Crypto News September 18: Bitcoin Tops $77K, DeFi Market Jumps 6.3%

Crypto News Now: Nostra Exploit, Polymarket DeFi Move and Bitcoin Rise

Cryptocurrency news today, September 18, 2026: The global market cap rose 1.1% to $2.72 trillion, with Bitcoin and Ethereum gaining, while the Fear and Greed Index climbed to 56, signaling Greed.

Crypto Market Update Today: Prices, Volume & Trends

According to CoinGecko data recorded on September 18, 2026, at 3:30 AM UTC, the global crypto market capitalization stood at $2.72 trillion, surging 1.1% over 24 hours. Total trading volume was $78 billion. 

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance remains strong at 57%, while Ethereum (ETH) holds 11.1%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are Data Availability and Rollup 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 18 September 2026 at 3:30 AM UTC)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today at $77410, up 1.2% over the last 24 hours. Its trading volume reached approximately $24.2 billion, while its market capitalization stood at around $1.55 trillion.  

• Ethereum (ETH) price today is at $2473.32, up 1.6% over 24 hours. Ethereum recorded about $12.3 billion in trading volume, while its market capitalization stood near $301.9 billion.  

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours

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

• Arbitrum (ARB): $0.2185, up 31.9%, with $606.26 million in trading volume.

• NEAR Protocol (NEAR): $3.40, up 25.8%, with $1.68 billion in trading volume.

• Firo (FIRO): $0.903, up 6.4%, with $120,545 in trading volume.

• Zcash (ZEC): $1,486.80, up 7.4%, with $2.35 billion in trading volume.

• Pudgy Penguins (PENGU): $0.007595, up 7.0%, with $181.17 million in trading volume.

NEAR Protocol and Zcash recorded the highest trading volumes among the listed trending coins, while Arbitrum posted the largest 24-hour gain at 31.9%.

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

• Marscat Token price today (MCAT): $0.9239, skyrocketed 255.2%, trading activity $15.34M.

• Tread.fi price today (TREAD): $0.6602, climbed 56.8%, trading activity $5.14M.

• Orbio.so price today (ORBIO): $0.04884, jumped 76.4%, trading activity $3.90M.

MCAT recorded the largest percentage increase among the listed assets, rising more than 255%. 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):

• ALLINU price (ALLINU): $0.01492, lower by 19.4%, trading activity close to $8.36 million.

• Magma Finance price (MAGMA): $0.2046, slipped 20.2%, trading activity around $5.66 million.

• Chump Coin price (CHUMP): $0.02491, down 9.0%, with trading volume near $4.93 million.

Magma Finance recorded the sharpest decline among the listed tokens, falling more than 20%. The contrast between Magma Finance and MCAT demonstrates how quickly liquidity and sentiment can shift in smaller cryptocurrency markets.

Stablecoins and DeFi Market Update 

(As per CoinGecko on 18 September 2026 at 3:30 AM UTC)

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

• The stablecoin market capitalization reached $290.4 billion, up 0.1% over 24 hours. Stablecoin trading volume was approximately $70.2 billion.

• The DeFi market, which refers to blockchain-based financial applications such as decentralized exchanges and lending protocols, increased 6.3% to a market capitalization of $77.6 billion. DeFi trading volume reached approximately $6.64 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 56 today, indicating Greed.

That's up from 50 (Neutral) yesterday, and matches the 56 (Greed) level recorded a week earlier. However, the current reading is notably higher than last month's level of 46, which indicated Fear.

The one-day rise suggests that market sentiment has warmed after yesterday's neutral stance, moving back into greed territory. The steady comparison with last week shows this optimistic mood has held fairly consistent over the past several days, while the sharper contrast with last month highlights how much sentiment has shifted from fear toward greed over a longer stretch.

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. Polymarket Adds DeFi Chief: Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan announced former Zora chief Jacob Horne joins the platform to lead DeFi efforts, partnering closely on product development.

2. Coinbase Partners With Stablecore: Coinbase and Stablecore announced a partnership offering digital asset custody, trading, and stablecoin payments to over 3,000 U.S. banks and credit unions seamlessly.

3. Lagarde Blocked Binance's EU Entry: The Wall Street Journal reports ECB President Christine Lagarde personally intervened to halt Binance's Greek license bid, derailing its planned European Union market entry.

