**Solana** (SOL) has seen a significant rise in price, gaining over 16% in the past week. This surge is attributed to the recent applications for **spot ETFs** tracking Solana's price in the US. **VanEck** and **21Shares** have filed applications with the SEC, following the success of **Bitcoin** (BTC) and **Ethereum** (ETH) spot ETFs. Solana's trading volume has also jumped 50%, making it the third most traded cryptocurrency, excluding stablecoins. The potential for **Solana spot ETFs** in the US market is driving this bullish momentum.

Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) is on the ascendancy amid fresh applications for the first-ever exchange-traded funds tracking the coin&#039;s spot price in the U.S.
What Happened: The fifth-largest digital asset by market cap spiked 6.4% in the last 24 hours, exceeding the gains of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>).&nbsp;
Solana&#039;s trading volume jumped 50% to $1.68 billion, becoming the third-most traded cryptocurrency, excluding stablecoins, in the last 24 hours.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/06/39359780/dogecoin-shiba-inu-floki-are-dino-coins-says-trader-he-likes-these-3-other-meme-coins-as-b?itm_source=parsely-api"> ...</a><a href=https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/06/39567061/solana-soars-16-over-7-days-outpacing-bitcoin-and-ethereum-over-etf-application-momentum-m alt=Solana Soars 16% Over 7 Days, Outpacing Bitcoin And Ethereum Over ETF Application Momentum — More Applications To Follow?>Full story available on Benzinga.com</a>

Loading...Loading...Solana SOL/USD is on the ascendancy amid fresh applications for the first-ever exchange-traded funds tracking the coin's spot price in the U.S.What Happened: The fifth-largest digital asset by market cap spiked 6.4% in the last 24 hours, exceeding the gains of Bitcoin BTC/USD and Ethereum ETH/USD. Solana's trading volume jumped 50% to $1.68 billion, becoming the third-most traded cryptocurrency, excluding stablecoins, in the last 24 hours.See Also: ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ Author Robert Kiyosaki Questions Bitcoin ETFs’ Authenticity: ‘ETFs Are Fake Gold, Silver, Or Bitcoin’Solana’s weekly gains increased to 16.59%, one of the strongest among large-cap cryptocurrencies. Why It Matters: The latest bullish impetus has been provided by applications for spot ETFs for Solana. After VanEck kicked off the race last week by becoming the first asset manager to file for such an investment avenue in the U.S., 21Shares followed suit with its application with the SEC.Spot cryptocurrency ETFs in the U.S. have been broadly successful, with Bitcoin BTC/USD recording a 36% jump in price after its funds started trading in early January. Ethereum ETH/USD is also days away from getting listed in U.S. exchanges, pending approval from the SEC. Price Action: At the time of writing, SOL was exchanging hands at $147.55, surging 6.4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga ProRead Next: SEC Files Lawsuit Against Consensys Over Unregistered Brokerage ActivitiesMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Solana Soars 16% Over 7 Days, Outpacing Bitcoin And Ethereum Over ETF Application Momentum — More  Applications To Follow?

Solana Surges 16% on ETF Application Momentum

# Bitcoin Miners Surge Following Microsoft’s $17.4B AI Bet

Crypto mining stocks experienced a significant jump on Tuesday after **Nebius Group** announced a five-year agreement to supply Microsoft with graphic processing units valued at **$17.4 billion**. This deal, aimed at bolstering Microsoft's artificial intelligence infrastructure, sparked investor enthusiasm for companies with large-scale computing power, including bitcoin miners.

![Bitcoin Mining Image](https://www.coindesk.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.sanity.io%2Fimages%2Fs3y3vcno%2Fproduction%2Ff7f09a1149bfa2062668c63ecb8f8d1f941ca029-3992x2992.jpg%3Fauto%3Dformat&w=3840&q=75)

*Caption: (Shane McLendon/Unsplash)*

## Key Highlights from the Rally

- **Bitfarms (BITF)** led the gains with a rise of **22%**, while other major players like **Cipher Mining (CIFR)** saw a **20%** increase.
- **IREN (IREN)**, **Hut 8 (HUT)**, **Riot Platforms (RIOT)**, and **TeraWulf (WULF)** posted gains in the mid-teens percentages.
- In contrast, **Bitcoin itself** declined by about **1%** to $111,100 over the past 24 hours, highlighting a shift in investor focus from bitcoin's price to the potential of mining infrastructure in the AI boom.

