Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor has fueled expectations that the company could resume buying Bitcoin after posting “We’re Back” on X, following a roughly two-month pause in its accumulation program.
The message did not disclose a purchase or specify the size or timing of any potential transaction. Saylor has previously posted brief weekend messages ahead of Strategy’s Monday treasury disclosures, prompting market participants to interpret the latest post as a possible signal of renewed buying.
Strategy Built Dollar Liquidity During Buying Pause
Strategy shifted its focus to liquidity and balance-sheet management during its recent pause in Bitcoin purchases.
Specifically, the company increased its U.S. dollar reserve to $5.1 billion and established a separate $1.59 billion cash pool using proceeds from common-stock sales. The additional liquidity can be used for purposes including Bitcoin purchases, while the existing reserve is primarily intended to cover preferred-stock dividends and interest obligations.
Strategy currently holds 840,447 Bitcoin acquired at an average cost of about $75,385 per coin, giving it the largest Bitcoin position among publicly traded corporate holders.
Saylor’s post came after Bitcoin recovered above Strategy’s average acquisition price, reversing paper losses on the company’s holdings.
Bitcoin recently moved above $80,000 after trading below Strategy’s cost basis during the summer. The rebound put the company’s Bitcoin position back into unrealized profit.
Any resumption of purchases remains unconfirmed until Strategy reports a transaction. Saylor’s post did not provide a purchase price, Bitcoin amount, or other transaction details.
Cronos halted its blockchain on Sunday after detecting an exploit involving the decentralized lending protocol Tectonic, while on-chain researcher Weilin Li estimated that about $75 million in assets were affected.
Tectonic advised users not to interact with the protocol while it investigates the exploit. Neither Tectonic nor Cronos had confirmed the cause or total losses, and no timetable for restarting the network had been announced.
Researcher Traces Exploit to TONIC Price Manipulation
Li attributed the exploit to manipulation of TONIC, Tectonic’s governance token, which had a 20% collateral factor despite limited market liquidity.
According to Li, the attacker drove TONIC’s price roughly 100-fold higher in about 20 minutes, then used the inflated collateral value to borrow other assets from Tectonic. He characterized the method as similar to the pump-and-borrow strategy used in the Mango Markets exploit.
Li initially estimated that about $66 million was affected. He said roughly $6 million was bridged to Ethereum before Cronos stopped the network, leaving about $60 million on Cronos. His estimate later rose to approximately $75 million after he found an additional address linked to the attacker that held about $8 million.
Crypto.com Says App and Exchange Unaffected
Crypto.com Chief Executive Kris Marszalek said the company’s app and exchange continued operating normally and that funds held through those services were safe.
Cronos and Tectonic had not disclosed whether they planned to restrict the identified attacker addresses, seek the return of the funds, or reimburse users affected by the exploit.
XRP price has regained bullish momentum after holding a key support zone, and analyst Ali Martinez now sees $1.70 as XRP’s next short-term target.
Martinez had earlier warned that XRP was at a critical point after rising 71.8%, from $0.988 to $1.698. The token then dropped about 20%, falling into the $1.35–$1.38 range. Now, Martinez identified this area as a key support zone.
3.2 Billion XRP Traded at Key Support
Martinez based his support assessment on URPD data, which tracks where large amounts of XRP were previously traded. According to his analysis, 3.2 billion XRP changed hands between $1.35 and $1.38.
The concentration of trading activity makes the zone an important demand area. If buyers continue to defend it, XRP price could regain the upward momentum seen during its recent 71.8% rally.
However, a break below the zone may weaken the recovery and expose XRP to additional selling pressure.
The importance of the support became clearer after XRP’s retreat from its $1.70 peak. The token’s correction had erased roughly one-fifth of its advance, putting the market at a key decision point.
