Crypto News Now: Bitcoin Jumps 5.4% as Market Hits $3T and Greed At 78

Crypto News Covers Bitcoin Price, EU MiCA Regulation and WLFI Proposal

Cryptocurrency news today, September 22, 2026: Crypto update shows strong momentum, with market capitalization at $3.03 trillion, Bitcoin above $85,000, and sentiment entering Extreme Greed.

Crypto Market Update Today: Prices, Volume & Trends

According to CoinGecko data recorded on September 22, 2026, at 1:30 AM UTC, the global crypto market capitalization stood at $3.03 trillion, surging 4.7% over 24 hours. Total trading volume was $160.7 billion. 

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance remains strong at 56.7%, while Ethereum (ETH) holds 11%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are Frog-Themed and The Boy’s Club Cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis

(Note: BTC and ETH are often viewed as less volatile historically, but still risky. The data recorded from Official CoinGecko Data on 22 September 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today is $85793.73 with an impressive rise of 5.4% over the last 24 hours. Its trading volume reached approximately $60.8 billion, while its market capitalization stood at around $1.722 trillion.  

• Ethereum (ETH) price today is at $2747.23, up by 2.8% over 24 hours. Ethereum recorded about $25.83 billion in trading volume, while its market capitalization stood near $335.7 billion.  

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours

Several trending assets also posted notable moves over the last 24 hours.

• Official Trump (TRUMP): $2.21, up 5.3%, with $368.14 million in trading volume.

• Pudgy Penguins (PENGU): $0.008836, up 9.5%, with $325.58 million in trading volume.

• Edel (EDEL): $0.03028, up 5.6%, with $2.03 million in trading activity.

• Firo (FIRO): $1.19, up 4.0%, with $177,103 in trading activity.

• Bittensor (TAO): $315.07, up 18.1%, with $671.18 million in trading volume

Bittensor (TAO) stands out because it has the highest 24-hour trading volume at $671.18 million and the largest 24-hour gain at 18.1% among the five listed coins.

Top 3 Crypto Gainers in 24 hours (Ranked by 24-hour percentage gain):

• True price today (TRUE): $0.1908, surged 946.2%, with trading activity of $8.88 million.

• MuseBook price today (MUSEBOOK): $0.0001906, climbed 208.4%, with trading activity of $18.30 million.

• Aurora price today (AURORA): $0.04931, jumped 140.3%, with trading activity of $13.10 million.

True recorded the largest percentage increase among the three listed gainers, rising 946.2%, while MuseBook recorded the highest trading volume at $18.30 million.

Top 3 Crypto Losers in 24 hours (Ranked by 24-hour percentage loss):

• AntFun price today (ANTFUN): $0.0107, down 86.7%, with trading activity of $37.57 million.

• GRX Chain price today (GRX): $13.05, lower by 38.3%, with trading activity of $1.47 million.

• COTI price today (COTI): $0.01465, slipped 18.8%, with trading activity of $55.41 million.

AntFun recorded the sharpest decline among the three listed losers, falling 86.7%, while COTI had the highest trading volume at $55.41 million.

Stablecoins and DeFi Market Update 

(As per CoinGecko on 22 September 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC)

The broader market weakness did not extend equally to stablecoins and decentralized finance.

• The stablecoin market capitalization reached $291.3 billion, up 0.2% over 24 hours. Stablecoin trading volume was approximately $136 billion.

• The DeFi market, which refers to blockchain-based financial applications such as decentralized exchanges and lending protocols, increased 0.6% to a market capitalization of $85.3 billion. DeFi trading volume reached approximately $7.87 billion, giving the sector a global dominance of 2.8%.

Crypto Fear and Greed Index Today

Source: Alternative Me

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index stood at 78, indicating Extreme Greed today. That was up from 70 yesterday and above the 69 level recorded a week earlier.

The current reading is also higher than 66 recorded last month, showing that market sentiment has strengthened across all four comparison periods.

The rise to Extreme Greed suggests increasing optimism among crypto market participants, although sentiment at this level also reflects a market with elevated risk appetite.

