ZyCrypto

Cardano (ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson has revealed he is developing what he considers the defining work of his career through Midnight, while offering a glimpse into his next priorities.
Hoskinson shared this on X Saturday, suggesting it could address several longstanding problems in the cryptocurrency industry.
“I’m working on a concept that only Midnight can bring to the cryptocurrency space that solves most of the problems,” Hoskinson wrote.
“Almost have all of it designed conceptually. It’s the magnum opus of my career,” he added.
Notably, the remarks put Midnight at the center of Hoskinson’s longer-term ambitions, even as Cardano continues working toward a major improvement in transaction processing through Leios.
Hoskinson also addressed whether Cardano had reached the point where its development could be considered complete, in response to a follower who asked him directly.
“After Leios, yes,” he replied.
He explained that Cardano would then have the main components he wanted to build, including decentralized consensus, governance and development, its extended unspent transaction output (eUTXO) model, Plutus smart contracts and formal verification.
Hoskinson also pointed to the network’s independent node implementations and its ability to improve recursively, alongside the millions of people who hold ADA.
For context, Leios is designed to increase Cardano’s transaction capacity by changing how blocks are produced and validated. Development is ongoing, so Hoskinson’s statement describes the intended completion of the network’s core architecture, not the end of all future development.
The upgrade has already shown progress in testing. In August, Cardano reported that its MusashiNet testnet reached throughput six times the network’s existing mainnet ceiling.
The upgrade has already delivered promising test results. In August, Cardano reported that its MusashiNet testnet achieved throughput six times higher than the existing mainnet ceiling.
Moreover, Hoskinson’s comments also follow his October 16 appearance at Midnight City Tokyo, where he unveiled Nightframes, a concept for continuously running computing environments designed to support AI agents while preserving privacy and making their operations verifiable.
The concept pointed to applications where AI agents could carry out tasks, interact with services, and make payments with less direct human involvement. However, Nightframes remains a concept, not a fully deployed product.
Cardano’s broader development agenda also includes programmable tokens. CIP-113 went live on the mainnet on October 7, enabling native tokens to incorporate rules governing transfers and compliance. The feature could support applications involving regulated digital assets, although adoption by issuers and financial institutions will determine its practical impact.
That said, despite this progress, Cardano still faces the challenge of translating its technical infrastructure into sustained economic activity.
At press time, DefiLlama data showed approximately $64 million in total value locked across Cardano’s decentralized finance ecosystem. Stablecoin market capitalization stood at about $70.1 million, while decentralized exchanges recorded $1.18 million in 24-hour trading volume.
Meanwhile, weekly DEX volume fell 16.19% to about $9.47 million, underscoring sluggish trading activity on Cardano despite its ambitious technical roadmap.
At press time, ADA traded at $0.2175, down 0.47% in the past 24 hours.

