Crypto News Today: Bitcoin Soars Past $70K, Ethereum Upgrade Looms — What Investors Need to Know

Crypto News Today: Bitcoin Slips Under $116 K as DeFi Lending Smashes Record High Key Takeaways • Bitcoin (BTC) sinks 1.27 % to 115,965 USDT, breaking below the psychologically important 116 K level • Total crypto-lending balances hit an all-time high of $531 B in Q2 2025 on a 42 % DeFi surge • BlackRock prepares to file for the first Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) ETF by Aug 18, sending HBAR up 5.2 % intraday • Ethereum (ETH) eyes a breakout toward $6,000, with layer-2 project Remittix crowned “crowd favorite” in the ecosystem • Ripple’s XRP faces dual pressures: a fresh SEC status report in the long-running lawsuit and analysts warning of a 20 % price retracement as 94 % of holders sit on profits Market Overview A wave of risk-off sentiment is rippling through crypto markets this morning. Bitcoin’s slide below $116 K drags total market capitalization down 1.9 % to $2.27 T. The move follows a stronger-than-expected U.S. retail-sales print that pushed Treasury yields higher, denting appetite for speculative assets. Why Bitcoin’s $116 K Matters The 116 K zone coincides with BTC’s 50-day exponential moving average and the lower boundary of a three-month ascending channel. A daily close beneath that line exposes the $112 K–$113 K liquidity pocket that fueled June’s parabolic rally. On-chain data show exchange inflows climbing 8 % week-over-week, suggesting traders are preparing dry powder for potential downside volatility. DeFi Lending’s Record $531 B Milestone Despite price weakness, decentralized finance continues to balloon. Research firm AInvest reports that aggregate crypto-lending balances touched $531 B last quarter, eclipsing the previous high by $60 B. Roughly two-thirds of the growth came from Ethereum-based money-market protocols as users leveraged ETH holdings to farm layer-2 airdrops. Analysts warn, however, that soaring leverage leaves the system vulnerable to liquidations if BTC’s decline accelerates. Spotlight on BlackRock’s HBAR ETF Gambit Traditional finance giant BlackRock is turning heads again. After pioneering spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, the asset manager is expected to file for an HBAR ETF before today’s SEC closing bell. Hedera’s governing council—already stacked with Google, IBM and Boeing—would gain an instant credibility boost if the product is approved. HBAR jumped from $0.112 to $0.118 on the rumor, its best single-day gain since May. Ethereum’s Path to $6,000 ETH is outperforming majors, down only 0.4 % on the day. Technical traders eye a cup-and-handle formation that points to $6,000 in Q4 provided gas fees remain below 25 gwei. Fresh enthusiasm centers on Remittix, a cross-border payments protocol that locked $420 M TVL within three weeks of launch. Whales added 158,000 ETH to staking pools over the weekend, lifting the network’s staking ratio to a record 29.6 %. Ripple vs. SEC: Lawsuit Nears Climax The SEC’s newly filed status report reiterates its stance that certain XRP sales constituted unregistered securities offerings, but observers note the regulator refrained from requesting a preliminary injunction—a sign settlement talks could be advancing. Even so, blockchain forensics firm CoinMetrics notes 94 % of XRP addresses are in the money after July’s 132 % rally, setting the stage for profit-taking that could shave 20 % off prices if momentum stalls. Tokens to Watch • HBAR – ETF headline risk keeps volatility elevated; breakout above $0.12 targets $0.145. • LDO – Liquid-staking leader gains from ETH staking uptick; watch the $3.20 pivot. • CRV – Curve DAO token tests multi-year support at $0.62 amid DAO liquidity concerns. Looking Ahead Macro catalysts dominate the calendar: FOMC minutes release on Wednesday, Nvidia earnings on Thursday and Friday’s Jackson Hole preview from Fed Chair Powell. Any hawkish shift could amplify downside pressure across crypto. Conversely, confirmation of BlackRock’s HBAR filing or a surprise Ripple settlement may ignite the next leg higher. SEO Keywords: crypto news today, Bitcoin price, Ethereum price prediction, XRP lawsuit update, DeFi lending record, HBAR ETF, cryptocurrency market analysis, crypto trends August 2025