Good Morning, Asia. Here’s what’s making news in the markets:

Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk’s Crypto Daybook Americas.

BTC is pinned near $111,000 with volatility compressed to multi-month lows, the kind of calm that tends to precede decisive moves. Traders know what could break the lull: September’s U.S. inflation data and the Fed’s rate decision a week later.

Prediction markets are leaning heavily toward easing. Polymarket bettors are assigning an 82% chance of a 25-basis-point cut on Sept. 17, leaving only slim odds for a deeper move or no change. Beyond that, October expectations are fractured, with nearly even probabilities for another cut or a pause. That divergence explains why volatility, though absent now, is unlikely to stay that way.

“Markets often look calm just before they move. Bitcoin is trading in one of its tightest ranges in months, and volatility across crypto has compressed to multi-month lows,” said Gracie Lin, OKX Singapore CEO. “With U.S. inflation data like Core CPI out on Sept. 11 and the Fed’s much-anticipated rate decision just ahead, this quiet period is setting the stage for the next decisive move. Whether the catalyst is an upside inflation surprise or a dovish signal from the Fed, what’s clear is that the absence of volatility is rarely permanent in digital assets; history shows the market will find its next direction soon enough.”

If a cut pulls money-market returns lower, the opportunity cost of sitting in cash rises, which is the pivot market maker Enflux says could send flows toward crypto.

“The real debate now is not if cuts come, but whether liquidity deployment shifts into BTC, ETH, and even riskier assets,” the firm told CoinDesk.

In other words, the Fed’s cut may grab headlines, but the real trade is whether sidelined cash rotates into digital assets — a shift that could fuel the return of volatility.

Market Movement

BTC: Bitcoin has dipped slightly intraday, trading between approximately $110,812 and $113,237, reflecting short-term volatility amid shifting investor sentiment and broader crypto market dynamics.

ETH: ETH is modestly up intraday, with a range between roughly $4,279 and $4,379, signaling steady demand and some renewed investor interest. Range, however, is limited with modest ETF flows and traders awaiting the Fed’s next move.

Gold: Gold is rallying to record highs, fueled by mounting expectations of U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, a weakening U.S. dollar, and renewed safe-haven demand.

Nikkei 225: Asia-Pacific stocks opened mostly higher Wednesday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 0.2%, as investors awaited China’s August inflation data showing an expected 0.2% CPI drop and a smaller 2.9% PPI decline.

S&P 500: U.S. stocks closed at record highs Tuesday, with the S&P 500 up 0.27% to 6,512.61, as investors looked past a record payroll revision that cut 911,000 jobs from prior figures.

Elsewhere in Crypto

• OpenSea Teases SEA Token With Final Phase of Rewards Amid App Launch (CoinDesk)
• California Man Sentenced in $36.9M Crypto Scam Tied to Infamous Huione Group (CoinDesk)
• Collector Crypt drives $150 million in randomized Pokémon card trades as CARDS token soars (The Block)

Good Morning, Asia. Here’s what’s making news in the markets:

Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk’s Crypto Daybook Americas.

Crypto traders remain cautious ahead of Thursday’s U.S. CPI report, with BTC trading flat above $111,600, and ETH at $4,298. The CD20, a measure of the performance of the largest digital assets, is trading above 4,000, up 1.6%.

The August Nonfarm Payrolls miss, just 22,000 jobs added versus expectations of 75,000, pushed futures higher and dragged 2-year Treasury yields to year-lows as markets priced in 72 bps of cuts this year. Yet crypto remains rangebound, diverging from broader risk sentiment.

Options markets confirm the defensive stance. QCP Capital noted in its recent Asia Market Update that risk reversals are increasingly skewed toward puts, with short-dated implied vols elevated into CPI.

Polymarket data backs this positioning: ETH carries a 70% chance of staying above $4,600 this month but only 13% odds of breaking $5,600. Traders are bracing for turbulence, not chasing upside. SOL is the outlier, with odds of a new all-time high before 2026 rising sharply, signaling improving breadth beneath the surface.

In a note to CoinDesk, market maker Enflux argues that the SEC’s forward-looking rules for token sales and listings, combined with the steady march of institutions like Coinbase into major indices, show how deeply crypto is embedding into the system. This is the “split-screen reality” of 2025: speculation dominates headlines, while adoption rails are being laid in the background.

The legitimacy narrative also played out in real time on Friday. Michael Saylor’s Strategy was left out of the S&P 500 despite meeting all criteria, while Robinhood was unexpectedly included instead, sending its stock up 7% and underscoring that crypto-adjacent firms with diversified business lines may reach blue-chip status faster than pure treasury plays.

