Bitaigen Research 
In this article we outline the on‑chain dynamics behind Bitcoin’s recent difficulty adjustment and provide an in‑depth analysis of the abnormal surge in Ethereum’s buyer‑initiated trading volume. By cross‑referencing data sources with institutional viewpoints, we aim to help readers capture potential trends and risks on the two leading blockchains. Subsequent sections will present a more complete market panorama.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin mining difficulty has been raised by 4.89 % to 136.04 T, setting a new all‑time high; meanwhile Ethereum’s buyer‑initiated volume has surpassed $1.5 billion, highlighting divergent market movements on the two major chains.
- Difficulty adjustment: According to data from CloverPool, the difficulty rose to 136.04 T at block height 913,248, a 4.89 % increase that broke the previous record.
- On‑chain withdrawals: On‑chain analyst @ali_charts observed that roughly 79,000 BTC have been moved out of exchanges in the past 30 days, equivalent to about $8.87 billion.
Strategy: The Strategy team led by Michael Saylor declared that the Nasdaq’s new rule governing listed‑company Bitcoin purchases will not affect its large‑scale buying plan; the team will continue to hold and add to its Bitcoin position.
Citigroup forecast: *The Bitcoin Historian* reported that Citigroup, which manages $1.7 trillion in assets, projects that by 2030 cryptocurrencies—including Bitcoin—will account for roughly 10 % of the global financial market.
SkyBridge Capital founder’s view: SkyBridge Capital founder and CEO Anthony Scaramucci revealed in a social‑media Q&A that, although he first encountered Bitcoin in 2012, a lack of technical understanding delayed his inaugural investment by eight years. He emphasized that once proper research is done, about 90 % of people would be inclined toward Bitcoin.
Ethereum
Ethereum buyer‑initiated volume has reached $1.5 billion.
- Volume source: CryptoQuant analyst Maartunn illustrated via charts that Ethereum’s buyer‑initiated volume has cumulatively broken the $1.5 billion threshold.
- Technical roadmap: Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin posted on X that the team has achieved several milestones this year in scalability, decentralisation, and resilience. The short‑term roadmap targets key deliverables and includes the launch of a lean zero‑knowledge virtual machine (“leanVM”) optimised for a streamlined Ethereum. This VM uses a four‑instruction ISA, multilinear STARKs, and logup* lookup technology, delivering a marked cost reduction compared with Cairo.
- Institutional holdings: Ark Invest, on 5 September, increased its stake in the Ethereum‑related holding company BMNR through its ETFs by 388,045 shares. According to the Ark Invest Tracker, the three ETFs together hold $267 million worth of BMNR: ARKK with $178.6 million, ARKF with $31 million, and ARKW with $57.7 million.
- SharpLink ATM plan: An official announcement states that SharpLink fully complies with Nasdaq regulations. If the company proceeds with its ATM (automated financing tool) plan to fund Ethereum purchases, no additional shareholder approval is required, ensuring compliance and transparency.
- Foundation asset movement: Monitoring by @EmberCN shows that the Ethereum Foundation recently transferred 10,000 ETH to Kraken for sale and, about 20 minutes later, withdrew 3.387 million DAI from Kraken, indicating that a portion of the ETH has already been liquidated.
Other Projects
- Tether new feature: Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino announced on X that the integration of QVAC AI with the peer‑to‑peer encrypted communication app Keet could enable native privacy‑focused messaging that supports Bitcoin, the Lightning Network, USDT, XAUT and other payment methods.
- Anthropic and Zhipu: U.S. large‑model company Anthropic declared it will cease providing Claude services to groups backed by Chinese capital. In response, Zhipu AI launched a “Claude API user migration programme” compatible with the Claude protocol; users only need to replace the API URL to switch to the GLM model, with monthly subscription benefits included.
- Stuttgart Stock Exchange platform: Europe’s sixth‑largest exchange operator introduced Seturion, a blockchain‑based settlement platform that enables cross‑border tokenised‑asset trading throughout the EU. Settlements can be made in central‑bank currencies or stablecoins, and the system has completed testing with the European Central Bank.
- Anchorage Digital staking service: Anchorage Digital, the only U.S. crypto bank with a federal charter, rolled out institutional‑grade custody and staking for its native token STRK, offering an annualised yield of roughly 7.28 %. The service supports both U.S. and Singapore branches as well as self‑custody wallets via Porto.
- Ondo Finance global market: Ondo Finance, together with the Ondo Foundation, launched Ondo Global Markets, allowing non‑U.S. investors to mint and redeem more than 100 tokenised U.S. stocks and ETFs on Ethereum in real time. The project aims to expand to several hundred, eventually thousands, of assets within a year. It is live on the Ethereum mainnet and will later extend to BNB Chain, Solana, and the upcoming Ondo Chain.
Note: All fiat amounts in this article are expressed in United States Dollars (USD). Transfers can be conducted via SEPA or SWIFT where applicable. U.S. residents wishing to trade on Binance must use Binance.US rather than the global Binance platform. Additionally, cryptocurrency gains may be subject to taxation in the holder’s local jurisdiction; readers should consult a tax professional for advice.
The above provides a complete breakdown of the Bitcoin (BTC) mining difficulty increase of 4.89 % and the Ethereum (ETH) buyer‑initiated volume reaching $1.5 billion. For further deep‑dive reporting on Bitcoin hashpower competition and Ethereum capital flows, please follow additional articles from Bitaigen.
Related Reading
- Bitcoin Difficulty Pullback 2026 Boosts BTC Price Above $94k
- FLOKI 2025‑2030 Price Forecast: Community & On‑Chain Analysis
- Seeker (SKR) 2026 Forecast: 78% Surge Post-Upbit Listing
💡 Register on Binance with referral code B2345 for the maximum trading fee discount. See Binance complete guide.
⚠️ Risk Disclaimer: Crypto prices are highly volatile. This is not investment advice.
