Ripple Price Analysis: Is XRP Preparing for One Final Rally Before Big Correction?

While ETH remains in a strong uptrend on higher timeframes, the bearish divergences on both daily and 4H RSI suggest caution. A potential correction toward $4.1K should not be ruled out unless buyers manage to defend $4.4K and push the price above the $4.8K ATH with convincing momentum.Technical Analysis

By ShayanThe Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, Ethereum has formed a slightly higher high at $4,884 compared to its previous peak. However, RSI has failed to make a corresponding higher high, forming a bearish divergence, a classic warning of potential exhaustion in the trend.

The price is currently consolidating just below the new ATH, within the upper boundary of the ascending channel. Immediate support lies at $4,400–$4,450, followed by the Fib retracement cluster at $4,070–$3,900, which aligns with the channel’s midline and remains a high-probability demand zone if a correction deepens.

Bitcoin’s fee market has entered an unusual phase, raising questions about the fate of the fees and their implications for the network’s economic security. Since the decline in non-monetary activity like Ordinals and Runes in late 2024, on-chain usage has dropped sharply.

The result has been a growing number of blocks that clear at almost no cost to users, which often averages just 1 satoshi per virtual byte or less.Where Did All the Bitcoin Fees Go?

For those looking to send bitcoin quickly and cheaply, this environment seems ideal. But the same cannot be said for miners, who rely on fees to supplement theshrinkingblock subsidy after the 2024 halving. The collapse of fee pressure exposes a deeper vulnerability in Bitcoin’s long-term sustainability, according to the latest note shared by Galaxy Digital.

Median daily fees have fallen more than 80% since April 2024, and as of August 2025, nearly 15% of all blocks can be classified as “free blocks.” At the same time, almost half of the blocks in recent months have not reached maximum weight, which revealed an unusually thin mempool and highlighted the absence of competition for blockspace.

The disappearance of fees can be traced to several structural changes. One is the dramatic surge and decline of OP_RETURN transactions, which spiked during the peak of Runes adoption in 2024, and at times accounted for 40-60% of daily activity. Their retreat back to roughly 20% of transactions has released congestion, thereby lowering overall fees. Yet OP_RETURN remains central to debate, especially as Bitcoin Core’s upcoming v30 release could allow larger and multiple OP_RETURN outputs per transaction.

Supporters argue that because these outputs are provably unspendable, they do not increase the burden on the UTXO set. Critics, however, warn that they consume scarce blockspace that could otherwise be used for monetary transactions. This has sparked concerns about spam and sustainability.

Another factor behind weaker fees is the migration of activity away from Bitcoin’s base layer altogether. Spot ETFs now hold around 1.3 million BTC, locking up supply that rarely moves on-chain and thereby reducing transaction demand. At the same time, speculative use cases such as NFTs and meme coins have shifted to faster and cheaper alternatives like Solana, where users find a smoother experience compared to Bitcoin’s relatively constrained environment.

This displacement means that transactions that once competed aggressively for inclusion in blocks are now occurring elsewhere, further undermining fee revenue for miners.

Beyond immediate fee pressures, Galaxy also examined the UTXO set to assess long-term security risks. The analysts found that millions of coins remain in legacy formats such as P2PK and P2PKH, some of which are inherently vulnerable to quantum attacks due to exposed public keys. On the other hand, adoption of P2WPKH has grown to dominate unspent balances, while Taproot continues to gain traction for advanced use cases.“Settlement Layer Without Settlement”

For now, the lull offers a window of cheap transactions, but the long-term picture is “murkier” as a declining fee market poses serious questions to the network security.

Post 2024, miners are left with 3.125 BTC in block rewards, and miner incentives are increasingly exposed to fluctuations in organic demand. But as BTC activity shifts toward ETFs, custodial platforms, and faster alternative L1s, Galaxy said that the core network risks becoming a “settlement layer without sufficient settlement activity.” As reliance on off-chain “paper Bitcoin” grows and fees dry up, Bitcoin’s long-term security hinges on a level of usage that remains uncertain.

“Fee volatility is nothing new, but Bitcoin does need real reasons to use the chain. “

One year has passed since the arrest of Telegram CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov, sparking outrage from free speech activists and concern over the future of platform moderation.

