Gate Crypto Flash News and Market Updates

LME base metals closed mixed today (August 20). Tin led gains with a $253 jump to $55,803 per ton, while nickel posted the largest decline, falling $233 to $16,880 per ton. Copper closed down $13 at $14,036, aluminum dropped $22 to $3,205, and cobalt was flat at $56,290. Zinc rose $52 to $3,760, and lead gained $14 to $1,902 per ton.

According to Citi's currency strategist team, on Thursday, the bank downgraded its three-month USD index forecast to 98.34 from 102.12. Strategist Daniel Tobin cited the U.S. Treasury's plan to double its 10–30 year Treasury buyback program in November as a key driver. The expanded buybacks are expected to compress long-end yields, pressuring the dollar, Tobin said.

According to TradingBeats, on August 21, Huang Lishen continues to add to his long ETH position with 25x leverage on 20,400 ETH, generating $3.95 million in unrealized gains. His portfolio also includes a 40x leveraged long position on 80 BTC with $30,000 in unrealized gains and a 10x leveraged position on 133,000 HYPE with $320,000 in unrealized gains, bringing his total unrealized profit to $4.3 million.

According to preliminary plans, Angola plans to load 30 ships of crude oil in October, down from 34 ships scheduled for September.

According to Gate trading data, Ethereum (ETH/USDT) broke above $2355 today, recording a 24-hour gain of 12.71%.

According to Fidelity Digital Assets, AI agents may generate significant digital activity without creating corresponding value for public blockchains, as centralized platforms operated by large technology companies could capture much of that activity instead. Senior Research Analyst Max Wadington listed this among six risks to the AI-crypto thesis, noting that closed systems have advantages in performance, costs, user experience and regulatory clarity. Contrasting this caution, Grayscale Head of

According to the Polish News Agency, a draft law shows the Polish government plans to increase the corporate income tax rate to 30% for large utility companies and fuel enterprises in 2027.

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

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

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

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

According to a joint statement by France, Germany, Italy, and the UK, the four nations opposed Israel's decision to publicize tender documents for new settlement projects in the West Bank's E1 area, calling the move unacceptable.

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.

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.

According to the United Nations, two UN national staff members held by Afghan authorities were released on Thursday in good health. Charges against them have been withdrawn.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko reported on August 20 that a commercial center in Kyiv caught fire after drone debris fell on the building, killing 1 person and injuring 2 others.