## The Shifting Reality of Bitcoin Mining

For years, mining profitability was largely dictated by bitcoin's four-year halving cycle, where block rewards are cut in half. However, this rhythm no longer dominates, leaving companies exposed to challenges like surging power costs, relentless hardware production, and intensifying competition. Hardware makers like **Bitmain** continue to expand, adding pressure to an already crowded field.

At the same time, **AI is reshaping the business model**. Miners with large energy footprints and advanced computing infrastructure are exploring ways to lease capacity to hyperscalers or pivot toward data center services. The Nebius-Microsoft deal underscored how valuable GPU access has become and why markets are rewarding miners with scalable infrastructure.

Interestingly, **MARA Holdings**, which has positioned itself more as a bitcoin treasury company rather than a high-performance computing player, was the weakest performer with only a **4%** gain, further emphasizing the trend towards AI-driven valuations.

The big gains for players like Bitfarms, Hut 8 and Cipher Mining came despite lame price action for bitcoin.

Why Bitcoin Miners Are Soaring While BTC Stalls: The AI Connection Revealed

Everything is on track, the cycle repeats itself, and the fourth quarter of 2025 is shaping up to be intense. If you take a look around in the crypto sector right now, you'll notice: Many companies and investors are preparing for a hot autumn. An autumn that could bring new **all-time highs** for Bitcoin, but also for altcoins like Ethereum, Solana, or Dogecoin.

And that's even though Bitcoin has already climbed this year—first to about $110,000 following Donald Trump's re-election and then to $124,000 in mid-August.

Still, many analysts believe: The real breakthrough is yet to come. Some go so far as to predict that under optimal conditions, BTC could more than double to **$250,000** this year—while others expect a worst-case scenario that could see a drop down to $64,000.

## Why Are So Many Bullish?

But the crypto market isn't actually that bullish yet. Whether you check [CoinMarketCap](https://coinmarketcap.com/charts/fear-and-greed-index/) or [Alternative.me](https://alternative.me/crypto/fear-and-greed-index/): The **Fear & Greed Index** has mostly been neutral in recent weeks. Investors are neither particularly hesitant about buying crypto nor overly enthusiastic.

This is also reflected in the tracker for a possible altcoin season. Such a season would occur when 75% of the top 100 coins outperform Bitcoin over the past 90 days. That's nowhere near the case—currently, just "52" altcoins have performed better than BTC in the last three months.

So, basically: Despite Bitcoin's price at $124,000, there's no real euphoria yet. Two scenarios are possible: Either many think that 2025's highs are already behind us, or—on the contrary—the best phase for Bitcoin and co. in 2025 is yet to come, namely in the fourth quarter that begins in a few weeks.

![Image showing market data](https://www.trendingtopics.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Bildschirmfoto-2025-09-08-um-16.40.35.png)

## What Is Expected for Q4 2025

Several events are frequently cited when discussing the future price development of cryptocurrencies:

- **Another cut in U.S. interest rates in mid-September:** The expected rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve could spark a "risk-on" environment favorable for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
- **Uptober & Pumpvember:** Historically, the fourth quarter often brings upward trends and price gains for Bitcoin and altcoins—after rather mixed summer months. This may be due to traders returning from summer holidays and becoming more active. Still, many warn against relying too much on past trends.
- **New altcoin spot ETFs get approved:** The U.S. SEC is currently reviewing 92 applications for crypto-based ETFs, including products for Dogecoin, Solana, XRP, and Litecoin. If some are approved, it could attract interest from institutional investors.
- **The halving effect kicks in:** The Bitcoin halving, which occurs every four years, leads to reduced new BTC issuance, meeting rising demand. Historically, new all-time highs have followed 12–18 months after previous halvings. If history repeats, BTC should hit a new ATH in 2025, between April and October. This means: Either another new record is coming, or the August ATH at $124,000 was already it.

Or: Everything turns out differently. The still-popular **Stock-to-Flow (S2F)** pricing model for Bitcoin is currently far off target. If BTC were truly following the four-year cycle, it should now be trading at $367,000 per coin—but it's not. S2F is massively off; BTC is currently only about a third of that value, at $112,000.

