Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin’s New High, Ethereum ETFs Outpace Bitcoin 5-to-1

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$117,981, following a volatile 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$117,547, while its highest so far was US$119,315.

Bitcoin price performance, August 15, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high of $124,533 on Thursday (August 14), driven by expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts and increased institutional interest. However, the rally was short-lived, as the price fell as low as $117,263 early Friday.

The decline was attributed to a higher-than-expected US Producer Price Index (PPI) for July, which dampened investor optimism about imminent interest rate reductions. Additionally, comments from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that the US holds fewer Bitcoin reserves than previously thought, further unsettling the market.

Meanwhile, Ethereum’s (ETH) weekend rally briefly has worn off, currently down by 3 percent to US$4,556.55. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation on Friday was US$4,462.52, and its highest was US$4,690.57.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$189.85, down by 4.3 percent over 24 hours. Its highest valuation of the day was at US$198.27, while its lowest valuation was US$188.80.

• XRP was trading for US$3.08, down 1.7 percent in the past 24 hours. Its highest valuation of the day was at US$3.14, while its lowest was US$3.04.

• Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.75, down by 2.53 percent over the past 24 hours. Its highest valuation of the day was at US$3.78, while its lowest was US$3.68.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.9485, up by 1.7 percent over 24 hours. Its highest valuation of the day was at US$0.9605, while its lowest was US$0.9362.

Today’s crypto news to know

Ethereum ETFs cruise past Bitcoin, totals nearly US$3 billion in a week

Ethereum-focused exchange-traded funds have seen an unprecedented surge in investor demand, attracting almost US$3 billion in net inflows over the past week.

According to SoSoValue data, this growth is more than five times the US$562 million that flowed into Bitcoin ETFs during the same period. The spike coincides with a rapid increase in Ethereum holdings by crypto treasury firms, which climbed from US$600 million to US$11 billion in just six weeks.

ETF Store president Nate Geraci noted that three of the four largest single-day inflows for Ethereum ETFs since their inception occurred this week alone.

ETH prices have rallied nearly 19 percent over the past seven days, coming within reach of their 2021 all-time high of US$4,878.

The inflows also follow recent SEC approval of in-kind creations and redemptions for spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, a change that makes the funds more cost-efficient and attractive to institutional investors.

Michael Saylor bets on US$100 billion ‘bitcoin credit’

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) (formerly MicroStrategy), is pursuing a high-risk plan to finance further Bitcoin purchases through perpetual preferred stock offerings.

The new securities—nicknamed “Stretch”—do not mature, lack voting rights, and can skip dividends under certain conditions, giving the issuer flexibility while raising investor concerns about risk.

This marks a departure from the company’s earlier reliance on common stock sales and convertible bonds to fund what is now a US$75 billion Bitcoin treasury. Saylor aims to retire billions in outstanding debt and replace it with preferred equity, which he says could theoretically scale to US$100 billion or more in capital raised.

The model hinges on investor appetite for yield backed indirectly by Bitcoin’s performance, while avoiding the dilution impact of issuing more common stock.

Hong Kong SFC rolls out stricter rules for licensed Crypto platforms

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has introduced new custody rules for licensed virtual asset trading platforms, setting stricter benchmarks for how client assets must be stored and secured.

The updated framework includes specific requirements for cold wallet usage, senior management accountability, and real-time cyber-threat monitoring, alongside rules for using third-party wallet providers.

These measures follow an SFC review earlier this year that identified security and operational gaps among some licensed exchanges. The regulator says the changes are part of its ASPIRe strategy, a five-point plan to address liquidity fragmentation, regulatory arbitrage, and volatility while expanding regulated product offerings.

The policy also aims to position Hong Kong as a safer, more structured alternative to other Asian crypto hubs, notably Singapore, which has imposed tighter limits on retail trading.