Forward Industries Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FORD#NASDAQ">FORD</a>) filed an automatic shelf registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, enabling an at-the-market (ATM) equity program <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/09/b47709620/forward-industries-announces-4-billion-at-the-market-equity-offering-program" rel="noreferrer noopener">worth up to $4 billion</a>. The framework allows the company to issue common shares as needed under market conditions.



Proceeds will go toward working capital, asset purchases, and expansion of its Solana (CRYPTO: SOL/USD) token strategy. The filing highlights the company's effort to strengthen its balance sheet while deepening its exposure to digital assets.



Kyle Samani, chairman of the board, said the program creates "a flexible and efficient mechanism" to raise funds in support of its Solana treasury plan. Forward previously completed the largest Solana-focused treasury raise to date and acquired more than 6.8 million SOL.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47621272/forward-industries-surges-12-premarket-on-1-65b-raise-to-fund-solana-treasury-strategy" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forward Industries Surges 12% Premarket On $1.65B Raise To Fund Solana Treasury Strategy</a>



Beyond the filing, Forward recently invested $1.58 billion in Solana tokens, reflecting a broader trend of companies adopting <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47667737/forward-industries-buys-1-58-billion-in-sol-as-michael-saylors-strategy-continues-btc-accumulation" rel="noreferrer noopener">crypto treasury management</a> strategies similar to those of high-profile advocates in the digital asset space.



Several firms are piling into Solana (SOL) for their treasury reserves. Helius Medical Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HSDT#NASDAQ">HSDT</a>) raised about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47673466/inside-helius-medicals-500-million-raise-and-its-solana-treasury-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noreferrer noopener">$500 million</a> and plans to make SOL its main reserve asset, also using staking and DeFi exposure.



Meanwhile, Upexi Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPXI#NASDAQ">UPXI</a>) built a SOL treasury valued at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/09/47641553/upexi-builds-447-million-solana-treasury-and-bets-on-ai-driven-alpha-exchange-launch?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noreferrer noopener">$447 million</a>, partly driven by recent price gains; about $142 million of that is unrealized profit.



Comparable companies and funds drawing investor attention in the crypto-linked equity space include Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) and MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), as well as the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BITO#NYSE">BITO</a>) and the Global X Blockchain ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKCH#NASDAQ">BKCH</a>).



Price Action: FORD shares were trading lower by 9.56% to $33.78 premarket at last check Wednesday.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47707219/bitcoin-xrp-dogecoin-rise-on-interest-rate-cut-hopes-ethereum-trades-flat-analytics-firm-pumps-the-brakes-on-rally-hype" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, XRP, Dogecoin Rise On Interest Rate Cut Hopes; Ethereum Trades Flat: Analytics Firm Pumps The Brakes On Rally Hype</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock

Forward Industries Files $4 Billion Shelf Plan To Fuel Solana Treasury Bet

Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) remain two of the most influential blockchains in decentralized finance. Both are competing for developer attention, user adoption, and the capital that flows through decentralized applications. Evaluating total value locked, developer activity, and transaction costs shows where each chain stands in mid-2025.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Total Value Locked</h2>



Ethereum continues to lead in total value locked (TVL), supported by established protocols, institutional trust, and the maturity of its DeFi ecosystem. Major lending platforms, decentralized exchanges, and stablecoin infrastructure still default to Ethereum as the first choice for liquidity.



Solana, while smaller in absolute terms, has shown impressive growth in niches like NFTs, gaming, and high-velocity retail trading. Its TVL has expanded quickly as low-cost transactions attract projects that cannot operate efficiently on Ethereum's base layer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Developer Activity</h2>



Ethereum maintains the largest developer base in crypto. Tooling, security, and documentation are robust, and its ecosystem has weathered multiple market cycles. This gives Ethereum resilience and consistency, especially when attracting long-term capital and regulatory attention.



Solana is expanding its developer community at a rapid pace. The chain's performance characteristics make it attractive for applications that need high throughput and low latency. Growth in DeFi protocols and consumer-facing apps shows Solana's ability to carve out its own market share.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transaction Costs and Speed</h2>



Ethereum's base layer remains slower and more expensive to use, particularly during periods of congestion. Layer-2 solutions are critical to scaling and reducing gas fees, but they add complexity to the user experience.



Solana offers a different trade-off. Transactions are extremely fast and inexpensive, often costing less than a cent. This makes the chain ideal for frequent or micro-transactions, though the network has faced reliability challenges in the past.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Outlook</h2>



Ethereum continues to dominate in terms of liquidity depth, institutional adoption, and developer resources. Solana, however, is proving that speed and cost efficiency can drive rapid growth in emerging segments of the crypto economy.



For investors and builders, the competition is less about a single winner and more about fit. Ethereum is positioned as the foundation for large-scale DeFi projects with long-term stability, while Solana is becoming the platform of choice for cost-sensitive, high-frequency applications. Both ecosystems reflect different sides of the same market opportunity.



Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga&#8217;s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Solana vs Ethereum: Which Chain Is Winning the Battle For DeFi Liquidity?

Cryptocurrency markets are trading sideways on Wednesday morning as investors await the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Ticker</td><td>Price</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>$116,312.63</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td><td>$4,482.73</td></tr><tr><td>Solana</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td><td>$234.29</td></tr><tr><td>XRP</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td><td>$3.01</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td><td>$0.2652</td></tr><tr><td>Shiba Inu</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>)</td><td>$0.00001297</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Notable Statistics:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Coinglass data shows 101,290 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $214.12 million.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</li>



<li>SoSoValue data shows net inflows of $292.3 million into spot Bitcoin ETFs on Tuesday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net outflows of $61.7 million.</li>
</ul>



Trader Notes: Crypto trader Poseidon <a href="https://x.com/CryptoPoseidonn/status/1968228658860134478">said</a> he plans to enter long positions if Bitcoin dips below $113,500 during the FOMC event. He marked $119,000 as strong resistance, expecting volatility on both sides, but doubts BTC will fall under $110,000, maintaining a bullish outlook overall.



Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez cautioned that long positions and open interest are building at resistance, raising the risk of a long squeeze. According to Coinglass, BTC open interest rose 2.4% in a single day, underscoring leverage buildup.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Bitcoin <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> longs are piling up alongside rising open interest at key resistance! Risk of a long squeeze ahead. <a href="https://t.co/gQDUlb4Dnx">pic.twitter.com/gQDUlb4Dnx</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1968232205282668786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



For Ethereum, Michael van de Poppe noted that the token is holding at a critical support zone. A bounce here would show strength, but if support fails, he's eyeing a lower demand area to buy the dip.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Good to see that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> holds the crucial area. Would love to see more strength. In case of losing this area, I&#39;ve marked a big zone of interest. If <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> dips in any of these ranges, then I&#39;m quite happy to be buying the dip. <a href="https://t.co/NuOfjMtZL0">pic.twitter.com/NuOfjMtZL0</a>&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1968248059709804997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The Cryptomist <a href="https://x.com/Thecryptomist/status/1968234630034894967">highlighted</a> the formation of an ascending triangle on Solana. A confirmed breakout could trigger long entries with targets near $260.



XRP has broken out and is retesting its breakout level as support, <a href="https://x.com/Nebraskangooner/status/1968064024517705883">according</a> to Nebraskangooner. If the retest holds, he expects a push toward $3.30 or higher.



Trader Tardigrade <a href="https://x.com/TATrader_Alan/status/1968218882344407107">observed</a> a clean inverse head and shoulders pattern on the Dogecoin/Bitcoin pair. With the breakout and retest confirmed, he's now weighing whether to swap some BTC for DOGE. In a community poll, 73% of Crypto Twitter favored the swap, while the rest still back Bitcoin as the stronger play.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47697361/bitcoin-ethereum-hold-steady-ahead-of-expected-25-basis-points-interest-rate-cut">Bitcoin, Ethereum Hold Steady Ahead Of Expected 25 Basis Points Interest Rate Cut</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Hold Ahead Of Pivotal FOMC Meeting

Bettors on Polymarket assigned a 34% likelihood of the Trump administration announcing a housing emergency this year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;Help With Morgage&#8217;</h2>



The odds <a href="https://polymarket.com/event/will-trump-announce-a-national-housing-emergency-in-2025?tid=1758070399483">spiked </a>3 percentage points in the last 24 hours, with a little over $4,000 wagered on the outcome.



The market will resolve to "Yes" if President Donald Trump formally declares a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act before Dec. 31. Trump merely signaling intentions to declare a national emergency won't be enough.



Meanwhile, Google Searches for &#8220;help with mortgage&#8221; surpassed those during the 2008 financial crisis, according to an X post by Mortgage, signaling the gravity of the crisis.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">BREAKING: Searches for &quot;help with mortgage&quot; surpass 2008 housing crisis. <a href="https://t.co/g3zYkgr3Xq">pic.twitter.com/g3zYkgr3Xq</a>&mdash; Polymarket (@Polymarket) <a href="https://twitter.com/Polymarket/status/1967951468629225551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Polymarket, based on Polygon (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">POL</a>), allows users to bet on the outcomes using the USDC (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">USDC</a>) stablecoin.



The platform is not available to U.S. residents currently, but is expected to<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47490600/polymarket-ceo-says-crypto-based-prediction-platform-ready-to-enter-us-after-cftc-approval-stay-tuned"> start operations</a> in the near future.



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44621245/gold-backed-cryptos-match-yellow-metals-highs-following-trumps-liberation-day-shock"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47682976/bitcoin-flat-as-fed-policy-meet-looms-ethereum-dogecoin-xrp-decline-analyst-flags-support-where-they-plan-to-load-heavily-on-eth">Bitcoin Flat As Fed Policy Meet Looms; Ethereum, Dogecoin, XRP Decline: Analyst Flags Support Where They Plan To ‘Load Heavily' On ETH</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Home Buyers Feel The Pinch</h2>



Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this month that the Trump administration <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/25/09/47439670/trump-bessent-national-housing-emergency">"may" declare a national housing emergency</a> in the fall, as the market remains constrained by high borrowing costs and tight supply



According to federal data, the median sales price of newly built homes in July was<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/25/09/47441124/homes-have-shrunk-to-the-smallest-average-size-in-20-years-heres-why-it-happened"> $403,800</a>, while the 30-year fixed mortgage rates, which were near 2.65% in early 2021, are now in the mid-6% region, impacting household affordability.



Real estate listing website Realtor.com said recently that only<a href="https://mediaroom.realtor.com/2025-08-21-Only-28-of-Homes-on-the-Market-are-Affordable-for-a-Typical-Household"> 28% of homes </a>on the market in August were affordable to a household earning the U.S. median income, down from 30% earlier this year.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/09/47664798/jim-cramer-ring-the-register-on-this-real-estate-meme-stock">Jim Cramer: Ring The Register On This Real Estate &#8216;Meme&#8217; Stock</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Imagn

Trump Could Declare Housing Emergency In 2025? Polymarket Bettors Are Giving It A 34% Chance As Mortgage Distress Mounts

Renowned economist&nbsp;Alex Tabbarok&nbsp;described cryptocurrencies as the &#8220;money&#8221; for artificial intelligence on Tuesday after Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) CEO teased a new feature that enables AI agents to transact using stablecoins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AI Agents To Use USDC For Quick Settlements </h2>



Tabbarok&#8217;s remark was in response to&nbsp;Brian Armstrong&#8216;s X post about the integration of the x402, an internet-native payment protocol developed by&nbsp;Coinbase, into Google's new Agentic Payments Protocol, AP2.



&#8220;Agents can actually pay each other now, with x402 powering the stablecoin rail inside Google's new Agentic Payments Protocol (AP2),&#8221; Armstrong said.



With this integration, agents can now execute tasks themselves that previously required manual intervention, such as payments for data crawls, services or microtasks, Coinbase <a href="https://www.coinbase.com/en-in/developer-platform/discover/launches/google_x402">said</a> in a separate blog post.



