Crypto News September 23: Bitcoin Tops $86K and DeFi Market Rises 2.2%

Crypto News Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum and $18B Options Expiry in Focus

Cryptocurrency news today, September 23, 2026: The crypto market rose 0.5% to $3.03 trillion as Bitcoin and Ethereum gained, while Greed sentiment remained elevated and major regulatory and infrastructure developments unfolded.

Crypto Market Update Today: Prices, Volume & Trends

According to CoinGecko data recorded on September 23, 2026, at 1:30 AM UTC, the global crypto market capitalization stood at $3.03 trillion, surging 0.5% over 24 hours. Total trading volume was $123 billion. 

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance remains strong at 57.4%, while Ethereum (ETH) holds 11.1%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are Bitcoin fork and Index Coop DeFi Index 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 23 September 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today at $86303.07, up 0.8% over the last 24 hours. Trading volume reached about $42.57 billion, while market capitalization stood at around $1.735 trillion.  

• Ethereum (ETH) is trading at $2752.3 today, up 0.3% over 24 hours. Ethereum recorded about $16.1 billion in trading volume, while its market capitalization stood near $336.3 billion.  

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours

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

• Pudgy Penguins (PENGU): $0.01003, up 13.6%, with $503.90 million in trading volume (TV)

• Edel (EDEL): $0.03012, up 0.4%, with $2.70 million in trading volume.

• Zcash (ZEC): $1,589.24, up 8.1%, with $1.80 billion in trading activity.

• Uniswap (UNI): $10.37, up 14.1%, with $2.26 billion in trading volume.

• Pearl (PRL): $1.46, up 43.6%, with $5.62 million in trading activity.

Uniswap recorded the highest trading volume among the listed trending coins, while Pearl posted the largest 24-hour percentage gain.

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

• AntFun price today (ANTFUN): $0.01762, climbed 56.5%, with trading activity of $20.26 million.

• Aurora price today (AURORA): $0.1051, surged 120.5%, with trading activity of $45.52 million.

• Mubarak price today (MUBARAK): $0.07507, jumped 67.3%, with trading activity of $237.64 million.

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

• GreenHood price today (HOOD): $0.06632, down 56.1%, with trading volume of $257,100.

• Lobster price today (龙虾): $0.1419, lower by 37.0%, with trading activity of $23.98 million.

• ICON price today (ICX): $0.01624, slipped 11.7%, with trading activity of $3.07 million.

Stablecoins and DeFi Market Update 

(As per CoinGecko on 23 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 $292.2 billion, up 0.3% over 24 hours. Stablecoin trading volume was approximately $102.4 billion.

• The DeFi market, which refers to blockchain-based financial applications such as decentralized exchanges and lending protocols, increased 2.2% to a market capitalization of $87.2 billion. DeFi trading volume reached approximately $8.29 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 stands at 71 today, indicating Greed.

That is down from 78 yesterday, when sentiment was in the Extreme Greed zone, and also below 73 recorded last month. However, the current reading is higher than 51 last week, which indicated Neutral sentiment. The weekly rise suggests that overall market sentiment has strengthened, although the one-day decline shows that the recent extreme optimism has cooled somewhat.

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. $18.1B BTC and ETH Options Expire Friday: Coinbase says about $18.1 billion in BTC and ETH options expire Friday, with call options dominating and bullish positioning concentrated around key strike price levels.

2. PQLN Targets Lightning Network Quantum Risks: A new PQLN proposal adds post-quantum protection to Bitcoin Lightning using ML-DSA and ML-KEM, with implementation testing showing cryptographic overhead below 0.33 milliseconds.

3. BitMEX Whale Moves 2,000 BTC: An ancient BitMEX-linked whale reportedly transferred 2,000 BTC, worth about $172 million, to Galaxy Digital after withdrawing 32,000 BTC in November 2025 from BitMEX.

4. CFTC Limits Mention-Based Prediction Contracts: The CFTC issued guidance limiting mention-based prediction contracts, citing heightened manipulation risks and requiring exchanges to provide contract-specific analysis before listing such products.

