-entry zone, depending on whether XRP can hold support around the psychologically important $1 level.
If bulls successfully defend this threshold, the cryptocurrency could resume its upward trajectory, with long-term targets of $10 and $20.
Nevertheless, if XRP loses the $1 support level, Crypto Patel expects a wait-and-see approach to take center stage, as a potential return to the earlier accumulation zone could trigger instead of chasing the price lower.
As price action continues to play out in the XRP market, whales are watching from the sidelines, contemplating the next move, as reported by ZyCrypto.
Decade-Old XRP Ledger Vulnerability Raises Security Questions
The XRP Ledger is drawing notable attention after researchers discovered a serious security vulnerability dating back to 2015.
At the nick of time, researchers demonstrated a flaw that could have let attackers create and spend XRP without properly funding it, threatening the network’s fixed supply of 100 billion tokens. Reports indicated the exploit could have enabled the creation of as much as 18 trillion XRP.
An emergency software fix was released on September 25 after researchers demonstrated the exploit, and Ripple said there was no evidence the vulnerability had been exploited on public networks.
Therefore, the disclosure underscores the importance of ongoing security reviews as blockchain networks evolve.

Bitcoin whales are taking advantage of the recent price dip, accumulating thousands of coins as the apex cryptocurrency eyes renewed bullish momentum.
As a result, this buying spree has put a potential recovery back on the radar, although Bitcoin must overcome a key resistance level before a sustained rally can take shape.
According to renowned market analyst Ali Martinez, Bitcoin whales accumulated 16,010 BTC over five days as the price fell from $87,000 toward $80,000. In the process, their combined holdings rose from 5,247,316 BTC to 5,263,326 BTC, a 0.305% increase during the decline.
Source: Ali Martinez
What can be deduced from this accumulation? Well, large holders may be using the pullback to increase their exposure rather than rushing to sell.
Bitcoin Faces Key Resistance at $84,569
Martinez identified $84,569 as the level Bitcoin needs to reclaim to strengthen the bullish outlook.
Source: Ali Martinez
On-chain data indicates that nearly 800,000 BTC previously changed hands around this price, creating a substantial supply zone where investors may look to sell as the market recovers.
Therefore, a decisive move above this level could signal that buyers are absorbing the available selling pressure. If Bitcoin also maintains support along the lower boundary of its rising price channel, the next upside targets sit around $89,000 and $94,000.
Meanwhile, leading on-chain analytics provider Glassnode recently noted that Bitcoin briefly climbed above $85,000 on thin volume and limited fresh capital inflows before retreating. Combined spot exchange and U.S. ETF trading volume averaged just $6.8 billion daily, lower than 90% of days since early 2024.
Based on Martinez’s analysis, $84,569 is the immediate hurdle Bitcoin must clear, with the price at $83,217 per CoinGecko data.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Jeonbuk Bank has begun offering corporate borrowers Korean won loans backed by Bitcoin held through a specialist custodian.
Well, this initiative marks a notable development in the country’s crypto-backed lending market, allowing businesses to access operating funds without the bank directly holding the pledged Bitcoin.

Global banking giant Standard Chartered announced institutional support for Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Dubai as financial firms continue their stablecoin drive. The bank is also working on a partnership between LMAX Group and Ripple to let customers use RLUSD as eligible collateral.
Standard Chartered Expands Stablecoin Offerings
In a recent press release, the bank disclosed new digital asset services for institutional clients and an ongoing plan still in development. Standard Chartered will offer a dollar-pegged asset to institutional investors in Dubai, allowing them to trade without a centralized exchange.
The DIFC branch offers the service and handles a key part of institutional crypto trading. Custody has been a recurring theme for financial firms entering the digital asset market. Meanwhile, holders, especially whales, have shown a preference for institutional custody because it lowers associated risks.
Waqar Chaudry, Global Head of Digital Assets at Standard Chartered, echoed similar sentiments, pointing to overall market safety and how assets are deployed.
“Institutional clients want to participate in digital asset markets without compromising on how their assets are safeguarded or how risk is managed. The ecosystem must therefore make it easier for clients to hold assets securely, access liquidity and deploy collateral efficiently within trusted frameworks.”
The bank also plans to integrate with LMAX Group to make RLUSD eligible for certain LMAX products. This stage aims to combine its institutional-grade market structure with the bank’s custody capabilities.
Overall, institutional investors will have added flexibility because the platform mirrors the value of eligible collateral without transferring the RLUSD. Per the announcement, it reduces transfer-related operational costs while improving capital efficiency.
“By agreeing to adopt Standard Chartered’s collateral mirroring model, we are providing clients with greater flexibility in how they hold and deploy RLUSD across our cross-asset marketplace, while supporting the custody and risk management standards institutions expect,” Luke Dorney, Head of Custody, Digital Assets, LMAX Group, noted.
This partnership remains subject to testing, regulations, and other requirements, but it could change how those institutional clients handle cryptocurrencies. XRP holders have lauded the bank and other partners since the stablecoin launched in 2024.
Stablecoins remain a major entry point for major traditional finance firms, offering safer options while acting as bridge assets. Last year, several firms launched new offerings and pilots citing the need to explore new global payment systems.

