Aster Surges 38% on Binance Listing as BTC Faces ETF Outflows

I. Crypto Market Overview

Key Takeaways

Macro Environment

The Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 basis points to 4.0%-4.25%, aiming to support growth amid labor market weakness. Fed Chair Powell signaled further easing is possible, sustaining bullish sentiment for digital assets. The US-UK Transatlantic Taskforce on digital assets is set to enhance cross-border crypto flows and institutional adoption.

Crypto Market

The crypto market saw mixed performance over the past 12 hours. Bitcoin (BTC) trades at $112,372, down 0.14%, pressured by ETF outflows and weak spot demand. Ethereum (ETH) is at $4,189.23, up 0.03%, supported by DeFi activity. Altcoins diverged: ASTER (ASTER) surged 38.4% on Binance listing and record perpetuals volume; Zcash (ZEC) rose 12.6% on renewed privacy coin interest; PancakeSwap (CAKE) gained 7.2% after launching Solana cross-chain swaps. Most other majors, including SOL (-1.87%) and FET (-0.98%), declined amid risk-off sentiment.

Today's Outlook

Key events today include Internet Computer's Internet Identity 2.0 AMA and Router Protocol's DAO vote on chain sunset. No major token unlocks or macroeconomic releases are scheduled, so market focus remains on ecosystem and governance updates.

Fear and Greed Index

74.00% Annual Percentile

40 Neutral

Total Crypto Market Cap

$3.88T

0.20%

Total Market Trading Volume

$158.64B

29.31%

Altcoin Season Index

0.00%

Quarterly Percentile

63 / 100

Total Futures Market Open Interest

3.96B

0.02%

Futures

1.07T

5.33%

Perpetuals

II. Industry Updates

Macro-economic Policies

The Federal Reserve implemented a 25 basis point rate cut, lowering the federal funds rate to 4.0%-4.25%. This move is expected to boost risk appetite in crypto markets, potentially increasing BTC and DeFi liquidity as borrowing costs decline.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized a data-dependent approach, citing labor market weakness as a key factor for the rate cut. Softer employment data may support further monetary easing, which could sustain bullish sentiment for digital assets.

The US and UK announced a Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future to coordinate on digital asset policy and capital markets access. This alignment is likely to enhance cross-border crypto flows and institutional adoption, benefiting tokenized assets and stablecoins.

The OECD raised its 2025 US GDP growth forecast to 1.8%, driven by AI investment, but warned that higher tariffs and a weakening labor market could limit consumer spending. These macro headwinds may increase volatility in crypto valuations and trading volumes.

The Swedish Riksbank cut its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.75%, aiming to support economic recovery. Lower rates in Europe may drive capital into higher-yielding crypto assets, increasing DEFI and NFT market activity.

Cryptocurrency Regulatory Trends

Fiji's National Anti-Money Laundering Committee reaffirmed a ban on crypto service providers, citing money laundering and security risks, which restricts market access and dampens investor sentiment in the region.

The UAE has launched new crypto tax reporting rules aligned with OECD standards, requiring exchanges and wallet providers to report customer transactions, increasing compliance costs but enhancing regulatory clarity for digital asset businesses.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is seeking public input on the use of tokenized collateral, including stablecoins, in derivatives markets, signaling potential regulatory adjustments that could impact DeFi and institutional adoption.

The SEC and CFTC will hold a joint roundtable on September 29 to discuss regulatory harmonization for digital assets, aiming to reduce uncertainty and foster a more unified compliance environment for crypto market participants.

ASTER (ASTER): ASTER surged 36% in 24h, driven by record $12B daily perpetuals volume, Binance listing, and strong support from Binance founder CZ, flipping Hyperliquid in DEX activity.

Zcash (ZEC): ZEC rose 12% in 24h, breaking the $50 level with analysts targeting $308; renewed privacy coin interest and technical breakout above 84-day resistance fueled the rally.

PancakeSwap (CAKE): CAKE gained 7% in 24h as PancakeSwap launched instant cross-chain swaps with Solana, boosting DEX interoperability and daily trading volume to $3.42B.

Smart Money Movements

Strive Asset Management acquired 5,816 BTC for $675 million and announced a merger with Semler Scientific, bringing combined Bitcoin holdings to over 10,900 BTC, valued above $1.2 billion.

Metaplanet purchased 5,419 BTC for $632 million, raising its total Bitcoin holdings to 25,555 BTC, now valued at approximately $2.71 billion, making it the fifth-largest public corporate holder.

Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) added 850 BTC for $99.7 million, increasing its total Bitcoin holdings to 639,835 BTC, with an average purchase price of $73,971 per coin and unrealized gains exceeding 52%.

