Hey crypto addicts,


Crypto is entering a new phase, at least according to Bitmine chairman Tom Lee, who says the bull market began in late June and could accelerate into the final quarter of 2026. His outlook comes as Bitmine added another 27,562 ETH, bringing its holdings to nearly 5.98 million ETH, or about 4.9% of Ethereum’s total supply. With more than $17 billion in crypto, cash, and other investments, Bitmine’s growing position reflects the scale of institutional conviction building around Ethereum.

Lee points to Ethereum’s strong third-quarter performance, driven by growing tokenization, AI-related blockchain activity, and expectations that institutions remain underexposed to crypto. Bitmine has also staked more than 5 million ETH, meaning roughly 85% of its Ethereum holdings are now earning staking rewards. The company is now just a step away from its long-term goal of controlling 5% of Ethereum’s supply.

Whether the final months of 2026 deliver the acceleration Lee expects remains to be seen, but institutional activity is clearly becoming a defining theme across the market. From Ethereum treasury strategies to tokenized assets and expanding financial infrastructure, crypto’s next phase is increasingly being shaped by traditional capital. Here’s what you need to know from today’s crypto market.☕

What we’ve covered for you today:

Strategy is back to accumulating Bitcoin after a two-week pause, purchasing 950 BTC for $75.7 million at an average price of $79,670 per coin. The latest acquisition brings the company’s total holdings to 846,000 BTC, acquired for approximately $63.8 billion at an average cost of $75,416 per Bitcoin. The purchase also comes as Bitcoin rebounds above $85,000, putting Strategy’s massive treasury back in focus.

Strategy funded the latest Bitcoin purchase using existing cash rather than selling shares through its at-the-market programs. At the same time, the company spent another $174 million repurchasing 1.77 million STRC preferred shares, more than twice the amount allocated to Bitcoin. Its combined designated dollar assets stood at about $6.09 billion as of September 20.

The return to Bitcoin accumulation comes as corporate treasury activity remains a major theme across the crypto market. With Strategy continuing to balance Bitcoin purchases, preferred-stock buybacks, and its cash reserves, its capital strategy remains closely tied to the broader Bitcoin market.☕

Crypto’s growing value is creating a new security risk beyond the digital world. Four masked attackers held a French crypto-sector worker and his family captive for more than three hours, forcing him to surrender access codes and transfer roughly €40,000 in cryptocurrency. The incident is part of a wider surge in crypto-linked physical attacks, with French authorities recording 77 kidnappings and unlawful detentions connected to crypto during 2026.

The attack highlights how crypto wealth and personal data can turn into targets for organized criminals. Chainalysis estimates that physical attacks against crypto holders extracted more than $30 million globally during the first half of 2026, while home invasions accounted for 37% of documented cases. France alone recorded 30 publicly known incidents in the Chainalysis dataset, making physical security an increasingly important part of crypto ownership.

As digital assets move further into mainstream finance, the risks surrounding them are expanding beyond wallets, exchanges, and smart contracts. Privacy, personal-data exposure, and physical security are becoming increasingly important alongside custody and regulatory compliance. Here’s what you need to know from today’s crypto market.☕

South African crypto firms have paused at least R2.2 billion in deals as proposed exchange-control rules threaten to tighten cross-border digital-asset transactions. The changes would bring crypto under the country’s capital-flow regime and increase oversight of international transfers. At least three deals have reportedly been affected, including transactions involving private equity and corporate treasury activity. The proposed rules are still under consideration after industry feedback.

The rules would generally require cross-border crypto transfers to go through authorized providers and be reported to the South African Reserve Bank. Transactions involving offshore platforms or private wallets would also fall under the regulated category. Meanwhile, onchain USDT transactions across three major licensed exchanges approached R27 billion in the year through April. Industry participants warn tighter controls could push some legitimate activity offshore.

The debate highlights the growing tension between crypto’s role in cross-border finance and tighter government oversight. South Africa is now weighing how to regulate digital assets without disrupting their use in regional payments and treasury management. The final framework could still change as regulators review industry feedback. Here’s what you need to know from today’s crypto market.☕

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Bitcoin climbed above $85,000, reaching its highest level since January as cooling oil prices and easing bond yields improved broader market sentiment. BTC hit $85,248 on Monday after closing the previous week at $81,120, while more than $600 million in crypto short positions were liquidated.

North Korean cyber group WaterPlum stole at least $10.7 million in crypto by posing as recruiters for legitimate AI, crypto, and NFT companies. The group infected more than 30,000 devices across over 100 countries, targeting developers and IT professionals with fake coding assignments

Multicoin Capital co-founder Kyle Samani predicts Solana could surpass Ethereum’s market capitalization during this market cycle. He argues that crypto companies may increasingly choose Solana because of its functionality and simpler operations, while criticizing Ethereum’s ability to capture value.

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