Crypto News: BTC Falls, DeFi Gains, Bitget Hack and Fed Rate Outlook

Crypto News Now: DeFi Market Gains 3%, Bitcoin and Ethereum Dips Today

Cryptocurrency news today, September 26, 2026: The global crypto market rose 0.3% to $2.98 trillion, with Bitcoin and Ethereum dipping slightly while sentiment stayed firmly in "Greed" at 74.

Crypto Market Update Today: Prices, Volume & Trends

According to CoinGecko data recorded on September 26, 2026, at 1:30 AM UTC, the global crypto market capitalization stood at $2.98 trillion, up 0.3% over 24 hours. Total trading volume was $109.2 billion. 

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance in the industry remains strong at 56.5%, while Ethereum (ETH) holds 11%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are Binance Launchpool and Optimism Superchain Ecosystem 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 26 September 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today at $84037.95, down 0.8% over the last 24 hours. Its trading volume reached approximately $35.5 billion, while its market capitalization stood at around $1.68 trillion.  

• Ethereum (ETH) price today is at $2691.66, falling 0.2% over 24 hours. Ethereum recorded about $14.24 billion in trading volume, while its market capitalization stood near $328.49 billion.  

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours

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

• Official Trump (TRUMP): $2.13, up 1.5%, with $263.40 million in trading volume.

• Pudgy Penguins (PENGU): $0.01031, up 6.2%, with $290.08 million in trading volume.

• Edel (EDEL): $0.02962, down 0.2%, with $1.37 million in trading volume.

• NEAR Protocol (NEAR): $4.97, up 9.3%, with $1.63 billion in trading volume.

• Aerodrome Finance (AERO): $0.8408, up 20.7%, with $143.63 million in trading volume.

NEAR Protocol stands out because its trading volume was considerably higher than that of the other listed trending tokens, while Edel was the only coin in the red over the past 24 hours.

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

• BENQI price today (QI): $0.003824, ranked #789, climbed 27.4%, trading activity $90.46 million.

• Bundle Cat price today (BUN): $0.06384, ranked #968, skyrocketed 137.0%, trading activity $5.51 million.

• PHALA price today (PHA): $0.08455, ranked #371, jumped 68.2%, trading activity $239.86 million.

Bundle Cat recorded the largest percentage increase among the listed assets, more than doubling in value. However, percentage gains of this magnitude should be considered alongside market capitalization, liquidity and trading volume, because smaller or less-liquid tokens can experience unusually large price movements.

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

• GreenHood price (HOOD): $0.0304, ranked #708, down 52.5%, with trading volume near $238,801.

• Neon price (NEON): $0.0435, ranked #901, lower by 41.7%, with trading activity close to $5.24 million.

• Electroneum price (ETN): $0.001745, ranked #739, slipped 41.9%, trading activity around $590,442.

GreenHood recorded the sharpest decline among the listed tokens, falling more than 52%. The contrast between GreenHood and Bundle Cat demonstrates how quickly liquidity and sentiment can shift in smaller cryptocurrency markets.

Stablecoins and DeFi Market Update 

(As per CoinGecko on 26 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 $292.5 billion, with no change over 24 hours. Stablecoin trading volume was approximately $90.99 billion.

• The DeFi market, which refers to blockchain-based financial applications such as decentralized exchanges and lending protocols, increased 3% to a market capitalization of $87.7 billion. DeFi trading volume reached approximately $8.6 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 74 today, September 26, signaling "Greed," according to alternative.me's multifactorial sentiment gauge.

That's up from 71 yesterday, matching the same 71 reading recorded both last week and last month. The steady climb from 71 to 74 shows sentiment strengthening slightly rather than swinging sharply, unlike the volatility seen in early September when the index dropped from 69 to 63 in a single day.

Notably, today's level of 74 is well above last month's 71, indicating that greed has intensified rather than faded over the past few weeks. With the index holding comfortably in "Greed" territory across all four timeframes now, yesterday, last week, and last month market sentiment appears stable and consistently optimistic, showing none of the sharp cooling seen during early-September pullbacks.

Top Cryptocurrency News Today

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

1. LayerZero Ends Support for 13 Chains: LayerZero will gradually stop off-chain support for 13 low-activity blockchains, including Aurora and Gnosis. Stargate Hydra users should redeem USDC.e, wETH, and USDT promptly.