Coinbase added that customers can pay in USDC (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">USDC</a>) with a single tap, with no card numbers or zip codes required for authentication.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Crypto is the money for AIs. <a href="https://t.co/3GDSdaDHoX">https://t.co/3GDSdaDHoX</a>&mdash; Alex Tabarrok (@ATabarrok) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATabarrok/status/1967985841567044086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/25/09/47685057/ai-funding-landscape-on-fire-over-11-4-billion-spanning-nuclear-and-consumer-to-data">AI Funding Landscape On Fire: Over $11.4 Billion Spanning Nuclear and Consumer to Data</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Developing Trend</h2>



AI agents are software systems that use AI to pursue goals and execute tasks on behalf of users.&nbsp; Agents can work with other agents to coordinate and perform complex workflows and



Tabbarok&#8217;s comments echo a growing sentiment within the tech industry about the synergy between AI and cryptocurrency.&nbsp; Renowned investor&nbsp;Cathie Wood <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45340929/cathie-wood-highlights-analysts-take-more-than-humans-crypto-was-made-for-ai">highlighted</a>&nbsp;the transformative potential of cryptocurrency and AI in the financial services sector earlier in May.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Coinbase&#8217;s Big AI Embrace</h2>



Armstrong-led Coinbase, meanwhile, has embarked <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/25/09/47493320/brian-armstrong-wants-more-than-half-of-daily-code-written-at-coinbase-to-be-ai-generated-should-use-responsibly-as-much-as-we-possibly-can">on an ambitious AI push</a>, aiming to increase the percentage of AI-generated code at the company to more than 50% within the next month. 



The cryptocurrency behemoth is pushing its employees to increase adoption of&nbsp;large language models and <a href="https://www.coinbase.com/en-gb/blog/Tools-for-Developer-Productivity-at-Coinbase">admitted to firing</a> those who failed to adapt in time.



Price Action: Coinbase shares were down 0.39% in pre-market trading after closing 0.27% lower at $327.91&nbsp;&nbsp;during Wednesday's regular trading session, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/opinion/25/09/47698144/is-your-job-safe-ai-disruption-is-closer-than-you-think-trent-gillespie-warns">Is Your Job Safe? AI Disruption Is Closer Than You Think, Trent Gillespie Warns</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"></a>



Photo courtesy: Camilo Concha / Shutterstock.com

Crypto Is The Money For AI, Says Economist As Coinbase CEO Teases Stablecoin-Powered Transactions Between Agents

The gap between meme giants Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) and Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>) widened over the last week, with the former surging on exchange-traded fund optimism while the younger sibling battling hack-induced jitters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">DOGE Cheers ETF Optimism</h2>



Dogecoin was up nearly 12% over the week, emerging as the most successful large-cap cryptocurrency and outgaining the likes of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>).&nbsp; During the period, it topped $0.30, a level not seen since early February.



The coin's open interest jumped 25% over the last week to $5.32 billion, <a href="https://www.coinglass.com/BitcoinOpenInterest">according</a> to Coinglass, suggesting high demand for its derivatives.



The surge comes ahead of the anticipated launch of the first Dogecoin ETF, which, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas, could debut as soon as Thursday.



The REX-Osprey Doge ETF, filed by asset managers Osprey Funds and Rex Shares, will hold a combination of DOGE and DOGE derivatives under a Cayman Islands subsidiary.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">As of now, the Doge ETF <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24DOJE&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$DOJE</a> is slated for Thursday launch, as is a 40 Act spot XRP ETF <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24XRPR&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$XRPR</a> (which was in the same prospectus that went effective, Trump and Bonk also in there too, but no word on launch date for those yet) <a href="https://t.co/q20takMsAe">https://t.co/q20takMsAe</a>&mdash; Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricBalchunas/status/1967599763421118828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Weekly Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 2:50 a.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin</td><td>+11.96%</td><td>$0.2687</td></tr><tr><td>Shiba Inu</td><td>+1.27%</td><td>$0.00001311</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44621245/gold-backed-cryptos-match-yellow-metals-highs-following-trumps-liberation-day-shock"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47682976/bitcoin-flat-as-fed-policy-meet-looms-ethereum-dogecoin-xrp-decline-analyst-flags-support-where-they-plan-to-load-heavily-on-eth">Bitcoin Flat As Fed Policy Meet Looms; Ethereum, Dogecoin, XRP Decline: Analyst Flags Support Where They Plan To ‘Load Heavily' On ETH</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SHIB Scrambles To Minimize Damage</h2>



Shiba Inu, on the other side, has been dealing with the fallout of a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47660075/shiba-inus-layer-2-network-breached-over-1-million-each-in-ethereum-shib-stolen-how-it-was-done">$2.3 million hack of its Layer-2 network</a>, Shibarium.



The second-largest meme coin by market capitalization has dived over 10% since the hack was reported, reducing its weekly gains to only 1.27%.



SHIB's open interest has collapsed 11.6% since the hack, with the number of short positions for the coin exceeding longs as of this writing.



Over $1 million each in Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) and SHIB were drained in a flash loan-like attack during the weekend, after the attacker succeeded in pushing malicious software after temporarily gaining validator voting power.



Shytoshi Kusama, Shiba Inu&#8217;s lead ambassador, said that the issue <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47685085/shytoshi-kusama-breaks-silence-on-2-3-million-shibarium-hack-working-with-devs-in-war-room-absence-rumors-preposterous">is "complex and deep"</a> and that they are working with developers in a &#8220;war room&#8221; to mitigate the impact.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47676978/bitcoin-to-reach-750000-in-the-next-5-years-pantera-capitals-dan-morehead-says">Bitcoin To Reach $750,000 In The Next 5 Years, Pantera Capital's Dan Morehead Says</a></li>
</ul>

Dogecoin Rides ETF Excitement, While Shiba Inu Wrestles $2.3 Million Fallout — A  Tale Of Two Meme Giants

Sen.&nbsp;Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined fellow Democrats on Tuesday in alleging that President Donald Trump and his family engaged in corruption tied to their cryptocurrency ventures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Coons Labels Trump&#8217;s Crypto Profits &#8216;Corruption&#8217;</h2>



Coons posted on X a Vox <a href="https://t.co/aRr7Rk9sYN">report </a>accusing the Trumps of using the presidency to attract investors to their cryptocurrency businesses.



