Ethereum price has slipped to about $1,875 after sellers rejected its latest move above $1,900, leaving the $1,850 support zone and nearby liquidation clusters in focus.

Ethereum price loses momentum below $1,900

According to data from crypto.news, Ethereum (ETH) price traded at $1,874.90 on Aug. 14 after moving between an intraday low of $1,869.32 and a high of $1,891.30. The asset was down 0.6% on the daily candle at the time the chart was captured.

The latest decline extended ETH’s failure to hold the $1,900 level, which has repeatedly attracted selling during August. Price briefly traded above $1,920 earlier in the week before sliding back into the $1,870–$1,890 area.

Profit-taking near $1,900 has kept Ethereum inside a narrow range rather than producing a clean trend. Buyers have defended declines toward $1,850, but each rebound has struggled as it approached $1,920.

The 4-hour chart shows the same loss of momentum. ETH recovered from its late-June low around $1,550 and reached almost $1,980 in late July, but it has since recorded several unsuccessful attempts to establish support above $1,900.

Short-term sellers regained control after the most recent push toward $1,920 faded. Ethereum then formed lower intraday highs and returned to $1,875, putting the lower edge of its August range under pressure.

Liquidation levels could pull ETH in either direction

CoinGlass’ one-week liquidation heatmap shows several large liquidity concentrations above Ethereum’s current price. The strongest visible band sits around $1,940–$1,950, with another notable cluster close to $1,925.

Leveraged short positions may become vulnerable if Ethereum reclaims $1,900 and continues toward those areas. A move into the clusters could force short sellers to close their positions, adding market purchases and accelerating the rebound.

ETH must first break the immediate resistance around $1,890–$1,900. Failure there would leave the upper liquidity bands untouched and keep the market exposed to another test of support.

Below the current price, the heatmap shows active liquidity near $1,855–$1,860 and a larger band around $1,835–$1,845. Those areas could attract price if sellers push ETH decisively below $1,850.

The heatmap therefore places Ethereum between competing pools of leveraged positions. The closest downside concentration is within roughly $20 of the current price, while the largest upside cluster sits about $65–$75 higher.

A break below $1,850 could trigger long liquidations and carry ETH toward $1,840. Conversely, a close above $1,900 would open a path toward $1,925, followed by the more heavily concentrated $1,940–$1,950 zone.

Ethereum indicators remain mixed near key support

Ethereum’s daily chart presents a neutral-to-weak setup. The relative strength index stood at 49.72, below its signal average of 52.55 and slightly under the neutral 50 level.

ETH also traded below its 20-day simple moving average at $1,881.11 and its 50-day average at $1,893.64. Both averages now form immediate resistance around the same area where recent rebounds have stalled.

The asset remains above its 100-day average at $1,825.60, leaving the medium-term recovery from June intact. Losing $1,850, however, would reduce the distance between price and the 100-day average and expose the $1,825–$1,840 region.

Long-term resistance is substantially higher. The 200-day moving average stood at $2,025.24, showing that Ethereum has not yet reversed the larger downtrend that began after its April and May highs above $2,300.

On the 4-hour chart, Aroon Up registered 64.29% compared with Aroon Down at 14.29%. The gap suggests the recent rebound structure has not fully disappeared, although the price action has yet to confirm renewed upside strength.

Chaikin Money Flow stood at minus 0.01, indicating that buying and selling pressure were almost balanced, with a slight advantage for sellers. The reading supports the view that Ethereum lacks the sustained inflows needed for a firm breakout.

Analysts identify $1,850 as Ethereum’s must-hold level

Crypto analyst Ted Pillows said Ethereum was still holding above its $1,850 support zone, describing it as a “must-hold level” if the asset is to preserve its recent gains.

His chart places the first upside barrier around $1,955, followed by $2,050 and $2,190. On the downside, a loss of $1,850 could expose approximately $1,700 before the larger support region around $1,550.

The analyst’s levels broadly match the daily chart, where the 100-day moving average sits near $1,826. A sustained break below both $1,850 and that average would weaken the recovery established since late June.

Meanwhile, MN Trading founder Michaël van de Poppe said Ethereum was gaining against Bitcoin and approaching the 0.03 level on the ETH/BTC pair. He expects a possible liquidity flush if Bitcoin sweeps lower, but said the relative trend remains clear as Bitcoin consolidates and altcoins perform more strongly.

Relative strength against Bitcoin does not remove Ethereum’s dollar-based resistance. ETH still needs to reclaim $1,900 and clear the dense $1,925–$1,950 liquidity area before its short-term structure turns more constructive.

U.S. ETF inflows offer support but have not forced a breakout

U.S. spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds recorded $245 million in net inflows during the Aug. 3–7 trading week, extending their positive run to five consecutive weeks, according to SoSoValue data.

BlackRock’s ETHA accounted for about $203 million of the weekly total, while Fidelity’s FETH attracted approximately $24.2 million. Grayscale’s ETHE recorded about $4.8 million in net outflows during the same period.

The sustained ETF demand provides U.S. investors with regulated exposure to Ethereum and shows that institutional accumulation has continued despite weak short-term price action. Still, $245 million in weekly inflows has not been enough to push ETH through the resistance between $1,900 and $1,950.

