Cryptocurrencies

It was a tough week for #cryptocurrencies as the assets lost $250B in market value amid the unraveling of leveraged bets and a massive crypto options expiry event on Friday.#Write2Earn
Data from CoinMarketCap showed that the total market cap of cryptocurrencies stood at $4.03T on September 19, compared to $3.78T on September 26, a week later. @WalletConnect
Transforming Trading since 2005.
The world's two largest cryptocurrencies, bitcoin (BTC-USD) and ethereum (ETH-USD), also fared poorly for the week. BTC-USD retreated -5.2%, while ETH-USD slumped -9.7%. #WalletConnect
The selloff in crypto came amid the liquidation of more than $3B in long positions across exchanges, Bloomberg News said on Friday, citing data compiled by Coinglass.$WCT
Meanwhile, Friday also saw one of the biggest quarterly expiration events on record. According to crypto options and futures exchange Deribit, more than $22.3B in options expired on Friday, including bitcoin (BTC-USD) options with a notional value of $17.06B and #Ethereum $ETH -USD) options with a notional value of $5.20B. 
@Bitcoin $BTC -USD) was last trading -0.2% at $109,486.72, while ethereum (ETH-USD) was -0.9% at $3,998.86.       
Here are some crypto-related exchange-traded funds of interest: (NASDAQ:IBIT), (BATS:ARKB), (NYSEARCA:GBTC), (NASDAQ:BRRR), (BATS:BTCO), (BATS:HODL), (BATS:BTCW), (BATS:FBTC), (NYSEARCA:BITB), (BATS:EZBC), (NYSEARCA:BITQ), (NASDAQ:DAPP), (NASDAQ:BKCH), (NYSEARCA:BLOK), (NYSEARCA:CRPT), and (NYSEARCA:IBLC).

📅 September 28 | United States
Digital Asset Trusts (DATs), vehicles that have become key players in the crypto ecosystem in 2025, are seeking to reinvent themselves. After an initial cycle marked by SPAC mergers and rapid expansions, managers are now outlining a more sustainable strategy: focusing on purchases backed by real cash flow. The shift is significant: it involves moving from a speculative model to one that seeks to consolidate tangible and permanent income. In other words, DATs are preparing to leave financial adolescence behind and enter corporate maturity.

📖 In their early years, DATs found in SPACs (Special Purpose Acquisition Companies) a flexible way to enter the public market and raise massive capital. That model worked well in the era of abundant liquidity, but current conditions—with high interest rates and increasing regulatory scrutiny—have forced them to rethink their path.
Now, according to CoinDesk, several DATs are opting for more cautious acquisitions, guided by cash flow. This means prioritizing companies or projects that already generate stable income, such as regulated custody platforms, blockchain infrastructure providers, or institutional tokenization services.
This new approach offers several advantages:
Lower financial risk compared to speculative mergers.Attracting institutional investors seeking sustainable returns.Greater resilience in the face of crypto market volatility.
Experts point out that the move reflects a learning curve: DATs understand that to survive regulatory scrutiny and attract long-term capital, they need to show solid fundamentals, not just ambitious projections.
One manager interviewed summed it up this way: “The era of SPACs was one of euphoria; now we're entering the era of cash flow. DATs that don't make the transition will fall by the wayside.”

Topic Opinion:
DATs aren't just seeking to survive, but to legitimize themselves as reliable investment vehicles. If they can demonstrate financial discipline and sustainability, they could become the bridge that unites traditional finance with the crypto world more solidly than ever.
💬 Do you think DATs will manage to establish themselves as stable players in the global financial ecosystem?

Leave your comment...
#DATS #cryptocurrencies #Investment #blockchain #CryptoNews $BTC

📅 September 25 | United States
The blow resounds in Washington: Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's chief legal officer, delivered a message that chilled the crypto industry. “We are in our Dodd-Frank moment,” he said, comparing the current situation of digital assets to the financial chaos that led to the historic law that transformed Wall Street after the 2008 crisis. His warning wasn't just a comment: it's an urgent call to lawmakers, regulators, and the entire ecosystem.
The future of cryptocurrencies, their adoption in the US, and the country's role in global innovation could be defined in the coming months. A red line that, if crossed, could change everything.

