Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrencymarket news
Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (August 26) as of 10:00 a.m. UTC.
Bitcoin price update
Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$78,423.32, down by 0.9 percent over the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin price chart
Chart via the Investing News Network
Bitcoin price performance, August 26, 2026.
Ether and altcoin price update
Bitcoin price performance, August 19, 2026.
- Ethereum (ETH) was priced at US$2,447.27, trading 0.8 percent lower over the last 24 hours.
- XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.41, down 4.8 percent over the past 24 hours.
- Solana (SOL) was trading at US$96.14, 1.9 percent lower over the past 24 hours.
Today’s crypto news to know
Crypto market flips to extreme greed as treasury buybacks fuel rally
The cryptocurrency market entered “extreme greed” territory for the first time since late 2024 as the Crypto Fear and Greed Index on Coinmarketcap hit 81 late Sunday evening.
The index broke cleanly above the 80 threshold, signaling panicked buying and intense market conviction after spending nearly a year trapped in fear. This 45-point surge over the last 30 days marks the fastest sentiment shift between extremes since Coinmarketcap began tracking the metric.
The sentiment flip bottomed at an extreme fear score of 5 on February 5 before completing a full round trip to 81 in less than six months.
A massive Bitcoin rally drove the sentiment surge, with the asset gaining roughly 24 percent in a single week and expanding its market dominance over altcoins. The price breakout began when the US Treasury announced plans to double its long-bond buybacks to US$4 billion per operation starting September 9.
A forced short squeeze accelerated the price explosion, liquidating more than US$4 billion in bearish crypto positions as Bitcoin cleared US$70,000.
Grayscale launches first spot Zcash ETF on NYSE Arca
Grayscale launched the Zcash ETF under ticker ZCSH on NYSE Arca as an exchange-traded product.
The product marks the first ETP globally offering spot exposure to the Zcash token, a digital asset designed for private decentralized transactions.
Zcash combines Bitcoin’s 21-million coin supply cap and proof-of-work model with optional shielding technology that hides sender, recipient, and transaction amounts. Users can maintain complete privacy or utilize viewing keys to selectively disclose transaction details to regulators and auditors.
The Zcash network completed its Ironwood upgrade in July 2026. The new ETP structure allows retail and institutional investors to trade ZEC through traditional brokerage accounts without managing private cryptographic keys.
Japan prepares blockchain network for instant stock, bond settlement
Japan plans to build a blockchain payment infrastructure to enable real-time settlement for domestic stocks and government bonds, according to Nikkei as reported by Reuters.
The Financial Services Agency, Ministry of Finance, Bank of Japan, and private financial institutions will launch a joint study group this summer. The working group expects to formulate a comprehensive development blueprint around early 2027.
The development plan will establish the underlying blockchain architecture, assign agency responsibilities, and map out operational timelines. Regulators expect operational deployment within a few years, targeting full platform activation by the early 2030s.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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