On Aug. 24, 2024, Durov was arrested at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France as part of an investigation by the French National Judicial Police. The 12 charges later filed against him claim that he is complicit in serious crimes committed by users on his platform.

Durov has expressed confusion and frustration about the case in recent interviews. Free speech advocates harshly criticized the arrest, stating it has serious implications for free speech and platform development.

Now, one year later, there is little progress in the case, and new challenges to user privacy on messaging platforms are rising.

Opinion by: Dipendra Jain, co-founder of TCX

Regulation has become the baseline for crypto. From the United States’ regulatory enforcement to Dubai’s comprehensive crypto rulebook and India’s renewed debate on formalizing Bitcoin reserves, governments are rewriting the rules of digital finance. As listed institutions, retailers and social networks weigh in on digital asset rails, stablecoins and yield mechanisms, the real story is no longer what’s next, but who is building what comes next. 

Speculation once drove adoption, but structured compliance catalyzes scale across the Asia-Middle East corridor. Hubs like the United Arab Emirates and India represent the treatment of regulation as the backbone of innovation. The UAE is pushing a unified virtual asset service providers (VASP) framework to accelerate global crypto ambitions. At the same time, India is opening the door for offshore crypto exchanges to return, with approvals now subject to the review of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). 

As regulatory frameworks formalize, platforms must align with new taxation, data governance and licensing rules to access expanding markets without friction. The global center of gravity is tilting eastward, and the question is: Who will master the age of “permissioned scale,” where sustainable growth comes from thriving within regulation, not skirting them?

Jurisdictional intelligence and the demographic interplay

Once sufficient for market entry, understanding jurisdictional rules is no longer enough. The Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has issued 36 full licenses and supports over 400 registered companies. VARA is also piloting tokenized gold and DeFi products, which promise growing enthusiasm to experiment with real-world assets beyond established solutions within a controlled environment. 

But regulation alone renders platforms powerless if they fail to meet users where they are. With over 1.12 billion cellular mobile connections in India, 55.3% have internet access, and only 27% of adults meet basic financial literacy requirements. Platforms must recognize the need to bridge the knowledge gap through education-embedded user journeys. Crypto platforms can offer far more efficient, blockchain-based fintech solutions in remittance-heavy Cambodia and the Philippines, where such transactions make up 9% of GDP, by leveraging stablecoins to simplify transfers, reduce costs, and enhance transparency. 

Financial sovereignty will remain aspirational for underbanked populations and emerging markets without contextualized features and user-oriented solutions. Platforms that embed jurisdictional intelligence at their core and localize products with compliance and cultural relevance will set the standard for future adoption. This ultimately differentiates between short-term participation and long-term leadership. 

Compliance as a competitive moat 

The industry is at a juncture where compliance has become the ultimate competitive moat. Low-cost, government-backed payment rails are displacing traditional payment flows, challenging global card networks like Mastercard and Visa. Today, regulated fiat-crypto integration carries similar potential to displace legacy infrastructure, which can only be unlocked by those actively building trusted access by working within regulatory parameters.

Related: The rise of Money2: The next financial system has already begun

When there is regulatory clarity, progress and adoption will follow. The UAE attracted $34 billion in crypto inflows in the Middle East last year. India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is another example of how regulation can boost fraud indicators in safeguarding user funds. Collective efforts across borders can encourage crypto platforms to integrate automated compliance and risk monitoring at the protocol level.

A regulated foundation also makes cross-border capital flow more viable. This allows them to meet institutional demands for transparent, scalable access to diversified liquidity and global capital markets. Permissioned scale is underway, where regulation, payments and liquidity infrastructure extend in sync. Stablecoin developments further complement this infrastructure, providing a strong, programmable medium for cross-border settlements that bridge traditional finance and crypto ecosystems. 

AI and RWA as financial democratisation enablers

AI introduces three indispensable elements: real-time regulatory interpretation, fraud detection and parity-based trading. Platforms can navigate jurisdictional requirements by injecting regulatory intelligence directly into trading mechanisms while optimizing user experience. 