📖 The United States has been mired in a regulatory vacuum for years, leaving exchanges, stablecoin issuers, and blockchain startups in uncertain territory. While Europe moves forward with MiCA and Asia pushes for clear licenses for stablecoins, the debate in Washington remains bogged down by partisan divides. Against this backdrop, Alderoty spoke out.
In an interview with The Block, he asserted that the industry is going through the same inflection point that Wall Street faced after the 2008 mortgage meltdown, when Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Act, a 2,300-page framework that transformed the banking system and introduced the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
According to Alderoty, the current uncertainty is unsustainable because crypto companies seeking to operate transparently don't know whether they will be considered legal or persecuted tomorrow. He noted that with each passing day, more talent and capital are moving to countries like Singapore and the United Kingdom, which already have competitive regulatory frameworks.
He also warned that the lack of clear rules erodes consumer confidence, because without a solid oversight framework, fraud multiplies and users are left exposed.

Topic Opinion:
I think Alderoty is right: we are facing a historic turning point. The absence of clear rules is not a sign of freedom, but fertile ground for fraud and talent flight. But I also fear that an excessive regulatory framework, inspired by the bureaucratic nightmare of Dodd-Frank, will end up stifling the pioneers of blockchain innovation.
The ideal would be a smart balance: regulations that protect users and attract investment, without slowing the dynamism that has made this industry a driving force of change. The future of cryptocurrencies in the US depends not only on Wall Street, but also on Congress's ability to learn from history without repeating its mistakes.
💬 Do you think the US needs a "crypto Dodd-Frank" to bring order to the sector?

Leave your comment...
#Ripple #Regulation #cryptocurrencies #blockchain #CryptoNews $XRP

The UK government talks about becoming a “leading global crypto hub,” but slow policy development and fragmented regulation risk losing ground to competitors.

The UK is at a critical juncture in its approach to the rapidly evolving digital assets space.
Having solidified itself as a financial powerhouse in the modern global economy, the government has often spoken about making the UK a “leading global crypto hub.” Policy development has, however, been slow, fragmented and insufficiently ambitious.
Hesitation carries costs for a sector as fast-moving as crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi). Capital, talent and innovation are highly mobile. The UK risks losing ground to more proactive jurisdictions such as the US and Singapore.
To preserve its competitiveness, the government must match its ambition with action while learning from international peers.
Bold ambitions and slow delivery
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK’s financial services regulator, and the UK government should work hand-in-hand to support the growth of the space and ensure these rules are both complied with and achievable. The UK government is responsible for setting the legal framework, while the FCA implements and enforces these rules, providing guidance and timelines on how to adhere to them.
Clear and progressive legislation is essential for any healthy market. A contrasting example is the previous US administration, which took a “regulation by enforcement” approach to regulating the crypto industry, with no clear agency defining the rules by which the crypto industry was governed.
The UK government recently proposed a Draft Statutory Instrument (SI), a forward-thinking framework for regulating crypto assets, hoping to create a crypto-friendly environment within the UK. Theoretically, it’s a significant milestone for the UK’s digital asset sector. But in practice, it’s only a modest step forward for many reasons.
Ongoing discussions among industry participants consistently highlight the slow pace of reform; institutions have long awaited clarity on the UK’s stance on listed crypto products, and in August, the FCA opened retail access to crypto exchange-traded notes. Meanwhile, the increasingly popular crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) remain banned.
Additionally, concerns about the lack of definition of the regulatory boundaries for DeFi — a fast-growing segment of the industry — make it difficult for crypto firms to navigate the DeFi and centralized finance (CeFi) perimeter.

