Bitcoin price recaptures $110,000, but bearish pressure persists.
BTC must flip the $110,500-$112,000 zone into new support to avoid a deeper correction toward $100,000.
Bitcoin (BTC) price was up on Tuesday, rising 2.4% over the past 24 hours to trade above $110,000. Still, while some indicators pointed to a local bottom, other metrics suggested the BTC market structure remained “fragile,” according to Glassnode.
Bitcoin traders adopt “defensive stance”
Bitcoin’s spot demand was subdued over the past week, with trading volume falling to $7.7 billion from $8.5 billion, a 9% decrease, Glassnode data shows.
The decline in spot volume “signals waning investor participation,” the market intelligence firm said in its latest Weekly Market Pulse report, adding that lower volumes reflect “weaker conviction” among traders.
While spot Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) has improved slightly, indicating easing selling pressure, “overall spot metrics point to a fragile demand,” Glassnode added.
Bitcoin: Spot volume and spot CVD. Source: Glassnode
The futures market showed cautious positioning, with futures open interest (OI) decreasing to $45 billion from $45.8 billion. This suggested moderate unwinding of positions and a shift toward risk-off behavior, as traders showed reduced demand for leverage following the drawdown from all-time highs.
Futures funding rates dropped to $2.8 billion from $3.8 billion, signalling less demand for long exposure and unwillingness to pay higher premiums to keep positions open.
Glasnode said:
“Traders appear less willing to extend risk, underscoring a defensive stance after recent volatility.”
Bitcoin futures funding rates and open interest. Source: Glassnode
As Cointelegraph reported, Bitcoin institutional investors were stepping back, with demand plunging to its lowest level since early April.
Key Bitcoin price levels to watch
Bitcoin bounced off the lower boundary of the descending parallel channel at $107,300 on Monday, rising 2.45% to the current levels around $110,000.
The price was fighting resistance from the upper boundary of the channel at $110,500. A daily candlestick close above this level would signal a possible breakout from the downtrend, with the next barrier at the $110,000-$117,000 liquidity zone, where both the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) and the 100-day SMA are.
The middle boundary of the channel at $108,000 and Monday’s low around $107,300 were the immediate support levels to watch on the downside.
Below that, the channel’s lower boundary at $105,300 provided a last line of defense, which, if lost, would likely trigger a drop toward the key support level at $100,000.
MN Capital Founder Michael van de Poppe said that a “clear break” above $112,000 was needed to take BTC to new all-time highs.
“Otherwise, I’d be looking at $103Kish for a great opportunity.“
Meanwhile, the Bitcoin liquidity map revealed significant liquidity clusters between $110,000 and $111,000 on the upside, and $105,500-$107,000 below spot price.
Traders need to keep an eye out for those areas as they often act as local reversal zones and/or magnets when the price gets close to them.
Bitcoin is on a “liquidity hunt,” said analyst AlphaBTC in a Tuesday post on X, adding:
“Looks like they are coming for that big cluster of shorts 110K-111K, then likely back to run the Monday low and the longs from the weekend.”
Bitcoin liquidation map. Source: CoinGlass
As Cointelegraph reported, Bitcoin needs to quickly reclaim the 20-day EMA at $112,500; failure to do so will increase the possibility of a drop to $105,000 and then to $100,000.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Bitcoin price recaptures $110,000, but bearish pressure persists.
BTC must flip the $110,500-$112,000 zone into new support to avoid a deeper correction toward $100,000.
Bitcoin (BTC) price was up on Tuesday, rising 2.4% over the past 24 hours to trade above $110,000. Still, while some indicators pointed to a local bottom, other metrics suggested the BTC market structure remained “fragile,” according to Glassnode.
Bitcoin traders adopt “defensive stance”
Bitcoin’s spot demand was subdued over the past week, with trading volume falling to $7.7 billion from $8.5 billion, a 9% decrease, Glassnode data shows.
The decline in spot volume “signals waning investor participation,” the market intelligence firm said in its latest Weekly Market Pulse report, adding that lower volumes reflect “weaker conviction” among traders.
While spot Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) has improved slightly, indicating easing selling pressure, “overall spot metrics point to a fragile demand,” Glassnode added.
Bitcoin: Spot volume and spot CVD. Source: Glassnode
The futures market showed cautious positioning, with futures open interest (OI) decreasing to $45 billion from $45.8 billion. This suggested moderate unwinding of positions and a shift toward risk-off behavior, as traders showed reduced demand for leverage following the drawdown from all-time highs.
Futures funding rates dropped to $2.8 billion from $3.8 billion, signalling less demand for long exposure and unwillingness to pay higher premiums to keep positions open.
Glasnode said:
“Traders appear less willing to extend risk, underscoring a defensive stance after recent volatility.”
Bitcoin futures funding rates and open interest. Source: Glassnode
As Cointelegraph reported, Bitcoin institutional investors were stepping back, with demand plunging to its lowest level since early April.
Key Bitcoin price levels to watch
Bitcoin bounced off the lower boundary of the descending parallel channel at $107,300 on Monday, rising 2.45% to the current levels around $110,000.
The price was fighting resistance from the upper boundary of the channel at $110,500. A daily candlestick close above this level would signal a possible breakout from the downtrend, with the next barrier at the $110,000-$117,000 liquidity zone, where both the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) and the 100-day SMA are.
The middle boundary of the channel at $108,000 and Monday’s low around $107,300 were the immediate support levels to watch on the downside.
Below that, the channel’s lower boundary at $105,300 provided a last line of defense, which, if lost, would likely trigger a drop toward the key support level at $100,000.
MN Capital Founder Michael van de Poppe said that a “clear break” above $112,000 was needed to take BTC to new all-time highs.
“Otherwise, I’d be looking at $103Kish for a great opportunity.“
Meanwhile, the Bitcoin liquidity map revealed significant liquidity clusters between $110,000 and $111,000 on the upside, and $105,500-$107,000 below spot price.
Traders need to keep an eye out for those areas as they often act as local reversal zones and/or magnets when the price gets close to them.