4. Uniswap Powers Robinhood Token Trades: Uniswap revealed that 80% of Robinhood's stock token trading volume occurred on its platform, with cumulative trading surpassing $10 billion in total activity.

5. Bank of Japan Raises Rates: The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.25%, citing moderate economic recovery and inflation nearing its 2% target.

6. SBI Invests in dtcpay: Stablecoin payment firm dtcpay secured strategic investment from Japan's SBI, lifting its Series A funding to $25 million for Asia-focused digital settlement growth.

7. Nostra Hit by Oracle Exploit: DeFi protocol Nostra confirmed its NSTR oracle was manipulated on Starknet, letting an attacker borrow $3.5 million; lending and withdrawals remain paused.

8. Neutrl Opens Limited Redemptions: Neutrl began NUSD and sNUSD redemptions for USDC, though users report only 50% payouts allowed, with loss details still undisclosed by the project team.

9. AMC CEO Backs SEC's Token Rules: AMC's Adam Aron endorsed SEC Chair Paul Atkins' tokenized stock framework, urging Robinhood to match U.S. investor protections and voting-rights standards abroad.

10. Hyperliquid's RWA Volume Surges: Hyperliquid's HIP-3 perpetuals volume share neared 50% this summer as overall RWA perpetual trading jumped from $85 billion to $470 billion by June.

11. Bitcoin ETFs May Outgrow Gold: Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas predicts Bitcoin ETFs will eventually surpass gold ETFs in size, driven by younger investors and maturing market dynamics.

12. Bitcoin Life Launches Insurance Bond: Bitcoin Life secured a Guernsey life insurer license, launching a lifetime Bitcoin insurance bond enabling long-term holding and intergenerational wealth transfer for holders.

13. Grayscale Downplays Fed Rate Hike Impact: Grayscale expects a 25-basis-point Fed rate hike to 3.75%-4.00% won't shift crypto capital flows, though stablecoin issuers like Circle may see higher revenues.

14. U.S. Sanctions Iranian Crypto Platform: OFAC sanctioned Iran's BitBank and its operators for helping financier Babak Zanjani funnel bitcoin worth hundreds of millions to the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

15. CFTC Expands Crypto Software Exemption: The CFTC's MPD broadened its no-action relief for passive software providers like Phantom, exempting compliant front-end interfaces from introducing-broker registration requirements.

Comparative Insight: What Changed Today?

The market kept climbing from the September 17 crypto update to 18. Market cap rose to $2.72 trillion (up 1.1%), following September 17's $2.69 trillion (up 0.8%). Bitcoin gained more too, reaching $77,410, better than the previous day's $76,388. Ethereum also rose faster, hitting $2,473 versus $2,427. Sentiment improved as well, moving from Neutral (50) to Greed (56), showing that investor confidence is steadily growing after last week's slowdown.

What Does This Crypto Market Move Mean Today?

Crypto news now reflects steady, broad-based optimism rather than isolated speculation. The global market cap rose 1.1%, Bitcoin and Ethereum both advanced, and the Fear and Greed Index climbed six points from yesterday's Neutral reading to 56, indicating Greed. 

DeFi's 6.3% surge outpaced the overall market, signaling growing confidence in decentralized platforms, while stablecoins held stable, showing no rush toward safe-haven assets. 

The sharp contrast between MCAT's 255.2% rally and Magma Finance's 20.2% decline underscores that small-cap tokens remain highly volatile, and their swings say little about overall market direction compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum's steadier gains.

CoinGabbar's Market View

Today's crypto update points to a broadly positive but cautious environment for investors. Bitcoin and Ethereum's steady gains, combined with DeFi's strong 6.3% rise, suggest healthy underlying demand rather than speculative excess. 

However, extreme moves like MCAT's 255.2% spike and Magma Finance's 20.2% drop highlight that smaller-cap tokens carry significantly higher risk and should be approached with caution. 

For daily readers, Bitcoin and Ethereum currently offer relatively safer exposure given their scale and liquidity, while altcoin investments demand closer scrutiny of trading volume and market depth. Overall, today's Greed-territory sentiment favors measured optimism, not aggressive risk-taking, especially in low-liquidity assets.

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.