WLFI’s turmoil illustrates the speculative side of the split-screen. The protocol froze over 270 wallets, including Justin Sun’s, to “protect users” after phishing-related compromises.

“On one side, speculative narratives like WLFI risk cannibalizing themselves through governance drama,” Enflux wrote in its note. “On the other hand, institutional-grade infrastructure and regulation are solidifying at a pace that suggests the rails for mainstream adoption are being laid faster than most expect.”

Onchain data shows Sun’s transfers came hours after WLFI’s crash, which was instead driven by shorting and dumping across exchanges. Yet the freeze rattled whales and market makers – shocked that the free market of crypto could be broken by protocol governance fiat – with insiders asking: “If they can do it to Sun, who’s next?”.

The takeaway: near-term volatility and governance drama may cap upside, but the deeper story is that crypto’s institutional and regulatory foundations are hardening.

“Structural legitimacy, not speculation, remains the real story of 2025,” Enflux continued.

For traders, that means bracing for CPI noise; for investors, it means the legitimacy story continues to build.

Market Movement:

BTC: Bitcoin is holding steady above $111K, with support from consolidation near key resistance levels and solid on‑chain support zones. Analysts suggest this stability could pave the way for a breakout, though some caution about a possible pullback toward $100K exists

ETH: Ethereum’s price has eased slightly intraday, trading around $4.3K. This movement may reflect broader crypto market dynamics, including relatively subdued demand and positioning around current technical levels.

Gold: Gold has surged to fresh record highs, recently hitting ~$3,636/oz, as expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts rise amid weak labor data, a soft U.S. dollar, geopolitical concerns, and continued central bank demand.

Nikkei 225: Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.9% to a record high and the Topix gained 0.52% as investors bet a new LDP leader could deliver fresh fiscal stimulus following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation.

S&P 500: U.S. stocks edged higher Monday, with the S&P 500 up 0.2%, as investors awaited inflation data to gauge the likelihood of a jumbo Fed rate cut next week.

Elsewhere in Crypto

• Upbit Parent Files ‘GIWA’ Trademarks Amid Rumors of New Blockchain Launch (CoinDesk)
• How Trump Came Around to Crypto and What Crypto Wants in Return (Bloomberg)
• Kalshi’s $875 million in August trading volume, recent funding signal rising competition with Polymarket (The Block)

Good Morning, Asia. Here’s what’s making news in the markets:

Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk’s Crypto Daybook Americas.

Bitcoin’s price is holding near records, but the chain itself is quiet. Glassnode data shows transaction fees have collapsed back toward decade lows, even as BTC flirts with six figures.

In past cycles, fee spikes tracked bull markets as traders bid for blockspace. This year, the fee curve is flat while price rises, a clear sign that onchain demand is no longer driving the market.

A new report from Galaxy Research shows median daily fees have fallen more than 80% since April 2024, with as much as 15% of daily blocks now clearing at just 1 satoshi per vbyte. Nearly half of recent blocks are not full, signaling weak demand for blockspace and a dormant mempool.

This is a sharp contrast to prior bull cycles, where price rallies translated into congestion and fee spikes.

The data confirms a structural shift: spot ETFs and custodians now hold more than 1.3 million BTC, and coins parked in those wrappers rarely touch the chain again.

At the same time, retail activity that once clogged the Bitcoin blockchain has migrated to Solana, where memecoins and NFTs benefit from cheaper and faster execution. The result, Galaxy notes, is that the bitcoin price is being set by custodial inflows while the network’s onchain demand – once a proxy for price movement – has slowed down.

For miners, this dynamic is particularly punishing. With rewards halved to 3.125 BTC and fees contributing less than 1% of block revenue in July, profitability is under strain. That stress is pushing listed miners to diversify into AI and HPC hosting.

Read more: Bitcoin Mining Faces ‘Incredibly Difficult’ Market as Power Becomes the Real Currency

A report from earlier this year by Rittenhouse Research argues that Galaxy Digital’s move out of mining altogether could be the model for the sector.

This move has been applauded by the equity markets. While BTC is down more than 3% on-year, the CoinShares Bitcoin Mining ETF has gained nearly 22%. Investors are rewarding firms that have leaned into diversification rather than relying on block rewards alone.

Listed miners tell a similar story. Hive, Core Scientific, and TeraWulf all reported Q2 results padded by HPC and AI hosting revenues.

Those with no diversification, like Bitdeer and BitFuFu, remain deeply exposed to electricity costs, equipment depreciation, and a fee market that Galaxy warns in its report is “anything but robust.”