The proposed legislative and regulatory rules also require considerably more reporting requirements, burdening firms’ compliance teams and undermining the privacy ethos associated with decentralization. Automated tax reporting to HMRC (the UK’s tax, payments and customs authority) is one example of this, which many argue will discourage investors from using a UK-based exchange and push them to jurisdictions with more favorable tax offerings.
Unless the government takes industry feedback seriously and adjusts to create a holistic framework balancing consumer safeguards and innovation, it risks being left behind in the global crypto race.
An engaged regulator
On the other hand, the FCA has taken a more structured and engaged approach to the UK’s crypto sector, demonstrating that it is willing to engage with crypto firms to prevent market abuse and protect consumers while remaining competitive.
Unlike the government, which often appears reactive, the FCA has been proactive: hosting roundtables, canvassing industry input and setting out a phased approach to regulatory development with its Crypto Roadmap. They have also provided more detailed guidance on effectively implementing specific rules, including consumer protection, market integrity and support for responsible innovation. Even if market participants disagree with the FCA’s proposals, this matters hugely in an industry that values transparency and predictability and is key in giving confidence to UK crypto businesses and investors.
Nevertheless, the challenge lies in the FCA ensuring that its rules are proportionate. While large firms may be able to absorb heavy compliance burdens, smaller startups may struggle to comply, which would deter them from operating out of the UK.
A path toward crypto leadership
The good news is that there’s still time to change course. Other jurisdictions have already moved more decisively with their crypto regulation. The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation framework gives businesses clear and comprehensive rules to operate within, the CLARITY and GENIUS Acts put the US on the path to global crypto dominance, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore has introduced a rigorous licensing process alongside regulatory sandboxes and pilot approaches. While a second-mover advantage will allow the UK to learn from the experiences of others, it also risks being left behind if they don’t act quickly to address the industry’s concerns.
The regulator has laid a promising foundation, and through greater coordination with government, bold ambitions and precise implementation, the UK can lay fertile ground to become a leader in the global crypto economy.

Opinion by: Azariah Nukajam, head of regulation and compliance at Gemini.

#Blockchain #Cryptocurrencies #Law #Business#Finance #Adoption#United Kingdom#Trading #Regulation

Learn how option expiries in Bitcoin and Ether derivatives markets can cause price swings that catch inexperienced traders off guard.

Key Takeaways:
Options expiry creates volatility as traders lock profits, cut losses and reposition around large BTC and ETH contracts.Put-call ratios signal sentiment: Above 1 shows a bearish outlook, while below 1 points to bullish expectations.Max Pain theory suggests expiry prices gravitate to where the most contracts expire worthless, amplifying potential manipulation risks.Understanding expiry helps traders track key metrics, anticipate volatility and manage risk more effectively during these periods.
To most people, Bitcoin $109,540 and Ether $109,540 market prices can seem unpredictable. But look closer, and there’s a hidden force driving the infamous volatility: options expiries.

When large volumes of these derivative options contracts approach their expiry date, it sends ripples through the crypto markets. Understand this, and you’ll know when prices are more likely to move sharply.
1. What are option expiries in Bitcoin and Ether?
To understand option expiries, you first need to understand the fundamental concept of an option. It’s a more complicated trading method than spot trading.
Options are contracts that give the holders the right (not the obligation) to buy or sell BTC or ETH at a predetermined strike price before the contract expires.
Now, as a contract approaches expiry, it affects the price at which this contract option can trade. Near its expiry, its price tends to become more volatile.
When large amounts of options contracts are due to reach expiry at a similar time, it can send ripples through the traditional spot BTC and ETH markets, causing the underlying asset prices to make sharp moves.
There are two types of options contracts
Call options give the holder the right to buy, and put options offer the right to sell an asset for a specified price before it expires.
The balance between calls and puts delivers an indicator of the overall market sentiment. They essentially show future bets on where the market thinks prices will move. And if one outweighs the other, it can influence directional pressure on prices.
Along with the expiry date, a contract also has a strike price and a premium. These three key elements directly determine profitability, along with offering a mathematical framework that reflects expiry-related price movements.
Did you know? Unlike traditional markets, BTC options don’t run on fully standardized schedules. They can occur across multiple timeframes, but most commonly, they expire on the last Friday of every month at 08:00 UTC.
2. How do option expiries affect crypto market prices and volatility?
Let’s start with an example. If $5 billion worth of options contracts expire simultaneously, even a small percentage of these contracts being exercised or hedged could move the entire market.
Remember, option traders have the option to execute a contract. So, the full $5 billion in crypto wouldn’t be sold or bought necessarily.
When there is a large upcoming option expiry date on the market, you’re likely to see increased trading activity. It triggers heightened market activity as traders reposition, creating a surge in volume. This concentrated time window of trading amplifies price swings beyond normal market conditions.
When analyzing markets, you can see a clear correlation between option expiries and crypto price fluctuations. When it comes to BTC and ETH, you will be able to spot significant changes in market prices.