Ripple may be racking up partnerships, but not everyone in the XRP community is celebrating. A prominent crypto influencer has publicly confronted Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, voicing growing frustration among XRP holders who have waited years for the company’s expanding business footprint to translate into meaningful gains for the token.
The criticism came shortly after Ripple unveiled a new tie-up with global brokerage infrastructure provider DriveWealth. The collaboration is designed to strengthen digital asset services across payments, settlement, custody, and institutional financing, marking another step in Ripple’s push to expand its presence in traditional finance.
XRP Army Grows Restless as Ripple’s Partnership Machine Keeps Rolling
In a post on X, John Squire argued that XRP holders were growing weary of Ripple’s steady stream of partnership announcements without seeing tangible benefits for the token itself.
“The XRP community is tired,” Squire opined. “We’ve spent years watching Ripple announce partnership after partnership. Yet morale across the XRP community is at rock bottom. We believe in the vision, but people need to see that progress reflected in XRP itself. Hope needs results, Brad.”
His remarks reflect a recurring frustration among XRP investors who question why Ripple’s expanding business operations have yet to translate into stronger price performance for the payments-focused cryptocurrency.
At $1.31, XRP is down roughly 5.1% over the past 24 hours and nearly 30% since the beginning of the year. The token briefly climbed to $1.70 in August before surrendering those gains, leaving investors waiting for a sustained recovery.
XRP’s prolonged struggle to break into higher price territory has further tested holders’ patience, particularly as Bitcoin has climbed to six-figure valuations. For many XRP supporters, the central question is whether Ripple’s growing influence in the financial sector will eventually translate into meaningful upside for the token.
Ripple, meanwhile, continues to expand its institutional footprint through high-profile partnerships and multibillion-dollar acquisition deals, highlighting the growing gap between the company’s business momentum and XRP’s recent market performance.
Ripple Makes Major Play for Global Investment Infrastructure With New DriveWealth Deal
Ripple has teamed up with DriveWealth to bring stablecoin settlement, cross-border payment capabilities, and digital asset custody to its brokerage infrastructure. The rollout will begin in Europe, with plans to extend the services to the U.S. market later.
The deal will leverage Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin on the XRP Ledger, enabling DriveWealth clients to fund and manage collateral accounts using stablecoins that can be converted into cash almost instantly. The two companies are also exploring equity financing opportunities through Ripple Prime, potentially broadening the partnership beyond payments and settlement.
The DriveWealth deal adds to Ripple’s growing push to embed RLUSD into institutional financial services. Earlier this week, Standard Chartered introduced custody services for RLUSD on the XRP Ledger, while Ripple and LMAX Group previously agreed to expand institutional stablecoin adoption through a $150 million financing deal.
Ripple has also partnered with Stripe-owned Privy to bring embedded wallets to XRPL, giving developers a simpler way to integrate blockchain-based services into their applications.
These recent deals signal that Ripple’s ambitions stretch far beyond crypto payments. As RLUSD gains traction across institutional finance, the big question is whether this growing adoption will eventually translate into stronger demand for XRP and a lasting boost to its price.

Two Bitcoin (BTC) wallets that had remained dormant for more than 12 years have become active, transferring a combined 417 BTC worth approximately $33.85 million.
According to a Sunday tweet from blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, the wallets returned 638 and 229 times their original value, respectively, after accumulating Bitcoin when the cryptocurrency traded at about $127 and $355.
Notably, while the transfers highlight the substantial gains made by early Bitcoin investors, it remains unclear whether the owners intend to sell their holdings or have simply moved the funds to new addresses.
The reactivation adds to a series of movements involving older Bitcoin wallets. Another wallet that had remained untouched for more than a decade transferred 411.45 BTC a day earlier, worth approximately $34 million at the time. Blockchain data attributed to Arkham Intelligence shows the coins were largely accumulated in September 2013, when Bitcoin traded near $131.
Beyond these early-holder movements, data from CryptoQuant points to declining selling pressure from more recent Bitcoin investors.
According to analyst IT Tech, only 4.4% of Bitcoin aged 6 to 12 months that moved over the 30-day period ending October 15 went to exchanges.
This represents about 9,100 BTC of the 205,400 BTC moved during the period. By comparison, 40.4% of the coins moved during the 30-day window ending June 17, equivalent to 63,800 BTC, went to exchanges.
The proportion then fell to 30.9% in July, 9.8% in August, and 3.7% in September before slightly recovering in October.
Despite the substantial number of Bitcoin changing addresses, the data suggests that fewer of these coins are reaching exchanges, where holders could sell them.
IT Tech highlighted the difference between the volume of coins moving and their destinations, noting that 205,400 BTC moved during the latest 30-day period, compared with 157,700 BTC in the June window.
The analyst’s data points to reduced selling pressure from this group of holders, which could be pivotal to BTC price.
Meanwhile, CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost noted that Bitcoin fell below the 30th percentile of its Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) metric after being rejected near $87,000.
He explained that the measure places Bitcoin’s valuation within its historical context rather than relying solely on the raw MVRV ratio.
“By falling back below the 30th percentile, Bitcoin is returning to a zone where it has spent only about 25% of its time at this valuation level,” the analyst stated.
Darkfost added that the level remained consistent with an accumulation zone, although Bitcoin had moved out of the extreme undervaluation range historically associated with market lows.
The analyst’s assessment suggests Bitcoin has returned to a historically less common valuation range, even as the market continues to seek stronger demand.
At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $82,146, up 1.02% in the past 24 hours.