Bitcoin is on a “liquidity hunt,” said analyst AlphaBTC in a Tuesday post on X, adding:
“Looks like they are coming for that big cluster of shorts 110K-111K, then likely back to run the Monday low and the longs from the weekend.”
Bitcoin liquidation map. Source: CoinGlass
As Cointelegraph reported, Bitcoin needs to quickly reclaim the 20-day EMA at $112,500; failure to do so will increase the possibility of a drop to $105,000 and then to $100,000.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Ethereum scaling solution Starknet suffered another mainnet outage, causing investor concerns over the reliability of the blockchain network.
The Starknet layer-2 (L2) blockchain suffered an outage on Tuesday, affecting the mainnet for two hours and 44 minutes, leading to slow block creation and stagnating transactions on the network.
The outage was caused by the network’s sequencer, which, in blockchain terms, operates like a traffic controller for onchain transactions, ordering transactions set to be included in a given block.
During Tuesday’s outage, the Starknet sequencer was unable to recognize the “Cairo0 code,” according to data from status.starknet.io
Source: status.starknet.io
This marked the second “major outage” on the mainnet within two months, creating potential concerns about the reliability of Starknet as Ethereum’s seventh-largest L2 network, with $548 million in total value locked (TVL), according to data from L2beat.com.
During the previous outage on July 18, the Starknet mainnet was only affected for 13 minutes by slow block creation times and a slow gateway.
L2 networks are secondary blockchains built on top of the Ethereum mainnet to improve transaction speed and capacity by processing transactions offchain.
Starknet uses ZK-rollups (specifically STARK proofs) to provide high-throughput and low-cost transactions to scale the Ethereum mainnet.
Less than three hours into the outage, Starknet was able to restore full functionality, wrote Starknet’s community-member-run X account in a Tuesday post, adding:
“Block production is back to normal. Most RPC providers are up-and-running, and the remaining ones will upgrade shortly.”
“To restore service, transactions submitted between 2:23 am and 4:36 am UTC were not processed,” the announcement said, adding that a blockchain reorganization from block 1960612 was “committed, representing one hour of activity.”
This means that all transactions from that block forward will need to be resubmitted by users. The announcement added that a “full timeline,” including the root cause and long-term prevention measures, will be published by the team.
Cointelegraph has approached Starknet to find out more details about the network outage.
Crypto wealth in 2025 is led by exchange founders and stablecoin creators like CZ, Devasini and Armstrong.
Not all crypto billionaires are CEOs — Buterin shows protocol builders can rival corporate giants.
A new wave of millionaires is rising from culture, entertainment and Web3-native models like Stake.com.
Crypto leadership shifts fast; most top names today weren’t on the radar a decade ago.
The crypto market is back in full force as of mid-2025. Total capitalization has surged to $3.8 trillion (up over 130% year-on-year), which has sparked a new surge of wealth across the industry. At the center of it all are the people pulling the levers: the top 10 crypto CEOs shaping this cycle. This list ranks the richest people in crypto today, based on publicly available data from onchain trackers, investor reports and other credible sources.
Did you know? The Winklevoss twins converted their $11-million Facebook settlement into Bitcoin (BTC) in 2012, making them among the first-ever Bitcoin billionaires.
1. Changpeng Zhao net worth 2025 (Binance): Around $62.9 billion
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao remains the undisputed heavyweight of the crypto billionaire class in 2025. Despite stepping down as Binance CEO in late 2023 and serving a short sentence following a historic $4.3-billion regulatory settlement, CZ still holds roughly 90% of the world’s largest crypto exchange and a sizable cache of BNB (BNB) tokens.
His estimated net worth sits at $62.9 billion, according to Bloomberg and Datawallet, placing him firmly atop the crypto wealth ranking 2025. Few crypto tech CEOs have shaped the market more than CZ.
While his public presence has waned, his portfolio influence remains massive — especially as BNB continues to power a wide swath of decentralized finance (DeFi) and exchange activity.
2. Giancarlo Devasini (Tether/Bitfinex): Around $22.4 billion
As chief financial officer of Bitfinex and a founding force behind Tether, Giancarlo Devasini is a key figure behind Tether’s USDt (USDT), the most traded digital asset on Earth. With an estimated 47% stake in Tether, Devasini’s net worth has climbed to $22.4 billion, which makes him one of the top crypto billionaires of 2025.
He seemingly prefers to keep a low profile and is rarely seen in public. Devasini operates from Switzerland but wields immense behind-the-scenes influence over stablecoin flows and market liquidity. He’s part of the new breed of digital asset moguls: quiet, strategic and central to the plumbing of crypto markets.
If you are tracking crypto business tycoons, few have more sway over daily volume than Devasini.
3. Brian Armstrong (Coinbase): Around $9.6 billion-$12.8 billion
Brian Armstrong remains at the helm of Coinbase and continues to be one of the most visible crypto industry leaders. He holds around 14%-15% of the company, which makes his net worth somewhere between $9.6 billion and $12.8 billion, depending on stock valuation.
Armstrong has become a fixture in both tech and finance circles over the years and has played an instrumental role in bridging Web2 structure with Web3 ideals.
4. Michael Saylor (Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy): Around $10.1 billion
Michael Saylor, now executive chairman of the rebranded Strategy, remains the loudest Bitcoin bull on the planet, and he’s backed it up with staggering numbers. Personally holding about 17,700 BTC and owning a large share of Strategy, his total net worth is estimated at $10.1 billion.
As of mid-2025, Strategy controls over 628,000 BTC — worth around $72 billion — making it the largest corporate Bitcoin holder by a wide margin. The company’s stock has surged nearly 700% in the last year, mirroring BTC’s explosive run.
Saylor is often viewed as the philosopher king among crypto CEOs.
5. Chris Larsen (Ripple Labs): Around $7 billion-$8 billion
Ripple’s Chris Larsen has bounced back from relative quiet and made it to the list of top 10 crypto CEOs by net worth in 2025. After a sharp dip in 2024, XRP’s (XRP) price recovery and Ripple’s expansion into real-world asset tokenization have boosted its net worth to an estimated $7 billion-$8 billion.