For example, if you look at the BTC volatility index, an event in June 2021 saw over $4 billion in BTC and ETH options set to expire. This led to a 5.80% increase in the volatility index on June 14, the highest peak in the last five years.
With BTC, the quarterly options expiries usually have a more pronounced impact on the market compared to the monthly expiries. Patterns like this help you understand which expiry events will create the most volatility and require attention in your trading.

Did you know? The world’s first options exchange for any type of asset was the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), which opened in 1973, decades before BTC launched.
3. Put-call ratios and market psychology take hold
When expiries approach, trading volatility increases as traders close positions to lock in profits or reduce losses. This creates a feedback loop that triggers further position adjustments and amplifies the volatility.
Using put/call ratios
To get a better temperature on which way the market is likely to move, you can use put-call ratios. They’re a useful sentiment indicator that shows insight into institutional and retail sentiment.
When the ratio is above 1, it indicates more bearish bets, while ratios below 1 tend to be more bullish, indicating potential price rises.
Max pain theory
Max pain theory is like a tug of war in the options markets.
An option buyer wants the stock to move in their direction. Option sellers want the opposite. The max pain is the price where the most options would expire worthless.
This is important, as large market participants and whales might attempt to push crypto prices toward the max pain point, influencing the price as they move closer to expiration dates.
It indicates shorter-term price movements while also locating potential support and resistance levels.
Market reversal
Savvy traders might also look past expiry dates. If there is evidence of extreme put-call ratios, this could signal that a potential market reversal is on the cards. If you start to see ratios hit historical extremes, it could mean that asset prices are oversold or overbought. This increases the chances of a reversal after expiry.

Did you know? In August 2025, the world’s largest options exchange, Deribit, processed over $14.6 billion in BTC and ETH options expiry contracts. It marks the highest single expiry notional on record for digital assets in 2025.
4. Actionable strategies for navigating options expiry volatility
Option expiries can send cascading ripples through the BTC and ETH markets. They can have a direct effect on the underlying asset price as traders look to reposition. So, how can you manage these events?
Monitor key metrics: Track open interest, put-call ratios and max pain to gain early warning signals for volatility and directional bias.Position hedging: You can use options to protect your spot positions during high volatility expiry periods. A hedge can limit the downside while retaining upside opportunity. This could be critical when prices move 5% or 10% in hours.Diversification: It’s often recommended to spread risk across multiple assets and timeframes. This will minimize realized losses during expiry events. High single asset concentration over a short period can leave you exposed to major expiries.Time considerations: Marking key dates can help you prepare, avoid losses and capitalize on volatile periods.Use advanced tools: Advanced data analysis platforms like CoinGlass and CME Group calendars provide insights into options markets. The real-time data can give you a crucial edge over simple spot traders.Volume and liquidity: Understanding trading volume patterns along with liquidity can help you manage risk as expiry approaches. It’ll help you determine when liquidity typically dries up.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.#Blockchain
#Cryptocurrencies
#Altcoin #Eth #Bitcoin Price
#Markets
#Cryptocurrency Exchange
#Ethereum 2.0
#Ethereum Options
#How to

Turn social hype into smart signals with Grok 4: scan sentiment, summarize fundamentals and confirm onchain data before investing.
Key takeaways:
A repeatable pre-screen using Grok 4 turns raw hype into structured signals and filters out low-quality projects.Automating fundamental summaries, contract checks and red-flag identification with Grok 4 speeds up research.Cross-referencing sentiment with development activity using Grok 4 helps distinguish organic momentum from coordinated hype.Analyzing past sentiment spikes with corresponding price moves helps identify which signals deserve attention in trading.

The primary struggle for a crypto investor is not a lack of information but a relentless deluge of it. News websites, social media feeds and onchain data streams constantly churn with updates that can be overwhelming. XAI’s Grok 4 aims to change that. It pulls live data straight from X, pairs it with real-time analysis and filters signals from noise. For a market that is heavily influenced by narrative momentum and community chatter, this is indeed a notable capabilities.

