CFTC seeks dismissal of CME’s crypto futures suit as U.S.-UK efforts target scam centers and BTC-to-gold ratio hits new January high; today’s BTC is near $80.8K in Greed. Bitcoin continued its rebound today and is trading around $80.8K, up about 4% over the past 24 hours. Ether also recovered to around $2,505 with a similar 24-hour gain of roughly 4%. Major crypto assets broadly moved higher. Interest rate expectations have shifted as the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September fell to around 50%, down from more than 63% earlier this week. Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar also weakened, while buying activity in risk assets picked up. According to today's market sentiment data, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index rose to 74 and remained in Greed territory. This was up from 65 yesterday. Spot ETF flows also drew attention. SoSoValue data showed that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded total daily net inflows of USD 731 million, while spot Ether ETFs saw USD 141 million in net inflows. In the derivatives market, sizable leveraged positions remain concentrated on both sides of BTC. If BTC falls below $76,796, cumulative long liquidation intensity across major trading platforms could reach USD 2.935 billion. If BTC rises above $84,776, cumulative short liquidation intensity could reach around USD 1.534 billion. ETH shows a similar concentration of leveraged positions. A move below $2,381 could bring cumulative long liquidation intensity to about USD 1.434 billion, while a break above $2,626 could raise short liquidation intensity to around USD 768 million. The current market structure shows stronger short-term momentum in both BTC and ETH compared with the previous trading session. However, large derivatives position clusters remain on both sides of the market. Spot buying, ETF flows, and changes in leverage therefore remain important indicators for assessing the trading structure. Major tokens also rebounded. ETH, BNB, and DOGE gained around 4% to 5% on the day, while XRP and HYPE rose close to 6%. This indicates that the latest rebound has extended beyond BTC. Overall, short-term trading activity has strengthened after the market's previous range-bound phase. Weekly performance remains relatively moderate, while market pricing continues to reflect changing rate expectations, capital flows, and adjustments in leveraged positions.

Source: Alternative

Key News Highlights:

CFTC Seeks Dismissal of CME Lawsuit Over Crypto Perpetual Futures

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has filed a motion asking the court to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought by CME Group over the regulation of crypto perpetual futures. CME previously argued that the regulator's treatment of certain perpetual futures linked to crypto assets as swaps may go beyond the regulatory framework authorized by Congress. The dispute began after the CFTC allowed certain platforms to offer perpetual futures tied to Bitcoin spot prices in June. The regulator also issued a no-action position for similar products offered by a major CEX. CME argued that the decisions were made while the CFTC did not have a full panel of commissioners. It also questioned whether the approach complied with the Commodity Exchange Act. In its latest court filing, the CFTC said CME had not demonstrated any concrete or likely financial injury resulting from the regulatory decisions. The agency therefore argued that CME lacks the legal standing required to bring the case. The CFTC also noted that any properly registered exchange can seek to list perpetual futures on digital assets. It said the policy does not prevent CME from offering the same type of product. The regulator has requested an oral hearing on its motion to dismiss. No hearing date had been scheduled in the latest publicly available court records. The dispute remains focused on how crypto perpetual futures should be classified and the extent of the CFTC's authority over these derivatives.

U.S. and UK Form Cross-Border Alliance to Target Crypto Scam Centers

U.S. and UK law enforcement agencies have established a new cross-border cooperation framework aimed at scam centers involved in crypto and online investment fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice said the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, the Crown Prosecution Service of England and Wales, and the UK's National Crime Agency have formally signed a memorandum of understanding. The DOJ described the agreement as the first international cooperation framework of its kind dedicated specifically to dismantling global scam centers. Under the agreement, U.S. and UK authorities will conduct parallel investigations into common targets. They will also share intelligence on transnational organized crime groups and coordinate which jurisdictions should prosecute individual cases. The two sides have already identified several investigations involving overlapping targets. They plan to conduct an in-person disruption operation with private-sector partners in London in early October. The cooperation will operate within the framework of the U.S. Scam Center Strike Force. The initiative was launched in November 2025 and primarily targets transnational criminal networks operating scam centers in Southeast Asia that are involved in crypto investment fraud. Citing data from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, the DOJ reported U.S. losses from crypto and online investment fraud increased from USD 4.57 billion in 2023 to USD 8.65 billion in 2025. This represented an increase of 89%. These scam operations often involve fraudulent crypto investment platforms and can also be linked to money laundering, human trafficking, and forced labor. The new partnership therefore extends beyond investigations and prosecution coordination. It also includes cooperation with the technology and financial sectors to disrupt scam accounts, financial flows, and related online infrastructure.

Bitcoin-to-Gold Ratio Climbs to 18.17, Highest Since January

Bitcoin has strengthened relative to gold in recent trading, with the Bitcoin-to-gold ratio rising to 18.17. This marks its highest level since January. The ratio is calculated by dividing the dollar price of one Bitcoin by the dollar price of one ounce of gold. At the current level, one BTC can buy slightly more than 18 ounces of gold. Bitcoin has recovered to around $81K. Its performance has therefore improved not only in U.S. dollar terms but also relative to gold. Notably, Bitcoin and gold have both been rising rather than moving in opposite directions. The gains have come as global fiscal conditions and monetary policy remain in focus. Markets continue to watch government debt levels across major economies. Debt-to-GDP ratios now exceed 100% in most major developed economies, with Switzerland among the few exceptions. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently addressed global debt at a G20 finance ministers' meeting. He said the world is carrying substantial debt and that economic growth will be an important way for governments to manage those burdens. This backdrop has brought both Bitcoin and gold back into market discussions. The two assets have supply and pricing characteristics that differ from traditional fiat currencies. A rising Bitcoin-to-gold ratio means Bitcoin has recently outperformed gold even as both assets have moved higher. The ratio has therefore become one of the market indicators used to compare the relative performance of digital assets and traditional hard assets this year.

Bitcoin Reclaims $81K as Markets Cut September Rate-Hike Bets

Bitcoin moved back above $81K during Asian trading hours and gained around 4% over the past 24 hours. Major crypto assets also traded broadly higher. The move came as traders reassessed expectations for the Federal Reserve's September interest rate decision. The probability of a rate hike this month fell to around 50%, down from more than 63% earlier in the week. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he would support keeping rates unchanged if price pressures continue to ease. U.S. Treasury yields declined afterward, while the dollar weakened from recent levels. In the crypto market, Zcash gained close to 15% on the day and became one of the strongest-performing major tokens. HYPE and XRP each rose by around 6%. ETH, BNB, and DOGE gained roughly 4% to 5%, while SOL rose nearly 3%. TRX added just over 1%. The seven-day picture remains more muted. BTC is up around 1% for the week, while ETH and XRP are close to flat. SOL and TRX remain down by roughly 3%. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs returned to net inflows in the latest trading session. Market participants are also watching whether those inflows can continue. Global equity markets moved higher at the same time, while the dollar weakened and the Japanese yen strengthened sharply. These moves have put renewed attention on repricing across foreign exchange, bonds, and risk assets. With BTC back above $81K, interest rate expectations, U.S. economic data, and ETF flows remain among the main short-term factors being closely watched across the market.

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