Larsen holds roughly 2.6 billion XRP tokens and a sizable equity stake in Ripple Labs, the company he co-founded and still chairs. He remains an influential voice on crypto regulation and cross-border payments even after stepping down as Ripple CEO in 2016.
He continues to represent the old guardin 2025 — still powerful, still relevant and still climbing the crypto wealth ladder.
6. Jed McCaleb (Stellar, ex‑Ripple/Mt. Gox): Around $2.9 billion
Few names in crypto history carry as much technical legacy as Jed McCaleb. One of the co-founders of Mt. Gox, Ripple and now chief technology officer of Stellar, McCaleb has shaped the infrastructure of digital assets since the early days.
His fortune (estimated at $2.9 billion as of April 2025) comes primarily from early XRP allocations and Stellar equity.
Although he sold most of his XRP under court-mandated agreements, McCaleb’s long-term influence remains. Beyond blockchain, he now splits his time between Stellar protocol development and his aerospace startup, Vast.
He’s a prime example of blockchain company founders who move beyond finance, changing what it means to be a crypto tech CEO in 2025.
7. Mike Novogratz (Galaxy Digital): Around $2.7 billion
A former hedge fund manager turned digital asset mogul, Mike Novogratz remains one of the most outspoken crypto influencers of 2025. As founder and CEO of Galaxy Digital, he owns approximately 54% of the firm, which holds over 17,000 BTC and continues to be a key player in institutional crypto finance.
Despite market swings, his net worth holds at $2.7 billion, according to recent filings and Forbes’ 2025 estimates. Novogratz’s fortune is deeply tied to Galaxy’s equity and crypto reserves, which makes him a familiar name on any serious Bitcoin billionaire list in 2025.
Did you know? Crypto executive Mike Novogratz once boasted of being the only person in the world to have both a Bitcoin tattoo and a Luna tattoo (a nod to risk-taking in volatile markets).
8. Barry Silbert (Digital Currency Group): Around $3 billion-$3.2 billion
Founder of Digital Currency Group (DCG), home to Grayscale, Genesis and CoinDesk, Barry Silbert remains a heavyweight in venture crypto finance. Though his estimated $3 billion-$3.2 billion fortune has faced headwinds following Genesis’ insolvency and legal scrutiny, he remains one of the original crypto business tycoons.
Silbert’s early bets on Bitcoin, Ethereum and dozens of startups cemented his role in the ecosystem’s institutional growth. Even in a post-contagion world, DCG’s reach still makes him one of the most consequential crypto industry leaders in the world.
9. Bijan Tehrani (Stake.com): Around $2.8 billion
Bijan Tehrani, co-founder of Stake.com, represents a different breed of crypto billionaire: one built on entertainment. With an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion (Forbes, May 2025), Tehrani has ridden the wave of crypto-enabled gambling and streaming partnerships.
Stake’s explosive growth, fueled by influencer deals and high-profile sponsorships, has placed Tehrani among the crypto millionaires under 40. While not a protocol builder, his stake in the culture-driven side of Web3 shows how far crypto has extended into lifestyle and entertainment.
10. Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum Foundation): Around $1.025 billion
Though not a CEO in title, Vitalik Buterin remains the intellectual core of Ethereum and a pillar of modern crypto. As of July 2025, his known wallets hold around 278,000 Ether (ETH), valued at over $1.025 billion, according to Nansen and 99Bitcoins.
Buterin’s fortune may be modest compared to exchange moguls and stablecoin tycoons, but his impact is unmatched. He continues to guide Ethereum’s evolution, most recently with the Fusaka upgrade and expansion of layer-2 ecosystems.
Did you know? Despite a net worth of only a few million dollars, David Chaum, who proposed a nearly complete blockchain design in his 1982 Berkeley dissertation, is considered the “godfather of cryptocurrency.”
Crypto industry leaders and the Bitcoin billionaire list of 2025
As of mid-2025, the richest figures in crypto remain familiar names: CZ, Devasini and Armstrong. Exchange founders, stablecoin creators and platform leaders dominate the top ranks.
But the list also shows multiple paths to wealth. Buterin exemplifies protocol-driven fortunes, while Tehrani highlights how culture and entertainment drive new billionaires.
One final note: A decade ago, most of these names were unknown. By the next cycle, today’s rising founders could be tomorrow’s crypto billionaires.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Bitcoin bulls will have to quickly push the price back above the 20-day EMA to prevent a collapse to $105,000.
The shallow pullback in select altcoins suggests that the investors are not hurrying to sell them as they anticipate the up move to continue.
Bitcoin (BTC) is trying to rise above $110,000, but the bears are defending the level. Crypto market sentiment platform Santiment said in a report that “buy the dip” mentions have increased on social media, signaling further downside. Santiment said that a true bottom would form when there is “widespread fear and a lack of interest in buying.”
Another negative for the bulls is that September has largely been negative for BTC. According to CoinGlass data, BTC has closed September in the red on eight occasions since 2013, with an average slide of 3.80%.
Despite the seasonal weakness and the pullback in BTC and major altcoins, institutional investors continued their purchases. Digital asset investment products witnessed $2.48 billion in inflows last week, reversing $1.4 billion in outflows in the prior week, according to CoinShares data.
Could BTC climb back above $110,530, pulling ETH and altcoins higher? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.
S&P 500 Index price prediction
The S&P 500 Index (SPX) remains in an uptrend, but the negative divergence on the relative strength index (RSI) suggests the bullish momentum is weakening.
The bears will try to pull the price below the 20-day exponential moving average (EMA (6,418). If they can pull it off, the index could plummet to the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) (6,316) and then to the breakout level of 6,147.
Buyers are expected to fiercely defend the zone between the 50-day SMA and 6,147 because a break below it signals a short-term top. The correction could then deepen to 5,950.
US Dollar Index price prediction
Buyers pushed the US Dollar Index (DXY) above the moving averages on Aug. 25 but could not sustain the higher levels.