XRP Price Faces Resistance at $1.60 and $1.86
Meanwhile, if XRP maintains its recovery, Martinez identified several resistance levels that bulls must overcome. The first is $1.60, where about 1.99 billion XRP were previously traded. The next is $1.68, with around 1.98 billion XRP traded there.
However, the biggest challenge may be the $1.86 region, where about 3.47 billion XRP were traded. Many holders may sell around this level to exit at the price they originally bought, which may create more selling pressure.
So, if XRP price breaks and stays above $1.86, it will be a strong bullish signal. Martinez believes this could push XRP toward $2.19, where another 3.12 billion XRP were previously traded.
Martinez Confirms XRP Breakout, Sets $1.70 Target
Interestingly, the outlook shifted in Martinez’s follow-up update. After XRP cleared the short-term resistance level, Martinez declared that the “breakout” was confirmed and identified $1.70 as the next target. His latest projection puts XRP back within reach of the level that marked the top of its recent rally.
Ultimately, the $1.35–$1.38 zone remains the key support area, while $1.60 and $1.68 represent the immediate resistance barriers. A stronger move through $1.86 could then shift market attention toward $2.19.
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has sent a strong message to the Cardano community, urging ADA holders to remain resilient and continue pushing the project toward success.
He made the comment while responding to a video meme depicting an exhausted Cardano runner, represented by Hoskinson himself, being helped across the finish line by popular crypto trader Ivan on Tech.
In the short clip, Ivan encourages the exhausted Hoskinson, saying, “Everyone else gave up on Cardano, but we didn’t. Come on, Charles, we finish together!”
In response, Hoskinson tweeted “LFG,” short for “Let’s f**king go,” signaling his determination to keep pushing Cardano forward despite its recent market struggles and broader ecosystem challenges.
His message quickly resonated with the Cardano community, as several ADA proponents echoed the “LFG” sentiment on X. Their responses further highlighted the community’s determination to remain committed to Cardano despite its recent setbacks.
A Turbulent Year for Cardano
Cardano has endured a difficult year, with ADA declining alongside the broader crypto market. At the same time, the ecosystem has faced governance tensions, project shutdowns and the departure of some contributors.
Hoskinson also briefly announced a break from the project before returning and continuing to advocate for Cardano’s long-term prospects. Despite these challenges, Hoskinson has repeatedly expressed confidence that Cardano can recover and return to the crypto market’s top 10. However, ADA remains outside that ranking.
The token recently lost its rebound above $0.25 and was trading around $0.1956 at press time. At that price, Cardano had a market cap of $7.18 billion, ranking it as the 15th-largest cryptocurrency by market value.
Major Cardano Developments Underway
Nevertheless, Hoskinson’s latest response highlights the resilience he and the broader Cardano community continue to demonstrate.
Meanwhile, the ecosystem is advancing several major initiatives that could strengthen Cardano’s long-term prospects. These include Leios, which aims to significantly improve network transaction throughput, and Midnight, which focuses on privacy and institutional adoption. Additionally, Pogun is part of Cardano’s broader push to attract capital into the ecosystem through Bitcoin DeFi.
These developments reinforce Hoskinson’s message that Cardano’s current struggles do not mark the end of its journey. Instead, they represent another stage in the network’s ongoing effort to build, recover and achieve long-term growth.
XRP ETFs have set a new monthly trading volume record of more than $700 million in August 2026 as investor interest picked up during XRP’s recent price rally.
For context, XRP climbed from a low of $0.9882 on Aug. 18 to a three-month high of $1.69 on Aug. 22, marking a 71% increase in less than a week. The rally has since slowed, but XRP still trades at $1.42, up 43% from the Aug. 18 low and 34% so far in August.
XRP ETFs’ Volume Jumps as Price Rallies
The XRP ETF market benefited from the price rally, with the products recording stronger inflows and higher trading volumes as investors returned to the market. This led to particularly strong activity between Aug. 19 and Aug. 27.