Stellar (XLM) is making a strong case in the real-world asset (RWA) tokenization market after the total value of tokenized assets on its network climbed to a record $3.5 billion.
As a result, Stellar has elbowed out competitors such as Solana, the XRP Ledger, and Avalanche, as competition for institutional adoption reaches fever pitch.
According to data from RWA Foundation and Token Terminal, net inflows into Stellar-based investment funds reached $17.1 million, outperforming Ethereum’s $16 million and Polygon’s $5.9 million.
Source: RWA Foundation
What do these latest figures show? They show Stellar’s growing activity as financial institutions and investors explore blockchain-based investment products.
The network’s expansion has been particularly striking over the past year. Stellar’s total RWA value has increased by approximately 360%, rising from $895 million a year ago to $3.5 billion.
More notably, this growth has helped propel the blockchain to third place globally in real-world assets under management, behind only Ethereum and BNB Chain.
IMF Research Puts XRP and XLM in the Spotlight
Taking on X, Crypto researcher SMQKE has added another twist by highlighting International Monetary Fund (IMF) research on how tokenization could reshape financial systems by moving assets and liabilities onto programmable distributed ledgers.
More importantly, including both XLM and XRP in the analysis draws renewed attention to their potential roles in the evolving tokenization landscape.
The report also includes a figure titled “Layers of Concentration in Tokenized Market Infrastructure,” comparing tokenized value across several blockchain networks, including Stellar, the XRP Ledger, Solana and BNB Chain.
Meanwhile, Stellar also gained another point of visibility in traditional financial markets last month after the CME Group announced that it had plans to expand its cryptocurrency futures offerings to include Stellar, alongside other digital assets, with flexible contract sizes.
This development was a major point since it offers market participants another regulated avenue for gaining exposure to XLM price movements.

Cardano (ADA) is attracting renewed bullish attention because its current price structure resembles the setup that preceded its explosive rally in 2020.
According to Javon Marks’ analysis, ADA continues to extend higher after establishing a significant post-breakout base, drawing comparisons to its previous bullish cycle. As a result, the developing structure resembles the pattern Cardano formed in 2020 before embarking on a powerful rally.
Source: Javon Marks
The market analyst maintains a price target of $2.90, which he says would represent a gain of more than 960% from the price level referenced in his analysis.
Well, if this sees the light of day, it would make Cardano a notable recovery candidate in the crypto scene.
Another analyst, Jordan, recently outlined an even more ambitious comeback scenario, suggesting Cardano could eventually reclaim its all-time high of approximately $3.10 with the current price standing at $0.2516 per CoinGecko data.
Cardano’s On-Chain Activity Shows Fresh Momentum
On-chain activity on the Cardano network provides another reason for optimism. Santiment Intelligence reported that ADA’s daily active addresses climbed to about 27,500 on October 7 and 27,200 on October 8, roughly 1.7 times the average weekday level recorded in September, suggesting stronger user engagement.
Source: Santiment Intelligence
Although Cardano’s on-chain activity remains below the late-August peak, the latest readings suggest network participation is recovering.
Meanwhile, Cardano’s ambitions to develop a .ada internet domain are adding another dimension to its ecosystem strategy, with reports of whale activity reaching a four-month high also drawing attention.