The juxtaposition is telling: Galaxy’s own research warns that the Bitcoin blockchain’s settlement role is stagnating, while Galaxy’s balance sheet is being repositioned for growth in AI data centers.

Onchain data makes the point: without organic demand for blockspace, fees can’t fund security. And if fees stay low, equity markets are painting a clear picture that mining sector’s best future returns may come from AI, not Bitcoin.

Market Movements

BTC: Bitcoin traded at $113,286.95, down 1.79%, after briefly plunging to a six-week low near $110,600, with the broader crypto market facing heavy liquidations and volatility.

ETH: Ether traded flat at $4,779 as Jerome Powell’s dovish Jackson Hole remarks boosted expectations of a September rate cut, with asset managers predicting new highs for bitcoin and an ETH breakout above $5,000 despite risks from treasury adoption and equity volatility.

Gold: Gold closed at $3,371 after Powell’s dovish Jackson Hole remarks boosted September rate-cut odds.

Nikkei 225: Asia-Pacific stocks climbed Monday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 1.08%, after Powell signaled potential Fed rate cuts in September during his Jackson Hole speech.

Elsewhere in Crypto

• The Funding: Why raising a crypto VC fund is harder now — even in a bull market (The Block)
• Why Luca Netz Will Be ‘Disappointed’ If Pudgy Penguins Doesn’t IPO Within 2 Years (Decrypt)
• KPMG Says Investor Interest in Digital Assets Will Drive Strong Second Half for Canadian Fintechs (CoinDesk)

It was a historic week of codes! The Altcoin season may finally come here as Bitcoin (BTC) violates $124,000 for the first time and Ethereum (ETH) is aiming for the best ever test! In the background, major changes are ongoing in Crypto Asia.

Here’s a summary of what’s been postponed

Metaplanet, a Japanese BTC finance company, has seen its stock increase by 190%, surpassing some of the largest and most liquid Japanese blue chip companies.

According to a revenue report released on August 13, 2025, (YTD) revenues have far surpassed the average profit posted by Topix Core 30, Japan’s leading index tracking industry giants such as Toyota, Sony and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Investors who witnessed Metaplanet’s strategy stacked up had their shareholders increased to over 180,000 as of June 2025, up 350% since launching the BTC accumulation strategy.

Metaplanet’s 190% YTD Surge crushes Japan’s Topix Core 30 as the Bitcoin strategy spends a lot of time. Crypto is restructuring the traditional market, but is it paying attention? #crypto https://t.co/5saokalezb

-CVJ.ai (@cvj_ai) August 14, 2025

As Metaplanet previously stated, it plans to purchase 1% of its total BTC supply by 2027. To achieve its goal, Metaplanet will need to purchase 210,000 BTC over the next two years.

To advance BTC’s accumulation strategy, Metaplanet announced its plan to raise $3.7 billion via equity offerings on August 1, 2025, indicating its continued commitment to equity-based financing.

Explore: 9+ Best High Risk, High Reward Cryptographs for Buying in August 2025

Crypto Asia will be boosted by Kazakhstan’s first spot BTC ETF

On August 13, 2025, Kazakhstan launched its first spot in Central Asia, BTC ETF, a major milestone in Asian crypto,

The Fonte Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (BETF) currently trades through Fonte Capital, an investment company based in Astana. Unlike other futures-based products, BETF is backed by BTC.

A US-regulated Crypto Company, BITGO offers storage solutions to ensure secure cold storage and in-house access.

The fund is listed on the Astana International Exchange (AIX) and is accessible to both retailers and institutional investors under the ticker BETF.

Kazakhstan has just launched Central Asia’s first Bitcoin ETF.
Another Domino falls into the global adoption arc of BTC.

All new market entry enhances the network effect, and subsequent capital flows are not small. https://t.co/gxejwbmdm9

– Blackqbarn (@blackqbarn) August 12, 2025

In the meantime, Fonte Capital emphasized that BETF will analyze BTC’s price performance before charging.

“BETF aims to accurately reflect the price dynamics of Bitcoin and strive to achieve this performance before fees and funding obligations,” Fonte Capital said.

Additionally, the ETF operates under the legal framework of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) and highlights Kazakhstan’s commitment to modernizing its investment infrastructure.

The country is also working to launch the National Cryptocurrency Reserve.

Explore: More than 10 crypto tokens that could reach 1000 times in 2025

Korean traders throw away big technology for crypto stocks

Korean investors are moving away from the major American high-tech stocks and investing in high-risk, highly-paid crypto stocks.