As a result, XRP ETFs have now witnessed a combined monthly trading volume of $723 million in August 2026. This marks a new all-time monthly record since the products began trading in November 2025.
XRP ETFs Monthly Trade Volume
The figure is already 10% higher than the previous record of $652.97 million, which the products recorded in January 2026. August also has one more trading day left before the month ends.
August Trading Activity Drives Record
The activity between Aug. 19 and Aug. 27 played a major role in setting the new record. Daily volume started rising on Aug. 19, reaching $31.66 million, about three times the $10 million average. The following day, volume jumped to $125.18 million, giving XRP ETFs theirhighest single-day trading volume since their launch.
Trading volume fell to $94 million on Aug. 21 but remained well above the earlier levels. It then climbed again to $107 million on Aug. 24. Then, from Aug. 25 to Aug. 27, daily volumes came in at $67.73 million, $61.48 million, and $85.90 million, respectively.
In total, XRP ETFs recorded $573.9 million in trading volume between Aug. 19 and Aug. 27. This amount accounts for nearly 80% of the $723 million recorded throughout August.
The figures also show that most of the month’s ETF activity came during XRP’s recovery. After lower trading activity earlier in August, investors increased their participation as XRP surged, helping push monthly volume to a new record.
Monthly XRP ETF Inflows Near 2026 High
The increase in trading volume has also come with stronger capital inflows. XRP ETFs have attracted $127.34 million in inflows so far in August. With one trading day left on Monday, Aug. 31, the products need more than $4.7 million in additional inflows to beat the May record of $131.94 million.
If this happens, August would become the best-performing month of 2026 for XRP ETF inflows. At the same time, cumulative net inflows across the products have reached a new all-time high of $1.64 billion.
The Bitwise XRP ETF (XRP) leads with $587.32 million in cumulative inflows, giving it a 35% share of the total. The Canary Capital XRP ETF (XRPC) ranks second with $477.89 million, followed by the Franklin Templeton XRP ETF (XRPZ) with $459.86 million. The Grayscale XRP ETF (GXRP) ranks fourth with $137.67 million.
Meanwhile, total net assets across the XRP ETF products have climbed to $1.49 billion.
Evernorth Holdings is one step closer to becoming a publicly traded company focused on holding XRP after the SEC approved its registration for a planned merger with Armada Acquisition Corp. II.
The deal will lead to Evernorth’s listing on Nasdaq under the ticker XRPN. Meanwhile, shareholders still need to approve it, with other closing requirements.
Armada shareholders will vote on the deal on September 30, 2026. Upon approval, the merger will close in late Q3 or early Q4, with the new company starting to trade soon after.
Evernorth Secures More Than $1 Billion in Capital
Notably, Evernorth has secured more than $1 billion from major investors, including Ripple, SBI Group, Pantera Capital, Kraken, Arrington Capital, and GSR. The company plans to actively manage its XRP holdings instead of simply keeping XRP on its balance sheet.
Its plans include earning income from XRP, supporting the XRP ecosystem and using financial markets to grow its holdings. The main goal is to increase the amount of XRP held per share over time.
Evernorth CEO Asheesh Birla said the SEC’s approval of the registration is an important step toward completing the deal and building a transparent, publicly traded XRP treasury.
Evernorth’s Plans for XRP Ecosystem
Evernorth plans to invest in XRP-related infrastructure as more institutions adopt blockchain technology. The company sees opportunities in areas such as tokenized assets, on-chain lending and blockchain payments, which need more funding to grow.
Instead of simply buying and holding XRP, Evernorth plans to actively invest in and support the XRP ecosystem. The company says this would give public investors a regulated and transparent way to gain exposure to the XRP ecosystem.
Boosting XRP Ledger DeFi
Meanwhile, XRP Ledger validator Vet said Evernorth will become an important source of liquidity for DeFi on the XRP Ledger (XRPL).
Evernorth plans to actively use and support the XRP Ledger and holds around 473 million XRP.