&#8220;President Trump and his family are pocketing billions while working families' wage continue to shrink,&#8221; Coons wrote in the caption. &#8220;This is corrupt, it's wrong, and it's a deep disservice to American taxpayers.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">President Trump and his family are pocketing billions while working families' wage continue to shrink. This is corrupt, it's wrong, and it's a deep disservice to American taxpayers. <a href="https://t.co/aRr7Rk9sYN">https://t.co/aRr7Rk9sYN</a>&mdash; Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCoons/status/1967987314132652101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>







Coons' remarks echoed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/09/47586866/hillary-clinton-says-trump-administration-is-going-great-for-the-president-shares-accusations-of-crypto-corruption">earlier accusations</a> from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), who all labeled the financial gains as &#8220;corruption.&#8221;



The White House didn&#8217;t immediately return Benzinga&#8217;s request for comment.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47659883/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-slip-ahead-of-fed-rate-cut-decision-analyst-predicts-short-term-dip-for-eth-before-10000-move" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">E</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47700645/eric-trump-announces-american-bitcoin-launch-lauds-btc-as-modern-day-gold">ric Trump Announces American Bitcoin Launch, Lauds BTC As &#8216;Modern-Day Gold&#8217;</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Democrats Step Up Attack</h2>



The Trump family&#8217;s growing ties with the cryptocurrency industry have drawn heavy scrutiny. The Trumps saw a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47540715/trump-family-backed-world-liberty-financial-token-crashes-31-in-debut-trading-week-6-25-billion-worth-of-investor-wealth-eroded-since-peak" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sharp increase in their paper wealth</a>&nbsp;following the trading debut of their flagship cryptocurrency venture&#8217;s new cryptocurrency, World Liberty Financial (WLFI). At the current price, their stake was worth more than $4.90 billion.



Trump&#8217;s latest financial disclosure revealed he earned <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/06/45939551/trump-made-57-4-million-from-family-crypto-firm-plus-big-bucks-from-branded-guitars-sneakers-and-watches">more than $57 million</a> through World Liberty Financial, positioning it as one of his primary sources of income.



Other ventures, such as the Official Trump (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">TRUMP</a>) meme coin and the dollar-pegged stablecoin, World Liberty Financial USD&nbsp;(USD1), <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45399468/elizabeth-warren-calls-out-trump-linked-stablecoin-as-a-national-security-risk-hes-cashing-in-on-foreign-crypto-deals">have also come under the scanner</a>.



Photo Courtesy: Brian Jason on Shutterstock.com



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47683468/trump-family-linked-world-liberty-financial-token-defies-bitcoin-ethereum-weakness-extends-weekly-rally-to-8">Trump Family-Linked World Liberty Financial Token Defies Bitcoin, Ethereum Weakness, Extends Weekly Rally To 8%</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"></a>

After Hilary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Now Chris Coons Accuses The Trumps Of Crypto 'Corruption'

Economist Peter Schiff continued to question Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) lack of momentum on Monday, while stocks and gold surged to fresh record highs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Schiff Asks Why Bitcoin Hasn&#8217;t Hit A New High In Over A Month</h2>



In an X post, Schiff questioned why the Nasdaq Composite, gold and silver are hitting new highs "almost daily," while the apex cryptocurrency hasn't made a new high in more than a month.



Nasdaq Composite indeed hit a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47682976/bitcoin-flat-as-fed-policy-meet-looms-ethereum-dogecoin-xrp-decline-analyst-flags-support-where-they-plan-to-load-heavily-on-eth">record high of 22,348.75</a> on Monday. Similarly, spot gold rose <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/25/09/47688685/gold-smash-records-at-3700-as-analysts-say-this-rally-is-just-the-beginning-of-a-new-cycle-for-precious-metals-and-mining-stocks">above $3,700 per ounce</a>, while silver surpassed $42 per ounce to reach fresh highs. The VanEck Gold Miners ETF also hit a new peak past $70 earlier this week.



However, Nasdaq retreated from records on Tuesday, while gold traded down 0.24% to $3,680 per ounce at last check.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bitcoin Outperforms In Weekly Returns</h2>



Recent performance data revealed that Bitcoin fell short of new highs but still outgained every other asset on a weekly basis. Its monthly track record, however, left a lot to be desired.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Weekly Gains +/-</td><td>Monthly Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 11:55 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>+1.73%</td><td>+3.26%</td><td>22,333.96</td></tr><tr><td>Spot Gold</td><td>+1.14%</td><td>+10.39%</td><td>$3,682.10</td></tr><tr><td>Spot Silver</td><td>+2.05%</td><td>+10.52%</td><td>$42.0185</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin</td><td>+4.43%</td><td>+0.99%</td><td>$116,471</td></tr><tr><td>VanEck Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDX#NYSE">GDX</a>)</td><td>+2.24%</td><td>+18.80%</td><td>$69.02</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44621245/gold-backed-cryptos-match-yellow-metals-highs-following-trumps-liberation-day-shock"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47707219/bitcoin-xrp-dogecoin-rise-on-interest-rate-cut-hopes-ethereum-trades-flat-analytics-firm-pumps-the-brakes-on-rally-hype">Bitcoin, XRP, Dogecoin Rise On Interest Rate Cut Hopes; Ethereum Trades Flat: Analytics Firm Pumps The Brakes On Rally Hype</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Counter Arguments</h2>



Bitcoin enthusiasts disputed Schiff&#8217;s narrative, pointing out that the leading cryptocurrency&#8217;s value nearly doubled in the last year, compared to gold&#8217;s 43% returns. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">BTC was $55K a year ago, now its $110K. So maybe its waiting for the slowpoke to catch up.&mdash; Denwoll (@bearcatden) <a href="https://twitter.com/bearcatden/status/1967692143117713617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Killa, a widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47659883/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-slip-ahead-of-fed-rate-cut-decision-analyst-predicts-short-term-dip-for-eth-before-10000-move">said </a>earlier this week, &#8220;BTC often prices in FOMC ahead of time. Early downside into the week suggests a rebound up, while early upside points to a likely pullback.&#8221;



Additionally, Arthur Hayes, Chief Investment Officer of&nbsp;Maelstrom&nbsp;and co-founder of&nbsp;BitMEX, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47660645/peter-schiff-asks-why-bitcoin-is-selling-off-while-stocks-gold-trade-at-record-highs-arthur-hayes-wants-investors-to-readjust-perspective">urged investors in a recent interview to "readjust their perspective"</a>&nbsp;and not assess Bitcoin on a &#8220;very short-term horizon.&#8221;



Photo Courtesy: Pavel Ilyukhin on Shutterstock.com



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47676978/bitcoin-to-reach-750000-in-the-next-5-years-pantera-capitals-dan-morehead-says">Bitcoin To Reach $750,000 In The Next 5 Years, Pantera Capital's Dan Morehead Says</a></li>
</ul>

Peter Schiff Again Asks Why Bitcoin Isn't Hitting New Highs Like Stocks, Gold, Miners ETF — Here Is What BTC Backers Are Saying

Anthony Scaramucci, the founder and managing partner of&nbsp;SkyBridge Capital, lent support to David Bailey on Tuesday, whose newly formed Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) treasury company Kindly MD Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NAKA#NASDAQ">NAKA</a>) was going through a financial rough patch.