Macro conditions have offered mixed signals. U.S. equity funds attracted $2.58 billion in the week through Aug. 12 as softer labor data and stable inflation reduced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate increase.

Technology-focused funds nevertheless posted $4.62 billion in withdrawals during the period. The uneven risk appetite leaves Ethereum dependent on whether spot demand can absorb sales near $1,900 while leveraged traders remain concentrated on both sides of the current range.

Binance has said it will stop processing transactions involving HTX and 10 other listed crypto platforms from Aug. 23 as new sanctions and regulatory restrictions take effect.

Binance said in a Friday announcement that the restrictions will apply to Rapira, Aifory Pro, ABCeX, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto INC., Tradex, Monease Ltd, BitPapa, Exnode, HTX, formerly Huobi, and EXMO. The exchange cited recent regulatory developments for the decision.

Transactions involving any of the affected providers could be held for compliance checks once their respective restrictions take effect. Binance said wallets may also face restrictions while reviews remain in progress.

Users were advised against sending assets directly or indirectly to the listed providers after the cutoff dates, since transactions involving them could trigger further compliance action under Binance’s terms.

Binance restrictions will cover 11 platforms from Aug. 23

The Aug. 23 cutoff covers a group of exchanges and crypto service providers that have recently faced sanctions-related restrictions in Europe, including HTX, EXMO, Rapira, BitPapa and Aifory.

Several of the names overlap with the European Union’s latest sanctions measures against Russia. The bloc adopted its 21st sanctions package on July 23, expanding transaction restrictions against financial institutions and crypto services that officials accused of helping Russia bypass existing sanctions.

As crypto.news previously reported, HTX was included among crypto platforms covered by the EU package, with transaction restrictions scheduled to begin on Aug. 23. The measures also cover EXMO, Rapira, BitPapa, Aifory Pro, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto and Exnode, among other providers.

The EU measure against HTX is structured as a transaction ban rather than an asset freeze. Under the package, EU persons and companies are restricted from carrying out direct or indirect transactions with the covered services once the measure becomes effective.

EU officials said the package extended transaction restrictions to 14 crypto-related service platforms and introduced a mechanism that can be used against providers in third countries when authorities determine that they are helping Russia evade sanctions. The Council also extended transaction bans to 33 additional Russian credit and financial institutions.

The July package included 218 individual and entity listings across areas including financial services, energy and Russia’s military supply chains. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said the measures covered more than 100 banks and crypto operators as well as more than 40 vessels connected to Russia’s shadow fleet.

HTX had already faced UK sanctions pressure

Before the EU action, the UK government designated Huobi Global S.A. on May 26 as part of sanctions targeting financial and crypto networks accused of helping Russia evade restrictions.

British authorities said they had “reasonable grounds to suspect” that Huobi Global had supported the Russian government by providing financial services or making funds and economic resources available to A7 LLC and Garantex Europe OU. The UK measures included an asset freeze and restrictions on payment processing, correspondent banking, trust services and internet services.

HTX initially disputed the reach of the designation. The exchange argued that Huobi Global S.A. was a separate legal entity and said its online exchange and customer funds were not affected.

In its response at the time, HTX said it was committed to complying with laws in the jurisdictions where it operates and would engage with British authorities over the designation.

The UK’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation later addressed the issue directly, saying it considers HTX itself subject to UK financial sanctions because the exchange is owned by Huobi Global and therefore meets the ownership condition under the Russia sanctions rules.

That clarification followed HTX’s earlier challenge to the sanctions, when the exchange maintained that the May designation applied only to Huobi Global S.A. British authorities had listed HTX and HTX Exchange among names connected to the designated company.

Blockchain analytics firms have since examined activity linked to the exchange. A Global Ledger analysis cited in May traced more than $7.6 billion in Russia-linked flows through HTX since 2021, while TRM Labs separately identified billions of dollars in direct on-chain transfers between HTX and entities later designated by the UK.

HTX has disputed claims tied to its sanctions exposure and has maintained that it follows regulatory requirements.

Wallet changes became part of the HTX sanctions dispute

Sanctions screening around HTX drew further attention in July after TRM Labs said the exchange had repeatedly changed hot wallets and funding addresses across TRON, Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain and Solana following the UK action.

According to a July TRM Labs report, some addresses remained active for only a few hours before activity moved elsewhere, a pattern the analytics firm said could make static sanctions screening less effective.

TRM global head of policy Ari Redbord said HTX was changing wallets frequently enough that screening systems built around fixed lists could struggle to identify newly active addresses quickly.

HTX rejected that interpretation. A spokesperson said the wallet movements were routine security operations used across the crypto industry and denied that the changes were designed to avoid sanctions screening.

The same sanctions issue had already affected transactions outside HTX. FixedFloat began reviewing or restricting some transfers with historical links to Huobi after the UK measures, raising compliance questions around funds that had passed through an exchange before a sanctions designation took effect.

Binance has already restricted other sanctioned crypto services

Binance’s latest notice also lists providers whose restrictions became effective before Aug. 23.

Shelbit and Aban Tether Exchange were placed under Binance’s transaction restrictions from Aug. 7, while A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa and PilotFinance Ltd followed on Aug. 13.

