Week of August 12 - 18, 2025
President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an Executive Order allowing retirement funds such as 401(k) plans, a massive market worth over USD 12.5 trillion, to invest in alternative assets including cryptocurrencies, real estate, and private equity.
Another Executive Order will prohibit federal regulators from citing “reputational risk” as grounds to pressure or restrict financial institutions from serving digital asset businesses. This move is aimed at giving banks and other institutions greater confidence and convenience in supporting crypto clients.
In a separate development, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that staking transactions and Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) do not constitute a securities offering. This clears the path for both DeFi projects and traditional financial institutions to confidently build LST-related products.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has authorized trading of spot crypto asset contracts on futures exchanges registered with the CFTC, a significant step toward bringing the crypto market under a more structured regulatory framework.
Ethereum’s on-chain activity hit new highs in July 2025, with total transaction volume reaching USD 238 billion, up 70% from the previous month and the highest since December 2021. Transactions totaled more than 46.67 million, a record high, while active monthly addresses climbed to 17.55 million, the highest since May 2021.
Meanwhile, JPMorgan reported that institutional adoption of DeFi and asset tokenization remains limited, with most DeFi participants still retail users. Regulatory and security concerns are keeping broader institutional involvement in check, and asset tokenization is still at an early stage.
BTC surged early in the week and is eyeing a retest of its previous high at USD 123,000. A breakout could target USD 130,000, while support remains at USD 112,000. The overall trend remains bullish.
Ethereum (ETH) has risen to test resistance at USD 4,000. The positive momentum is expected to continue, with a target of USD 4,800, which was the previous all-time high reached three years ago. In the short term, the USD 4,000 level serves as a buy zone, and there is a high probability of setting a new all-time high.
Lido DAO (LDO) delivered a 47.10 percent gain over the past week, successfully breaking through its initial resistance at USD 0.70. This price level will now serve as the main support and a potential buy zone. The next resistance target is USD 0.90. Since the price has risen sharply, it is advisable to wait for a pullback before entering.
Pendle (PENDLE) posted a 31.61 percent gain over the past week, with the price continuing its strong upward move. Look for entry opportunities at the support level of USD 5.104, with a target at the previous high of USD 7.146. The broader trend has now reversed to an uptrend.
The latest U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls report came in well below expectations, creating divisions within the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and prompting markets to price in three interest rate cuts this year, up from two previously expected. This has spurred demand for safe-haven assets like gold and Bitcoin.
On Tuesday, August 12, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be released, with expectations for a slight uptick from 2.7% to 2.8%. A softer-than-expected reading could strengthen the case for additional rate cuts.
Bitcoin’s dominance index has dipped to key support, sparking speculation in altcoins. ETH’s performance versus BTC has been steadily improving, though BTC’s rebound early this week has slowed some altcoin momentum.
BTC is expected to set a new all-time high in the short term, which could temporarily cool altcoin prices. However, the Total3 index is approaching a breakout level, presenting a case for gradual altcoin accumulation. ETH also looks poised to challenge its ATH in the near future.
Short-term: Speculate on BTC and ETH as they approach new ATHs.
Medium-term: Gradually build positions in altcoins ahead of a potential Altcoin Season.