Crypto markets and policy stayed active into the weekend. The SEC signaled that token buybacks on functional networks do not automatically make a token a security, Bitcoin ETFs extended their inflow streak, and major players from Riot to Kraken and Circle made notable operational and business moves.
SEC guidance softens one token-securities flashpoint
New SEC staff guidance says announcing a token buyback on a working network does not by itself turn the token into a security, a notable shift in how buyback announcements may be treated. The development comes as Hester Peirce’s planned departure from the SEC approaches on Oct. 2.
Sources: Decrypt, Cointelegraph, CoinDesk
Bitcoin ETF inflows stay positive
Bitcoin ETFs recorded seven straight sessions of inflows, bringing in nearly $3 billion over that span and pushing 2026 flows back into positive territory after earlier post-Clarity Act losses.
Sources: Decrypt
Mining and infrastructure updates
Riot Platforms repaid its $200 million credit facility and released collateral, while continuing to expand its data-center business. Separately, Kraken parent Payward said it is building a broader financial infrastructure stack that combines trading, payments, asset management and institutional services.
Sources: Cointelegraph, CoinDesk
Stablecoin competition and network activity continue
Circle gained a boost from a five-year Binance deal that analysts said could improve USDC’s reach in emerging markets, though Tether’s liquidity lead remains a challenge. In parallel, Solana’s Alpenglow settlement upgrade reached a second public test network for application teams to test before mainnet deployment.
Enforcement and security incidents remain a backdrop
The CFTC sued Cash FX, alleging a $950 million crypto-linked forex scheme and saying most participant funds were misappropriated. Separately, Circle and Tether froze some stablecoins tied to the Bitget hack, though most of the stolen funds had already been moved into ether.
Sources: Cointelegraph, Decrypt, Decrypt, CoinDesk