The Aug. 7 date coincided with U.S. Treasury sanctions against Shelbit and Aban Tether. The Office of Foreign Assets Control accused the two platforms of helping Iran move crypto through networks linked to sanctions evasion and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Treasury said IRGC-linked addresses sent more than $1 million in crypto to Shelbit addresses, while Shelbit-linked wallets transferred more than $2 million to addresses controlled by the IRGC. Aban Tether was separately accused of processing millions of dollars in transactions involving previously sanctioned Iranian exchanges, including Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex.

The U.S. sanctions action also covered Iranian national Siavash Kayvanpour and companies linked to him in Georgia, Poland and the United Arab Emirates. Treasury described Kayvanpour as the operator of a network of front companies connected to Shelbit.

Shelbit rejected allegations that it knowingly participated in money laundering, terrorism financing or sanctions evasion. Its former management said the business stopped accepting new customers in December 2025 and completed its customer wind-down the following month.

OFAC said Aban Tether had processed transactions involving several previously designated Iranian exchanges and designated the platform for operating in Iran’s financial sector.

Hyperscale Data has sold about 685 Bitcoin for approximately $43 million, cutting its holdings to around 275 BTC as it directs more capital toward its Michigan data center.

Hyperscale Data said Friday that most of the proceeds will be used for the continued development and expansion of the Michigan facility, while part of the cash will give it more room to manage debt, equity and its overall capital structure.

The transaction leaves the NYSE American-listed company with roughly 275 BTC on its balance sheet. Management described the sale as an allocation of capital at its current stage of development and said Bitcoin remains part of its long-term strategy.

Executive Chairman Milton “Todd” Ault III said the company plans to continue mining Bitcoin and expects to use future mining production and available capital to rebuild its holdings over time.

“Bitcoin has been an important part of Hyperscale Data’s strategy and we expect it to remain an important part of our strategy going forward,” Ault said. “We intend to continue mining Bitcoin and, over time, expect to use mining production and available capital to rebuild and increase our Bitcoin position.”

At the current stage of the Michigan project, however, Ault said management believes part of the Bitcoin treasury can be put to better use by financing data center work and adjusting the company’s capital structure.

The sale generated about $43 million while preserving exposure through the remaining 275 BTC, according to the company. Hyperscale Data said the added liquidity can support the data center alongside debt obligations, working capital and other corporate needs.

Hyperscale Data has tapped its Bitcoin treasury before

Friday’s transaction follows another Bitcoin sale only weeks earlier as Hyperscale Data stepped up spending on its Michigan AI infrastructure.

As crypto.news reported in July, the company sold approximately 100 BTC and established a Bitcoin-backed credit facility to finance construction and equipment purchases at the Michigan campus. The facility was expected to carry a variable interest rate of roughly 4.5% to 5%, although the lender and several other financing terms were not disclosed.

Following that earlier transaction, Hyperscale Data retained an estimated 1,006 BTC. The latest sale of approximately 685 BTC, combined with subsequent changes in its holdings, has now brought the balance down to around 275 BTC, according to Friday’s disclosure.

Capital raised during the July transaction was tied to work on an AI data center project supported by a master services agreement with an unnamed infrastructure customer. The initial arrangement covered around 20 megawatts of computing capacity under a 10-year term, with two optional five-year extensions.

Hyperscale Data estimated that the initial capacity could produce more than $1.2 billion in revenue if the customer exercises all available extension options. The customer also has the option to request another 32 MW within the first two years, which could take the total contract value above $3 billion if the added capacity and extensions are fully exercised.

Those figures remain conditional on the customer taking the additional capacity and exercising the contract options.

Bitcoin sales will not end Hyperscale Data’s accumulation plan

Despite reducing its treasury, Hyperscale Data said it has not abandoned its plan to accumulate Bitcoin.

Mining operations will continue, giving the business a way to add BTC through production instead of relying entirely on market purchases. Management also left open the possibility of allocating additional capital to Bitcoin when financial and market conditions permit.

The pace of any accumulation will depend on mining production, Bitcoin prices, liquidity needs, capital expenditures, and market conditions, according to the release. Other strategic considerations could also affect how much capital is assigned to the asset.

Ault described the latest transaction as a decision on where available capital can currently generate the most value for the business.

“This is about capital allocation,” he said. “We have built a substantial Bitcoin position, and today we have the ability to convert a portion of that highly liquid asset into capital that can accelerate the development of one of the most important assets in our portfolio.”

Hyperscale Data said it will continue evaluating how capital is divided among Bitcoin, data center infrastructure, debt obligations, working capital and other investments.

The company’s latest sale also follows heavy Bitcoin disposals across the listed mining sector during 2026.

Bitcoin miners have been drawing down treasury reserves

Publicly traded Bitcoin miners sold more than 32,000 BTC during the first quarter of 2026, according to previous sector coverage. The total exceeded the amount the same group sold during all of 2025 and surpassed the roughly 20,000 BTC disposed of during the second quarter of 2022.

Riot Platforms sold 3,778 BTC during the first quarter at an average net price of about $76,626, generating roughly $289.5 million even though it mined 1,473 BTC during the period. Core Scientific sold around 1,900 BTC for approximately $175 million in January, while Cango sold 2,000 BTC for about $143 million in March to repay Bitcoin-backed loans.