This article provides insights into how Grok 4 can be used for research in crypto trading.
What Grok 4 actually adds to coin research
Grok 4 combines a real-time feed of X conversations with web DeepSearch and a higher-reasoning “Grok Think.” That means you can surface sudden narrative spikes on X, ask the model to search broader web sources for context and request a reasoned assessment rather than a one-line summary. XAI’s product notes and recent coverage confirm that DeepSearch and expanded reasoning are core selling points.
Why this matters for pre-investment research:
Narrative-driven assets react to social velocity. Grok 4 can flag mention spikes fast.DeepSearch helps you go from a noisy tweet storm to a consolidated set of primary documents: white papers, token contracts and press releases.
That said, Grok 4 is an insights tool, not a safety net. Recent incidents around moderation and response behavior mean you must validate outputs with independent sources. That’s why you should ideally treat Grok 4 as a rapid investigator, not as the final arbiter.
Did you know? Keeping a post-trade journal helps you spot what’s working and what’s not. Log your signals, reasoning, fills, slippage and final profit and loss (PnL). Then use Grok 4 to spot recurring mistakes and recommend smarter adjustments.
Fast-start, repeatable coin pre-screen using Grok 4
Catching a coin’s name trending on X or in a Telegram chat isn’t enough to justify putting capital at risk. Social buzz moves fast, and most spikes fade before price action catches up, or worse, they might be the result of coordinated shilling. That’s why the next step is to turn raw noise into structured signals you can actually rank and compare.
A repeatable pre-screen process forces discipline: You filter out hype-only tokens, highlight projects with verifiable fundamentals and cut down the time wasted chasing every rumor.
With Grok 4, you can automate the first round of filtering — for example, summarizing white papers, spotting tokenomics red flags and checking liquidity. By the time you get to manual research, you are already down to the 10% of projects that actually deserve your attention.
Here’s how you do it:

Step 1: Build a brief watchlist
Pick 10-20 tokens you actually care about. Keep it focused by theme, such as layer 2s, oracles and memecoins.
Step 2: Do a rapid sentiment and velocity scan with Grok 4
Ask Grok 4 for the last 24-hour X mentions, tone and whether hype is organic or suspicious.
Prompt example:
“DeepSearch: Give me the last 24-hour X mention volume and sentiment for [TICKER]. Flag any coordinated spikes, influential accounts and links to press releases or GitHub commits.”

Step 3: Auto-summarize fundamentals
Have Grok 4 condense the white paper, roadmap and tokenomics into digestible points to prioritize fundamentals that highlight structural risk.

Prompt example:
“Summarize the white paper for [TICKER] into 8 bullet points: use case, consensus, issuance schedule, vesting, token utility, known audits, core contributors, unresolved issues.”
Step 4: Contract and audit quick-check

Ask Grok 4 to return the verified contract address and links to audits. Then cross-check on Etherscan or a relevant blockchain explorer. If unverifiable, mark as high risk.

Step 5: Onchain confirmations

Hit onchain dashboards: fees, revenue, inflows, volume on top centralized exchanges (CEXs) and total value locked (TVL) if a decentralized finance (DeFi) token. Use DefiLlama, CoinGecko or respective chain explorers. If onchain activity contradicts hype (low activity, large centralized wallets dominating), it’s a signal to downgrade.
Step 6: Liquidity and order-book sanity check
Look for thin order books and small liquidity pools. Ask Grok 4 to search for reported liquidity pools and automated market maker (AMM) sizes, then verify with onchain queries.
Step 7: Red flag checklist
Token unlocks in 90 days, concentration >40% in top five wallets, no third-party audit, unverifiable team IDs. Any hit moves the ticker to “manual deep-dive.”
Combine Grok 4 outputs with market and onchain signals
Once a coin passes the quick screen, the next step is to dig into the data that tells you whether a project has staying power or is just another short-lived pump.
Step 1: Build a confirmation rule set
Having clear rules prevents you from chasing hype and forces you to check fundamentals, activity and liquidity before acting.
Example rule set (all must pass):
Sentiment surge on X confirmed by Grok 4, with at least three reputable sources linked.Onchain active addresses are up 20% week-over-week.No large, imminent unlocks in tokenomics.Sufficient liquidity for the trade size in the onchain AMM or DEX order books.
Step 2: Ask Grok 4 to cross-reference
Cross-referencing with fundamentals and development activity filters out short-term buzz that isn’t backed by progress or transparency.
Prompt example:
“Evaluate how likely the current X-driven pump for [TICKER] is organic. Cross-reference recent GitHub commits, official releases, known vesting schedules and the largest onchain transfers in the past 72 hours. Provide a confidence score 0-10 and list five specific verification links.”

