Anmol Khatiwada, Author at Bitmala

BlackRock Now Holds 735,000 Bitcoin Worth $86B, Expands Ethereum ETF

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with $11.6 trillion in assets under management, now holds more than 735,000 Bitcoin worth about $86 billion through its iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT).

On-chain data from Arkham Intelligence shows consistent inflows, including multiple 300 BTC transfers — each worth $37 million — via Coinbase Prime in recent days. This marks a significant rise from March 2025, when BlackRock’s Bitcoin holdings were 567,000 BTC valued at $47.8 billion.

BlackRock’s Ethereum ETF (ETHA) is also expanding. Wallets tied to the fund have recently received a 5,900 ETH deposit along with multiple 10,000 ETH transfers in just two days, totaling over $121 million. The firm’s Ethereum exposure now exceeds $14 billion.

With these accumulations, BlackRock ranks among the largest global Bitcoin holders, surpassing MicroStrategy’s 628,946 BTC stash worth around $55 billion. Alongside government treasuries and crypto-native whales, BlackRock’s presence further cements institutional dominance in the digital asset market.

The success of Bitcoin ETFs continues to drive liquidity. Since their 2024 approval, U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs have generated tens of billions in trading volume, with IBIT leading adoption. Meanwhile, Bitcoin is consolidating between $117k–$118k, trading at $117,789, up a modest 0.34% today after hitting $124k earlier in the week.

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Chainlink (LINK) Jumps 40% in a Week as Whale Activity and Partnerships Boost Confidence

The native token of Chainlink (LINK), the leading blockchain oracle network, has rallied 40% in the past week, now trading near $24 and showing a strong rebound from previous lows.

According to Santiment, Chainlink is experiencing its highest bullish sentiment since February 1, alongside the largest number of active LINK addresses in eight months. Whale transactions have also reached a seven-month high, signaling increased participation from both large holders and developers building on Chainlink.

Partnerships Strengthen Market Confidence
Beyond on-chain metrics, Chainlink’s market confidence is being fueled by new partnerships. The project recently joined forces with the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to bring foreign exchange and precious metals data on-chain, further linking LINK to traditional finance and expanding its real-world utility.

Technical Analysis
Analysts note that if LINK can hold above $24, it could target $30 in the near term. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits in the mid-60s, leaving room before overbought conditions kick in.

Despite the rally, LINK is still around 55% below its May 2021 all-time high of $52.88. Similar to Stellar, Hedera, and Litecoin, it hasn’t yet reclaimed its 2021 peaks — meaning some traders may wait for those levels before taking profits.

With rising investor confidence, record whale activity, and bullish technicals, LINK could be poised for more upside — potentially revisiting previous highs if current trends hold.

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Ripple CTO Reaffirms XRP as “Strategic Weapon” for Global Payments, Not a Bank Account

David “JoelKatz” Schwartz, Chief Technology Officer at Ripple, has once again made it clear: XRP is not Ripple’s “bank account”, but rather a strategic weapon in the company’s mission to revolutionize global payments.

Speaking through comments resurfaced by the Good Morning Crypto channel, Schwartz revisited the long-standing debate on XRP’s role and the flexibility of the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The discussion reignited on August 14, 2025, after a user pointed out that XRPL’s trustline system allows institutions to transact without holding significant amounts of XRP.

Trustlines – The Backbone of Flexible Payments
Trustlines, a concept dating back to Ryan Fugger’s 2004 work that inspired XRPL and the Interledger Protocol (ILP), are credit arrangements between accounts. They allow token transfers with only minimal XRP to cover transaction fees.

“I really hope institutions do form trust relationships and leverage them,” Schwartz said, calling it a “huge win for everyone” when such arrangements provide a better fit than cryptocurrency-based settlement.

Beyond Cryptocurrency-Only Solutions
Schwartz stressed that digital assets without counterparties or jurisdiction are best reserved for cases where those traits offer real advantages. He believes blockchains will grow more valuable by integrating tools beyond pure crypto transfers.

A Practical Example
He illustrated the point with a scenario: if “Alice” accepts Bitcoin and “Bob” prefers cash, XRPL or ILP can still connect them — handling discovery, quoting, atomic settlement, and accounting while converting between assets.

This perspective reaffirms Ripple’s dual strategy: leveraging XRP where it’s most effective, while enabling flexible, interoperable payment solutions across global markets.