![Image showing S2F model discrepancy](https://www.trendingtopics.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Bildschirmfoto-2025-09-08-um-16.33.39.png)

## Crowd at the Exchange Ahead of October

Despite everything, many companies are betting heavily on Q4 2025—as can be seen at the stock exchange. Since the "GENUIS Act" (see Circle) stablecoin law in the U.S. and further crypto initiatives by the Trump administration, crypto companies have been lining up to go public. Here's an overview:

- **CoinShares** (asset manager): Aiming to go public via SPAC (Vine Hill) at a $1.2 billion valuation in Q4 2025
- **Figure Technologies** (blockchain lending): IPO planned in September 2025 with a valuation of up to $4.1 billion
- **Gemini** (exchange): The Winklevoss twins' crypto exchange aims for an IPO with a target valuation of $2.22 billion (September 2025)
- **Circle:** The USDC stablecoin maker already has a market cap of about $28 billion (IPO in June 2025)
- **Bullish:** The crypto exchange backed by Peter Thiel is currently valued at around $7.5 billion (IPO in August 2025)
- **Bitpanda:** The Austrian crypto broker is seeking a stock listing; both Frankfurt and New York are in the running
- **BitGo:** As reported, the crypto custody specialist has also filed documents for a U.S. IPO

Naturally, companies have different reasons for going public, and the business models of listed firms vary widely. But if they all believed Bitcoin's ATH for 2025 was already reached in August—they would hardly be scrambling to go public via IPO or SPAC.

## Bitcoin Cycle Repetition Is Very Questionable

Will history repeat itself, with Q4 bringing a new all-time high for Bitcoin and a strong signal for the wider crypto market? Not everyone thinks so. Bitcoin analyst PlanC ("Bitcoin Quantile Model") is already warning against betting on Q4 2025:

"Anyone who thinks Bitcoin has to peak in Q4 of this year does not understand statistics or probability. The halving is completely irrelevant at this point, and there is zero fundamental reason—other than a psychological, self-fulfilling prophecy—for the peak to occur in Q4 2025. From a statistical and probability standpoint, it is equivalent to flipping a coin and getting tails three times in a row, then betting all your money that the fourth flip MUST BE tails." – [PlanC](https://alternative.me/crypto/fear-and-greed-index/)

So, it's just as possible that BTC already hit its 2025 peak in the summer because the market priced in an expected autumn rally—and nothing happens in the fall. That would be in line with an old saying that has often proven true in the crypto sector: "Buy the rumors, sell the news."

<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/show/4mgul52BUTHdH8CDetXwic" loading="lazy" width="100%" height="232" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture"></iframe>

Everything is on track, the cycle repeats itself, and the fourth quarter of 2025 is shaping up to be intense. If you take a look around in the crypto

Is Q4 2025 the Key to Bitcoin's Next All-Time High? Here's Why Experts Are Betting Big

## EasyJet Founder Launches Bitcoin-Trading App

Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of easyGroup, is making a splash in the cryptocurrency world with the launch of the **easyBitcoin app** this month. Known for budget airline easyJet, his venture into crypto is driven by a mission of **financial empowerment**.

### A New Player in a Crowded Market

This app results from a brand licensing deal with Uphold, a well-known crypto exchange. It joins over 350 brands under the easyGroup umbrella, which includes diverse businesses like gyms, coffee shops, and waste disposal firms. Haji-Ioannou emphasizes that investing in Bitcoin has often felt like an **exclusive club** with high transaction costs, and he aims to change that by making it accessible to the general public.

### Features and Competition

The easyBitcoin app allows users to **buy Bitcoin** and earn rewards on their investments. Rewards include a **1% welcome bonus** and a **4.5% annual percentage yield** on USD balances. Simon McLoughlin, CEO of Uphold, believes this rewards system will attract people who are aware of Bitcoin but haven't yet started investing.

However, the crypto space is increasingly competitive. Established players like Coinbase and Kraken have long offered crypto-trading services. With the Trump administration's pro-crypto policies encouraging more entrants, easyBitcoin will face off against fintech giants such as Robinhood, Revolut, and PayPal.

### Market Context

Bitcoin recently hit a record high of **$124,128** in August, fueled by optimism over Trump's policies. However, uncertainty from tariff wars has caused a nearly **10% decline** from that peak, highlighting the volatile nature of the market.

Stelios Haji-Ioannou is launching a Bitcoin app. His company easyGroup is best known for budget flights.  The launch comes as crypto is becoming increasingly crowded. 