Step 3: Whale flow and exchange flow
Checking whale and exchange activity helps you anticipate sell pressure that sentiment scans alone can’t capture.
Don’t rely on sentiment alone. Use onchain analytics to detect large transfers to exchanges or deposits from smart contracts tied to token unlocks. If Grok reports “large inflows to Binance in the last 24 hours,” for example, it can indicate increased sell-side risk.
Advanced backtest of Grok 4 for crypto research 
If you want to move from ad hoc trades to a repeatable system, you need to build structure into how you use Grok 4. Start with historical-news reaction backtests: Use Grok 4 to pull past X-sentiment spikes for the token and match them with price reaction windows (one hour, six hours, 24 hours). Export the pairs and run a backtest that simulates slippage and execution costs; if average slippage exceeds the expected edge, discard that signal type.
Next, build a “signal engine” and a rule-based executor. This can include Grok’s API or webhooks for alerts, a layer that applies your confirmation rules and a human-in-the-loop to approve execution. At a larger scale, confirmed signals can feed into a limit-order engine with automated position sizing using Kelly or fixed risk-per-trade rules.
Finally, enforce safety and governance. Given moderation issues and risks of single-source reliance, set a hard rule that no Grok-generated signal can directly trigger live trades without external verification. Multiple independent checks should always precede capital deployment.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
#Blockchain
#Cryptocurrencies
#Altcoin
#Research
#Ethereum
#Analysis

Everyday shopping, travel and luxury purchases are going digital. Here’s where BTC, ETH and XRP are accepted in 2025.

Key takeaways:
Coffee shops, fast-food chains like Starbucks and Sheetz and retailers like Microsoft and Home Depot are accepting crypto payments via apps and third-party processors.More and more platforms are gradually enabling the use of Bitcoin, Ether and XRP for large-scale travel and airline reservations.Luxury brands, high-end car dealerships and real estate developers are integrating crypto payments for premium goods and property.Payment processors can make it simple for small businesses to accept crypto by instantly converting it to fiat currency and reducing compliance costs.
Cryptocurrencies are no longer fringe ideas in finance. As of 2025, more and more businesses are embracing digital assets, especially Bitcoin $109,528, Ether 4,006 and XRP $2.78 — both as payment options and strategic assets.

Why these three? Each has strong brand recognition, decent liquidity and different strengths: BTC as the store-of-value, ETH with its smart contract ecosystem and XRP with fast settlement and cross-border payments. Together, they cover what businesses need: trust, functionality and speed.

This article explores where BTC, ETH and XRP are used, from simple everyday purchases to large-scale airline integrations.
Everyday crypto transactions: Coffee shops, restaurants, retailers
For many crypto holders, the first real test is whether you can spend BTC, ETH or XRP like cash: a cup of coffee, a sandwich or groceries. XRP tends to lag behind BTC and ETH when it comes to everyday purchases: Fewer small shops accept XRP directly, as its strength usually shows in back-end or cross-border payments rather than point-of-sale in cafes.
Coffee shops and small eateries
So far in 2025, paying for coffee with crypto isn’t some sci-fi fantasy anymore. Plenty of chains and indie spots have already made it part of the daily grind. At Starbucks, for example, you can grab a Bitrefill gift card and cover your caramel macchiato with Ether or Bitcoin.
Apps like Flexa’s SPEDN wallet, or even reloadable digital gift cards, make it easy to swap tokens for lattes.
Even convenience stores are in it. Sheetz accepts Bitcoin, Ether and a handful of other coins at checkout. And if you’re more of an XRP loyalist, directories like Cryptwerk point you to smaller eateries happy to turn tokens into tacos or burgers.
Restaurants and fast food places
Select McDonald’s outlets in crypto-hot zones accept Bitcoin through payment apps, enabling fast food payments with digital dollars.
In Europe and the US, major fast-food chains like Subway and Burger King continue to accept crypto payments, often through third-party gift card services or payment processors. While not a direct, in-house integration for every location, it’s a simple way for consumers to spend their Bitcoin.