As artificial intelligence continues to accelerate in development and reach, members of the cryptocurrency community have taken to X to share what the future holds for AI and crypto after their intersection.
In a recent interview, a leading cryptocurrency proponent noted the many possibilities for both technologies and asserted that AI and crypto are not, in fact, on a crash course. Instead, both technologies are primed to solve each other’s long-standing challenges.
Speaking to a reporter at Milk Road, the former Vice President of BlackRock, popularly known as BitcoinJesusETH on X, explained that companies and investors alike have begun to realize AI and crypto can strengthen one another.
In his words:
“They’re (AI and crypto) not going to destroy each other. They’ll help each other. They’re going to unlock much of the potential each has, and they’re going to solve many of the problems each has. And the benefit is going to be to everyone who is a user and to everybody who is in this market.”
The crypto proponent, who is not at all skeptical about an AI- and crypto-centered future, remains especially bullish, urging market players to prioritize education over impulsive market actions, and adding that the current market has opened a fresh opportunity for Bitcoin and AI at large.
“It is a very bullish time. It’s not the time to get afraid, sell your bags, or go honker mode. But it is time to lock in and educate yourself because all this is going to move quickly and there’s a huge opportunity here,” he added.
This year, cryptocurrency companies have opened up to agent trading, with leading exchanges including Robinhood, Binance, OKX, and Bybit rolling out features that let AI agents analyze markets and execute trades.

Cardano (ADA) could be gearing up for an explosive comeback as a potentially bullish cup-and-handle pattern takes shape on its price chart, just as founder Charles Hoskinson stirs fresh excitement with hints of a new programming language that could reshape the blockchain’s future.
The Cup-And-Handle That Could Change Everything for ADA
Cardano is carving out a textbook cup-and-handle on the weekly chart — the same bullish continuation pattern that preceded some of ADA’s parabolic rallies.
After bottoming in the $0.14- $0.16 zone, ADA has formed a perfect rounded bottom. Crypto analyst Giannis Andreou says the trigger is clear: a weekly close above $0.278.
Break that, and the math turns explosive. The measured cup-depth target sits at $0.416 — a 74% move from the $0.239 base. Above that, the chart opens to $0.5116, $0.8059, and $0.9601, with a long-term projection as high as $1.3291.
The line in the sand? Lose the rising support, and the setup weakens. Drop below $0.16, and the setup is invalidated. Until then, every ADA trader is watching $0.278.
However, ADA’s bullish setup faces an immediate hurdle as fresh selling pressure threatens to erase its recent gains. According to CoinGecko, the token is changing hands at $0.2158, down 2.6% in the past 24 hours and 13% over the last seven days.
At that price, ADA remains roughly 28.8% below Andreou’s crucial $0.278 breakout level, meaning it would need to rally by that percentage to reach the threshold. A weekly close above $0.278, followed by a successful retest, could strengthen the case for a sustained bullish breakout. Until then, the chart pattern remains unconfirmed, and its upside targets are far from guaranteed.
Cardano’s Ecosystem Gets a Powerful Upgrade
Meanwhile, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has unveiled another ambitious project that could expand the blockchain’s capabilities.
The crypto entrepreneur said he is personally developing a new programming language to bring advanced cryptographic functionality to Cardano. According to Hoskinson, the language will combine intent-based programming with proof-carrying data (PCD) and use Groth16 zero-knowledge proofs to enable new ways to build and verify blockchain applications. He described the project as the first of its kind, though that claim has not yet been independently verified.
“I’m actually personally developing a programming language for Cardano. It’s the first of its kind enabling intents + PCD via Groth16 proofs,” Hoskinson revealed in an X post.
Hoskinson shared the news in response to a community member who asked what sets Cardano apart as a decentralized foundation for blockchain applications. However, he kept the finer details under wraps, offering no name, technical specifications, or launch timeline for the proposed language.
The revelation follows another intriguing tease earlier this week, when Hoskinson hinted at a potentially groundbreaking use case for Midnight, Cardano’s privacy-focused partner blockchain.