Vet believes this large XRP holding will help grow XRPL’s DeFi ecosystem, including new features such as Lending. He also pointed to the XRP Ledger’s 24/7 and low-cost transactions as a potential benefit for businesses and institutions.
Looking forward to what looks like Evernorth to go live on the XRP Ledger soon!
Keep in mind, they want to be ACTIVE participants of the XRP Ledger.
To me, here is where bootstrapping of XRP Ledger DeFi will begin to leverage their liquidity (473M XRP) and protocol features… https://t.co/bnGXL3Z0CF
Ultimately, Evernorth’s Nasdaq listing could do more than give investors exposure to XRP by bringing more capital and liquidity to projects and financial services being built on the ecosystem
XRP is up 37% in August, on track to record its best-performing month of 2026, but history shows September could bring higher gains.
XRP recorded its strongest rally of 2026 last week after a weak start to the month. Although the rally has slowed this week and the price has pulled back, XRP is still up nearly 37% in August. This puts the token on course to record its best-performing month of 2026 so far.
With August coming to an end, attention has now moved to September. The question now is whether XRP can keep the rally going after the recovery that began late in August. Market analyst EGRAG recently looked at XRP’s historical performance to assess what could come next.
XRP Posts One of Its Best August Performances
According to EGRAG, XRP has gained 36.9% in August 2026, far above its historical August average of 2.6%. The month did not start well, however. Notably, XRP fell more than 6.8%, reaching a new yearly low of $0.9874 on Aug. 14.
The trend changed on Aug. 19, when XRP began a strong recovery. At press time, the token currently trades for $1.43, giving it a gain of nearly 37% for August.
This performance already puts August 2026 among XRP’s strongest Augusts on record. For context, August 2021 remains the best, with a 58.9% gain, while August 2017 ranks second at 45.2%.
XRP August Returns | Source: EGRAG Crypto
XRP’s current 36.9% gain in August 2026 places the month third. Meanwhile, August 2023 holds the record for XRP’s worst August performance, with a 26.8% decline.
What Could September Bring?
EGRAG also assessed XRP’s September history to see whether the strength in August could carry into the following month.
For context, the three strongest September performances came in 2018, 2013, and 2016. Notably, XRP gained 73.4% in 2018 and 93% in 2013, while 2016 delivered a 56.2% gain.
Interestingly, when August ends with a gain, September has also ended higher 66.7% of the time. On the other hand, when August closes lower, September has followed with a decline 85.7% of the time.
As a result, a green August could give XRP a bullish statistical advantage heading into September. However, EGRAG also noted a difference between even and odd years.
Notably, even years have generally produced more mixed results, although September has performed well in some of them. Specifically, XRP gained 73.4% in September 2018, 56.2% in September 2016, and 46.3% in September 2022.
Odd years have historically performed better overall, with the biggest gains often coming around May, November, and December.
Why 2026 Could Be Different
EGRAG then mentioned an interesting pattern in 2026. Although 2026 is an even year, XRP has already gained 36.9% in August. This makes August 2026 the third-best August in XRP’s history, despite the generally mixed performance seen during even years.
This makes the final days of August important. If XRP manages to keep its monthly gain intact, historical data suggests that September could also have a better chance of ending higher.
XRP Still Faces Important Price Levels
XRP traded at $1.43 on August 28, with a 24-hour range of $1.40 to $1.47. The token has cooled after its recent surge. XRP gained 46% over the previous week, helped by Bitcoin’s rally, before falling about 6.6% on Aug. 26 to around $1.37. It has now recovered back above $1.40.
Trading volume has also dropped from the $16.87 billion peak recorded during the rally. This suggests that XRP has entered a period of consolidation after its 107% increase in volume in August.
Despite the pullback, the technical picture remains intact, although the recent move has pushed XRP into a stretched position. The 200-day EMA is at $1.34, below the current price. Holding above this level would help keep the longer-term uptrend in place, while $1.36 remains the first major support level.