The index turned down and closed below the moving averages on Thursday, signaling that the bears are trying to gain the upper hand. There is minor support at 97.55, but if the level cracks, the next stop could be 97.10 and then 96.37.
The bulls will have to swiftly kick the price above the 99 level to prevent the downside. If they manage to do that, the index could reach the 100.50 level. Sellers will try to defend the 100.50 level, but if the bulls prevail, the rally could reach the 102 resistance.
Bitcoin price prediction
BTC plunged below the $110,530 support on Friday, indicating that the bears are trying to take charge.
The bulls are unlikely to give up easily and will try to make a comeback. They will attempt to push the price back above the 20-day EMA ($112,566) but are expected to face significant resistance from the bears.
If the BTC/USDT pair turns down sharply from the 20-day EMA, it signals a negative sentiment. That increases the possibility of a drop to $105,000 and then to $100,000.
Alternatively, a break and close above the 20-day EMA suggests that selling dries up at lower levels. The Bitcoin price may then climb to the 50-day SMA ($115,918).
Ether price prediction
ETH (ETH) has been witnessing a tough battle between the bulls and the bears at the 20-day EMA ($4,378).
The flattish 20-day EMA and the RSI near the midpoint do not give a clear advantage either to the bulls or the bears. If the price skids below the 20-day EMA, the ETH/USDT pair could slump to $4,094. This is a critical level for the bulls to defend because a break below it opens the doors for a fall to $3,745 and then to $3,350.
On the upside, buyers will have to thrust the Ether price above the $4,957 resistance to signal the resumption of the uptrend. The pair could then skyrocket toward $5,500.
XRP price prediction
XRP (XRP) continued its slide to reach the crucial support of $2.73, where the buyers are expected to step in.
Any recovery attempt is likely to face selling at the 20-day EMA ($2.94). If the price turns down sharply from the 20-day EMA, the XRP/USDT pair risks falling below the $2.73 support. The XRP price will then complete a bearish descending triangle pattern, clearing the path for a collapse to $2.33.
Buyers have an uphill task ahead of them. They will have to push and maintain the XRP price above the downtrend line to signal a comeback. The pair may then climb to $3.40.
BNB price prediction
Buyers are trying to maintain BNB (BNB) above the 20-day EMA ($847), but the bears are unlikely to give up easily.
The negative divergence on the RSI suggests the 20-day EMA is at risk of breaking down. If that happens, the BNB/USDT pair could plummet toward the 50-day SMA ($804).
Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns up from the 20-day EMA and breaks above $881, it signals that the bulls remain in control. That enhances the prospects of a break above $900. The BNB price may then start the next leg of the uptrend toward the psychological level of $1,000.
Solana price prediction
Solana (SOL) turned down and broke below the breakout level of $210 on Friday, indicating that the bears are trying to trap the aggressive bulls.
The SOL/USDT pair is likely to find support in the zone between the 20-day EMA (195) and the uptrend line. If the price rebounds off the uptrend line with force, the bulls will try to drive the pair above $218. If they manage to do that, Solana’s price could surge to $240 and later to $260.
Contrarily, a break and close below the uptrend line invalidates the bullish ascending triangle pattern. That could intensify selling, pulling the pair to $175 and then to $155.
The 20-day EMA ($0.22) has started to turn down gradually, and the RSI is just below the midpoint, indicating that the bears have a slight edge. That increases the risk of a break below $0.21. The DOGE/USDT pair may then slump to $0.19.
This negative view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns up sharply from $0.21 and breaks above the 50-day SMA ($0.22). That suggests the Dogecoin price may swing between $0.21 and $0.26 for a few more days.
Cardano price prediction
Buyers attempted to stall Cardano’s (ADA) pullback at the 50-day SMA ($0.82), but the bears maintained their selling pressure.
The ADA/USDT pair closed below the 50-day SMA on Sunday, starting the move toward the support line of the descending channel pattern. Buyers will try to defend the support line, but the relief rally is expected to face selling at the 20-day EMA ($0.84). If the price turns down sharply from the 20-day EMA, the likelihood of a drop to $0.68 increases.
Buyers will have to propel Cardano’s price above the downtrend line to signal a comeback. The pair could then rally to $1.02.
Chainlink price prediction
Chainlink (LINK) slipped below the 20-day EMA ($23.45) on Saturday, and the bears thwarted attempts by the bulls to push the price back above the level on Sunday.
Sellers will try to strengthen their position by pulling the Chainlink price to $21.36 and then to the 50-day SMA ($20.69). Buyers are expected to defend the 50-day SMA because a break below it may sink the LINK/USDT pair to the uptrend line. The greater the pullback, the longer it is likely to take for the next leg of the uptrend to begin.
The first sign of strength will be a close above the 20-day EMA. That suggests solid buying at lower levels. The bulls will have to clear the $27 overhead resistance to resume the uptrend.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
This article explores the Ether rich list of 2025, from the Beacon staking contract and Coinbase’s hot wallets to BlackRock’s ETHA trust and Vitalik Buterin’s legendary holdings.
Top Ether addresses by balance
Ether’s circulating supply as of mid‑2025 stands at approximately 120.71 million ETH. Following the Pectra upgrade in May, issuance has stabilized near net zero. This provides the backdrop for understanding Ether ownership distribution.
As briefly explored, the top 10 Ether addresses hold 83.9 million ETH as of Aug. 4, 2025 (roughly 70% of the total supply).
Looking wider, the top 200 wallets account for over 52%, holding more than 62.76 million ETH (most of these holdings are tied to staking contracts, exchange liquidity, token bridges or custodial funds). Unlike inactive Bitcoin whale addresses, these Ether whale addresses are actively used infrastructure, which reflects ETH’s ability to adequately power staking, decentralized finance (DeFi) and institutional operations.
Who owns the most Ether in 2025?
As of Aug. 4, 2025, the Beacon Deposit Contract holds approximately 65.88 million ETH, representing about 54.58% of the total circulating supply of 120.71 million ETH.
These figures are broadly consistent with March 2025 reports, which estimated the share at around 55.6% (see figure below).