A local news agency reported on the issue on August 11, 2025, citing data from the Korea International Finance Centre (KCIF). The report revealed that crypto stocks, which account for 8.5% of South Korea’s top 50 net purchases in January, surged to 36.5% in June and returned to 31.5% in July.

On the other hand, large tech stocks fell sharply in July to $260 million, down 84% from the monthly average of $1.68 billion recorded between January and April.

corn Korean investors abandon big technology due to the crypto trend!

Korean retail investors are making bold moves! They trade large tech stocks with high-risk, highly reward-related stocks.

Did you know? The top 50 purchase crypto link stocks have jumped out of… pic.twitter.com/ksaxt64zpn

– Meow Meow News (@meowmeowmews) August 13, 2025

Ether Stacking Company’s Bitmine stood out as a clear winner in the country’s growing appetite for crypto-related stocks.

A Bloomberg report issued on August 11, 2025 highlighted that Korean retail investors poured $259 million into Bitmine stocks since early July, making it the most frequent foreign security stock purchased that month.

Meanwhile, over the past 30 days, Bitmine has increased Ether Holdings by 410.68%, and currently holds 833,100 ETH, ensuring its position as the world’s largest ether stacker.

Explore: Best New Cryptocurrencies to Invest in 2025

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Good Morning, Asia. Here’s what’s making news in the markets:

Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk’s Crypto Daybook Americas.

As Hong Kong begins its trading day, ETH is changing hands above $4600, down 3% on-day.

As ETH is up nearly 16% in the last week, and 45% in the last month, this probably isn’t a concern for most traders. After all, the ETH/BTC ratio has broken above its 365-day moving average, a signal that has historically marked extended periods of ETH outperformance, and spot ETF flows are reinforcing the move.

However, the same data shows early warning signs of near-term cooling, as CryptoQuant argued in a recent report.

Daily ETH inflows to exchanges have surpassed Bitcoin’s, suggesting some holders are positioning to take profits. ETH’s MVRV ratio against BTC has risen from 0.4 in May to 0.8, approaching historical overvaluation territory. CryptoQuant warns that in past cycles, such levels have preceded pauses or pullbacks in ETH’s relative strength.

Trading desks echo this view.

In a recent note, France-based FlowDesk reports that while there were $1 billion in single-day ETH ETF inflows on Monday, with broad client buying versus BTC and SOL, there were also increased call overwriting in ETH options at the $7K–$8K strikes for December — a sign some are capping upside expectations.

QCP framed ETH’s rally within a macro backdrop of softer headline CPI in its daily Asia Color telegram update, with strong expectations for a September Fed cut, and geopolitical easing, but flags upcoming Jackson Hole remarks and remaining CPI/NFP prints as potential sentiment pivots.

Market maker Enflux added in comments to CoinDesk that a hotter-than-expected PPI print reminded traders that inflation risks remain uneven, and that ETH’s outsized performance could invite consolidation.

While the structural drivers remain intact, ETF demand, institutional participation, and favorable on-chain signals, the market is entering a phase where stretched positioning and macro event risk could test ETH’s momentum. As CryptoQuant’s data shows, the rally is strong, but so are the early signs of profit-taking.

Market Movers

BTC: Bitcoin fell over 3% from record highs after hotter U.S. inflation dampened rate cut hopes and the Treasury signaled it will not expand Bitcoin purchases for its strategic reserve.

ETH: ETH is down 3.3% as sell pressure increases, as traders take profit after a record rally.

Gold: Gold fell 0.62% to $3,336.6 as hotter U.S. inflation and strong jobs data boosted the dollar and yields, trimming expectations for a large September Fed rate cut.

Nikkei 225: The Nikkei 225 opened higher as Japan’s economy grew an annualized 1.0% in Q2, beating forecasts on strong exports and capital spending, though analysts warn U.S. tariffs could slow growth in the coming months.

S&P 500: U.S. stocks stalled Thursday as a hotter-than-expected PPI dampened hopes for a large September rate cut. Goldman Sachs warns its models show elevated odds of an S&P 500 drop, citing low volatility and growing tariff risks.

Elsewhere in Crypto:

• U.S. Blacklists Crypto Network Behind Ruble-Backed Stablecoin and Shuttered Exchange Garantex (CoinDesk)
• Strategy Pushed ‘Deceptive’ Comparison to Apple and NVIDIA, Wall Street Veteran Says (Decrypt)
• Crypto Casino CEO Charged After Allegedly Gambling Away Investors’ Millions (Decrypt)