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Prices (USD, inline):
BTC $108,744.00 🟢↑ | ETH $4,487.92 🟢↑ | SOL $204.40 🟢↑ | BNB $861.38 🟢↑ | XRP $2.82 🟢↑ | ADA $0.8272🟢↑ | AVAX $24.01 🟢↑ | DOGE $0.2181 🟢↑ | DOT $3.82 🟢↑ 

Quick Index ⚡️
📊 U.S. spot crypto ETFs saw Friday outflows; ETH led the retreat.
🏦 Hong Kong’s stablecoin regime hits an “express interest” milestone today.
🎓 HKU Business School prepares to accept Bitcoin for tuition and donations.
🪙 Tether backs off freezing USDT on five legacy chains; transfers to remain.
🧊 Trump-linked WLFI token opens for trading today, testing brand power in crypto.
💸 Web3 startups pulled in $9.6B in Q2, second-largest quarter on record.

Markets

A soft end to the week for crypto ETPs: preliminary trackers show net outflows on Friday, with U.S. spot ether funds leading redemptions (≈$165M) and bitcoin funds also negative (≈$127M). The flow reversal capped a choppy August and helped keep BTC pinned near the $108K area heading into the weekend. For traders, the setup into September is about liquidity pockets, basis, and whether ETF demand snaps back after month-end. (According to Farside Investors’ daily ETF flow dashboard and several market-wrap updates.)

Despite the wobble, majors opened the day modestly green versus yesterday’s marks, with BTC hovering near $108.6K and ETH around $4.47K on the morning tape. Seasonality and macro rate hopes are the wild cards—some desks argue “rough August” positioning could set up a cleaner slate for early September if funding and skew normalize. (As framed in CoinDesk’s weekend outlook.)

Regulation

Hong Kong’s new Stablecoins Ordinance has been live since 1 August, and today (31 Aug) marks the HKMA’s encouraged “express interest” date for prospective issuers seeking early feedback before formal applications next month. Authorities reiterated timelines and cautioned firms about marketing claims as the licensing window ramps. This matters because first movers could shape standards in one of Asia’s most active crypto hubs. (Per the HK government notice and law-firm client updates summarizing the HKMA guidance.)

In the EU, Malta’s MFSA granted MiCA pre-authorisation to Socios Europe Services (Chiliz Group) on 29 Aug—another signpost of the bloc’s unified licensing regime gaining traction. For crypto businesses, these approvals tighten the path to pan-EU “passporting” and could fast-track fan-token and loyalty products under clear rules. (According to the company’s announcement and industry roundups.)

Adoption

Higher-ed meets Bitcoin: The University of Hong Kong’s business school is preparing to accept BTC and other digital currencies for tuition and donations, with the dean saying technical details are sorted and implementation discussions underway. Beyond symbolism, this is a real-world payment rail test inside a major institution—potentially a template for other universities. (As reported by the South China Morning Post.)

Brand-driven liquidity test: A Trump-linked token (WLFI) lists for trading today, with several exchanges signaling listings late last week. Love it or hate it, the debut will measure how far celebrity/political branding can carry order flow in a risk-aware market—and whether liquidity is durable beyond day one. (As outlined by recent Bloomberg coverage.)

Tech & Innovation

Stablecoin plumbing tweak: Tether revised its previously announced plan regarding five legacy networks (Omni, BCH-SLP, Kusama, EOS, Algorand). Instead of freezing contracts, USDT on those chains will remain transferable but won’t see new issuance or redemptions. For users and devs, that preserves on-chain mobility while nudging activity toward ecosystems with deeper tooling and liquidity (primarily Ethereum and Tron). (According to updates from Tether and follow-up reporting.)

Builder runway still strong: Web3 startups raised $9.6B in Q2 2025, the second-largest quarter on record—even as deal counts fell, signaling larger, higher-conviction checks into infra and core protocols. That blend—fewer rounds, bigger tickets—usually translates to longer shipping cycles and more polished launches into Q4. (Per Outlier Ventures’ data summarized by CoinDesk and Yahoo Finance.)

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