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TRON Surpasses 11.1B Transactions as Whale Activity Fuels Bullish Outlook

TRON (TRX) is making waves in the crypto market, surpassing 11.1 billion transactions amid a surge in whale activity and growing institutional interest. The TRX network’s bullish momentum continues, with some analysts setting optimistic long-term price targets.

The global crypto market cap stands at $4.01 trillion, up 0.04% in the last 24 hours, while daily trading volume dropped 25.15% to $215.32 billion. Bitcoin (BTC) leads at $118,094 (+0.05%), while TRX trades at $0.355304, marking a slight 1.22% daily dip, according to CoinMarketCap.

Crypto analyst Davide noted on X that the surge is “fueled by record USDT flows as whales moved $700M off Binance in 48hrs.” He highlighted that TRX has surged over 150% for long-term holders, but current RSI readings suggest a cooldown before the next rally.

Strong Network Utilization
Data from CryptoQuant shows TRON’s transaction counts now range between 6–9 million daily, with historic spikes above 12 million in late 2022 and early 2023. This steady activity points to robust network use despite occasional slowdowns.

Technical Indicators Suggest Short-Term Caution
TradingView data shows TRX has been trending upward since mid-June. Current readings place the Stochastic RSI in the overbought zone (77.14 and 85.74), hinting at a possible short-term pullback. However, the Awesome Oscillator remains in positive territory, reflecting ongoing buying pressure.

While near-term caution is warranted, TRON’s fundamentals, high transaction activity, and whale-driven liquidity suggest that TRX may soon challenge higher resistance levels if bullish momentum persists.

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Solana (SOL) Breaks $200 for First Time Since July on Institutional Buying Surge

Solana’s native token SOL has broken the $200 barrier for the first time since late July, surging 15.67% in the past 24 hours to $201.22. This rally pushes its weekly gain to over 23%, far outpacing the broader crypto market’s 4.2% rise.

The breakout follows bullish corporate news. Nasdaq-listed Upexi Inc. announced the creation of a Solana-focused advisory board headed by BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, along with a $316 million SOL holding. Upexi’s shares jumped 20% in pre-market trading on the news.

Solana’s market cap now stands at $108.59 billion, with 24-hour trading volume soaring 118% to $12.71 billion. Corporate buying has become a significant factor, with public companies reportedly holding around 8% of SOL’s circulating supply. This concentration creates scarcity, potentially driving prices higher.

The $200 level serves as a key psychological threshold and a signal of renewed market strength. SOL briefly hit $205.87 before easing back. Analysts are watching to see if it can maintain this level, with support from institutional interest and a broader altcoin rally.

Solana’s gains come as Ethereum’s market share drops to its lowest since December 2024, reinforcing SOL’s position as a leading altcoin in the current market cycle.

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Chainlink (LINK) Price Jumps 40% in 7 Days as Whale Activity and Partnerships Surge

Chainlink’s native token, LINK, has surged 40% in the past seven days, climbing to nearly $24 and marking its strongest performance since early 2024. The rally follows a wave of bullish sentiment and increased on-chain activity.

Data from Santiment shows Chainlink is experiencing its highest bullishness since February 1, with the number of active LINK addresses hitting an eight-month high. Whale transactions have also reached a seven-month peak, signaling growing interest from both retail investors and large holders.

Partnership news is further driving momentum. Chainlink recently collaborated with the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to bring foreign exchange and precious metals market data on-chain. This integration strengthens Chainlink’s role as a bridge between blockchain and traditional finance, boosting the real-world utility of LINK.

Technically, LINK’s price action looks favorable. Analysts say maintaining levels above $24 could open the path toward $30. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is in the mid-60s, suggesting the asset still has room to climb before becoming overbought.

Despite the rally, LINK remains about 55% below its all-time high of $52.88 set in May 2021. If current trends persist, analysts believe LINK could make a push toward those previous highs, offering renewed opportunities for investors.

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U.S. PPI Surges 0.9% in July, Bitcoin Drops Below $119K on Fed Rate Cut Fears

The U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) surged 0.9% in July, far exceeding the 0.2% forecast and marking a significant acceleration from June’s flat monthly reading. On an annual basis, PPI rose 3.3% versus expectations of 2.5%, signaling persistent wholesale-level inflation pressures. Core PPI, which strips out food and energy, also climbed 0.9%, well above estimates.

