In this week’s edition of the weekly recap, Bitcoin returned to $80,000 after its strongest rally in more than three years, although traders struggled to push the price through $82,000. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh later pressured risk assets with a warning that interest rates could rise, while Bitwise’s Solana staking ETF became the first SOL fund to exceed $1 billion.
Summary
- Bitcoin climbed about 24% in seven days before meeting resistance between $81,000 and $82,000.
- Warsh said higher rates remained possible unless inflation moved quickly toward the Fed’s 2% target.
- Bitwise’s Solana staking ETF became the first SOL fund to cross $1 billion in assets.
- Ethereum gained about 29% in one week as US spot ETF demand supported the rally.
- Charles Schwab plans to add SOL, AVAX, and LINK trading in the coming months.
Bitcoin returns to $80,000 after 24% weekly rally
- Bitcoin crossed $80,000 for the first time since May 15 after rising from below $64,000 on Aug. 19. The rebound extended to about 38% from its late-June low below $58,000, while US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $1.92 billion in weekly inflows.
- Analysts told crypto.news that the initial move received support from short liquidations and US Treasury buybacks. Bitcoin later struggled to clear the $81,000–$82,000 resistance area, leaving spot demand as an important test for the rally’s durability.
Warsh signals that another rate hike remains possible
- Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh put another interest-rate increase on the table during his Jackson Hole speech on Aug. 28. Warsh said the Fed would be “hard pressed” to describe financial conditions as restrictive and warned that rates could rise unless inflation returned quickly to the central bank’s 2% goal.
- The remarks followed data showing that headline personal consumption expenditures inflation reached 3.7% annually in July, while core PCE stood at 3.3%. Bitcoin briefly fell below $80,000 after the speech as traders reassessed the outlook for US monetary policy.
Bitwise Solana ETF crosses $1 billion
- The Bitwise Solana Staking ETF became the first Solana fund to exceed $1 billion in assets, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. The wider US Solana ETF category has attracted about $1.7 billion, with limited sustained redemptions despite SOL’s decline during the first half of 2026.
- Bitwise’s US crypto products also collected approximately $100 million in net inflows on Aug. 27. Solana led the company’s daily intake, followed by its Bitcoin and Hyperliquid products.
Ethereum gains 29% as ETF demand strengthens
- Ethereum rose about 29% over seven days, outperforming Bitcoin’s 21% gain over the same measured period. ETH reached approximately $2,546 before consolidating around the $2,450–$2,500 area.
- Fundstrat’s Tom Lee said an Ethereum market rotation had begun and projected a possible move toward $10,000 within two years. US spot Ethereum ETFs attracted about $365 million in July, compared with $205 million for Bitcoin funds, while BitMine reported holdings of 5.82 million ETH.
Charles Schwab plans SOL, AVAX and LINK trading
- Charles Schwab said it will add Solana, Avalanche, and Chainlink to its crypto trading service in the coming months. The brokerage did not provide an exact launch date or say whether the three assets would become available together.
- The planned expansion would give Schwab clients direct access to the altcoins through an established US brokerage platform. The company previously introduced Bitcoin and Ethereum trading as part of a phased rollout of digital-asset services.
Solana clears $100 as network activity reaches a record
- Solana moved above $100 for the first time since February after gaining about 40% in eight days. Monthly network activity reached a record 4.2 billion transactions as trading and institutional demand increased.
- Validators also backed a proposal to accelerate the network’s falling inflation rate. The measure secured the required two-thirds support and could reduce projected issuance by approximately 18.9 million SOL over six years, while a separate resource-fee proposal failed to reach the same threshold.
CLARITY Act debate shifts to national security
- Former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper described the CLARITY Act as a national security bill ahead of a planned Senate cloture vote on Sept. 15. Esper argued that the absence of federal market-structure rules could push crypto activity and technical development outside the United States.
- Esper serves on Coinbase’s advisory council, a connection relevant to his support for the legislation. The bill seeks to divide oversight responsibilities between the SEC and CFTC, although lawmakers have yet to complete the measure.
Coinbase and Better introduce Bitcoin-backed mortgages
- Coinbase and Better launched a Bitcoin-backed home-loan product that allows eligible borrowers to use BTC as collateral for a mortgage down payment. Customers must pledge Bitcoin worth 250% of the down payment rather than selling the asset.
- The companies said Coinbase One members could receive a 1% Bitcoin rebate, capped at $10,000. Terms also allow collateral liquidation after a 60-day delinquency, exposing borrowers to both mortgage obligations and changes in Bitcoin’s market value.
SEC proposal creates a path for public token sales
- The SEC proposed a framework for public crypto token offerings as the agency continued shifting toward formal digital-asset rules. The proposal would establish exemptions and disclosure requirements for issuers seeking to sell tokens in the United States.
- Bloomberg reported that demand for traditional initial coin offerings has weakened since the 2017 boom, as projects increasingly use private funding, airdrops, and other distribution models. The proposal nevertheless marks an attempt to place token fundraising within a defined US securities framework.
Grayscale launches first US spot Zcash ETF
- Grayscale launched the first spot Zcash ETF on NYSE Arca, expanding US-listed crypto funds into privacy-focused assets. The launch followed a strong ZEC rally that took the token to its highest level since 2018.
- Zcash traded as high as approximately $885 before retreating and later recovering above $800. The fund gives US investors regulated brokerage access to ZEC exposure without requiring direct custody of the token.
Strategy pauses Bitcoin sales after disposing of 6,948 BTC
- Strategy reported no Bitcoin sales between Aug. 17 and Aug. 23 after disposing of 6,948 BTC between May and August. Bitfinex analysts said the earlier sales were small compared with daily Bitcoin volume but risked weakening the company’s identity as a permanent corporate holder.
- Strategy raised about $2.01 billion through sales of its common stock during the latest reported period and held a $5.1 billion US dollar reserve. Its remaining 840,447 BTC moved into profit as Bitcoin returned to the $80,000 area.
Lazarus-linked wallet moves $19.4 million in Bitcoin
- A wallet linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group transferred 244.148 BTC worth approximately $19.4 million. Blockchain monitoring services identified the funds as connected to the state-backed hacking group, although the purpose of the transfer remained unclear.
- The transaction renewed attention on the group’s crypto holdings and laundering activity. Governments and blockchain investigators have previously attributed multiple exchange, bridge, and protocol attacks to Lazarus, making movements from associated wallets closely watched security events.