NAKA shares are climbing.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/NAKA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get the complete picture here.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">David Bailey Admits Stock Woes</h2>



Scaramucci took to X, saying, &#8220;Keep going, David. All will be well,&#8221; in response to Bailey&#8217;s admission of his company&#8217;s poor stock performance.



Bailey, known for his role as CEO of&nbsp;Bitcoin Magazine&nbsp;and as Bitcoin advisor to President&nbsp;Donald Trump, said that the slump has resulted in financial losses and frustration among investors, but he was confident of a comeback.



&#8220;Others are eager to dance on the grave or root against us,&#8221; he said, pointing toward critics. &#8220;For everyone who reached out with kind words of encouragement, thank you. You're a real one and I'll remember it. Means a lot.&#8221;<a href="https://x.com/DavidFBailey/status/1967919975479513283"></a>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Keep going David. All will be well!&#x1f680; <a href="https://t.co/pE5cGEooyh">https://t.co/pE5cGEooyh</a>&mdash; Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scaramucci/status/1968078391745376462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44621245/gold-backed-cryptos-match-yellow-metals-highs-following-trumps-liberation-day-shock"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47682976/bitcoin-flat-as-fed-policy-meet-looms-ethereum-dogecoin-xrp-decline-analyst-flags-support-where-they-plan-to-load-heavily-on-eth">Bitcoin Flat As Fed Policy Meet Looms; Ethereum, Dogecoin, XRP Decline: Analyst Flags Support Where They Plan To ‘Load Heavily' On ETH</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Has Gone Wrong For NAKA Stock?</h2>



Bailey&#8217;s remarks come after the company&#8217;s stock crashed more than 50% on Monday, possibly linked to an SEC filing that unlocked previously restricted shares. 



In a shareholder <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/1311a319/files/uploaded/Shareholder+Letter+-+September+15-+2025.pdf">letter</a>, Bailey expected the price volatility to last longer and advised &#8220;shareholders who have come looking for a trade&#8221; to exit.



&#8220;This transition may represent a point of uncertainty for investors, and we look forward to emerging on the other side with alignment and conviction amongst our backers,&#8221; he added.



The company&#8217;s market valuation, at $564.22 million, was lower than the value of its Bitcoin holdings, at $673 million, signaling a dent in market confidence. In contrast, Michael Saylor&#8217;s Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) was trading at a <a href="https://www.strategy.com/">premium</a> to its BTC holdings.



Price Action: NAKA shares rebounded 6.67% in after-hours trading after closing 20.97% higher at $1.50 during Tuesday&#8217;s regular trading session, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



The stock was found to be in a downward trend over the short, medium and long term. How does it compare with Strategy and other Bitcoin-focused treasury companies? Visit <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> to find out.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="542" height="147" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16230604/image-272.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1073843" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16230604/image-272.png 542w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16230604/image-272-300x81.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 542px) 100vw, 542px" /></a></figure>



Anthony Scaramucci &#x7C; Photo courtesy: Al Teich / Shutterstock.com



Read Next:&nbsp;



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47676978/bitcoin-to-reach-750000-in-the-next-5-years-pantera-capitals-dan-morehead-says">Bitcoin To Reach $750,000 In The Next 5 Years, Pantera Capital's Dan Morehead Says</a></li>
</ul>

Anthony Scaramucci Says 'All Will Be Well' Amid NAKA Stock Volatility: David Bailey Admits 'Investors Are Down Money'

Leading cryptocurrencies gained on Tuesday, as investors increased their risk appetite in anticipation of a 25-basis-point rate cut. 



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 9:25 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>+1.16%</td><td>$116,682.70</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-0.44%</td><td>$4,514.35</td></tr><tr><td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+1.53%</td><td>$3.04</td></tr><tr><td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+0.50%</td><td>$236.55</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+0.37%</td><td>$0.2695</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bitcoin Spikes After DC Meet</h2>



Bitcoin topped $117,000 after nearly a month as cryptocurrency executives, including Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) executive chairman Michael Saylor and MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) CEO Fred Thiel , joined lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to push for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve bill.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">MARA CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/fgthiel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fgthiel</a> joined industry leaders including <a href="https://twitter.com/saylor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@saylor</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/fundstrat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fundstrat</a> at the Bitcoin Advocacy Day in DC hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/DigitalChamber?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DigitalChamber</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/DigitalPowerUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DigitalPowerUS</a> for critical conversations on digital asset policy. Watch on CNBC: <a href="https://t.co/2hbUahB1Zr">https://t.co/2hbUahB1Zr</a> <a href="https://t.co/aVLu1T9k04">pic.twitter.com/aVLu1T9k04</a>&mdash; MARA (@MARA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MARA/status/1968060369089499137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Ethereum, on the other hand, remained trapped in the range between $4,430 and $4,530, while trade activity dried up during the 24-hour period. XRP rose 1.53% to go past $3



Over $175 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with $107 million in long positions erased.



Bitcoin&#8217;s open interest rose 2.54% in the last 24 hours, while funds locked in Ethereum's unsettled derivatives fell 1.64%.&nbsp;



Interestingly, Binance traders with open BTC positions flipped bearish, with more than 52% betting against the coin, according to the Long/Short ratio.



The market sentiment remained "Neutral," according to the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24 Hours)&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency (Market Cap&gt;$100 M))</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 9:25 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Prom (PRO,)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+21.83%</td><td>$11.33</td></tr><tr><td>Avantis (AVNT)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+17.46%</td><td>$0.2102</td></tr><tr><td>Unibase (UB)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+15.46%</td><td>$0.2290 </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $4 trillion, down 0.82% in the last 24 hours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stocks Ease Before Fed Decision</h2>



Stocks cooled down on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 125.55 points, or 0.27%, to close at 45,757.90. The S&amp;P 500 dipped 0.5% to finish at 6,615.28, while the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite closed down 0.07% at 22,333.96.



The crucial <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/previews/25/09/47701457/fed-preview-a-rate-cut-is-baked-in-will-trump-get-the-big-cut-he-wants">Federal Open Market Committee meeting</a> got underway, with traders betting on a 96% chance the central bank will cut interest rates by 25 basis points, <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">according</a> to the CME FedWatch tool.



