Crypto News Now: Bitcoin Rises, DeFi Recovers and Stablecoins Trends

Crypto News: DeFi Market, Stablecoin Rules and Bitcoin Treasury Moves

Cryptocurrency news today, September 25, 2026: Global crypto market cap rose 0.5% to $2.97 trillion, with Bitcoin and Ethereum posting modest gains while sentiment stayed firmly in Greed territory at 71.

Crypto Market Update Today: Prices, Volume & Trends

According to CoinGecko data recorded on September 25, 2026, at 1:30 AM UTC, the global crypto market capitalization stood at $2.97 trillion, surging 0.5% over 24 hours. Total trading volume was $107.4 billion. 

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance remains strong at 57.2%, while Ethereum (ETH) holds 11.1%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are RWA Protocol and Binance HODLer Airdrops Cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis

(Note: BTC and ETH are often viewed as historically less volatile, but still risky. The data recorded from Official CoinGecko Data on 25 September 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today at $84424.84, up 0.4% over the last 24 hours. Trading volume reached about $38.16 billion, while market capitalization stood at around $1.69 trillion.  

• Ethereum (ETH) is trading at $2687.05, up 0.2% over the last 24 hours. Ethereum recorded about $14.77 billion in trading volume, while its market capitalization stood near $328.58 billion.  

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours

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

• Ondo (ONDO): $0.5305, up 29.7%, with $1.12 million in trading volume.

• Backpack (BP): $1.12, up 27.9%, with $21.51 million in trading volume.

• Edel (EDEL): $0.02957, up 6.3%, with $1.21 million in trading volume.

• peaq (PEAQ): $0.04162, up 19.3%, with $15.67 million in trading volume.

• Bitget Token (BGB): $1.93, down 5.5%, with $46.26 million in trading volume.

Bitget Token stands out with the highest trading volume among the group despite being the only one in the red over 24 hours, while Backpack posted the strongest gain at nearly 28%.

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

• Aleo price today (ALEO): $0.04077, climbed 9.8%, trading activity $27.28M.

• Mushroom price today (SHROOM): $0.02615, jumped 61.1%, trading activity $3.40M.

• Fren Pet price today (FP): $8.87, surged 58.2%, trading activity $338.44K.

Mushroom recorded the largest percentage increase among the listed gainers, rising over 61%, even though Aleo carried the highest trading volume of the group.

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

• Overtake price (TAKE): $0.05628, down 22.0%, with trading volume near $36.24 million.

• Lobster price: $0.1101, lower by 30.7%, trading activity close to $37.95 million.

• Gstock price (GSTOCK): $0.01817, slipped 30.6%, trading activity around $5.64 million.

Lobster recorded the sharpest decline among the listed losers at 30.7%, closely followed by Gstock, while Overtake carried a comparable trading volume despite a smaller drop.

Stablecoins and DeFi Market Update 

(As per CoinGecko on 25 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 $292.38 billion, with no changes over 24 hours. Stablecoin trading volume was approximately $92 billion.

• The DeFi market, which refers to blockchain-based financial applications such as decentralized exchanges and lending protocols, increased 2% to a market capitalization of $85 billion. DeFi trading volume reached approximately $7.93 billion, giving the sector a global dominance of 2.9%.

Crypto Fear and Greed Index Today

Source: Alternative Me

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index stood at 71 today, indicating Greed. That matches yesterday's reading of 71, also Greed, and marks an increase from 56 a week earlier, which was already in Greed territory. Last month's reading was also in the Greed zone, though the specific number wasn't shown in the data.

The flat reading between today and yesterday suggests market sentiment has held steady rather than shifting sharply in either direction. The steady climb from last week's 56 to this week's 71 shows optimism has been building over the past several days, with the market comfortably in Greed rather than nearing Fear or Extreme Greed.

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. Bitget CEO Addresses Hack, Denies FTX Comparison: Gracy Chen linked attackers to North Korea-related VPNs, confirmed hot wallets were breached, cold wallets are safe, and reserves cover losses fully.