Steak ‘n Shake joined the party in May 2025, rolling out BTC payments nationwide, crediting it for an 11% sales boost by attracting tech-savvy diners. Chipotle and Baskin-Robbins are on board, too, via BitPay integrations, where ETH, BTC or XRP funds your burrito bowl or scoop.
Retail and online stores
AT&T lets you settle phone bills with ETH or BTC, dodging those pesky late fees. Many online and some physical retailers accept XRP via gateways like CoinGate.

Big Tech firms have also been supportive: Microsoft accepts BTC directly or through processors, whereas Newegg also supports ETH for purchases on-site, and Overstock welcomes XRP as well. AMC Theatres accepts Bitcoin and other digital assets for its products and services, from Xbox content to movie tickets.

Beyond these giants, e-commerce platforms like Shopify have democratized the use of digital currency by making it simple for millions of small and medium-sized businesses to include a cryptocurrency checkout option.
Major chain retailers like Home Depot, Lowe’s and Ikea accept cryptocurrency in the form of Bitrefill and BitPay gift cards, so you can use ETH to finance your home renovation.
Scaling up: Travel and luxury
As crypto payments mature, many travel services and airlines, directly or via intermediaries, are offering bookings via BTC, ETH and sometimes XRP. When it comes to flights and hotel booking platforms, sites like Travala.com allow travelers to make bookings with BTC, ETH and many other supported digital assets.
In the near future, Emirates flyers will be able to snag first-class seats with digital dollars, no forex fuss. The UAE’s luxury liner will work with Crypto.com to accept crypto. In Europe, AirBaltic has been accepting crypto since 2014 and has processed thousands of crypto transactions.
High-end brands and luxury car dealerships are also entering the crypto payment space. For example, Post Oak Motor Cars in the US accepts Bitcoin for buying super-luxury cars via BitPay. In Europe, platforms like BitCars have built a crypto-only marketplace for premium and classic vehicles.
High-end brands are also joining in: Gucci and Ralph Lauren have continued to expand their crypto payment options at select flagship stores, particularly for their more exclusive collections.

Did you know? Alternative Airlines is a notable example since it supports over 600 airlines globally and allows payment using 100+ cryptocurrencies, including XRP.
Financial services, remittances and institutional adoption
When the usage moves beyond consumer transactions into payments infrastructure, institutional use, remittances and treasury operations, different strengths of BTC, ETH and XRP become more visible.
Remittance and cross-border payments
XRP is often positioned here because its consensus-based ledger and Ripple’s infrastructure are designed for lower cost and faster settlement for cross-border transfers. There are businesses such as Mercury FX and Cuallix that have adopted or trialed XRP for such uses.
Payment processors and gateways
In order to lessen their exposure to volatility, businesses are increasingly accepting cryptocurrency thanks to platforms like PayPal, BitPay and NOWPayments. In particular, PayPal has made it possible for retailers to use more than 100 cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ether and XRP.
Treasury and corporate holdings
Some companies, such as BitMine, SharpLink Gaming and VivoPower, include crypto in their treasury portfolios for strategic purposes, inflation hedging or to get further involved in the cryptocurrency market.

How can more small businesses accept crypto?
The development of more user-friendly technologies and the larger financial ecosystem holds the answer.
Step 1: Choose a payment processor
Payment processors like BitPay, Coinbase Commerce and CoinGate make it easier for small businesses to integrate crypto payments with little technical know-how. By instantly converting cryptocurrencies into fiat currency, these processors eliminate the risk of price fluctuations.
Step 2: Reduce compliance costs
Small business owners’ financial and legal burden can be lessened by automated tax reporting systems and more open regulatory frameworks.
Step 3: Embrace a wider variety of digital assets
With technical barriers lowered and compliance simplified, businesses can confidently accept a broader range of cryptocurrencies.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
#Bitcoin
#Blockchain
#Cryptocurrencies
#Altcoin
#Ethereum
#Investments
#Adoption
#XRP
#Markets
#DeFi
#Ethereum 2.0
#Ethereum Price
#How to