New Bitcoin whales now control one-third (33%) of the BTC realized market capitalization held by whales, according to new data findings shared today by CryptoQuant analysts. Since September, the realized market cap of new Bitcoin whales has grown steadily, and new whales have significantly contributed to BTC price stability, according to the report. Despite the increase in new Bitcoin whales, the data revealed that old whales have remained largely unchanged.
New Bitcoin whales in the spotlight
According to the CryptoQuant data, the realized market cap of new Bitcoin whales is now $78.61 billion, while that of old whales currently stands at $159.15 billion. New BTC whales now account for 33.06% of the total Bitcoin realized market cap, up from 18% earlier in the year.
New Bitcoin whales, wallets holding more than 1,000 BTC with recent market activity, now account for 33% of the whale realized cap, according to the data. This rise from the 18% record noted earlier in 2026 indicates growth as increasing inflows of institutional and ETF capital redefine BTC ownership.
This rise in new whale holdings suggests fresh funds are entering the Bitcoin market, with their $77,000 cost basis recovering alongside BTC price. This indicates continued accumulation and appetite among large holders. The rising number of new whales signals inflows and a shift in control among major customers in the Bitcoin market. In comparison, older whale cohorts have been maintaining their positions, which have so far remained flat.
Bitcoin now targets $89k
Another interesting development is Bitcoin’s recent price weakness, as noted by a GugaOnChain analyst. The asset currently trades at $81,615, down 1.5% in the last seven days, indicating a decline in performance. The analyst’s data shows the asset’s price action is consolidating. This suggests that after the recent strong run, BTC is currently finding its support at the $81,000 level.
This signals a potential accumulation phase, with buyers entering the market around the key support level while resistance holds steady. According to GugaOnChain, Bitcoin is showing strong bullish momentum, holding firm around the $81k level as buyers stay in control. The analyst noted that strong, continued buying pressure indicates renewed bullish momentum and a possible move toward a higher target around $89,000 soon.

The stablecoin market is quietly evolving, as a new report indicates that Circle’s USDC leads on key metrics, underscoring its growing popularity. As stablecoins rapidly become the default settlement layer for AI agent transactions, USDC appears to lead the race, according to a new industry study published Friday.
Many crypto networks have embraced artificial intelligence, with their execution layers powering numerous AI agents to unlock microsecond payment settlement speeds via the X402 protocol.
USDC leads in AI agent payments
The new wave of crypto adoption isn’t traders; it’s AI agents settling payments with stablecoins, according to a report released on Friday. AI agents are beginning to pay for things in the crypto market. The new report shows that USDC is the most popular stablecoin that agents utilize to settle on-chain payments.
On-chain data from Token Terminal shows that USDC dominates AI agent payments on Base and other crypto networks over the past 30 days, as the study above notes. Agents commonly route transactions through Algorand, Solana, Polygon, Canton, and other networks as settlement chains while paying in USDC. While USDC leads the market, the data identified USDC, EURC, and WARS as other major stablecoins agents also use to execute transactions.
USDT’s market share slides as USDC closes the Gap
USDC’s dominance in AI agent payments comes as its circulating supply has stayed between $70 billion and $80 billion over the past 12 months, far above MiCA’s €5B threshold. This means new money (powered by USDC) has entered the crypto market in massive amounts, far exceeding the regulator’s limit.
While USDT remains the market leader in the stablecoin sector, and by a wide margin, fresh data from Sentora shows its grip is gradually weakening as USDC closes the gap in both customer numbers and usage metrics. According to Sentora data, USDT’s share of the stablecoin market has risen from 20% to 24% over the past 24 months, while USDT’s has dropped from 70% to 60%.
This means more customers are using USDC for cross-border payments. While newer alternatives like USDS are gaining traction, USDT and USDC remain the most relevant stablecoins for user payments, liquidity, and infrastructure decisions.

