$ETH-USD

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin noted that running an Ethereum node now requires just 461 GiB of storage, thanks to AI hardware advancements and optimizations in Geth's snap sync. This makes it feasible for home computers to verify Ethereum data independently, reducing reliance on third-party providers. Buterin's setup is an example, not a universal requirement, as storage needs can vary.

SEC clarified Ethereum staking rules, classifying liquid staking tokens as receipts. 1.68M ETH awaits staking, with 35.6% of ETH currently staked. Institutional demand drove $690M into Ethereum ETFs last week. SEC guidance is not official, and ETH price remains down 9.5% year-to-date.

Joseph Chalom, SharpLink CEO and ex-BlackRock executive, calls Bitcoin an 'exit asset' and Ethereum 'the new rails' for finance, citing its potential to integrate stablecoins and DeFi. Bitwise's research shows institutions hold Bitcoin as a primary asset but view Ethereum and Solana as speculative. Bitcoin ETFs saw $2.4B inflows last week, while Ethereum ETFs had $690M.

U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs saw $2.4 billion in net inflows last week, their largest since October 2025, turning their 2026 net flows positive. Ether ETFs also reversed prior outflows with $690 million in inflows. BlackRock's IBIT led with $1.2 billion in inflows, followed by Fidelity's FBTC with $701.7 million. Analysts attribute the surge to Treasury buybacks. Cumulative net inflows for bitcoin ETFs since launch now stand at $57.6 billion.

ARK Invest and Securitize have tokenized ARKVX, a $1.3B fund holding stakes in private companies like SpaceX and OpenAI, on Ethereum. Investors can now buy in with $500 via USDC, but liquidity remains limited to quarterly repurchase offers. Securitize, backed by major firms, aims to simplify investment in private markets, though secondary trading is not yet active.

A large wallet bought $119.67 million in ETH on September 24, while BlackRock's ETHA fund added $50.8 million the same day, per CoinCentral. ETH prices fluctuated, reaching $2,788 before dropping to $2,693. Pepeto, a presale token with live tools, has raised over $11.1 million and is gaining attention in ethereum news.

BlackRock published a report arguing AI agents will need stablecoins for transactions, citing potential for growth. Current AI agent transactions are minimal, but stablecoin market cap is $300B with $11T in adjusted volume in 2025. BlackRock highlights Ethereum and Circle's Arc as key settlement venues, and projects $1.1T in cloud computing revenue by 2030, suggesting tokenized compute as a future asset class.

NFT sales rose 57.17% to $55.51M in the week ending Sep. 26, per CryptoSlam. Ethereum led with $30.33M in sales, up 113.52%. CryptoPunks ranked first among collections with $8.24M in sales. Bitcoin and Ethereum prices also increased, trading near $83,914 and $2,686, respectively. The total crypto market cap was near $2.97T, according to CoinGecko.

The SEC clarified that staked Ethereum (ETH) tokens are not securities if they function solely as receipts. The agency's guidance, published by its Division of Corporation Finance, states that liquid staking tokens are 'digital tools' when the underlying coin is a digital commodity, like ETH. The SEC previously penalized Kraken for its staking service, but recent statements indicate a shift in stance. The guidance has no legal force and could be withdrawn in the future.

The global crypto market cap rose 0.3% to $2.98T. Bitcoin (BTC) fell 0.8% to $84,037.95, while Ethereum (ETH) dropped 0.2% to $2,691.66. DeFi gained 3%, and the Fear & Greed Index increased to 74. Bitget's hack losses rose to $387.5M. NEAR Protocol saw a 9.3% gain.