The market will also scrutinize Fed Chair Jerome Powell's subsequent press conference for more clues on the direction of monetary policy.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Expectations For A Big Surge Should Be &#8216;Tempered&#8217;</h2>



On-chain analytics firm Santiment noticed a sharp spike in Bitcoin's greed sentiment in anticipation of the rate cut decision, with bullish comments making up 64% of the total comments on social media.



"Historically, markets move the opposite direction of retail&#8217;s expectations," Santiment stated, suggesting expectations for a big surge be "tempered" if rate cuts are confirmed.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f1fa;&#x1f1f8; The highly anticipated FOMC meetings in the US kick off today, and will conclude tomorrow with an anticipated result of interest rates being cut by 25bps. &#x1f440; We are seeing the impact of this in Bitcoin&#39;s social metrics. Bullish comments are outnumbering bearish comments,… <a href="https://t.co/vmwBtMgLcH">pic.twitter.com/vmwBtMgLcH</a>&mdash; Santiment (@santimentfeed) <a href="https://twitter.com/santimentfeed/status/1967883713653719183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader Michaël van de Poppe highlighted $4,400 as a "crucial" support level for Ethereum.



"If it starts going beneath that zone, then I&#8217;m expecting an acceleration and big liquidity flush. That&#8217;s the ideal area to buy the dip from, but it might feel slightly scary," Van De Poppe remarked.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The crucial area for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> to hold is around $4,400. If it starts going beneath that zone, then I&#39;m expecting an acceleration and big liquidity flush. That&#39;s the ideal area to buy the dip from, but it might feel slightly scary. <a href="https://t.co/1Ohpdk2yGq">pic.twitter.com/1Ohpdk2yGq</a>&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1967944308667171261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock AI Read Next:    



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47700645/eric-trump-announces-american-bitcoin-launch-lauds-btc-as-modern-day-gold">Eric Trump Announces American Bitcoin Launch, Lauds BTC As &#8216;Modern-Day Gold&#8217;</a></li>
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Bitcoin, XRP, Dogecoin Rise On Interest Rate Cut Hopes; Ethereum Trades Flat: Analytics Firm Pumps The Brakes On Rally Hype

As capital rotates out of Bitcoin and into the broader crypto market, meme coins and utility tokens are once again at the center of retail speculation. This alt-season highlights a familiar divide in investor psychology: chasing community-driven tokens for explosive short-term gains versus seeking projects with long-term utility and adoption potential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Meme Coins: Community and Speculation</h2>



Meme tokens like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and newer entrants thrive on virality and community engagement. They rarely promise technical innovation, but they offer retail investors what feels like asymmetric upside with small bets that can generate life-changing returns in weeks. The pattern fits classic behavioral finance models:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Lottery-like appeal: Traders overweight the probability of rare, outsized wins.</li>



<li>Social proof: Online communities provide constant reinforcement, amplifying FOMO.</li>



<li>Narrative bias: Cultural memes become self-fulfilling liquidity events.</li>
</ul>



The trade-off is clear: meme coins are volatile, lack intrinsic yield, and tend to underperform in prolonged bear markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Utility Tokens: Adoption and Income</h2>



On the other side are tokens tied to functioning ecosystems such as Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), or Avalanche (AVAX). These coins benefit from network effects, staking yields, and real-world applications in DeFi, NFTs, and payments. Behavioral finance suggests these attract investors who:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Seek predictability and income streams through staking and validator rewards.</li>



<li>Anchor decisions on fundamentals like transaction growth and developer activity.</li>



<li>Favor loss aversion over lottery-seeking behavior, trading potential 100x rallies for steadier compounding.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Market Cycles: Psychology in Action</h2>



Alt-seasons often begin with meme coin rallies before capital rotates into utility tokens. This cycle mirrors retail investor behavior during equities bubbles, where speculative penny stocks surge before capital consolidates into established players. The key insight is straightforward:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Meme rallies reveal appetite for risk. They are signals of liquidity and sentiment.</li>



<li>Utility tokens capture sustainability. They absorb capital once traders seek more defensible positions.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Investors Should Watch</h2>



For traders navigating the current cycle:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Meme tokens can act as sentiment barometers, but timing exits is critical.</li>



<li>Utility tokens may underperform in the early mania, but they remain the backbone of long-term crypto allocation strategies.</li>



<li>Monitoring on-chain data such as active addresses and staking flows helps identify when capital rotation begins.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bottom Line</h2>



Alt-seasons are not just about price action. They are case studies in investor psychology. Meme coins reflect retail's speculative instincts, while utility tokens represent long-term conviction. Understanding this divide can help investors position portfolios for both short-term opportunities and sustainable exposure.



Disclosure: The author does not hold positions in the digital assets mentioned at the time of writing.



Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga&#8217;s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Meme Coins vs. Utility Tokens: What This Alt-Season Reveals About Retail Investor Psychology

For cryptocurrency investors, the blistering rise of major digital assets has been nothing short of remarkable. Last month, the total market capitalization of all virtual currencies <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47096365/bitcoin-touches-12200-as-total-crypto-market-cap-nears-4-2-trillion">reached nearly $4.2 trillion</a>. However, blockchain enterprises like MARA Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) have not fared as well. Since the start of this year, MARA stock is up less than 3%. For context, the venerable Dow Jones is up roughly 8% during the same frame.



Still, speculators may not want to give up on MARA just yet. According to the latest information, the blockchain miner's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MARA/short-interest">short interest stands at 35.6%</a> of its float, which is massive. To be sure, no one number exists that officially separates the threshold between high short interest from a normal reading. That said, Charles Schwab <a href="https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/whats-short-squeeze-and-why-does-it-happen">notes</a> that a figure of 10% or higher could indicate a warning sign.



Intuitively, securities that attract bearish activity tend to have a cloud hanging over them. However, extremely elevated short interest is also risky for the bears. That's because a true short position is a credit-based transaction. Essentially, the sold securities that initiate such a trade are loaned on credit. Therefore, either way, the lending broker must be made whole — and that's where both the trouble and opportunity lie.



Obviously, short sellers expect the targeted security to fall in value. If so, the red ink allows these speculators to buy back the shorted securities at a discounted price and return them to the broker, with the difference pocketed as profit. However, an unexpected rally may force speculators to exit early, forcing a massive wave of buy-to-close transactions.