Russia’s Sberbank has received regulatory approval to buy and sell digital assets, opening a new channel for crypto traders. The move follows the Bank of Russia’s digital asset framework, designed to increase adoption and bring institutional and retail investors into legal channels.
Sberbank To Launch BTC, ETH & USDT Services
The country’s largest bank was added to a register of firms authorized to exchange cryptocurrencies days after it was included on a list of digital depositories. This allows the bank to track client holdings and provide relevant information to users.
The register lists eight firms, highlighting the bank’s key role in the market. This follows increased institutional crypto adoption in Russia amid emerging economic factors.
Per the announcement, the bank seeks to build on its initial traction in digital assets by offering new services through existing channels. It would offer Bitcoin and Ethereum services before adding USDT on December 1.
While the date seems feasible, it largely depends on the central bank’s regulations and approvals. Several retail users have leaned into the bank’s support, citing growing use cases and a flexible asset class in the financial market.
Sberbank’s new digital asset licenses benefit users and the government in many ways. For users, the bank boasts 110.6 million retail users and 3.5 million institutional clients. Some of those clients would easily increase their exposure to digital assets without the hassle of jumping through platforms.
Russia has shifted from proposing a blanket ban on private crypto assets to promoting digital currencies within five years. President Vladimir Putin signed Russia’s first crypto law, which sets broad industry rules governing mining, exchanges, custodians, and more.
The law names Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT as the initial tradable assets and sets a $3,800 annual cap for non-qualified investors, along with other rules. Sberbank Deputy Chairman Anatoly Popov expects Russia’s trading volumes to hit 4 trillion rubles and expand significantly within three years.
“According to Finance Ministry data as of February, the daily volume of cryptocurrency transactions in Russia is around 50 bln rubles, or roughly 18 trillion rubles a year. SberCIB Investment Research analysts have a fairly conservative estimate: in the first year after legalization, around 20% of this volume, or 3.5-4 trillion rubles a year, will be traded on exchanges.”

Cardano could be on the brink of a major milestone, with founder Charles Hoskinson declaring that the blockchain is just one upgrade away from being “finished” in the sense of being fully built — a bold claim that raises a tantalizing question for ADA investors: could this final push finally unlock the price momentum they have been waiting for?
Cardano’s Final Piece of the Puzzle? Hoskinson Points to Leios Upgrade
IOG Co-Founder and CEO Charles Hoskinson has weighed in on whether the blockchain is fully developed. During an exchange on X, a user asked whether Cardano was fully developed overall. Hoskinson’s response pointed to one key milestone still ahead before the network can be considered complete: the upcoming Leios upgrade.
“After Leios, yes. It has everything I wanted to do,” Hoskinson replied. He went on to highlight Cardano’s core features, including decentralized consensus, on-chain governance, the extended UTXO (eUTXO) model, Plutus smart contracts, scalability, security, formal verification, and support for multiple independent node implementations. He also pointed to the network’s capacity for continued improvement and its millions of ADA holders as part of his vision.
Leios is designed to significantly improve Cardano’s transaction capacity and processing speed while preserving its decentralization and security. The upgrade aims to raise throughput from an estimated 5–10 transactions per second (TPS) to around 100 TPS, with a longer-term goal of reaching 1,000 TPS or more. However, achieving those figures will depend on further testing, validation, and network parameter settings.
That said, Leios is far more than a routine network upgrade. It calls for a major overhaul of Cardano’s existing architecture, a complex undertaking that could fundamentally change how the blockchain handles transactions and pave the way for a dramatic leap in performance.
Hoskinson Teases His Biggest Crypto Breakthrough Yet as Midnight Takes Center Stage
Hoskinson also hinted at an ambitious new initiative involving Midnight, Cardano’s privacy-focused partner blockchain designed to help decentralized applications protect sensitive data while meeting regulatory compliance requirements.
According to the Cardano creator, he is close to completing the conceptual design of an innovation he believes could tackle some of the crypto industry’s biggest challenges. He even described the still-unrevealed concept as the “magnum opus” of his career, hinting at what he considers his most significant achievement yet.
For ADA, Leios and Midnight could prove to be a powerful combination. Faster transactions paired with privacy-focused infrastructure could draw more developers, projects, and users into Cardano’s ecosystem, potentially giving ADA’s long-term growth story fresh momentum. But the real test is whether these upgrades translate into meaningful adoption and stronger demand for the token. Without that, even major technical breakthroughs may struggle to deliver a lasting price rally for the 15th largest cryptocurrency.

Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has stirred fresh excitement in the crypto community after voicing support for XRP, Solana (SOL), Zcash (ZEC), and a host of other digital assets. His comments come as Solana faces an unexpected setback in its push into China, putting Beijing’s complicated relationship with the cryptocurrency industry back in the spotlight.
“I am always supportive of any blockchain making any progress in any country,” CZ opined.
The former Binance CEO singled out Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), BNB, Ripple’s XRP, Solana (SOL), Hyperliquid (HYPE), Zcash (ZEC), SIGN, and stablecoins, signaling his optimism about a broad range of digital assets despite the uncertainty surrounding China’s crypto landscape.
CZ Weighs In on Solana’s Shanghai Disaster
For weeks, Solana has been pushing hard into China — a market that has banned crypto trading and mining multiple times in the past.
The Solana Foundation opened a new office in Shanghai and rolled out promotional billboards across the city, a move that initially caught CZ’s attention. The Binance co-founder welcomed the development, suggesting that Solana’s growing visibility in China’s commercial hub could pave the way for other blockchain projects to establish a foothold in the market.
However, the optimism swiftly gave way to controversy. Solana’s highly anticipated Shanghai community event, scheduled for October 16, was abruptly postponed after law enforcement reportedly arrived at the venue. Meanwhile, authorities allegedly took down its outdoor advertisement within 10 minutes, fueling speculation about the obstacles facing crypto-related initiatives in China, where regulatory signals can speak louder than official announcements.
President of the Solana Foundation, Lily Liu, admitted registrations were roughly four times the expected number, creating a logistical nightmare.
However, the crypto community was quick to speculate that CZ’s earlier comments about Solana’s expansion into China may have drawn the authorities’ attention.
The Binance co-founder pushed back against that theory, arguing that his X post could not have triggered the removal of Solana’s Shanghai advertisement. According to CZ, the billboard was taken down within minutes, and he learned of it only 12 to 24 hours after it was first displayed.

