SharpLink buys ETH, South Korea’s FSC suspending crypto lending, Valantis acquires StakedHYPE, KindlyMD buys BTC...

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Crypto’s been busy, headlines are hitting hard. Don't worry we got you. The market has been brewing, here's what's currently happening:

🪙Bearish or Bullish

BTC/USD

Bitcoin began last week on a high note, setting a fresh all-time high of $124,500 before giving back some of those gains in a moderate but notable pullback. We’re now watching closely as BTC tests the same downtrend line it broke out from on August 10th, a classic “throwback” move that deserves attention.

The key level now is the $114,700 low established during that breakout retest. If bulls want to maintain control of the broader uptrend, this level needs to hold. At the same time, we’re keeping an eye on the Yellow band (~$118,084) on the 4-hour FibMa. BTC recently lost this dynamic support, and while it shifts slightly every 4 hours, reclaiming it before the month ends would restore short-term bullish confidence heading into September.

BTC Bull/Bear Levels:

• HD: $125,234

• H4: $119,600

• BB: $117,490

• L4: $115,414

• LD: $109,766

With price hovering between the BB and L4 levels, structure remains intact for now, but it is critical that support holds this week. A failure to defend these areas could lead to a more accelerated correction, particularly if macro volatility increases.

ETH/USD

ETH continues to show its strength as Ethereum Season remains in full swing. While the broader market cooled off, ETH stayed elevated and even came within $80 of its previous all-time high last week.

Despite the pullback seen across the crypto landscape, ETH still closed the week up +5.24%, reinforcing the narrative that ETH remains the primary beneficiary of capital rotation within crypto at this stage of the cycle.

I continue to expect a new ETH all time high before the end of August. While September could bring a broader seasonal market pullback, I believe ETH will likely remain resilient, outperforming most of the market even if momentum slows briefly.

ETH/BTC

ETH also continues to outperform BTC directly. Last week, ETH/BTC came within striking distance of 0.04, a major resistance level and an important psychological milestone.

If ETH can confidently break through and close above this level, it would mark a significant shift in market structure, effectively ending the macro downtrend ETH has been in since late 2022.

My outlook remains that ETH/BTC will finish August on a strong note, but I do anticipate a potential consolidation phase in September, where the pair trades sideways before making its next move higher.

BTC Dominance & the Broader Alt Market

BTC Dominance

Bitcoin dominance continued its pullback last week, now sitting under the 60% threshold. While this suggests a growing appetite for altcoins, the story isn’t so simple. The majority of that capital rotation is mostly into ETH, not the broader altcoin market.

Total3/BTC and Others/BTC

Looking across the broader alt market, we still see unresolved structure.

• Total3/BTC remains stuck beneath the 2023 cycle low and has failed to convincingly flip it into support.

• Others/BTC is still more than 20% away from even retesting its 2023 low.

There was some minor upside last week, but nothing that convincingly signals a trend reversal. Structure remains range-bound and unconfirmed.

If we do see a seasonal pullback in September as expected, I believe these current alt/BTC cycle lows are at risk of being tested again. That’s when we can more confidently evaluate whether a true cycle low has formed for the broader alt market.

Total3/ETH

Against ETH, the broader altcoin market continues to trend down, as capital consolidates around Ethereum. While a short-term bounce in alts versus ETH is possible before the end of August, I still expect the downtrend in Total3/ETH to continue until we approach a more definitive bottom in September or October.

In short, ETH season is still warming up, and the rest of the alt market is lagging behind.

Macro & Market News to Watch

We’re heading into a crucial week for economic signals. The Jackson Hole Symposium begins, with all eyes on Fed Chair Powell’s Friday speech, which could heavily influence risk sentiment moving forward.

Key Economic Events:

• Wednesday

  • FOMC Minutes

  • Jackson Hole Symposium begins

• Thursday

  • Initial Jobless Claims: 226k expected, 224k prior

  • Continuing Jobless Claims: 1.960M expected, 1.953M prior

• Friday

  • Powell speaks at Jackson Hole

    Recent jobless data has been creeping higher. With continuing claims hitting multi-year highs, there’s growing pressure on the Fed to signal a policy shift.