The end result? That would be a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/what-is-a-short-squeeze">short squeeze</a> — and it could easily happen to MARA stock.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Speculators Are Looking For A Bounce Back In MARA Stock</h2>



While MARA's short interest by itself warrants attention, it's also the relationship between this metric and the security's price action that raises eyebrows. Since January 2021, the baseline short interest has generally been moving higher. In contrast, MARA stock has been choppily heading lower. However, with the crypto ecosystem becoming a powerful economic force, this arguably unnatural relationship may resolve favorably for MARA bulls.



It really comes down to the hard data. Between January 2021 and early September 2025, MARA stock has fallen from around $26 to about $16, roughly a 38% loss. However, short interest (as a percentage of the float) has jumped from 13% to 28%, a 115% increase. With the current short interest coming in at almost 36%, the bears are increasingly exposed.



All it might take is an unforeseen trigger to send MARA stock screaming higher.



During the aforementioned period, the correlation coefficient between MARA stock and its short interest landed at -0.7149. That's a strong inverse relationship, meaning that as MARA has faded, the bears have been increasingly ramping up their exposure. Again, such a trend isn't necessarily or inherently bullish; in fact, quite the opposite. However, the increased exposure raises the prospect of something going wrong.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16150635/MARA-stock-short-interest-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1073569" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16150635/MARA-stock-short-interest-1024x576.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16150635/MARA-stock-short-interest-300x169.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16150635/MARA-stock-short-interest-768x432.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16150635/MARA-stock-short-interest.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image by author</figcaption></figure>



While direct comparisons should be avoided, it's difficult not to mention the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/09/47677108/opendoor-not-a-meme-stock-but-its-been-trading-like-a-tiktok-trend">meme that's apparently not a meme</a>: Opendoor Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OPEN#NASDAQ">OPEN</a>). During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Opendoor's quick and effectively contactless platform garnered tremendous demand. However, dramatic changes socially and economically saw OPEN stock plunge from its prior highs.



Still, what has kept Opendoor relevant from a speculative standpoint is its security's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/OPEN/short-interest">short interest of 26.6%</a>. With MARA stock commanding a higher short interest — and I would argue a much more relevant business considering the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/25/08/47087056/gen-z-thinks-wwiii-is-more-likely-than-being-able-to-afford-a-home-in-the-next-5-years">huge barriers to homeownership</a> — it has the potential to be the next big short squeeze.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Taking A Bold Bet</h2>



Quantitatively, MARA stock in the trailing 10 weeks has printed four up weeks and six down weeks, with an overall downward trajectory. This 4-6-D sequence — under the positive pathway — would be expected to rise about 11% over the next six weeks. That would translate to a $19 price target for the Oct. 31 options chain.



As such, one idea to consider would be the 18/19 bull call spread expiring on Halloween. This transaction would involve buying the $18 call and simultaneously selling the $19 call, for a net debit paid of $35 (the most that can be lost). Should MARA stock rise through the second-leg strike price ($19) at expiration, the maximum profit would be $65, a payout of nearly 186%.



However, because of the possibility of a short squeeze, I believe the 18.50/20 bull spread also expiring on Halloween is in play. This trade would involve paying a net debit of $40. But if MARA stock hits the $20 target at the end of October, the payout stands at 275%.



The opinions and views expressed in this content are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Benzinga. Benzinga is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information provided herein. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be misconstrued as investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Readers are asked not to rely on the opinions or information herein, and encouraged to do their own due diligence before making investing decisions.



Read More:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options/25/09/47678533/strategy-mstr-stock-fading-short-interest-buying-opportunity">Options Corner: With The Bears Leaving, Strategy&#8217;s Current Underperformance Could Spell Opportunity</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Options Corner: Here's Why MARA Holdings Deserves To Be On Your Short-Squeeze Watchlist

Cryptocurrency markets are trading sideways one day ahead of the Federal Reserve&#8217;s interest rate decision.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Ticker</td><td>Price</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>$116,505.43</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td><td>$4,477.88</td></tr><tr><td>Solana</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td><td>$237.38</td></tr><tr><td>XRP</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td><td>$3.03</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td><td>$0.2676</td></tr><tr><td>Shiba Inu</td><td>(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>)</td><td>$0.00001319</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Notable Statistics:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Coinglass data shows 101,022 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $194.31 million.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</li>



<li>SoSoValue data shows net inflows of $260 million into spot Bitcoin ETFs on Monday. Spot Ethereum ET'Fs saw net inflows of $359.7 million.</li>



<li>In the past 24 hours, top gainers include Immutable (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">IMX</a>), Monero (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xmr/usd">XMR</a>) and Filecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/fil/usd">FIL</a>).</li>
</ul>



Notable Developments:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47684050/anthony-scaramucci-congratulates-helium-medical-pantera-capital-on-500-million-solana-treasury-move">Anthony Scaramucci Congratulates Helium Medical, Pantera Capital On $500 Million Solana Treasury Move</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47686290/block-ceo-jack-dorsey-invites-businesses-using-square-pos-system-to-test-bitcoin-payments-feature">Block CEO Jack Dorsey Invites Businesses Using Square PoS System To Test Bitcoin Payments Feature</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47688798/tom-lee-predicts-bitcoin-ethereum-monster-move-in-q4">Tom Lee Predicts Bitcoin, Ethereum &#8216;Monster Move&#8217; In Q4</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47685085/shytoshi-kusama-breaks-silence-on-2-3-million-shibarium-hack-working-with-devs-in-war-room-absence-rumors-preposterous">Shytoshi Kusama Breaks Silence On $2.3 Million Shibarium Hack —Working With Devs In &#8216;War Room,&#8217; Absence Rumors &#8216;Preposterous&#8217;</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47700645/eric-trump-announces-american-bitcoin-launch-lauds-btc-as-modern-day-gold">Eric Trump Announces American Bitcoin Launch, Lauds BTC As &#8216;Modern-Day Gold&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Trader Notes: Crypto trader MaxBecauseBTC <a href="https://x.com/MaxBecauseBTC/status/1968018601559900556">revisited</a> an old fractal, comparing the launch of the Gold ETF with the Bitcoin ETF, noting BTC has closely mirrored gold's path for over a year. If the pattern holds, Bitcoin could climb past $190,000.