@Ethereum $ETH , the world’s second-biggest cryptocurrency, took a sharp hit on Wednesday, losing about 4.28% in a single day and trading near $4,003.05, after it crashed to $3,966. The broader crypto market also fell 1.35%, but #Ethereum ’s decline was stronger, drawing attention from traders and investors alike.#Write2Earn

The market cap of ETH currently stands at $483.18 billion, and the 24-hour trading volume is valued at $41.9 billion, pumping 18%.
Massive liquidations shake traders
A major reason for the drop was forced sell-offs, or liquidations. In the past 24 hours, $178.55 million in Ethereum positions were wiped out. Of this, $160.04 million came from traders betting on a rise in price, while $18.51 million came from those betting on a fall.

Liquidation Heatmap, Source: Coinglass
Across all cryptocurrencies, total liquidations hit $407.22 million, with $333.14 million in long positions and $73.94 million in shorts. Over 128,926 traders were impacted during this period. The largest single loss in the market came on Hyperliquid, where an ETH-USD position worth $29.12 million was liquidated.
Bitcoin also faced heavy liquidations, totaling $57.07 million. Of this, $42.08 million came from traders betting the price would go up, while $15 million came from those expecting a fall. The wave of selling pushed Ethereum from nearly $4,500 down to about $4,075, before it recovered slightly to around $4,200.
Withdrawals weigh on ETH
Investors pulled around $196.6 million from Ethereum funds following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s rule update. While these changes provide long-term clarity, many short-term traders took money out, reducing immediate buying interest and adding to the market’s downward pressure.
Ethereum’s price has been closely tracking Bitcoin over the past month. The two coins have moved in near sync, and Bitcoin currently trades around $111,880, down about 3% since Monday.
Overall market
The total value of all cryptocurrencies dropped to about $3.82 trillion, a fall of 1.57%. At the same time, Ethereum’s trading activity increased, with a volume of $41.94 billion, showing more trading as prices fell. Investors are also keeping an eye on bigger events, like a possible U.S. government shutdown, which now has a 77% chance according to Polymarket.
Ethereum is approaching an important level at $3,900. If it stays above this, the price could steady, but if it falls below, more selling might follow. Traders are keeping a close eye on the market as price movements and external events continue to influence #cryptocurrencies .

📅 September 21 | United States
Donald Trump has intensified his verbal war against the Federal Reserve, accusing it of slowing economic growth and demanding more aggressive interest rate cuts. His increasingly harsh and constant criticism is causing concern among analysts and markets: some warn that this political pressure could worsen the monetary policy lag and push the US dollar to new lows in the coming months. The scene, charged with electoral tension, threatens to further destabilize the fragile global financial equilibrium.

📖 The storm between Trump and the Federal Reserve
In recent weeks, Trump has not missed an opportunity to launch attacks against the Fed, accusing it of being too slow and an "enemy of the people" for maintaining rates that—according to him—stifle consumption and investment. His speech is aimed directly at Jerome Powell, the current chairman of the central bank, whom he blames for "economic paralysis" in the midst of an election campaign.
According to CoinDesk, this confrontation is not just rhetorical. Political pressure on the Fed could translate into greater inaction, given that the central bank fears that any sudden move will be interpreted as a political concession. This "lag" in monetary policy—the gap between economic needs and official decisions—is already being felt: inflation remains volatile, investor confidence is flagging, and the dollar is beginning to lose ground against other currencies.
The data is overwhelming: the dollar index (DXY), which measures the currency's strength against a basket of currencies, fell in September to its lowest level in more than a year. At the same time, flows into alternative assets—such as gold and cryptocurrencies—have rebounded. Many traders are already talking about a "Trump effect," where every statement from the candidate sends shock waves through the financial markets.
The tension also has an international angle. A weaker dollar can benefit US exporters, but it also erodes global confidence in the reserve currency par excellence. Emerging economies with dollar-denominated debt could gain some respite, but Washington's allies fear that instability will continue if the Fed continues to be caught between political pressure and contradictory economic data.

Topic Opinion:
I believe Trump's attacks are not only an electoral risk, but a systemic risk: they undermine the Fed's credibility and sow doubt in international markets about the stability of the dollar.
💬 Do you think the Fed will resist Trump's pressure and maintain its independence?

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