On the upside, XRP faces a key resistance zone between $1.48 and $1.50. A move back above this area could restore stronger bullish momentum.
XRP recent move below $1 and subsequent rebound toward $1.70 is forming the accumulation base needed for its next major price expansion, according to analyst ChartNerd.
In a recent post, ChartNerd revisited a macro analysis first published on December 12, 2025. At the time, he projected that XRP would crash by 70% before returning toward the $1 level in 2026 and establishing a high-probability accumulation zone.
Indeed, much of that structure has now played out. XRP dipped 73% from $3.66 in July 2025 to $0.978 in August 2026. Meanwhile, it has rebounded more than 72% from that low.
XRP Macro Correction Enters a Key Phase
Now, ChartNerd argued that the combination of a deep correction, recovery, and subsequent range-building is the type of structure that can characterize a macro bottom.
The analyst acknowledged that the timing differed from his original forecast. He had expected the bulk of the decline to occur during the first quarter of 2026, but the correction instead extended into the third quarter.
However, ChartNerd views the delay as constructive rather than a failure of the thesis. He described the prolonged correction as a time-based correction rather than a sharp capitulation event that inflicts greater structural damage on the market.
The resulting price range around $1 to $1.70, he argued, gives XRP additional time to establish a foundation heading into the end of 2026.
XRP chart
Another Dip Below $1 Could Be Possible
ChartNerd also warned XRP holders not to assume the recent sweep below $1 was necessarily the final opportunity to accumulate at those levels. He said another move toward similar territory could occur before the “real repricing.”
That means another decline toward the $1 area would not necessarily invalidate the longer-term bullish structure, in his view. At press time, XRP is at $1.40, down 19% from $1.70.
ChartNerd Maintains $8, $13 and $27 Targets
ChartNerd has continued to focus on XRP’s long-term structure rather than short-term price volatility.
In July, he argued that whether XRP swept below $1 or not, historical price behavior following corrections of more than 70% pointed toward either substantial accumulation or a powerful “vertical spring.”
His longer-term outlook remains substantially more bullish, with targets of $8, $13 and $27 by 2030. For XRP holders, these outlooks imply around 6X to 21X upside from the current level. And from the recent low of $0.978, the gains are even more astounding.
More than 260 billion Shiba Inu tokens have flowed into crypto exchanges over the past 24 hours, potentially increasing selling pressure on SHIB.
According to CryptoQuant data, Shiba Inu’s total exchange inflow currently stands at 599.18 billion SHIB, marking a 2.62% increase over the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, exchange outflows reached 334.94 billion tokens, up 1.07% during the same period.
This imbalance could raise concerns about potential profit-taking. Investors often transfer tokens to exchanges when they intend to trade or sell them.
Shiba Inu Exchange Reserve Tops 87 Trillion SHIB
Moreover, the increase in exchange flows has pushed the amount of SHIB held on trading platforms higher. CryptoQuant data shows that Shiba Inu’s exchange reserve has climbed to 87.12 trillion tokens, representing a 0.3% increase. At press time, these holdings were worth $461.73 million.
Although the increase remains relatively modest, its direction is noteworthy. A rising exchange reserve means more SHIB is readily available on trading platforms. Consequently, these tokens could become easier to sell, increasing the amount of supply potentially available to the market.
Exchange flows for Shiba Inu
Large SHIB Transfers Strengthen Exchange Inflows
The exchange-flow data also points to increased activity among larger transactions.
Currently, the average exchange inflow stands at 1.20 billion SHIB, compared with an average outflow of 459.38 million tokens. Similarly, the top 10 exchange inflows average around 10.63 billion SHIB, while the top 10 outflows average 3.56 billion tokens.