Cango subsequently disclosed a much larger transaction involving 4,451 BTC worth about $305 million, with proceeds used to reduce loan exposure and support its expansion into AI computing infrastructure while keeping its mining operations active.

Bitdeer has also reduced its treasury while continuing to expand both mining and AI infrastructure. Its second-quarter results showed that the miner ended June with just 150 BTC after liquidating the 943 BTC it held in February, even as quarterly Bitcoin production climbed to 2,694 BTC from 565 BTC a year earlier.

The miner reported $228.8 million in second-quarter revenue, up from $155.6 million a year earlier, while its net loss increased to $92.3 million from $62.9 million.

AI data centers are taking more miner capital

Access to large electricity connections has become a key part of the move by mining companies into AI and high-performance computing.

Bernstein analysts estimated in May that Bitcoin miners controlled more than 27 GW of planned power capacity globally, while announced AI infrastructure partnerships involving hyperscale cloud companies, AI providers and chipmakers accounted for roughly 3.7 GW. The analysts estimated the announced partnerships at more than $90 billion.

The Bernstein research identified IREN, Riot Platforms, CleanSpark and Core Scientific among miners positioned to benefit from demand for AI infrastructure. Existing mining sites can be attractive for such projects because many already have land, substations and large power connections in place.

Securing and energizing a new 1 GW grid connection can take as long as 50 months in parts of the United States, according to the research, giving operators with existing power infrastructure a head start when building large computing facilities.

Several miners have since committed more capital and power capacity to AI projects. Bitdeer, for example, has signed a 16-year, $4.7 billion AI data center agreement covering 121 MW in Norway while continuing to expand its Bitcoin mining operation.

XRP’s decline amid liquidity pressures and fund outflows is driving interest in alternative approaches, including EX DeFi’s cloud mining platform.

On August 13, Ripple (XRP) briefly fell to $0.999, dropping below the critical psychological support level of $1 and further heightening investor caution.

Insufficient market liquidity, outflows from Bitcoin ETF, and significant sell-offs involving the Grayscale XRP Trust are cited as the primary factors driving XRP recent decline.

With a lack of immediate positive catalysts and persistent token supply pressure, XRP’s near-term performance remains heavily dependent on the macroeconomic environment and whether potential future interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve can improve market liquidity.

As the cryptocurrency market shifts from “high-volatility speculation” toward “long-term value management,” an increasing number of XRP holders are realizing a key reality:

Simply holding digital assets does not guarantee continuous value creation

How to explore more sustainable ways to generate returns with XRP without frequent trading and by reducing the impact of market volatility is becoming a growing concern for investors.

Against this backdrop, the EX DeFi cloud mining platform has attracted growing interest from XRP holders, offering a new avenue for generating returns from digital assets.

Shifting from “waiting for price appreciation” to a “cash flow mindset”

XRP has long been utilized for efficient, low-cost digital payments, particularly in cross-border transactions. However, from an investment perspective, many XRP holders have historically relied on price appreciation to generate profits.

EX DeFi is revolutionizing the investment logic for XRP and other digital assets: they are no longer limited to passive holding in anticipation of value increases but can serve as tools for asset allocation that generate stable returns.

By integrating XRP into a mining ecosystem, holders can participate in continuous mining operations without selling their existing assets, thereby exploring more diversified ways to utilize their holdings.

What is EX DeFi and How Does It Work?

Founded in 2021, EX DeFi is a UK-based digital finance platform specializing in cryptocurrency mining and computing power management.

Its core mechanisms include:

• The platform operates hundreds of mining farms and data centers worldwide.
• Users can participate in mining contracts using popular digital assets like XRP.
• The system automatically handles mining operations, as well as the calculation and distribution of earnings.
• Revenue is automatically settled 24 hours a day, further generating a stable cash flow.

This entire process eliminates the need for users to purchase mining equipment or perform complex technical tasks. It also reduces management costs associated with electricity and equipment maintenance, thereby lowering the barrier to entry for individuals interested in mining.

Why does this model appeal to XRP holders?

Industry analysts believe that XRP possesses specific characteristics that attract long-term investors:

• High liquidity: Facilitates asset management and allocation.
• Low transaction costs: Helps minimize expenses associated with digital asset participation.
• Large base of long-term investors: Well-suited for exploring strategies focused on long-term asset management.

Given these attributes, EX DeFi offers XRP holders diverse ways to participate, allowing them to explore the utility and efficiency of their digital assets while keeping an eye on XRP’s long-term growth.

Compliance and fund security: Key prerequisites for earnings management

For digital asset platforms, compliance, transparency, and fund security are always top priorities for investors.

EX DeFi emphasizes its commitment to operational compliance and the security of user assets, continuously refining its security mechanisms and risk management systems.

Through a multi-layered security architecture, the platform aims to mitigate operational risks and provide users with a secure, transparent digital asset service experience.

How to turn XRP into cash flow?