The hotter-than-expected inflation data has fueled speculation that the Federal Reserve may delay planned interest rate cuts. CME FedWatch Tool data shows the probability of a September rate cut slipping from near-certainty at 100% to 96% following the announcement.

Cryptocurrency markets reacted swiftly. Bitcoin fell from over $124,000 to below $119,000, while Ethereum slid 4% to $4,550. Solana, XRP, and other major altcoins also saw steep declines as investors priced in the potential for higher borrowing costs.

Labor market data offered little relief, with weekly jobless claims coming in at 224,000—slightly below forecasts—indicating a still-resilient jobs market. U.S. equity index futures dropped 0.5%, the dollar strengthened, and the 10-year Treasury yield rose five basis points to 4.25%, signaling a risk-off move toward safe assets.

The sharp PPI increase underscores the challenges facing the Fed in managing inflation without derailing economic growth.

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Pump.fun PUMP Token Surges 15% After $8.42M Buyback Program

Pump.fun, a Solana-based memecoin platform, has seen its native PUMP token rally more than 15% in the last 24 hours, reaching $0.004053. The surge comes after the platform executed a large buyback program, repurchasing $8.42 million worth of PUMP tokens between August 5 and 11—nearly 97.3% of its weekly revenue.

Since the launch of the buyback initiative, Pump.fun has repurchased a total of $33.61 million in PUMP, equal to 0.741% of its 1 trillion token supply. Analysts note that buybacks reduce circulating supply and can create upward price pressure, similar to stock market strategies.

The platform’s initiative has also strengthened its dominance in the memecoin launchpad sector. According to Dune Analytics, Pump.fun launched 26,836 new tokens on August 11 alone, representing 73.6% of all memecoins minted that day and surpassing competitors such as LetsBonk and Bags.

Experts suggest that if the buyback trend continues, PUMP could challenge higher resistance levels, signaling a strong resurgence in Solana’s “memecoin wars.” The initiative has boosted investor confidence and reinforced Pump.fun’s position as a leading hub for memecoin creation and trading.

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SEC Drops Ripple Lawsuit After Five Years, Shifts Focus to Crypto Regulations

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has officially ended its nearly five-year lawsuit against Ripple Labs, marking a major milestone for cryptocurrency regulation. The case, which began in 2020, alleged that Ripple had raised $1.3 billion through unregistered XRP sales. On August 7, 2025, both parties agreed to drop their appeals, closing the chapter.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce noted that with litigation behind them, the agency can now focus on drafting a clear regulatory framework for digital assets. SEC Chair Paul Atkins emphasized the need for rules that balance innovation with investor protection.

The legal saga saw Ripple fined $125 million in 2024, and a 2023 ruling determined that XRP sales to retail investors are not securities, while institutional sales are. This distinction provides clarity for the industry.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are pushing the CLARITY Act, aiming to establish comprehensive rules for digital assets by September 30, 2025. Political divisions remain, with Republicans largely supporting the bill and Democrats, led by Maxine Waters, opposing it over concerns about a U.S. digital currency.

With the Ripple case concluded, everyday crypto trading faces less uncertainty, and the SEC is positioned to craft regulations that could help the U.S. remain competitive in the global digital asset market.

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Ethereum Developer Targeted in Supply Chain Attack via Malicious VS Code Extension

Ethereum core developer Zak.eth became a victim of a malicious supply chain attack after installing a compromised Cursor/VS Code extension named “contractshark.solidity-lang.” The extension, which appeared legitimate with over 54,000 downloads and a professional listing, accessed Zak’s .env file and sent his private key to an attacker’s server. Funds were drained three days later, though strict operational security limited losses to only a few hundred dollars.

The attack exploited developer trust in official registries, misspelt names, and large download counts, bypassing OS-level malware detection using JavaScript. Zak noted warning signs he overlooked, including the absence of a linked GitHub repository and unusual publisher names. The breach is part of a wider $500,000+ theft campaign targeting developers.

Zak.eth has since revamped his workflow, relying on isolated virtual machines, hardware wallets, encrypted vaults, and an extension whitelist to prevent future attacks. Security experts emphasize auditing installed extensions, avoiding plain-text secrets in .env files, and cautious development practices in isolated environments.

This incident underscores the persistent vulnerability of even security-conscious developers to supply chain attacks. As Zak concluded, “Good OpSec saved me from disaster. Paranoia paid off.” Developers worldwide are urged to reassess their toolchains and implement stronger safeguards.

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