This smart contract is the entry point for Ethereum validators, each of whom must deposit at least 32 ETH to participate in securing the network.
Even after withdrawal functionality was enabled in 2023, funds aren’t instantly liquid. Validators must exit the active set, wait around 27 hours for the unbonding period and then rely on a protocol-controlled sweep to release ETH.
This makes the Beacon contract the largest ETH holder — not a person, but the network itself.
With slashing penalties and structured exits, it ensures validator accountability. Still, some critics argue that concentrating half the supply in a single contract introduces systemic risks in the event of coordinated exits or protocol-level bugs.
Did you know? The Wrapped Ether (WETH) smart contract also ranks as one of the largest ETH holders, currently holding over 2.26 million ETH (around 1.87% of the circulating supply).
The second-largest ETH wallets
As of Aug. 22, 2025, these exchanges and custodians rank among the largest ETH holders:
Coinbase: 4.93 million ETH (around 4.09% of supply)
Binance: 4.23 million ETH (around 3.51%)
Bitfinex: 3.28 million ETH (around 2.72%)
Base Network bridge: 1.71 million ETH (around 1.4%)
Robinhood: 1.66 million ETH (around 1.37%)
Upbit: 1.36 million ETH (around 1.13%).
These addresses represent a layer of active infrastructure where Ether is used for the purpose of backing exchange liquidity, staking derivatives like cbETH and bridging assets across chains.
Biggest ETH wallets in 2025
As of late July 2025, BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) drove a major shift in institutional ETH ownership. With $9.74 billion in net inflows, ETHA now (August 2025) holds over 3 million ETH (about 2.5% of the total supply), making it one of the biggest ETH wallets of 2025.
Grayscale’s ETHE remains a key player, with 1.13 million ETH under management. Fidelity’s Ethereum Fund (FETH), launched in 2024, has reached $1.4 billion in inflows, while Bitwise is pivoting from Bitcoin-only exposure to ETH-based mandates with staking features.
Together, these institutions now control over 5 million ETH (4.4% of supply), thus changing the picture for ETH holding patterns. They represent a new class of DeFi millionaires who are regulated, ETF-based and staking-aware.
Corporate Ether whale addresses
A growing number of public companies is now following a playbook similar to Strategy’s Bitcoin (BTC) plan (but with staking) to treat ETH as a treasury asset. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR) holds more than 776,000 ETH (around $2 billion), funded by a $250-million PIPE round.
SharpLink Gaming (Nasdaq: SBET) has acquired around 480,000 ($1.65 billion) since June.
Bit Digital (Nasdaq: BTBT) holds around 120,000 ETH, having moved from Bitcoin post-equity raise.
BTCS (Nasdaq: BTCS) reports around 70,028 ETH (around $275 million), funded by convertible notes.
Most of this ETH is actively staked and earns around 3%-5% APY. These firms cite Ethereum’s programmability, stablecoin ecosystem and regulatory clarity (like the GENIUS Act) as the foundation for their ETH strategies.
This new ETH billionaire list includes not just individuals but corporate treasuries betting on Ether’s long-term value.
The ETH billionaire list
While smart contracts and institutions dominate the Ethereum rich list 2025, a few individuals still stand out as major ETH holders.
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, is widely believed to hold between 250,000 and 280,000 ETH (around $950 million), mostly across a small number of non-custodial wallets, including the well-known VB3 address.
Rain Lõhmus, co-founder of LHV Bank, bought 250,000 ETH during the 2014 initial coin offering (ICO) but lost access to the private key. His coins remain untouched, now worth close to $900 million.
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, early investors and founders of Gemini, are thought to personally control 150,000-200,000 ETH, separate from Gemini’s exchange treasury of over 360,000 ETH.
Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum and head of ConsenSys, is estimated to retain approximately 500,000 ETH (around $1.2 billion), though it has never been officially confirmed.
Anthony Di Iorio, another Ethereum co-founder, reportedly holds 50,000-100,000 ETH.
Did you know? As of early 2025, Etherscan data showed over 130 million unique addresses, yet fewer than 1.3 million hold at least 1 ETH, less than 1% of the total. That single ETH puts you in rare company on the Ether rich list of 2025.
How to track Ethereum ownership distribution
Identifying the top Ether holders in 2025 relies on tools like Nansen’s Token God Mode, Dune Analytics and Etherscan. These platforms categorize wallets by behavior, linking them to exchanges, funds, smart contracts or individuals.
Token God Mode maps wallet clusters to known entities, tracks inflows/outflows and ranks the biggest ETH wallets in 2025.
Dune dashboards use schema tables like “labels.addresses” to separate externally owned accounts (EOAs) from smart contracts and exchanges, generating insights into public Ethereum addresses and ETH holding patterns.
Etherscan tags wallets based on transaction history, attribution or user-submitted evidence, supporting crypto wallet transparency. Together, these sources help outline Ether ownership distribution.
However, limits remain. Reused deposit addresses can inflate figures, cold wallets may evade clustering, and privacy techniques obscure real control. Even the top 200 Ethereum addresses by balance likely include fragmented or mislabeled entities. ETH address rankings reflect a mix of certainty and statistical inference, not full visibility.
Did you know? One of the oldest untouched ETH wallets (likely from the 2014 ICO) still holds around 250,000 ETH (around 0.2% of supply) and hasn’t moved a gwei in nearly a decade.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
This article explores the Ether rich list of 2025, from the Beacon staking contract and Coinbase’s hot wallets to BlackRock’s ETHA trust and Vitalik Buterin’s legendary holdings.
Top Ether addresses by balance
Ether’s circulating supply as of mid‑2025 stands at approximately 120.71 million ETH. Following the Pectra upgrade in May, issuance has stabilized near net zero. This provides the backdrop for understanding Ether ownership distribution.
As briefly explored, the top 10 Ether addresses hold 83.9 million ETH as of Aug. 4, 2025 (roughly 70% of the total supply).