1. Register for an official EX DeFi account; new users receive a $17 reward.

2. Deposit XRP or other popular cryptocurrencies into the account (minimum deposit of $100).

3. Select a mining contract that suits particular needs and activate it. 

Popular Mining Contracts:

BTC (Beginner Trial Contract): Investment $100, Duration: 2 days, Daily Return: $4, Total Profit: $100 + $8

DOGE (Golden Shell Mini-Doge Pro): Investment $500, Duration: 6 days, Daily Return: $6.5, Total Profit: $500 + $39

BTC (Canaan-Avalon-A1466): Investment $1,000, Duration: 10 days, Daily Return: $13.4, Total Profit: $1,000 + $134

LTC (Bitmain Antminer L7): Investment $5,000, Duration: 20 days, Daily Return: $73.5, Total Profit: $5,000 + $1,470

BTC (Bitmain S19K-Pro): Investment $10,000, Duration: 30 days, Daily Return: $161, Total Profit: $10,000 + $4,830

Click here for more details on popular cloud mining contracts.

4. The system operates automatically and calculates the relevant returns.

The entire process requires no specialized technical knowledge or additional purchases of mining equipment, resulting in a low barrier to entry and a high level of automation.

Summary

As the digital asset market becomes increasingly institutionalized and investors focus more on long-term value, finding ways to utilize assets in more diverse ways has become a key area of ​​market interest. EX DeFi offers XRP holders an opportunity to earn passive income, allowing them to generate consistent and stable returns from their cryptocurrency holdings without being affected by the volatility of the digital asset market and frequent trading.

When XRP moves beyond passive “holding” to enhanced asset utilization efficiency, the landscape of digital asset management may undergo significant changes.

For more information, visit the official EX DeFi platform.

A player reportedly deposited 1 million USDC on 1win and backed Paris Saint-Germain at 1.74 odds against Aston Villa, receiving a $1.749 million USDC payout after the win.

Just this week, a player deposited 1,000,000 USDC and placed the full amount on Paris Saint-Germain to beat Aston Villa, at odds of 1.74. They won, almost immediately producing a $1,749,000 USDC payout from the entertainment and prediction platform, 1win. 

The win rakes in a huge reward for the user, but it also shows that whales are no longer limiting themselves to exchanges, DeFi protocols and token markets. The player is part of 1win’s Crypto Ambassador Program, connecting the whale-sized transaction directly with the crypto-native community the platform is actively building.

This is proof that large digital-asset holders are using crypto directly inside entertainment platforms, with some of the transaction sizes now looking more like institutional trades than ordinary online bets.

The rise of the crypto VIP

The traditional crypto “whale” is usually discussed in terms of wallet movements, exchange deposits or major token positions. But as digital assets become easier to use outside trading, high-value users are expanding into gaming, prediction markets, esports and online betting.

For these users, merely accepting stablecoins is no longer much of a differentiator.

A whale moving hundreds of thousands, or millions, of dollars cares about transaction speed, withdrawal capacity, dedicated support and the ability to move easily between different entertainment products. That is creating a new kind of VIP ecosystem.

1win’s model combines casino, sportsbook, esports and crypto products with a tiered VIP structure that includes cashback, personal management, concierge-style support, private events and travel. The Ambassador Program adds a community layer to the strategy, and the company is recruiting people already active in crypto and online communities to become visible participants in the ecosystem.

The seven-figure winner is a clear example of a crypto-native participant engaging with entertainment platforms at whale scale.

The withdrawal matters

For high-value users, a large advertised betting limit means little if withdrawing becomes difficult after a win. That is why the 1,749,000 USDC case stands out.

Crypto creates a level of transparency traditional payment systems usually do not. Bank transfers largely disappear into private financial infrastructure, while blockchain movements can be observed publicly. That gives large deposits and withdrawals reputational significance. In this instance, the transaction provides a visible example of whale-scale crypto activity on 1win and, crucially, a successful large withdrawal after the winning bet.

Entertainment is becoming another crypto use case

The broader story is that crypto-native entertainment is increasingly becoming its own category, bringing together gaming, sports, esports, prediction products, social communities and Web3 infrastructure, and attracting a different kind of player.

The users driving that shift are changing because they are not newcomers buying crypto specifically to gamble. Some already hold meaningful digital balances and increasingly expect to use those assets directly across the internet.

For entertainment platforms, winning those users means competing on more than bonuses. It means building faster payment rails, stronger VIP services, crypto-native communities and experiences designed around people already comfortable moving significant value on-chain.

The win at hand captures that transition unusually well: a member of a crypto-focused ambassador ecosystem moved seven figures into an entertainment platform, made a major sports wager, won and successfully withdrew the resulting funds.

For the emerging crypto-entertainment market, that full cycle of community, deposit, play, win and withdrawal is an important signal of where crypto and entertainment are headed.

Morgan Stanley has increased its reported holding in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF by 23% to about 16.5 million shares while adding exposure to Ether, Solana, and several crypto-linked companies during the second quarter.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing signed on Aug. 11 showed that Morgan Stanley held about 16.5 million shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, up from approximately 13.4 million shares at the end of the first quarter.

The addition of roughly 3.04 million IBIT shares represented a quarterly increase of about 23%. However, the reported value of the position fell by nearly 18%, from around $667 million to $549 million, as Bitcoin’s price declined during the three months ended June 30.

Morgan Stanley submitted the report as a combination Form 13F covering positions held by several related managers. The Q2 regulatory filing contained 45,905 entries with an aggregate reported value of about $1.89 trillion.

A Form 13F provides a quarter-end view of certain U.S.-listed securities held by institutional investment managers. It does not identify every transaction made during the quarter, disclose short positions, or establish that every reported share represents a proprietary investment by Morgan Stanley itself.