Real-world assets (RWAs) further expand that opportunity. Tokenized real estate, sovereign bonds, and commodities such as gold are gaining traction, with a projection to grow into a $10 trillion market by 2030, particularly in economies seeking to diversify wealth pools and investment options. In ESG sectors like agriculture, carbon credits and trade receivables, tokenization removes friction, reduces reliance on intermediaries and accelerates settlement timelines. It creates liquidity for underserved participants, including small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), while offering institutional investors new, risk-adjusted, diversified returns. 

Partnerships across capital markets and crypto companies also lay the groundwork for tokenized private equity and other frontier assets. While still deemed mainly uncharted waters, clarity is poised to catch up as giants like BlackRock, eToro, Robinhood and Coinbase call for RWA representation in mainstream portfolios.

An AI-native approach that can price, route and settle RWA trades must integrate compliance throughout the stack, from onboarding and identity verification to transaction monitoring and regulatory reporting. This compliant, AI-powered core will become a definitive innovation for the next generation of financial infrastructure.

Victorious platforms are those that scale by design

The payoff from speculative surges has faded. Today’s growth comes from platforms designed to scale with the rules. When regulation is a given, the true differentiator lies in those who will build trust, liquidity, and utility that endures across jurisdictions.

Leadership in this emerging reality will come from platforms fluent in regulatory nuance, grounded in user behavior and equipped with the technology to unlock compliant access to global capital and real-world assets. As the Asia-Middle East corridor sets the pace, the platforms that master permissioned scale will write crypto’s next playbook.

Opinion by: Dipendra Jain, co-founder of TCX.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Despite the broader market showing signs of fatigue, the BNB price train is still on track. Over the past 24 hours, Binance Coin has slipped 1.5%, now trading at $877. Given its relentless performance, this pullback, however, looks more like a scheduled pause than a derailment.

In the past month alone, BNB has gained 15%, while three-month returns sit at 30%, and the yearly swing is an impressive 51%. At just 2% below its all-time high of $899, the token is still within striking distance of a breakout that could carry it into four-digit territory for the first time.

Spot Demand Builds Through HODL Waves

Supporting this steady climb is the expansion across multiple HODL wave cohorts: a metric that tracks the percentage of circulating supply held across different holding periods.

Between July 24 and August 23, three key cohorts all grew their holdings: one-year to two-year wallets rose from 6.55% to 7.52%, three-month to six-month holdings surged from 1.62% to 7.30%, and one-month to three-month wallets ticked slightly higher from 2.29% to 2.306%.

These increases confirm that both long-term and mid-term investors are buying into strength rather than waiting for dips, adding fresh fuel to the BNB price train.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

Futures Open Interest Keeps Momentum Alive

It isn’t just spot markets that are feeding the rally. BNB futures open interest has been climbing steadily alongside prices, hitting a three-month peak of $1.27 billion on August 22. The current levels are still around the same zone.

Rising open interest means leveraged traders are piling in, amplifying the potential for both upward surges and sudden squeezes. If momentum favors the bulls, short liquidations could accelerate the move past $899 and unlock higher price discovery levels.

On the flip side, a sudden long squeeze could trigger volatility and pullback, but the current alignment of spot and derivatives suggests the bias remains upward.

Futures open interest measures the total number of outstanding futures contracts that have not been settled, showing how much capital is tied to derivatives.

BNB Price Action: $898 Is the Gateway to Four Digits

BNB is testing critical resistance zones that could define its next move. The token recently pulled back from $898, which aligns with the 0.618 Fibonacci extension, often seen as the strongest barrier in an uptrend. The BNB price is currently trading a notch under another key resistance level of $882.

With $898–$899 marking its historical high and one of the toughest resistance zones, a decisive candle close above that level could open the tracks toward $922 and $952.

Once BNB breaks past $898 strongly and into price discovery, the first four-digit target stands at $1,038. If spot and derivatives momentum holds, this may only be the beginning of a longer rally, where $1,000 is less a destination and more a milestone on the journey.

However, if the BNB price breaks under $812, a key retracement zone, it would invalidate the bullish hypothesis in the short term. That would momentarily put a halt to the BNB price train.