Looking wider, the top 200 wallets account for over 52%, holding more than 62.76 million ETH (most of these holdings are tied to staking contracts, exchange liquidity, token bridges or custodial funds). Unlike inactive Bitcoin whale addresses, these Ether whale addresses are actively used infrastructure, which reflects ETH’s ability to adequately power staking, decentralized finance (DeFi) and institutional operations.
Who owns the most Ether in 2025?
As of Aug. 4, 2025, the Beacon Deposit Contract holds approximately 65.88 million ETH, representing about 54.58% of the total circulating supply of 120.71 million ETH.
These figures are broadly consistent with March 2025 reports, which estimated the share at around 55.6% (see figure below).
This smart contract is the entry point for Ethereum validators, each of whom must deposit at least 32 ETH to participate in securing the network.
Even after withdrawal functionality was enabled in 2023, funds aren’t instantly liquid. Validators must exit the active set, wait around 27 hours for the unbonding period and then rely on a protocol-controlled sweep to release ETH.
This makes the Beacon contract the largest ETH holder — not a person, but the network itself.
With slashing penalties and structured exits, it ensures validator accountability. Still, some critics argue that concentrating half the supply in a single contract introduces systemic risks in the event of coordinated exits or protocol-level bugs.
Did you know? The Wrapped Ether (WETH) smart contract also ranks as one of the largest ETH holders, currently holding over 2.26 million ETH (around 1.87% of the circulating supply).
The second-largest ETH wallets
As of Aug. 22, 2025, these exchanges and custodians rank among the largest ETH holders:
Coinbase: 4.93 million ETH (around 4.09% of supply)
Binance: 4.23 million ETH (around 3.51%)
Bitfinex: 3.28 million ETH (around 2.72%)
Base Network bridge: 1.71 million ETH (around 1.4%)
Robinhood: 1.66 million ETH (around 1.37%)
Upbit: 1.36 million ETH (around 1.13%).
These addresses represent a layer of active infrastructure where Ether is used for the purpose of backing exchange liquidity, staking derivatives like cbETH and bridging assets across chains.
Biggest ETH wallets in 2025
As of late July 2025, BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) drove a major shift in institutional ETH ownership. With $9.74 billion in net inflows, ETHA now (August 2025) holds over 3 million ETH (about 2.5% of the total supply), making it one of the biggest ETH wallets of 2025.
Grayscale’s ETHE remains a key player, with 1.13 million ETH under management. Fidelity’s Ethereum Fund (FETH), launched in 2024, has reached $1.4 billion in inflows, while Bitwise is pivoting from Bitcoin-only exposure to ETH-based mandates with staking features.
Together, these institutions now control over 5 million ETH (4.4% of supply), thus changing the picture for ETH holding patterns. They represent a new class of DeFi millionaires who are regulated, ETF-based and staking-aware.
Corporate Ether whale addresses
A growing number of public companies is now following a playbook similar to Strategy’s Bitcoin (BTC) plan (but with staking) to treat ETH as a treasury asset. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR) holds more than 776,000 ETH (around $2 billion), funded by a $250-million PIPE round.
SharpLink Gaming (Nasdaq: SBET) has acquired around 480,000 ($1.65 billion) since June.
Bit Digital (Nasdaq: BTBT) holds around 120,000 ETH, having moved from Bitcoin post-equity raise.
BTCS (Nasdaq: BTCS) reports around 70,028 ETH (around $275 million), funded by convertible notes.
Most of this ETH is actively staked and earns around 3%-5% APY. These firms cite Ethereum’s programmability, stablecoin ecosystem and regulatory clarity (like the GENIUS Act) as the foundation for their ETH strategies.
This new ETH billionaire list includes not just individuals but corporate treasuries betting on Ether’s long-term value.
The ETH billionaire list
While smart contracts and institutions dominate the Ethereum rich list 2025, a few individuals still stand out as major ETH holders.
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, is widely believed to hold between 250,000 and 280,000 ETH (around $950 million), mostly across a small number of non-custodial wallets, including the well-known VB3 address.
Rain Lõhmus, co-founder of LHV Bank, bought 250,000 ETH during the 2014 initial coin offering (ICO) but lost access to the private key. His coins remain untouched, now worth close to $900 million.
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, early investors and founders of Gemini, are thought to personally control 150,000-200,000 ETH, separate from Gemini’s exchange treasury of over 360,000 ETH.
Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum and head of ConsenSys, is estimated to retain approximately 500,000 ETH (around $1.2 billion), though it has never been officially confirmed.
Anthony Di Iorio, another Ethereum co-founder, reportedly holds 50,000-100,000 ETH.
Did you know? As of early 2025, Etherscan data showed over 130 million unique addresses, yet fewer than 1.3 million hold at least 1 ETH, less than 1% of the total. That single ETH puts you in rare company on the Ether rich list of 2025.
How to track Ethereum ownership distribution
Identifying the top Ether holders in 2025 relies on tools like Nansen’s Token God Mode, Dune Analytics and Etherscan. These platforms categorize wallets by behavior, linking them to exchanges, funds, smart contracts or individuals.
Token God Mode maps wallet clusters to known entities, tracks inflows/outflows and ranks the biggest ETH wallets in 2025.
Dune dashboards use schema tables like “labels.addresses” to separate externally owned accounts (EOAs) from smart contracts and exchanges, generating insights into public Ethereum addresses and ETH holding patterns.
Etherscan tags wallets based on transaction history, attribution or user-submitted evidence, supporting crypto wallet transparency. Together, these sources help outline Ether ownership distribution.
However, limits remain. Reused deposit addresses can inflate figures, cold wallets may evade clustering, and privacy techniques obscure real control. Even the top 200 Ethereum addresses by balance likely include fragmented or mislabeled entities. ETH address rankings reflect a mix of certainty and statistical inference, not full visibility.
Did you know? One of the oldest untouched ETH wallets (likely from the 2014 ICO) still holds around 250,000 ETH (around 0.2% of supply) and hasn’t moved a gwei in nearly a decade.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Japan’s top Bitcoin treasury firm, Metaplanet, just acquired 1,009 BTC, reaching 20,000 BTC of holdings just as the firm issues millions of new shares.