Daan Crypto Trades said Bitcoin is holding strong within its range, even as stop hunts play out ahead of the Fed decision.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> Really likes these levels. Being respected well and we&#39;re seeing a lot of stop hunts before FOMC tomorrow. Good to keep an eye on this range. <a href="https://t.co/kt3xjm14ab">https://t.co/kt3xjm14ab</a> <a href="https://t.co/iIobyXG7hY">pic.twitter.com/iIobyXG7hY</a>&mdash; Daan Crypto Trades (@DaanCrypto) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaanCrypto/status/1968010932870844760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Nic Puckrin <a href="https://x.com/nicrypto/status/1968009476386308452">called </a>September a pivotal month: Bitcoin has repeatedly failed to close above a long-term trendline that capped the last two bull markets. Whether BTC finally breaks through or rejects again could set the tone for the cycle.



CrediBULL Crypto <a href="https://x.com/CredibleCrypto/status/1968017349665030371">highlighted</a> a clean triple tap pattern, offering two scenarios:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Demand holds, turning the third tap into a base for upside expansion above $117,000.</li>



<li>BTC stalls at range highs, leading to reversal toward $113,000.</li>
</ul>



Given current market context, Scenario 1 looks more likely — expecting demand to hold and liquidity grab above $117,000. If demand breaks, watch $113,000 next.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47697361/bitcoin-ethereum-hold-steady-ahead-of-expected-25-basis-points-interest-rate-cut">Bitcoin, Ethereum Hold Steady Ahead Of Expected 25 Basis Points Interest Rate Cut</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Bitcoin Steadies At $116,000 While XRP, Dogecoin Push Higher

Eric Trump, co-founder and chief strategy officer at American Bitcoin Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABTC#NASDAQ">ABTC</a>) has lauded blockchain adoption as the future <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47489856/trump-familys-stake-swells-to-1-46-billion-as-american-bitcoin-makes-stock-market-debut">of traditional finance</a>.



What Happened: Speaking on CNBC on Tuesday, Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTRdiiIci9w">described</a> Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) as "modern-day gold," highlighting its security, liquidity, and role as a global hedge that has delivered strong long-term returns. 



He pointed to growing institutional adoption, from Fortune 500 corporations to sovereign wealth funds, and framed Bitcoin as a generational asset.



The launch of American Bitcoin, a hybrid mining and treasury firm spun out of Hut Eight's restructuring, follows the Trump family's experiences with debanking by major U.S. banks, which Eric says revealed the vulnerabilities of traditional finance and accelerated their push into crypto.



Addressing questions about conflicts of interest during his father's presidency, Trump stressed that the family's ventures reflect business necessity rather than political profiteering. 



He argued that the Trump Organization has faced costs, not windfalls, from politics.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47687213/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-consolidate-as-xrp-tries-to-push-higher">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Consolidate As XRP Tries To Push Higher</a>



Why It Matters: Looking ahead, the president&#8217;s son forecasts a transformational shift in financial markets, with blockchain making systems faster, cheaper, and more efficient. 



He warned that traditional institutions slow to adapt will face a "slow and painful death."



Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. together hold nearly 20% of ABTC shares, according to Reuters. 



Recently, Eric called crypto the greatest hedge to real estate and one of the best assets of our time.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47693327/bitcoin-sees-64-bullish-sentiment-but-federal-reserve-meeting-looms-ominously">Bitcoin Sees 64% Bullish Sentiment—But Federal Reserve Meeting Looms Ominously</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Eric Trump Announces American Bitcoin Launch, Lauds BTC As 'Modern-Day Gold'

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is hovering around $115,000 one day ahead of the much-anticipated interest rate decision <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47682976/bitcoin-flat-as-fed-policy-meet-looms-ethereum-dogecoin-xrp-decline-analyst-flags-support-where-they-plan-to-load-heavily-on-eth">by the Federal Reserve</a>.



What Happened: Santiment <a href="https://x.com/santimentfeed/status/1967883713653719183?s=46">data</a> on Tuesday noted that a 25-basis points rate cut is widely expected. 



Bitcoin's social sentiment has turned sharply bullish, with 64% of comments leaning positive, the highest greed levels since July 10.



While this reflects strong optimism, history shows markets often move against retail expectations, suggesting traders should temper hopes of a major post-cut surge. 



However, this does not imply that Bitcoin and altcoins are due for a correction. 



If the Fed surprises by holding rates steady, a sharp correction could catch bullish investors off guard.



In an X post on Sep. 12, Santiment data also <a href="https://x.com/santimentfeed/status/1966297769255096491">pointed</a> out that in late August 2025, Bitcoin rallied on expectations of rate cuts, but history shows that when optimism peaks, buying power dries up and prices often fall. 



This pattern repeats as retail traders, prone to chasing headlines, drive sentiment, while whales usually take the opposite side. 



Once the hype fades, markets tend to move against the crowd, rewarding contrarian investors who anticipate these reactions.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47676978/bitcoin-to-reach-750000-in-the-next-5-years-pantera-capitals-dan-morehead-says">Bitcoin To Reach $750,000 In The Next 5 Years, Pantera Capital&#8217;s Dan Morehead Says</a>



What's Next: Crypto investor Ted Pillows <a href="https://x.com/tedpillows/status/1967866042564436399?s=46">said</a> Bitcoin is consolidating below $117,200, with a breakout potentially opening the door to new all-time highs. Conversely, a breakdown below $113,500 could set a fresh monthly low.



Trader Degen Hardy offered a more balanced outlook, noting two main scenarios into the FOMC: either Bitcoin holds its range/sideways, providing room for altcoins to run or it risks losing key support.



Hardy added that he is not adding to his BTC stack, preferring to focus on altcoin trades into year-end with plans to scale out profits in the next 2–3 months.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> UPDATE &#x1f4ca; I'm seeing plenty of bearish BTC charts, so here's the bullish side. &#x1f4c8; Two key scenarios to watch heading into the FOMC. Ideally, Bitcoin holds this range and at least goes sideways, fuel for more altcoin runs. I'm not looking to add a Bitcoin position right… <a href="https://t.co/PQH1HXCNPQ">pic.twitter.com/PQH1HXCNPQ</a>&mdash; Hardy (@Degen_Hardy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Degen_Hardy/status/1967877926604640277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/09/47687213/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-consolidate-as-xrp-tries-to-push-higher">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Consolidate As XRP Tries To Push Higher</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

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