BlackRock reported a $980 million outflow from its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and $15.1 million outflow from its Ethereum ETF, reflecting significant institutional fund movements amid market volatility.

A whale address withdrew 7,441 BTC worth over $840 million from Coinbase, signaling large-scale accumulation activity during a period of heightened market selling pressure.

Events to Watch

Sep 25 (Thu)

US GDP data and third estimate for Q2 2025 will be released; Eurozone money supply data and Arbitrum DAO treasury report also due.

Sep 25 (Thu)

Swell (SWELL) token unlock: 1.91M tokens (~$17,615) released; ChainOpera AI COAI Token Generation Event (TGE) occurs.

Sep 26 (Fri)

US PCE inflation data for August 2025 will be released, providing the Fed's preferred inflation gauge.

Sep 26 (Fri)

Web3conf India and I ❤️ RWA events kick off in India, featuring top speakers and RWA industry leaders.

Sep 29 (Mon)

Sonic Summit 2025 and InnoBlock 2025 open in Singapore, gathering global Web3 leaders and investors.

Table of Contents

I. Crypto Market Overview

Key Takeaways

Macro Environment

Crypto Market

Today's Outlook

II. Industry Updates

Macro-economic Policies

The Federal Reserve implemented a 25 basis point rate cut, lowering the federal funds rate to 4.0%-4.25%. This move is expected to boost risk appetite in crypto markets, potentially increasing BTC and DeFi liquidity as borrowing costs decline.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized a data-dependent approach, citing labor market weakness as a key factor for the rate cut. Softer employment data may support further monetary easing, which could sustain bullish sentiment for digital assets.

The US and UK announced a Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future to coordinate on digital asset policy and capital markets access. This alignment is likely to enhance cross-border crypto flows and institutional adoption, benefiting tokenized assets and stablecoins.

The OECD raised its 2025 US GDP growth forecast to 1.8%, driven by AI investment, but warned that higher tariffs and a weakening labor market could limit consumer spending. These macro headwinds may increase volatility in crypto valuations and trading volumes.

The Swedish Riksbank cut its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.75%, aiming to support economic recovery. Lower rates in Europe may drive capital into higher-yielding crypto assets, increasing DEFI and NFT market activity.

Cryptocurrency Regulatory Trends

Fiji's National Anti-Money Laundering Committee reaffirmed a ban on crypto service providers, citing money laundering and security risks, which restricts market access and dampens investor sentiment in the region.

The UAE has launched new crypto tax reporting rules aligned with OECD standards, requiring exchanges and wallet providers to report customer transactions, increasing compliance costs but enhancing regulatory clarity for digital asset businesses.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is seeking public input on the use of tokenized collateral, including stablecoins, in derivatives markets, signaling potential regulatory adjustments that could impact DeFi and institutional adoption.

The SEC and CFTC will hold a joint roundtable on September 29 to discuss regulatory harmonization for digital assets, aiming to reduce uncertainty and foster a more unified compliance environment for crypto market participants.

Trending Tokens

ASTER (ASTER): ASTER surged 36% in 24h, driven by record $12B daily perpetuals volume, Binance listing, and strong support from Binance founder CZ, flipping Hyperliquid in DEX activity.

Zcash (ZEC): ZEC rose 12% in 24h, breaking the $50 level with analysts targeting $308; renewed privacy coin interest and technical breakout above 84-day resistance fueled the rally.

PancakeSwap (CAKE): CAKE gained 7% in 24h as PancakeSwap launched instant cross-chain swaps with Solana, boosting DEX interoperability and daily trading volume to $3.42B.

Smart Money Movements

Strive Asset Management acquired 5,816 BTC for $675 million and announced a merger with Semler Scientific, bringing combined Bitcoin holdings to over 10,900 BTC, valued above $1.2 billion.

Metaplanet purchased 5,419 BTC for $632 million, raising its total Bitcoin holdings to 25,555 BTC, now valued at approximately $2.71 billion, making it the fifth-largest public corporate holder.

Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) added 850 BTC for $99.7 million, increasing its total Bitcoin holdings to 639,835 BTC, with an average purchase price of $73,971 per coin and unrealized gains exceeding 52%.

BlackRock reported a $980 million outflow from its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and $15.1 million outflow from its Ethereum ETF, reflecting significant institutional fund movements amid market volatility.

A whale address withdrew 7,441 BTC worth over $840 million from Coinbase, signaling large-scale accumulation activity during a period of heightened market selling pressure.

Events to Watch

Sep 25 (Thu)

Sep 25 (Thu)

Sep 26 (Fri)

Sep 26 (Fri)

Sep 29 (Mon)

III. Phemex Market Focus

New Listings

Phemex Promotions