These figures show that larger SHIB transfers are currently moving toward exchanges at a faster pace than they are leaving them. Furthermore, SHIB’s seven-day moving average for exchange inflows has climbed sharply. CryptoQuant records the MA7 inflow at 858.76 million SHIB, representing a 183.45% increase.
By comparison, the seven-day moving average for exchange outflows has risen 26.54% to 443.80 million SHIB.
SHIB Pulls Back From Recent Highs
The development comes as Shiba Inu retreats significantly from its recent highs. After briefly crossing $0.0000061 over the weekend, SHIB has now fallen below $0.0000053.
At press time, Shiba Inu trades at $0.000005279, down 2.85% over the past 24 hours. However, the token remains slightly higher on the weekly timeframe, gaining 1.24%. It is up 13.89% over the past month, but down 57.96% over the past year.
August 2026 has been a strong month for Shiba Inu, with SHIB investors now turning their attention to September.
At press time, Shiba Inu traded at $0.000005345, up 13.4% month-to-date (MTD). This gain puts Shiba Inu on track to record its best August performance since its launch, potentially surpassing the previous monthly record of 10.1% set in 2021.
Exchange Listings and Market Recovery Fuel SHIB
Several developments have contributed to SHIB’s strong performance this month. Notably, the token secured listings on Australian-based exchange FameEx and U.S.-based exchange UEX.US, giving traders in key markets greater access to the asset.
At the same time, the broader cryptocurrency market has provided additional support. Bitcoin has led the market recovery, improving sentiment across the altcoin sector and helping SHIB extend its gains.
Furthermore, Shiba Inu secured a significant milestone in Japan. Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) approved SHIB alongside five other tokens for listing on Laser Digital Japan, a licensed platform associated with Nomura Group.
The approval strengthens SHIB’s presence in one of the world’s major financial markets while providing another positive catalyst for the token. Consequently, these developments have helped SHIB recover and move closer to breaking its prolonged bearish trend.
September Could Test SHIB’s Momentum
With SHIB delivering strong gains in August, investors are now turning their attention to September. However, the token’s historical performance suggests that next month could present a tougher challenge.
Historically, Shiba Inu has struggled in September, closing the month in positive territory only twice, according to CryptoRank data. SHIB gained 4.65% in September 2021 and surged 26.6% in September 2024.
By contrast, the token declined 6.43% in 2022, 8.25% in 2023, and 2.99% in 2025. As a result, SHIB’s average September return stands at 2.72%, while its median return is -2.99%.
Therefore, although the average return is slightly positive, the median performance shows that September has historically been a challenging month for SHIB.
Shiba Inu Monthly Returns
SHIB Needs Fresh Catalysts to Extend Rally
Beyond historical trends, SHIB’s ability to sustain its August rally could depend largely on whether the token receives fresh catalysts in September.
Much of the recent momentum has stemmed from external developments, particularly the broader cryptocurrency market recovery. However, it remains uncertain whether similar catalysts will emerge next month.
Meanwhile, the Shiba Inu community continues to await a major announcement teased by a member of the ecosystem team involving Shytoshi Kusama and developer Kaal Dhairya. If the announcement introduces significant ecosystem development, it could provide fresh momentum for SHIB.
However, some underlying ecosystem metrics paint a less encouraging picture. Shibarium’s DeFi activity has weakened considerably, with DEX trading volume remaining at zero for several days. In addition, the network’s total value locked (TVL) plunged 74% within 48 hours.
Similarly, Shiba Inu’s burn activity has yet to produce a meaningful impact on SHIB’s price. Only around 126 million SHIB were burned over the past week, a relatively small amount compared with the token’s massive circulating supply.
SHIB Faces a Crucial September Test
Overall, SHIB enters September with strong momentum but also faces several challenges. If the token secures fresh catalysts and maintains support from the broader crypto market, it could finally break its 11-month bearish trend. However, weakening ecosystem activity and September’s historical performance could make it harder for SHIB to sustain its August rally.
