Markets
Bitcoin ended the week near $81,088, down 3.2%, while Ether closed at $2,367, down 6.7%, with the total crypto market cap at $2.70T, down 4.4%. Bitcoin fell below $82,000 after hotter-than-expected September CPI data revived Fed rate-hike concerns, then briefly dipped under $80,000 for the first time in a month as a broader equities rout hit Asian markets, with South Korea's Kospi plunging as much as 8%. A Wall Street selloff on Friday, tied to AI-stock weakness and nearing the Black Monday anniversary, sent the VIX sharply higher and dragged Bitcoin and altcoins down together. Nearly $1 billion in crypto positions were liquidated as Bitcoin, Ether and XRP slid in tandem. Bitcoin dominance held at 60.3% as altcoins underperformed, with Ether and other large caps seeing what one report called outsized drawdowns tied to macro pressure. Fear and Greed sits at 47, neutral, reflecting the choppy, two-way price action through the week.
Movers
Top gainers, 7 days
XMR▲ 9.1%
LEO▲ 1.4%
TRX▲ 0.4%
Top losers, 7 days
PUMP▼ 28.8%
ENA▼ 24.0%
QNT▼ 22.5%
Top 50 coins by market cap, stablecoins excluded.
Monero (XMR) led gainers, up 9.1%, while Pump.fun (PUMP) fell 28.8% and Ethena (ENA) dropped 24.0% amid the broader risk-off move; Quant (QNT) also lost 22.5%. Zcash separately saw double-digit declines after a rapid prior rally saw leverage build up, and HEX fell sharply after reports its founder was detained in Istanbul.
ETFs & institutional
Bitcoin ETFs shed nearly $1 billion over two weeks, including a $261 million weekly outflow, even as XRP funds bucked the trend with inflows. BlackRock's crypto ETF assets rose 63% but remain well below their 2025 peak. VanEck withdrew its application for a Lido staked Ether ETF, while MSCI finalised index rules that could eject Strategy and other Bitcoin treasury firms from equity indexes.
Regulation & policy
The EU's EBA designated Circle's USDC as the bloc's first 'significant' e-money token under MiCA. Australia released a draft bill to adopt the OECD's crypto tax reporting framework and sought feedback on platform rules ahead of a 2027 licensing rollout, while Russia confirmed it will ban peer-to-peer Bitcoin trading from July 2027. In the US, White House crypto council chief Patrick Witt stepped down as the Clarity Act stalls in Congress.
Stablecoins
Total stablecoin supply held broadly flat at $282.4B, down 0.5% on the week, even as stablecoin payment volumes jumped 45% on new links from Visa, Mastercard and Stripe. Circle detailed USDC economics, saying $819 million went to partners and costs in H1 2026, while targeting an expansion into 40 emerging markets.
What we’re watching
Markets are watching whether Friday's fear fades into the new week, as some commentary pointed to VIX and Bitcoin signals suggesting risk appetite could stabilise. Attention also remains on further ETF flow data and the stalled Clarity Act in Washington following the White House crypto policy vacancy.
For information only. Not investment advice, an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any asset. Prices are approximate as of the date above.