5. 21Shares Launches Zcash and ETHFI ETPs: 21Shares launched physically backed Zcash and ETHFI ETPs on Euronext Paris and Amsterdam, giving investors brokerage access while charging annual management fees of 2.5%.

6. a16z Proposes DEX Safe Harbor: a16z and the DeFi Education Fund proposed an SEC safe harbor for DEXs meeting four standards: non-custodial, automated, permissionless, and credibly neutral systems for users.

7. Hashed Backs $300M Crypto Credit Fund: Hashed backed a new $300 million digital-asset private-credit fund using covenant-based underwriting to lend dollars or stablecoins directly to institutional digital-asset borrowers with strong fundamentals.

8. Coinbase Develops Quantum-Ready Custody: Coinbase is developing post-quantum custody architecture using programmable HSMs, aiming to protect assets despite uncertainty over which quantum-resistant signatures Bitcoin ultimately adopts.

9. BVNK Adds Stellar Payment Support: BVNK integrated Stellar into its stablecoin platform, adding cross-border payments, merchant payouts, and treasury transfers through one API, alongside $39 billion in annualized processing volume.

10. Six Canadian Banks Explore Tokenized Deposits: Six Canadian banks are jointly exploring tokenized Canadian-dollar deposits, starting with interbank transfers and targeting faster, programmable payments within the regulated banking system nationwide for customers.

11. Breed VC Raises $15M Crypto Fund: Breed VC raised $15 million for its second crypto fund, targeting day-zero, pre-seed, and seed startups focused on open financial infrastructure and decentralized AI investments.

12. EvilTokens Platform Hit by Joint Crackdown: Coinbase and partners disrupted EvilTokens, tracing $1.1 million in revenue, while UK police arrested operators and Microsoft seized 50 websites and disabled related domains globally.

13. Chainlink Partners With Infosys: Chainlink and Infosys formed a strategic partnership to promote institutional blockchain adoption, using CCIP, CRE, ACE, Proof of Reserve, and data services globally across finance.

14. SEC Works on Crypto Custody Rules: SEC Crypto Task Force counsel Taylor Lindman said the agency is developing crypto custody rules covering broker-dealers and investment-adviser custody arrangements, pending White House review.

15. Camelot and Cypher Unite as Frontier: Camelot and Cypher are integrating as Frontier, building Uniswap v4 infrastructure; 15% of FRONT supply will support their communities during the migration process over time.

Comparative Insight: What Changed Today?

The September 23 shows a clear cooling in momentum compared with September 22 crypto update. Global market capitalization remained at $3.03 trillion, but growth slowed from 4.7% to 0.5%, while trading volume fell from $160.7 billion to $123 billion. 

Bitcoin’s gain eased from 5.4% to 0.8%, and Ethereum’s from 2.8% to 0.3%. Fear and Greed declined from 78 Extreme Greed to 71 Greed. However, DeFi growth accelerated from 0.6% to 2.2%, indicating continued activity despite softer overall momentum.

What Does This Crypto Market Move Mean Today?

The September 23 crypto market update points to continued positive momentum, but not uniform strength across the market. Global market capitalization reached $3.03 trillion, while Bitcoin remained above $86,000 and Ethereum traded near $2,752. 

Trading volume also increased to $123 billion, suggesting active participation. DeFi gained 2.2%, while stablecoin capitalization rose 0.3%, indicating relatively healthy liquidity conditions. However, the Fear and Greed Index fell from 78 to 71, showing that extreme optimism has moderated. Meanwhile, sharp moves among smaller tokens demonstrate that risk remains elevated outside major cryptocurrencies.

CoinGabbar's Market View

The September 23 crypto market update reflects a constructive but still high-risk environment for investors and daily market readers. Bitcoin and Ethereum posted modest gains, while DeFi and stablecoins also expanded, supporting the broader market structure. 

However, large moves in smaller tokens show that volatility remains significant, and percentage gains alone should not be treated as evidence of sustainable performance. 

The decline in Fear and Greed from 78 to 71 also suggests some cooling after extreme optimism. Investors should monitor BTC and ETH trends, trading volume, liquidity, market dominance, and sentiment before making 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.