2. First Digital Credit ETF Launches in US: Tuttle Capital and Strive launched DCAP, a Bitcoin treasury preferred-securities ETF, offering income exposure without directly holding Bitcoin, charging 0.95% fees.

3. Tether CEO Signals USDT's Bitcoin Network Push: Paolo Ardoino said "USDT is returning to Bitcoin," following Utexo's discussions with Morgan Stanley on expanding USDT usage across Europe.

4. Brazil Tightens Rules on Self-Custody Crypto Transfers: Brazil's central bank now requires reporting on virtual asset transfers above $10,000 involving self-custodial wallets, starting October 2026, without banning transfers.

5. Luxor Technology Expands Into AI Infrastructure: Bitcoin miner Luxor launched Luxor AI, covering GPU procurement, power supply, compute trading, and cloud services, having processed 1.8 million workloads.

6. Paxos Launches Yield-Bearing Gold Token PAXGy: Paxos Labs introduced PAXGy, letting holders earn gold-denominated yield through leased PAXG reserves, redeemable for increasing amounts of physical gold-backed tokens.

7. Sequans Ends Bitcoin Treasury Strategy Completely: French semiconductor firm Sequans sold its remaining 314 BTC, clearing crypto holdings entirely to refocus on cellular IoT and SDR chip businesses.

8. Blink Wallet Restores Funds After Breach: Blink Wallet confirmed a September vulnerability drained accounts; all balances were restored, though attackers accessed data for roughly 3,400 additional users.

9. Tether Faces Minor Exposure to EQIBank Risk: Tether holds limited funds at Dominica's EQIBank, facing liquidation after US asset seizures, representing under 0.034% of Tether's total assets.

10. Fed Proposes Stablecoin Reserve and Capital Rules: The Federal Reserve proposed GENIUS Act rules requiring stablecoin issuers to back tokens fully with high-quality liquid assets and uniform capital standards.

Comparative Insight: What Changed Today?

Sentiment reversed sharply between the two days. On September 24, global market cap fell 2.6% to $2.96 trillion, with Bitcoin and Ethereum dropping 2.6% and 2.8% respectively, while DeFi declined 4.6%. 

By September 25, the market rebounded, rising 0.5% to $2.97 trillion, with Bitcoin and Ethereum both posting mild gains and DeFi growing 2%. Trading volume fell sharply from $249.6 billion to $107.4 billion, while the Fear and Greed Index held steady at 71 across both days, reflecting persistent Greed despite the underlying price swing.

What Does This Crypto Market Move Mean Today?

Today's update reflects a market in steady, low-volatility growth rather than dramatic swings. The global market cap edged up 0.5%, with Bitcoin and Ethereum both posting small gains, signaling stability among large-cap assets. 

The Fear and Greed Index held at 71, unchanged from yesterday, showing sentiment has plateaued after climbing from 56 last week. Meanwhile, DeFi expanded 2%, and stablecoins remained flat, pointing to healthy underlying liquidity. 

However, trending tokens and altcoins like Mushroom, Ondo, and Lobster showed double-digit swings in both directions, reminding readers that smaller-cap assets remain far more volatile than the broader market's calm headline numbers suggest.

CoinGabbar's Market View

Today's 24-hour update points to a stable, moderately bullish crypto market. Bitcoin and Ethereum posted gentle gains, DeFi grew 2%, and stablecoins held steady, indicating healthy market fundamentals rather than speculative excess. 

The Fear and Greed Index at 71 shows sustained optimism, though investors should note sentiment has plateaued rather than accelerated. For daily readers, large-cap holdings like BTC and ETH currently appear relatively low-risk given their modest, steady movement. 

However, trending altcoins and small-cap tokens showing 20-60% swings carry significantly higher risk and should be approached cautiously, with attention paid to trading volume and liquidity rather than percentage gains alone before making investment decisions.

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.