According to a Monday Metaplanet announcement, the firm acquired 1,009 BTC and reached 20,000 BTC for 16.479 billion yen (nearly $112 million). On the same day, the firm announced the issuance of 11.5 million new shares last week, following an investor’s exercise of warrants to acquire stock.
According to BitcoinTreasuries.net data, Metaplanet is currently the sixth biggest and top Japanese Bitcoin treasury. The firm paid an average price of $102,607 per Bitcoin, which results in a 6.75% profit compared to Bitcoin’s price at the time of writing.
The investor in question, Evo Fund, has acquired 10 million shares at $5.67 and 1.5 million at just under $6 for a total of about $65.73 million. Metaplanet spends those proceeds to finance the early redemption of approximately $20.4 million worth of previously issued bonds. Evo Fund still has rights to an additional 34.5 million shares.
The announcement also comes as Metaplanet faces mounting pressure, with its share price tumbling, threatening the fundraising model it has used to build its Bitcoin treasury. The firm’s stock has dropped 54% since mid-June, despite Bitcoin gaining about 2% during the same period.
Analysts highlighted that falling stock prices make exercising warrants for Evo Fund less attractive, squeezing Metaplanet’s liquidity and reducing its capability to acquire more Bitcoin. Still, the firm’s strategy appears to be evolving and adapting to this new situation.
Last week, Metaplanet announced plans to raise approximately 130.3 billion yen ($880 million) through a public share offering in overseas markets. Today, the firm’s shareholders will vote on whether to approve the issuance of up to 555 million preferred shares that could raise as much as 555 billion yen ($3.7 billion).
After Strategy — once known as MicroStrategy — devised the corporate Bitcoin treasury strategy and adopted it with great success, many companies decided to follow in its footsteps. Still, this strategy is not guaranteed to work in the long term.
How is the stablecoin framework evolving in South Korea?
South Korea has become a key focus in the global stablecoin conversation as it draws close attention from major players like Binance and Tether.
Both companies are among the largest stablecoin issuers worldwide, and they both could face major challenges depending on how new regulations unfold in the East Asian nation.
Multiple competing bills are currently under review in South Korea’s parliament, each trying to shape up how stablecoins are issued, backed and regulated in the country.
While it may appear as just a matter of domestic regulation, the ripple effect stemming from it could have far-reaching consequences. The debates and discussions going on around the regulatory circles reflect South Korea’s broader strategic goals. Especially in areas such as tightening national control over digital finance, limiting reliance on dollar-backed stablecoins, and strengthening its standing in the fast-moving Asia-Pacific digital asset scene.
The proposed legislation tackles several crucial aspects, including but not limited to:
Capital reserve requirements
Asset backing rules
Whether interest can be paid on holdings.
For Binance, Tether and other major global players, South Korea’s final framework could either unleash a massive new market or impose regulatory burdens that ripple far beyond the country’s borders.
Did you know? In 2023, Japan became one of the first major economies to give stablecoins clear legal status as digital money. The law required issuers to be licensed entities such as banks, trust firms or fund transfer agents. That clarity boosted investor trust and spurred similar policy moves in Singapore and the EU.
Backdrop of stablecoin regulations in South Korea
South Korea’s approach toward stablecoin regulations has been, by and large, inconsistent so far. Proposed regulatory oversight is spread across various agencies, and no clear legal framework is in place yet. However, this could be rapidly changing.
New proposals, including equity requirements as low as 500 million won and stricter capital rules, could revamp the current patchwork of regulations.
Beyond legal changes, there are significant economic concerns. In the first quarter of 2025, over $19 billion in dollar-pegged stablecoins left South Korea, which underscored the need to retain capital and strengthen financial sovereignty.
The mix of draft legislation, economic urgency and central bank caution continues to shape South Korea’s approach to stablecoin oversight.
Did you know? The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, effective 2024, sets strict rules for stablecoin reserves, transaction limits and issuer licensing. It even caps daily transactions for large-scale stablecoins. The aim behind enforcing such caps is to prevent systemic risks while enabling cross-border adoption across all 27 EU member states.
The competing stablecoin bills in South Korea
A number of South Korean lawmakers have presented their stablecoin-oriented bills. While the objective of all bills is similar — to regulate stablecoins — the method outlined by each is different. Here’s a quick look at some of them.
Ahn Do-geol (Democratic Party): Value-Stable Digital Assets Bill
On July 28, 2025, Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Do-geol introduced the Value-Stable Digital Assets Bill in South Korea’s National Assembly to regulate won-pegged stablecoins. The bill requires issuers to:
Maintain a minimum capital of 5 billion won (around $3.6 million)
Hold 100% reserves in highly liquid assets, such as cash or government bonds, to ensure stability and user reimbursement within three business days.
The bill establishes coordinated oversight by the Financial Services Commission, the Bank of Korea and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It grants them emergency powers to address market disruptions.
The bill explicitly bans interest payments on stablecoins to protect monetary policy and prevent financial market instability.
This legislative effort is largely aligned with President Lee Jae-myung’s campaign pledges. It aims to further strengthen South Korea’s financial sovereignty and competitiveness in the global digital asset market.
Kim Eun-hye (People Power Party): Payment Innovation with Fixed-Price Digital Assets Bill
On July 30, 2025, Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party presented the Payment Innovation with Fixed-Price Digital Assets Bill in South Korea’s National Assembly.
The bill requires issuers to maintain a minimum capital of 5 billion won (approximately $3.6 million) and hold 100% reserves in highly liquid assets, such as cash or government securities. The underlying reason is to ensure stability and protect investors.
It emphasizes transparency through mandatory disclosure obligations, including detailed white papers and product descriptions, to harness market trust.
Unlike other proposals, the bill does not prohibit interest payments, implicitly allowing issuers to offer yields to attract users. This market-friendly approach aims to balance innovation with investor protection, thereby placing South Korea as a competitive player in the Asia-Pacific digital asset market.