Major Crypto Market Events Today

Source: Forex Factory

Top Cryptocurrency News Today

Beyond market prices, several developments could influence crypto sentiment, regulation, infrastructure, and institutional activity.

1. Europe’s Crypto Rules: Kraken co-CEO David Ripley told Bitcoin News that Europe offers clearer rules through MiCA, saying its pragmatic framework could position Europe ahead of America.

2. A7 Moved $6.9B: The Financial Times reported that Russian payment firm A7 moved at least $6.9 billion through global banks using shell companies and fake invoices, bypassing bank anti-money-laundering checks.

3. Trueo Moves to Ethereum: Vitalik Buterin sees a new Ethereum prediction-market contender emerging, while Trueo plans migration from Base, citing Ethereum’s decentralization and broader network effects.

4. $4.3M Crypto Hack: Specter linked a leaked private key to losses above $4.3 million, with attackers draining more than 145 Ethereum addresses and stolen Bitcoin.

5. Russia Nears Crypto Framework: Interfax reported Russia’s central bank expects crypto markets could gain legal status by year-end, with 27 bills covering registration, custody, qualifications, and whitelists legal framework.

6. Au Gets 18-Month Sentence: U.S. prosecutors sentenced Irvine resident Iris Rabaya Au to 18 months after she failed to report $2.6 million in illegal income linked to Adam Iza.

7. Robinhood Sees Crypto Contract Growth: Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev said crypto event contracts now dominate prediction-market activity, while sports contracts may become smaller as trading expands into sectors.

8. WLFI Proposes Holder Rewards: World Liberty Financial proposed rewards for WLFI holders locking tokens and participating in governance votes, with payouts based on voting and funding.

9. Agora Gets OCC Approval: Agora received preliminary conditional OCC approval to establish a national trust bank, potentially placing its stablecoin, custody, and trading infrastructure under oversight.

10. CFTC Launches Frontier Forum: The CFTC’s Lab Innovation Group will launch Frontier Forum on October 28, bringing public and private experts together to discuss AI, agentic finance, and regulation.

Comparative Insight: What Changed Today?

The September 22 crypto update shows stronger momentum than the September 21 crypto update. Global market capitalization rose from $2.88 trillion to $3.03 trillion, while daily trading volume increased from $77.86 billion to $160.7 billion. 

Bitcoin’s gain accelerated from 0.8% to 5.4%, while Ethereum remained positive but eased from 2.8% to 2.8%. Sentiment strengthened from Greed at 70 to Extreme Greed at 78, indicating higher market activity and risk appetite across the cryptocurrency market.

What Does This Crypto Market Move Mean Today?

The September 22 cryptocurrency market update points to a broad increase in market activity and risk appetite. Global crypto market capitalization climbed 4.7% to $3.03 trillion, while trading volume reached $160.7 billion. 

Bitcoin gained 5.4%, and Ethereum rose 2.8%, supporting the wider market advance. The Fear and Greed Index reached 78, moving into Extreme Greed from 70 yesterday. 

Smaller tokens experienced much sharper price movements, including True’s 946.2% gain and AntFun’s 86.7% decline. For readers, volume, liquidity, market capitalization, and sustained price trends remain important alongside headline percentage changes.

CoinGabbar's Market View

September 22’s crypto market update shows strong short-term momentum, but the current environment remains risky for investors and daily crypto readers. The 4.7% market-cap increase, higher trading volume, and Extreme Greed reading of 78 indicate elevated market participation and optimism. However, extreme moves among smaller tokens demonstrate how quickly prices can change, particularly where liquidity is limited. 

A strong daily rally does not guarantee continued gains or make every asset beneficial for investment. Readers should compare market size, liquidity, trading volume, volatility, and broader trends before making decisions, while avoiding investments based solely on sudden percentage gains.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile, and individual digital assets can experience substantial price fluctuations or losses. Readers should conduct their own research (DYOR) and consult a qualified financial professional before making financial decisions. Availability of cryptocurrency services and assets may vary by jurisdiction.