EasyJet Founder's Bold Move: New Bitcoin App Aims to Democratize Crypto Trading for Everyone

# DC Sues Crypto ATM Operator Over Widespread Scams and Hidden Fees

D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb has filed a lawsuit against **Athena Bitcoin, Inc.**, accusing the company of **financially exploiting** District residents through its cryptocurrency ATMs. The lawsuit alleges that **93% of deposits** made into Athena's Bitcoin Teller Machines (BTMs) were linked to scams, with many targeting **seniors and vulnerable individuals**.

According to the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG), Athena knowingly profited from **illegal, hidden fees** while failing to implement adequate anti-fraud protections. Officials found that nearly half of all deposits at Athena's seven D.C. machines were flagged as fraudulent.

Key findings from the company's first five months of operations in D.C. include:
- **93% of all Athena BTM deposits** were the direct result of scams.
- Nearly half of all deposits were reported to Athena as fraudulent.
- The victims' **median age was 71**, highlighting the targeting of elderly residents.
- The median amount lost per scam transaction was **$8,000**, with one victim losing a total of **$98,000** in multiple transactions over several days.

Attorney General Schwalb stated, "Athena's bitcoin machines have become a tool for criminals intent on exploiting elderly and vulnerable District residents. Athena knows that its machines are being used primarily by scammers yet chooses to look the other way so that it can continue to pocket sizable hidden transaction fees."

The OAG also claims that Athena charges fees of up to **26% per transaction** without clear disclosure, compared to typical fees of 0.24% to 3% on other platforms. In June 2024, Athena added a reference to a "Transaction Service Margin" in its Terms of Service, but the magnitude was never disclosed, and the word "fee" was not mentioned.

Additionally, Athena enforces a **"no refunds" policy** for scam victims and requires them to sign a release that absolves the company of liability, blaming victims for not heeding onscreen warnings.

The lawsuit alleges violations of the District's Consumer Protection Procedures Act and the Abuse, Neglect, and Financial Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults and the Elderly Act. Schwalb's office is seeking **restitution for victims**, civil penalties, and an order to change Athena's business practices.

Resources for District residents include information on detecting and reporting abuse, contacting Adult Protective Services, filing police reports, and reaching out to OAG's Civil Rights and Elder Justice Section.

D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb filed a lawsuit against Athena Bitcoin, Inc., accusing the company of "financially exploiting" D.C. residents.

DC Attorney General Sues Crypto ATM Giant for Exploiting Vulnerable Residents with Shocking Scam Rates

# Cryptocurrency: Financial Cocaine for the Middle Classes?

In a provocative piece by Joe Humphreys, published in The Irish Times, the author draws a stark comparison between **cryptocurrency** and **cocaine**, labeling it as a dangerous addiction for the middle classes. This opinion piece raises alarms about the potential for another global economic crash, questioning whether it could be worse than the last one.

## The Analogy to Addiction

Humphreys argues that much like cocaine, cryptocurrency offers a high-risk, high-reward allure that can lead to financial ruin. He suggests that the middle classes, in search of quick wealth, are being drawn into speculative investments without fully understanding the risks. This behavior, he claims, mirrors the destructive patterns seen in drug addiction, where short-term euphoria masks long-term consequences.

## Economic Implications

The article delves into the broader economic context, pointing out that it has only been a few years since the last major financial crisis. Humphreys warns that the unregulated and volatile nature of **cryptocurrencies** could exacerbate economic instability, potentially triggering a more severe downturn. He emphasizes the need for caution and regulatory oversight to prevent a repeat of past mistakes.

## A Call for Awareness

Through this critical lens, the piece serves as a wake-up call, urging readers to reconsider their investment strategies and the societal impact of widespread cryptocurrency adoption. It challenges the narrative of crypto as a harmless innovation, instead framing it as a potential catalyst for economic disaster.

Unthinkable: It’s only a few years since the last global economic crash. Will the next one be worse?

Solana Surges 16% on ETF Application Momentum

Summary:

Solana (SOL) has risen over 16% in the past week.

The surge is driven by applications for Solana spot ETFs in the US.

VanEck and 21Shares have filed applications with the SEC.

Solana's trading volume has increased by 50%, making it the third most traded cryptocurrency, excluding stablecoins.

The potential for Solana spot ETFs is fueling this bullish trend.

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