Min Byung-duk (Democratic Party): Digital Asset Basic Act
Representative Min Byung-duk of South Korea’s Democratic Party filed the Digital Asset Basic Act on June 10, 2025.
The bill proposes a presidential-level “Digital Asset Committee” to oversee policy coordination and industry development. At the same time, it also emphasizes the importance of private-sector involvement.
The bill authorizes won-based stablecoin issuance. Issuers are required to hold a minimum capital of 500 million won ($366,000) and maintain 100% reserves to ensure stability and user redemption.
Additionally, the bill also aims to improve transparency, encourage competition and prevent capital outflows to foreign stablecoins.
Comparison of South Korea’s stablecoin bills
The stablecoin bills under discussion in South Korea show distinctly contrasting priorities. For instance, some emphasize financial safeguards, while others aim to improve the country’s global position in fintech.
Here’s a quick comparison of how each bill fares when compared one-on-one with the others:
Why Binance and Tether are so keen on South Korea’s stablecoin regulations
Binance and Tether, two top stablecoin issuers worldwide, have been closely observing South Korea’s regulatory developments. It could influence both the local and Asia-Pacific fintech markets. Their focus centers on three factors.
Opportunities: A flexible framework could support won-pegged stablecoins. It will enable cross-border settlements in the Asia-Pacific. It is appealing to local users seeking alternatives to USD-based coins.
Risks: Stringent rules, such as restrictions on interest payments, may discourage users from using stablecoins and limit innovation. It would also reinforce the dominance of USD-pegged stablecoins like Tether’s USDt (USDT) and USDC (USDC), thus restricting global issuers to transactional roles.
Strategic importance: South Korea’s strong financial infrastructure positions it as a potential hub for reserve-backed stablecoins if regulations are balanced. However, overly strict policies would encourage dominance of USD-pegged stablecoins, which would then reduce opportunities for market diversification.
Did you know? Singapore’s Monetary Authority allows non-bank stablecoin issuers but demands high reserve quality, regular audits and clear redemption rights. Its 2024 rules position the city-state as a crypto-finance hub.
South Korea’s stablecoin regulation in the global context
South Korea’s stablecoin push reflects a broader global trend toward tighter digital asset oversight. Its direction aligns with legislative efforts like the US GENIUS Act, which also aims to standardize reserve management, transparency and governance for stablecoin issuers.
According to the Financial Times, more than $19 billion in dollar-backed stablecoins exited South Korea in Q1 2025. Many investors routed funds to offshore crypto exchanges offering higher yields.
This exodus has put pressure on South Korea’s financial stability and accelerated efforts to create a regulatory framework that keeps capital onshore.
The goal is on two fronts:
Build guardrails that reduce financial leakage and improve conditions for domestic innovation
A well-calibrated regulatory system could improve market trust, encourage institutional participation and drive the adoption of locally issued stablecoins.
But the Bank of Korea has issued warnings. It sees risks in allowing non-bank entities to issue stablecoins at scale, citing potential disruptions to monetary policy, systemic instability and increased exposure to currency volatility.
All said, how South Korea resolves these tensions will eventually determine whether it sets new standards for balancing innovation with macroeconomic stability or becomes a case study in (failed) regulatory overreach.
THORChain introduces Orbital Pools, leveraging its native vaults and CosmWasm AppLayer to enable cross-chain stablecoin swaps, enhancing liquidity and efficiency in DeFi.
In a significant development for decentralized finance (DeFi), THORChain has unveiled Orbital Pools, a novel cross-chain liquidity framework aimed at unifying stablecoins across various blockchain networks. This innovation utilizes THORChain’s native vaults and the CosmWasm AppLayer to streamline stablecoin swaps, according to Nine Realms.
The Role of Stablecoins
Stablecoins have become a critical component of the digital finance ecosystem, bridging traditional financial systems with on-chain economies. With a staggering $35 trillion in on-chain transfer volume over the past year, stablecoins have outpaced the combined annual volume of major credit card networks like Visa and Mastercard. The total supply of stablecoins is nearing $225 billion, with adoption surging across both consumer and institutional sectors. Major corporations such as Mastercard, PayPal, and Bank of America are increasingly integrating stablecoins into their payment systems to reduce costs and enhance efficiency.
Orbital Pools: A New Financial Primitive
Orbital Pools aim to overcome the fragmentation in the stablecoin market by creating a capital-efficient, cross-chain liquidity pool. This pool allows for the seamless swapping of stablecoins like ETH.USDC, ETH.USDT, and TRON.USDT, among others, without the need for bridging, thus reducing transaction fees and complexity.
Inspired by Paradigm’s Orbital AMM, Orbital Pools extend Curve-style stablecoin Automated Market Makers (AMMs) to a cross-chain context. This is achieved through THORChain’s Threshold Signature Scheme (TSS) vaults, which facilitate secure custody and swapping of assets across multiple blockchains without the need for wrapping or bridging.
How Orbital Pools Work
At the core of Orbital Pools are the TSS vaults, which enable decentralized key management and native asset custody across chains. When a user swaps stablecoins across different networks, Orbital Pools execute the trade atomically, ensuring trustless and final settlement.
Orbital Pools employ orbital bonding curves to maintain deep liquidity and low slippage for trades near a fixed asset ratio, optimizing pricing for like-kind assets. This approach enhances capital efficiency and reduces slippage, benefiting both liquidity providers and traders.
Target Audience and Impact
The introduction of Orbital Pools is poised to benefit various stakeholders in the DeFi ecosystem. Swappers can easily exchange like-assets across chains, while liquidity providers can earn yields with minimal impermanent loss risk. Developers can leverage LP-tokens to create innovative financial products.
With the potential to unlock new order flows and drive revenue growth, Orbital Pools are set to provide significant utility to users by facilitating massive stablecoin swap volumes.
Future Prospects
Developers are eagerly anticipating a Q4 2025 soft launch of Orbital Pools, which promises to enhance the composability and efficiency of cross-chain stablecoin liquidity. This development marks a significant step forward in the evolution of DeFi infrastructure, enabling seamless integration and interaction across blockchain networks.