2. Polymarket Bank-Collapse Bets Worry FDIC: FDIC officials fear Polymarket contracts on bank collapses could trigger real bank runs. Existing ethics rules were deemed sufficient to stop insider trading.

3. Coinbase Stocks Go Live on Aave: Aave founder Stani Kulechov confirmed Coinbase tokenized stocks now live on Aave V4, Base network, letting eligible non-US users borrow USDC against them.

4. Court Rules Kalshi Contracts Aren't Swaps: The Sixth Circuit ruled Kalshi's sports contracts aren't federal swaps, leaving them under state gambling law, deepening circuit splits ahead of Supreme Court review.

5. Vietnamese National Charged in Pig Butchering Scam: Federal prosecutors charged Trung Nguyen Van with laundering funds from a $16 million crypto scam, linked to over $53 million in fraud-related transfers.

6. Bitwise Files for NEAR Staking ETF: Bitwise submitted an 8-A filing for a NEAR ETF on NYSE Arca under ticker NRR, planning to stake holdings for extra yield.

7. Cosmos Hub Recovers Stolen Neutron Funds: Cosmos Labs confirmed 1.27 million stolen ATOM moved to a secure multisig after the Neutron governance attack; a recovery proposal is expected soon.

8. Bybit Publishes Restricted Counterparty List: Bybit named entities like Garantex, HTX, and Lazarus Group on a restricted list, warning of account suspension for any associated transactions.

9. Circle Backs UN Stablecoin Payment Projects: Circle Foundation will fund UNDP and WFP initiatives testing regulated stablecoin payments across country corridors over the next three years.

10. Bitget Hack Losses Rise to $387.5M: Bitget confirmed stolen assets total $387.5 million, up from earlier estimates due to unaccounted Zcash and TRON holdings, not new theft.

11. Morgan Stanley Joins Prediction Markets Summit: Morgan Stanley will lead an institutional capital panel at NEXTPredict in October, following its earlier investment in Kalshi's $1 billion funding round.

12. UBS Sees Fed Rate Path Cooling: UBS says markets overestimate near-term Fed rate hikes, expecting one December increase, with inflation easing and September PMI rising to 58.4.

Comparative Insight: What Changed Today?

Momentum continued building from September 25 crypto update to 26. The market cap grew from $2.97 trillion to $2.98 trillion, though gains slowed to 0.3% from 0.5%. 

Bitcoin flipped from +0.4% to -0.8%, and Ethereum turned slightly negative too, while DeFi's growth accelerated from 2% to 3%. Trading volume dipped from $107.4 billion to $109.2 billion. 

Notably, sentiment strengthened further, with the Fear and Greed Index climbing from 71 to 74, showing Greed intensifying even as large-cap prices cooled slightly.

What Does This Crypto Market Move Mean Today?

Today's update reflects a market holding steady rather than reversing course. The global market cap edged up 0.3%, even as Bitcoin and Ethereum both slipped slightly, showing large-caps are consolidating rather than rallying. 

Meanwhile, the Fear and Greed Index climbed to 74, its highest recent reading, suggesting traders remain confident despite muted blue-chip performance. 

The real story lies in altcoins and DeFi: NEAR's $1.63 billion volume and Aerodrome's 20.7% gain show capital rotating into smaller assets, while Bundle Cat's 137% spike and GreenHood's 52.5% crash highlight how volatile and liquidity-dependent these smaller tokens remain. For most readers, trading volume and sentiment trends matter more than any single coin's headline percentage move today.

CoinGabbar's Market View

September 26's crypto market update points to a resilient but selective market. Bitcoin and Ethereum cooled slightly, yet rising sentiment, steady stablecoins, and growing DeFi activity suggest underlying confidence hasn't weakened. 

Investors should note that outsized altcoin moves, like Bundle Cat's 137% jump or GreenHood's 52.5% drop, are inherently high-risk and driven by thin liquidity, not broad market strength. These swings shouldn't be mistaken for market-wide trends. 

For daily readers, the safer signal remains Bitcoin's price stability, Ethereum's relative performance, and DeFi's steady 3% growth. Overall, today's market appears moderately favorable for cautious investors, but small-cap altcoin exposure continues to carry elevated risk and should be approached with discipline and proper risk management.

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.