Bloomberg commodity strategist Mike McGlone reiterated his prediction that Bitcoin (BTC) could fall to $10,000, calling the cryptocurrency a “complete stock puppet” whose performance remains heavily influenced by US equities.
Speaking to Maggie Lake on Welthion recently, McGlone argued that Bitcoin has yet to demonstrate the resilience needed to justify more optimistic expectations. He pointed to its relationship with the S&P 500, suggesting that a broader stock market downturn could put additional pressure on BTC.
“The bottom line is it’s already flunked the main test this year,” McGlone said.
Notably, the strategist first made his $10,000 forecast in 2024, when Bitcoin traded near $109,000. He has continued to defend the prediction even after the cryptocurrency advanced toward $126,000.
McGlone argued that investors have become increasingly dependent on US financial markets, leaving assets across several sectors vulnerable to the same downturn.
“We’re all complete stock puppets,” he said, grouping Bitcoin, copper and gold among assets increasingly sensitive to movements in equities.
“If the stock market drops 10%, you’ll see a good test,” he added, suggesting a significant decline would expose how much Bitcoin depends on broader market conditions.
He also pointed to the US Treasury market and the country’s mounting debt as potential headwinds. He added that higher bond yields can make fixed-income investments more attractive than riskier assets, potentially weakening demand for Bitcoin.
McGlone further questioned whether Bitcoin’s scarcity narrative could continue supporting its valuation as the number of competing cryptocurrencies grows.
However, McGlone’s bearish outlook contrasts with findings from analysts at Japan-based DeFi asset management platform XWIN, who identified several on-chain indicators suggesting Bitcoin’s selling pressure may be stabilizing.
In a Monday post on X, the analysts highlighted relatively low BTC reserves on exchanges, a recovery in apparent demand from deeply negative levels, and whale holdings that had risen to approximately 3 million BTC.
However, apparent demand remained below zero, meaning the recovery had not yet provided definitive confirmation of a sustained bullish reversal.
XWIN also pointed to high US bond yields, elevated oil prices, slowing ETF inflows and profit-taking as factors that could leave Bitcoin exposed to further downside. They said a stronger recovery would require sustained exchange-traded fund inflows, stronger US spot-market buying, and continued demand growth.
“These developments suggest conditions for a bottom are improving,” they wrote, emphasizing, “Uptober” need not mean uninterrupted gains: a correction can build the foundation for the next advance.”
Elsewhere, Cryptoquant analyst Darkfost issued a caution, reporting that Bitcoin’s seller-exhaustion indicator had reached levels comparable to those associated with local market peaks during the current cycle.
“Bitcoin has entered a phase where selling pressure has clearly intensified,” Darkfost said, explaining that the indicator combines supply in profit with volatility to identify periods of elevated or reduced market risk.
The analyst noted that the shift had been particularly pronounced among short-term holders, leaving Bitcoin vulnerable if demand fails to absorb additional selling.
At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $81,543, down 1.2% in the past 24 hours.

XRP traded relatively weakly on Monday, closing around $1.50 after falling roughly 1.27% during the session, according to CoinMarketCap data.
The decline came as XRP struggled to reclaim the $1.55 area, leaving the token below a level that could be important for any attempt to extend its recent recovery.
However, subdued price action hasn’t stopped analysts from identifying increasingly bullish technical setups for XRP. Veteran trader Peter Brandt is now watching a pattern that could send the token toward $2.16, while other analysts have outlined considerably more ambitious targets.
In a tweet, Brandt identified a cup-and-handle formation on XRP’s chart, suggesting the structure could eventually produce a measured move toward $2.16.
The trader also sees the cup-and-handle developing into the right shoulder of a larger inverse head-and-shoulders pattern. He explained that technical formations are not fixed and can change as price action develops.
“The measured move would be to 2.16, which is the height of the inverted H&S (closing price, daily) projected upwards.” He wrote.
At XRP’s current price near $1.50, the target would represent roughly 44% upside.
However, Brandt warned that XRP has a major obstacle above its current price. The trader pointed to substantial overhead supply, meaning a large amount of XRP could potentially come onto the market as prices recover.
Elsewhere, macro strategist Gert van Lagen identified a symmetrical triangle on XRP’s monthly chart and projected a potential breakout toward $50.
Notably, the analyst’s thesis draws on XRP’s explosive performance during previous market cycles. He pointed to the 2017 bull run, when XRP/BTC surged 50x in just two months, suggesting that a comparable move could potentially unfold again in the current cycle.
“XRP [1M] – Symmetrical triangle targeting ±$50 at a $3T market cap.” He stated. “This would be normal bull market dynamics for Ripple. In 2017, it took only 2 months for XRP/BTC to 50X from the current level to 0.00011, which would imply BTC at $450k and XRP at $50.”
Meanwhile, analyst Javon Marks has also maintained a bullish outlook. His analysis pointed to a breakout from a descending-triangle structure and a potential measured move above $15, which is an 896% increase
Interestingly, these bullish technical forecasts arrive as XRP sentiment has deteriorated.
Santiment reported in early October that XRP’s bullish-to-bearish commentary ratio had fallen to 0.67, its lowest level since August 17. A reading below 1 means bearish commentary had become the majority across platforms including X, Telegram, and Reddit.
Such pessimism can sometimes create a contrarian setup, particularly if selling pressure begins to exhaust itself. However, negative sentiment alone does not guarantee a reversal.

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.