On October 18, the crypto world saw significant developments. The FBI arrested a hacker responsible for breaching the SEC's X account in January. Aspen Digital reported that 94% of Asian private wealth is invested or considering crypto, highlighting growing interest. Additionally, Vitalik Buterin unveiled his ambitious plan for Ethereum called "The Surge." Meanwhile, Bitcoin's spot ETFs in the U.S. crossed $20 billion in net flows, demonstrating rising investor confidence.

The crypto market remains in the greed territory today, with the Crypto Fear & Greed Index increasing from 71 to 73. Bitcoin (BTC) has shown some positive momentum, trading above $67,993.90 in the past 24 hours. Despite recent fluctuations, the overall market sentiment leans towards greed. 

• Prices (UTC+8 8:00): BTC: $67,424, -0.29%, ETH: $2,605, -0.22%
• 24-hour Long/Short: 49.7%/50.3%
• Yesterday’s Fear and Greed Index: 73 (71 24 hours ago), level: Greed

Crypto Fear & Greed Index | Source: Alternative.me

Read More: Trump’s Crypto Platform Raising Only $12 Million (WLFI), Stripe in Talks to Acquire Bridge: Oct 17

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• U.S. retail sales in September grew by 0.4%, surpassing expectations.

• The European Central Bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points.

• Aspen Digital reported that 76% of surveyed family offices and wealthy individuals in Asia are investing in digital assets; another 18% plan to join soon.

• Polymarket predicts a 64% chance of Bitcoin reaching $70,000 this month.

• The FBI arrested a man for posting fake Bitcoin ETF approval on the SEC's X account.

On October 17, the FBI arrested Eric Council Jr. for hacking the SEC’s X account in January. He used a SIM swap attack to gain control of the SEC's social media, posting a fake announcement about a spot Bitcoin ETF approval. This event caused chaos which in turn caused Bitcoin’s price to spike, and investors scrambled. It was a stark reminder of how vulnerable even powerful institutions are to cyberattacks like SIM swapping. U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves highlighted the financial and personal damage such attacks can cause. Council now faces identity theft and fraud charges.

The SEC acted quickly. Chair Gary Gensler stepped in 15 minutes after the post went live, clarifying that no ETF had been approved. But the next day, the SEC did approve 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs. These funds now hold a combined $63.5 billion, underscoring the growing institutional interest in Bitcoin despite the earlier chaos.

Source: X

A report from Aspen Digital shows that 94% of private wealth in Asia is either invested in or planning to invest in crypto. Interest has surged, up from 58% in 2022 to 76% already investing, with 18% more planning to. The survey, covering 80 family offices and high-net-worth individuals managing $10 million to $500 million, found most have less than 5% of their portfolios in digital assets. Interest is high in decentralized finance (DeFi), artificial intelligence, and decentralized infrastructure.

Change in blockchain interest in Asia. Source: Aspen Digital

Spot Bitcoin ETFs are also driving interest. 53% of respondents gain exposure through ETFs. This aligns with a global rise in crypto adoption driven by regulatory clarity and the launch of ETFs in the US and Asia. Bitcoin and Ether ETFs launched in Hong Kong in April, while the US started spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024.

Many surveyed investors remain optimistic. 31% believe Bitcoin will hit $100,000 by year-end, showing strong bullish sentiment among Asia’s private wealth.

On October 17, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs hit a milestone—crossing $20 billion in total net flows. This happened in just 10 months, which is incredibly fast compared to gold ETFs, which took five years to reach the same level. This rapid growth points to Bitcoin's increasing legitimacy as a store of value, comparable to traditional assets like gold.

Eric Balchunas, a senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg, called the $20 billion mark the hardest metric to grow for ETFs. The past week alone saw $1.5 billion in inflows, signaling strong investor confidence, especially with improving regulatory clarity around these products. Data from Farside Investors showed that on October 16, Bitcoin ETFs added $458 million worth of BTC, showing continued strong demand.

Source: Eric Balchunas

This growth also reflects a shift in how investors want exposure to Bitcoin. More people want access through regulated financial products, overseen by established institutions. The surge in net flows signals Bitcoin’s growing acceptance among mainstream investors, a positive sign for its long-term prospects.

Read more: Best Spot Bitcoin ETFs to Buy in 2024

Vitalik Buterin recently laid out an ambitious plan for Ethereum, called "The Surge." The goal? Scale Ethereum to handle over 100,000 transactions per second (TPS). To do that, Buterin wants to improve both Ethereum's main blockchain and its layer 2 solutions, like rollups. It's not just about speed; it’s about making Ethereum more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly.

Buterin stressed that Layer 2 networks should feel like a unified part of Ethereum, not separate chains. Right now, different L2 solutions can feel fragmented, which can confuse users. Buterin envisions a seamless experience where using an L2 feels just like using the main Ethereum network. This would make it easier for both new users and developers, helping Ethereum grow into a more cohesive and approachable platform.

The other big focus is on cost-cutting. Merging these will optimize computations on Ethereum to ensure a cheaper and highly scalable base layer, enabling the main chain to manage the demand that comes from L2 rollups.This would make the context in which developers have to work much easier, while users will pay lower fees and notice no difference at all.

The goal of "The Surge" is to complete Ethereum’s rollup-centric roadmap while keeping decentralization and security intact. By focusing on scaling, improving user experience, and enhancing interoperability, Buterin wants to make Ethereum a more robust and easy-to-use platform. This is about laying the foundation for Ethereum to continue evolving as a key player in decentralized infrastructure globally.

Read more: Ethereum 2.0 Upgrade

The top headlines today underscore the growing adoption of crypto assets and the steps regulators and industry leaders are taking to secure and scale the ecosystem. The arrest related to the SEC hack reminds us of ongoing cybersecurity challenges, while the increased interest in Bitcoin ETFs and Ethereum’s scaling plans reflect the sector's potential. Investors across Asia, coupled with new products like ETFs and technological improvements led by Vitalik Buterin, signal a promising outlook for digital assets in the evolving financial landscape.