Morgan Stanley has added its own Bitcoin fund

Alongside the larger IBIT position, Morgan Stanley reported 2.57 million shares of the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust, valued at approximately $43.3 million on June 30. The position was new because MSBT began trading during the second quarter.

Morgan Stanley launched the Bitcoin fund on NYSE Arca on April 8 with an annual management fee of 0.14%. The product holds Bitcoin and seeks to follow its spot price after accounting for expenses and other liabilities.

MSBT’s fee came below the 0.25% charged by both BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund. The Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust charges 0.15%, placing Morgan Stanley’s product one basis point below that rate at launch.

Despite offering its own fund, Morgan Stanley continued to hold larger positions in products run by competing asset managers. Its $549 million IBIT position was more than 12 times the value of the reported MSBT holding at the end of June.

Several other Bitcoin fund positions also increased. Morgan Stanley added shares of the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF and the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF, while its Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund holding rose by nearly 38%.

As crypto.news reported on Aug. 8, MSBT later added about 232.5 BTC worth $15.05 million as Bitcoin traded near $65,000. Blockchain intelligence platform Arkham estimated that the purchase raised the fund’s balance to 6,563 BTC, valued at more than $426 million at the time.

The fund-level Bitcoin balance differs from Morgan Stanley’s 13F position in MSBT shares. An ETF’s digital assets back all outstanding shares, while the 13F records the shares reported by Morgan Stanley and the affiliated managers covered by the filing.

Ether and Solana fund positions have increased

Ether exposure rose across two funds during the quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its holding in BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust ETF by about 202%, taking the position to approximately 4.6 million shares.

The bank also reported around 5.1 million shares of the Grayscale Ethereum Staking Mini ETF, an increase of roughly 26% from the previous quarter. Both products provide exposure to Ether through securities traded in the United States, although their structures, fees, and treatment of staking rewards differ.

Solana appeared in the filing through two new positions. Morgan Stanley reported approximately $4.25 million in shares of the Grayscale Solana Staking ETF and about $2.26 million in the Fidelity Solana Fund.

The positions preceded Morgan Stanley’s launch of its own Solana and Ethereum products after the quarter had ended. On July 28, the bank launched Ethereum and Solana exchange-traded products under the MSSE and MSOL tickers.

Both products charge a 0.14% annual management fee and include staking provisions. Regulatory documents indicate that the Ethereum product may stake between 50% and 80% of its Ether, while the Solana product may stake up to 100% of its SOL holdings.

For U.S. investors, the 13F positions represent exposure through securities available in traditional brokerage accounts rather than direct ownership of Bitcoin, Ether, or Solana. The SEC filing reports the value of the fund shares on June 30, meaning subsequent token-price changes and portfolio transactions are not captured.

Circle and Bitcoin infrastructure holdings have grown

Morgan Stanley made one of its largest crypto-related additions in Circle Internet Group, the company behind the USDC stablecoin. Its reported Circle position increased from about 1.46 million shares in the first quarter to approximately 8.32 million shares at the end of Q2.

The change represented an addition of about 6.86 million shares, leaving the reported position at more than 5.5 times its previous size. Because Circle trades on a U.S. stock exchange, its shares fall within the securities covered by Form 13F rather than being reported as a direct stablecoin holding.

Positions also grew across several Bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure companies. The filing showed additions to Cipher Digital, Core Scientific, Hut 8, and Bitdeer Technologies.

Such equity holdings carry company-specific exposure beyond Bitcoin’s market price. Their values can also depend on electricity costs, debt, mining output, hardware efficiency, and revenue from data centers or high-performance computing operations, according to the individual companies’ public disclosures.

At the same time, Morgan Stanley has expanded the ways its U.S. clients can access digital assets. In July, the bank completed its E*TRADE rollout, allowing eligible customers to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana for a 0.50% transaction fee through infrastructure provided by Zerohash.

Coinbase and some mining positions have declined

Not every crypto-linked security increased during the quarter. Morgan Stanley reported about 550,000 fewer Coinbase shares than it held at the end of March.

The bank also reduced its CleanSpark position by more than 3.1 million shares. CleanSpark remained among the publicly traded U.S. Bitcoin miners covered by institutional filings, but Morgan Stanley’s Q2 report showed a materially smaller holding.

Bitfarms was removed from the portfolio entirely. Morgan Stanley had reported a position of roughly 8 million shares in the previous quarter before disclosing no corresponding holding on June 30.

Since a 13F only presents positions held on the final day of a quarter, the filing does not provide Morgan Stanley’s purchase or sale prices for IBIT, Circle, Coinbase, CleanSpark, or Bitfarms. It also does not show whether any of the positions were changed after June 30.

Bitcoin’s 48% decline from its 2025 peak has holders exploring alternatives to selling, with SHR Miner promoting cloud mining as another option.

Bitcoin remains the world’s largest cryptocurrency, but even long-term BTC holders have been forced to rethink what simply “HODLing” means during a prolonged market downturn.

After reaching an all-time high of approximately $126,198 in October 2025, Bitcoin is now trading near $65,000 — roughly 48% below its peak.

For investors who accumulated BTC with a long-term view, selling after such a large decline may be unattractive. But holding Bitcoin alone does not generate additional cash flow while the market remains below previous highs.