    If Powell hints at potential easing, or even emergency cuts, that could be the catalyst for renewed upside heading into Q4.

    Final Thoughts

    We’re in a unique phase of the cycle where ETH is showing consistent leadership, but the broader altcoin market has not yet confirmed a sustainable reversal. This presents both opportunity and risk.

    During this stage of ETH dominance, it’s important to be selective. This is the time to begin building alt positions gradually, while still leaving room for a potential September dip.
    

    Once ETH season comes to a close and alt season truly begins, it will likely be too late to chase the best opportunities. The groundwork for the true alt season is here.

🤑Airdrop Alpha

Airdrop Updates - Week of 17 Aug
100+ Airdrop Opportunities in my Notion Airdrop Tracker: https://bit.ly/droptime

Claims for HyperLane Open on 18 Aug

If you qualified for HyperLane rewards (due to usage of related protocols and staking), and also pre-registered before the deadline, you will be able to claim them starting 18 Aug until 1 Sep. Unclaimed tokens will go back to the treasury.

The token was up big recently due to listings on Korean exchanges, so expect profit taking. Another option is to stake the tokens for future rewards.

Claim here: http://claim.hyperlane.foundation

2-in-1 Airdrop with Moby Screener

If you are trading memecoins on Solana, Moby Screener is an indispensable tool. 

They revamped their swaps last month to using Jupiter Ultra in the backend for the best rates.

You hit 2-in-1 airdrop in one go, so start using $MOBY for your research and swaps here:

https://mobyscreener.com/?ref=cruzcontrol

Huma Finance Pre-Sale Vesting Ends on 25 Aug

People who bought into the $HUMA Pre-sale are eating big time. Sold at $75M, pre-sale participants are up 500% despite recent market volatility.

The vesting for the Pre-Sale ends on 25 Aug so expect some selling pressure, which is why you might want to stake $HUMA for these benefits:

• Feather boosts for Classic & Maxi (end of S1 is around the corner)

• Vanguard badge

• Potential Kaito rewards

• Partner perks

📜Crypto Culture

Crypto Culture Weekly: Niche Fandom Tokens, DeFi Safe Harbor, Trump’s Asian Bitcoin Push & Terraform Labs Fallout

Here are the four standout stories from the past week in crypto culture:

1. Animecoin Taps Into Fandom Ecosystems

GameSquare, a Texas-based esports and tech firm, has been appointed the agency of record for Animecoin—a blockchain project tailored to anime enthusiasts. The initiative includes plans for an anime-themed platform, blockchain, and avatar system. By leveraging fandom-based communities like Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha, Animecoin aims to offer fast, low-intermediary value exchange, though experts caution about volatility tied to hype‑driven assets. 

2. Industry Pushes for Regulatory Clarity in DeFi

The DeFi Education Fund and a16z Crypto have jointly proposed a “safe harbor” for non-custodial blockchain applications to the U.S. SEC. These apps must meet strict criteria—no asset custody, no discretion, no solicitation, and immutable code—to qualify. The proposal distinguishes decentralized interfaces from traditional brokers, potentially setting a precedent for regulation that nurtures innovation while reducing risk. 

3. Trump-Backed Mining Firm Pursues Bitcoin Expansion in Asia

American Bitcoin, a crypto mining company backed by Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, is exploring acquisitions in Japan and Hong Kong to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve. The entity plans to go public via a reverse merger in September and models its strategy on Bitcoin‑accumulating firms like Michael Saylor’s. This marks a significant international expansion for politically linked crypto ventures. 

4. Terraform Labs Founder Faces U.S. Fraud Charges

Do Kwon, founder of Terraform Labs, has been hit with fraud charges in the United States over the dramatic collapse of TerraUSD and Luna, which lost approximately $40 billion in value in 2022. Reports suggest he is expected to plead guilty—a development that underscores persistent risks around transparency, governance, and accountability in crypto projects.