Gate Crypto Flash News and Market Updates

Gate Flash News covers real-time crypto market updates, Bitcoin and Ethereum price movements, and key industry developments.
2026-08-20
16:42

Strategy Announces Five Preferred Securities on Aug. 19 to Split Bitcoin Exposure and Dividend Income

According to Strategy's official announcement on Aug. 19, MSTR published investor briefings covering its common stock and five preferred securities, with Executive Chairman Michael Saylor amplifying the release on X with the comment "Six securities. One Strategy." STRC offers a 12% annual cumulative dividend, while STRF provides a fixed 10% rate and ranks senior among the preferred issuances. STRK, STRD, and euro-denominated STRE round out the lineup with varying dividend rates and conversion or
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BTC-0.18%
16:41

EU Extends Temporary Chat Control Rules Until April 3, 2028, Excludes End-to-End Encryption

The European Union extended its temporary rules allowing online platforms to voluntarily detect child sexual abuse material, with the measure now running until April 3, 2028. The exemption from the ePrivacy Directive permits providers to voluntarily detect, report and remove illegal content. However, the current framework explicitly excludes communications protected by end-to-end encryption, such as those on Signal and WhatsApp. The broader debate centers on a permanent replacement framework tha
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16:41

StopAndProtect Ransomware Exploits Nearly 2,000 Compromised WordPress Sites to Steal Crypto Wallets

According to Check Point Research, the StopAndProtect ransomware campaign has compromised nearly 2,000 WordPress websites since mid-May to spread malware, steal data, and deploy ransomware. As of July 24, the campaign had affected over 6,000 unique IP addresses, with 1,852 in the United States, 630 in Russia, and 630 in India. Compromised websites were used to host malware, send commands, and store stolen files and screenshots. Attackers targeted Windows users through fake CAPTCHA prompts to exe
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16:40

TD Cowen Maintains Merck 'Hold' Rating as Stock Trades Above $137 Price Target

According to TD Cowen analyst Steve Scala, the firm maintained a "hold" rating on Merck on Thursday, even after the company announced successful cancer vaccine trial results on Wednesday. Merck's stock closed at $152.20 on Wednesday, above Cowen's $137 price target. Scala noted that the positive trial outcome validates the vaccine but emphasized that its potential applications remain unclear. "The success was not unexpected given strong Phase 2 data previously reported," Scala said in a client n
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16:37

Franklin Templeton Completes First Collateralized Fund Obligation Issuance, Raises $1.5B on August 21

According to Franklin Templeton, the company completed its first Collateralized Fund Obligation (CFO) issuance on August 21, raising $1.5 billion from global investors. The fund, Franklin Templeton Structured Solutions 2026, L.P., will be managed by the company's investment solutions platform and is designed to serve registered investment advisors, family offices, insurance companies, and wealth management institutions.
16:37

Franklin Templeton Wins SEC Approval to Integrate Tokenized Assets Into Traditional Funds on August 21

According to Bloomberg, on August 21, Franklin Templeton received regulatory approval to integrate tokenized assets into traditional investment funds. The company plans to deploy its tokenized money market fund within ETFs and mutual funds, functioning as both fund holdings and collateral. SEC filings and company executives confirmed this marks the first time digital-native products have been approved for use in traditional fund vehicles.
16:31

Bitcoin Surges 5% to $72,780 Today, Holds Above $72K

Bitcoin surged about 5% to a daily high of $72,780 earlier today (August 20), according to market data. As of 4:17 PM Beijing time, prices held steady around $72,000 after a sharp intraday rally from earlier lows near $69,500.
BTC-0.18%
16:29

Yemen's Government Forces Launch 81 Military Operations Against Houthis in 24 Hours

According to Al Jazeera, Yemen's government military launched 81 high-quality military operations against Houthi forces over the past 24 hours, a military spokesman said on August 20. The operations, described as retaliatory measures for Houthi attacks, resulted in the elimination of multiple Houthi commanders and the destruction of their equipment and vehicles, according to the armed forces spokesperson.
16:27

Germany Sets 60% Gas Storage Target as Winter Buffer Against Supply Disruptions

According to its official statement issued on Thursday, Germany's Economy Ministry confirmed that natural gas storage levels of 60-70% at the start of winter, combined with additional import capacity, are sufficient to meet average winter demand. The ministry added that the government is prepared to take measures if energy supply security is threatened.
16:27

South Korean President Lee Meets SK Group Chairman on Thursday to Discuss Semiconductor and AI Investment

According to Yonhapnews, South Korean President Lee Jae-myeong met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won on Thursday, August 21, to discuss South Korea's "three major super projects," with focus on semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industry development. The discussion reportedly covered SK Hynix's investment plans in southwest Korea and potential initiatives related to the broader semiconductor and AI sectors.
16:25

Bitcoin Miners Spent $5.11B on Capex vs $341.2M AI Revenue in H1 2026, 15-to-1 Gap

According to BlocksBridge Consulting, nine Bitcoin miners spent $5.11 billion on capital assets during the first half of 2026 while generating just $341.2 million in directly reported AI and high-performance computing revenue, marking a roughly 15-to-1 capex-to-revenue ratio. Despite the gap, AI and HPC revenue is accelerating, with the nine miners generating $205.8 million from those businesses in the second quarter, up 52% quarter-on-quarter. Core Scientific, TeraWulf and Bitdeer were among co
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BTC-0.18%
16:22

US Spot Ethereum ETFs Record $517.2M Daily Inflow, Strongest in 9 Months

According to latest data, US spot Ethereum ETFs recorded a net inflow of $517.2 million on August 19, marking the highest single-day net inflow in nine months. BlackRock's ETHA led with $122.12 million, followed by Fidelity's FETH at $36.54 million. Other significant inflows included Grayscale's Mini ETH ETF at $16.04 million, BlackRock's ETHB at $9.71 million, and Morgan Stanley's MSSE at $2.25 million.
ETH-0.20%
16:21

Mexico's Central Bank Holds Interest Rates, Cites Trade Uncertainty and Geopolitical Risks on August 6

According to Mexico's central bank (Banxico) monetary policy meeting minutes released on August 6, the central bank held interest rates steady, determining that maintaining the current level remains appropriate. Despite recent moderation in inflation, board members noted that upside inflation risks persist due to trade uncertainty and geopolitical tensions pressuring oil and commodity supplies.
16:19

Citi Plans to Offer Bitcoin Custody Services to Institutions Later This Year via Custody+ Platform

According to ChainCatcher, Citi plans to offer bitcoin custody services to institutional clients through its Custody+ platform later in 2026. Bitcoin will be the first digital asset integrated into Citi's unified custody framework alongside traditional assets such as stocks and bonds, allowing clients to access custody, settlement, foreign exchange, cash management and liquidity services through a single system. Citi's strategy is to self-custody native digital assets rather than rely solely on
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BTC-0.18%
16:17

Semiconductor Companies Announce Broad Price Increases in August; ST, ADI, National Tech Raise Prices 10-20%

According to 21st Century Business Herald, multiple semiconductor companies announced significant price increases starting late August 2026. RF chip maker Xilinx Micro issued a price adjustment notice effective September 1 for its full RF product line, while National Tech followed suit the next day with a 10-20% price increase on select MCU products. International chipmakers also joined the trend: STMicroelectronics will complete its third price adjustment of the year on August 23, and Analog De
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