That creates a different question:

If someone doesn’t want to sell my Bitcoin, does all of my crypto capital have to remain idle while they wait?

That is where SHR Miner offers another option.

SHR Miner brings AI cloud computing power to bitcoin holders

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in the United Kingdom, SHR Miner says it has expanded to more than 150 data centers, serving over 5 million users in 180+ countries and regions.

Its core model is cloud computing-power rental.

Instead of purchasing ASIC miners, finding inexpensive electricity, installing cooling equipment, and maintaining machines, users rent computing power for a defined period while SHR Miner manages the physical infrastructure.

For BTC holders, the model is straightforward:

• Zero technical barrier: no mining hardware or specialist knowledge required.
• Defined rental period: users know how long the computing-power contract operates.
• Daily settlement: mining output can be monitored through the dashboard.
• 100% cloud access: operations can be managed remotely through the platform.
• Flexible allocation: users decide how much of their available crypto capital they want to use.

Published SHR Miner materials list support for BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDT, USDC, XRP, SOL, LTC and BCH, among other digital assets.

For Bitcoin holders, there is an additional advantage:

Bitcoin is actually mined.

That means renting computing power gives BTC users direct exposure to the infrastructure that secures and operates the Bitcoin mining ecosystem — without requiring them to become miners themselves.

How AI is changing Bitcoin mining

Modern Bitcoin mining is increasingly a competition for computing efficiency.

SHR Miner says its infrastructure uses AI-powered hashrate scheduling to coordinate computing clusters, allocate resources, monitor equipment, and optimize energy use.

For users, the technology works largely behind the scenes:

• AI-powered hashrate allocation
• Automated infrastructure monitoring
• Computing-power optimization
• Energy-efficiency management

This reflects a broader shift.

The first era of crypto was largely about buying and holding digital assets.

The AI era is increasingly about computing power, automation, and intelligent infrastructure.

For BTC holders, the opportunity is no longer limited to owning Bitcoin — it can also include accessing the computing infrastructure behind the digital economy.

For investors who have already spent months waiting for Bitcoin prices to return to previous highs, ignoring that shift may create an opportunity cost of its own.

How does SHR Miner cloud computing work?

SHR Miner provides computing-power packages across different rental amounts and contract periods.

Published examples have included:

Users can review current options through the SHR Miner product page.

The difference is simple.

Holding BTC has no defined timetable for price appreciation.

Renting computing power has a defined operating period and visible output cycle.

How BTC holders can evaluate SHR Miner security

Higher-value Bitcoin holders tend to ask a different question before looking at potential output:

What happens to assets once someone starts using the platform?

SHR Miner’s published materials state that its security framework includes McAfee and Cloudflare protection, HSBC-related institutional custody arrangements, and Fireblocks cold-wallet technology, while promotional materials also state UK FCA and U.S. MSB registrations. These are platform-reported credentials and should be independently verified by users.

Regardless of platform claims, transferring crypto to any third party introduces risk.

For that reason, a more disciplined approach is:

Start small → monitor daily settlement → complete the contract → test withdrawal → decide whether to scale

For experienced BTC holders, verifying the complete process can matter more than simply choosing the contract with the highest advertised output.

Start small, verify the process, then decide

SHR Miner currently promotes a $15 registration bonus for new users, as well as VIP and referral reward programs. Published materials describe referral commissions of up to 4.5% and additional promotional rewards, although current terms should always be checked directly on the platform.

The process remains simple:

Register → review computing contracts → start small → monitor daily settlement → complete one cycle → test withdrawal → decide whether to scale

No physical mining hardware.

No electricity infrastructure.

No technical mining background.

And the entire process can be monitored remotely.

Users can create an SHR Miner account here and earn a $15 registration bonus for new users, review available computing-power contracts.

Bitcoin holders can do more than simply HODL

Bitcoin’s long-term investment thesis has always rewarded patience.

But patience does not mean every part of a crypto portfolio has to remain inactive.

For BTC holders who do not want to sell after a major market decline, SHR Miner provides another option:

Keep the Bitcoin exposure while using part of the available digital assets to rent AI-assisted cloud computing power for a defined period.

Bitcoin introduced millions of people to decentralized digital money.

AI is now accelerating demand for computing power, automation, and intelligent infrastructure.

For long-term BTC holders, the next question may therefore be bigger than:

“When will Bitcoin return to its previous high?”

It may also be:

“Is someone only holding digital assets — or are they also participating in the computing infrastructure shaping the AI era?”

Users can visit the official SHR Miner platform to explore current computing-power contracts.

The CFTC has ordered Kalshi to continue operating under federal rules as a Washington judge restricted seven contract categories and set two geofencing deadlines for the prediction market.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission said on Aug. 11 that it had used its emergency authority after Kalshi notified the agency of a market emergency tied to New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against the exchange.

Under the CFTC emergency order, Kalshi must continue operating in line with the Commodity Exchange Act’s Core Principles. The agency issued the directive after New York asked a state court to halt the company’s event contracts and sought more than $36 billion in damages.

Although the federal action arose from the New York case, the order has entered the legal fight over whether states can restrict products offered by a CFTC-registered exchange. The agency’s Office of the General Counsel submitted the directive as supplemental authority to U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield in the Southern District of New York, where the federal government is challenging New York’s enforcement position.

Sports betting lawyer Daniel Wallach described the directive as compelling Kalshi to defy state court orders. The CFTC’s public statement did not use that wording, saying instead that Kalshi must continue operating under the federal law governing designated contract markets.

Why the CFTC has ordered Kalshi to continue operating

New York filed its state action on July 31 and requested a temporary restraining order that, according to the CFTC, could stop Kalshi from offering all event contracts nationwide. The federal regulator said Kalshi notified it that such an order would create a market emergency.

New York’s complaint alleges that Kalshi operates an unlicensed gambling business and offers sports and other event-based products without approval from the New York State Gaming Commission. The state also claims the platform allows some users younger than New York’s legal sports betting age of 21 to trade the contracts.

As crypto.news reported in July, Attorney General James and Gov. Kathy Hochul are seeking at least $36 billion in restitution for affected users, disgorgement of alleged gains, and penalties tied to unauthorized sports wagering offers. Kalshi disputes the gambling classification and argues that its CFTC registration places the exchange under exclusive federal oversight.

In a related federal case, Kalshi has asked the Southern District of New York to pause proceedings until the Second Circuit Court of Appeals rules on its appeal. The company said the defendants did not oppose delaying discovery while the motion remains unresolved.

Wallach said New York could respond to the CFTC filing by challenging the federal government’s account of the dispute. According to the lawyer, state officials could raise an “unclean hands” argument or seek a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction against the commission.

Washington gives Kalshi two geofencing deadlines

While the New York proceedings continue, King County Superior Court Judge John McHale has issued a preliminary injunction limiting Kalshi’s business in Washington.

The final terms require the company to stop offering, accepting, or facilitating contracts involving sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, technology, science, and mentions of specified events. Kalshi must also stop advertising and promoting the restricted products to Washington residents.

Under the order, an initial system based on users’ IP addresses and stated residency must be active by Aug. 19. Kalshi then has until Sept. 2 to install a multi-source geofencing system designed to identify and block users in the state more accurately.

Missing the Sept. 2 deadline could expose Kalshi to a penalty of $120,000 per day, according to reports on the order. The company may file an affidavit explaining any delay, leaving the court to determine whether the penalty should apply.

McHale did not bar every product on the platform. Washington residents may continue accessing contracts tied to commodities, climate, economics, and finance, categories that the court left outside the preliminary restrictions.

The judge had initially blocked Kalshi in July after finding that Washington was likely to succeed on claims that parts of the company’s business violated the state Gambling Act. McHale also found that potential harm to consumers and the public interest supported temporary limits while the lawsuit proceeds.

Kalshi’s request to stay the preliminary injunction during an appeal was denied. Wallach said the company could now ask the Washington Court of Appeals for similar relief.

Washington argues federal registration does not override state law

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown sued Kalshi in March, alleging that the platform offered and promoted unlicensed betting products to people in the state. His office has maintained that calling the products event contracts does not remove them from state gambling rules.

After the court issued the final injunction terms, Brown said Kalshi had profited from wagers covering sports, elections, natural disasters, and events related to the Iran war.

“Kalshi has gotten rich promoting wagers on sports, elections, natural disasters, events related to the Iran War, and more,” Brown said. “We will continue to enforce Washington law and hold Kalshi accountable for misleading consumers.”

Kalshi has taken the opposite legal position, arguing that contracts traded on its federally registered exchange fall under the CFTC’s exclusive jurisdiction. The company has relied on the Commodity Exchange Act and court decisions supporting federal preemption, including an April ruling from the Third Circuit involving New Jersey.

Court results have not been consistent across the country. Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Washington have obtained rulings allowing at least some state restrictions, while federal courts have blocked enforcement in other jurisdictions.

In Minnesota, for example, a federal judge blocked the state ban before it took effect on Aug. 1. The temporary injunction protected CFTC-registered designated contract markets, including Kalshi and Polymarket US, while related lawsuits moved forward.

Judge Katherine Menendez found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on part of their federal preemption argument. However, she did not decide that every event contract qualified as a federally protected swap and said a final order could cover fewer products.

State cases test the limits of CFTC authority

For U.S. users, the conflicting orders can determine which markets remain available based on their location. Kalshi’s federal registration allows it to operate as a designated contract market, but several states maintain that sports and similar products remain subject to local gambling laws and licensing requirements.

The CFTC has responded by suing states and supporting prediction market operators in cases involving state enforcement. Its position rests on the Commodity Exchange Act’s grant of exclusive jurisdiction over swaps traded on registered exchanges.

State officials have challenged that reading, arguing that Congress did not remove their traditional authority over gambling. In July, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres rejected Kalshi’s request to stop New York from enforcing its laws against sports contracts, finding that the company had not shown that federal law displaced the state’s authority.

Federal oversight also places restrictions on how prediction markets present their products. In August, the CFTC warned regulated platforms against displaying contracts through American-style betting odds and reminded operators that their advertising and solicitation practices must comply with derivatives law.

Separately, the New York City Council has opened an inquiry into alleged deceptive advertising involving Coinbase, Kalshi, Polymarket, and Gemini. The council’s investigation is expected to place particular attention on Polymarket and how prediction-market products are promoted to city residents.