BTC moved above $77,000. Final August 20 flows into U.S. spot BTC and ETH ETFs reached $606 million and $221 million. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.700%, gold futures traded at $4,640.0, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 fell 0.87% and 0.72% in the latest session.
1. BTC moves above $77,000
BTC moved above $77,000 on August 21, gaining more than 8% over 24 hours. CNBC recorded a weekly gain near 20% and the highest price since June. The morning edition quoted BTC at $74,807, so this item keeps only the new evening price move. The advance followed two days of short liquidations and spot ETF inflows.
Assets to watch: BTC
2. Final BTC and ETH ETF inflows total $827M
U.S. spot BTC ETFs recorded $606 million of final net inflows for August 20, their fourth positive day, with $503 million going to IBIT. Spot ETH ETFs added $221 million, including $173 million for ETHA. Combined net inflows reached $827 million, above the preliminary figures used in the morning edition. Net inflow is subscriptions minus redemptions.
Assets to watch: BTC ETH
3. MANTRA says security incident is contained
MANTRA said on August 21 that it had identified the cause of a security incident and contained the threat. The incident affected two wallet addresses in the Cosmos EVM module, with no user funds reported stolen. The chain pause and upcoming patch were precautionary, and the team was testing a fix for a possible same-day restart. A full technical review and status update remain pending.
4. Circle mints 500M USDC on Solana
On-chain data recorded Circle minting 250 million USDC on Solana at 17:28 and another 250 million at 17:39 on August 21, for a total of 500 million. The data confirms new issuance but does not show that the funds entered exchanges or created spot buying. Minting increases available supply on the chain, while later address transfers determine where it moves.
Assets to watch: CRCL SOL
5. Upbit to list NEXO in its USDT market
Upbit said on August 21 that it will list NEXO in its USDT market. Trading is scheduled to begin at 22:00 Korea time, or 21:00 UTC+8. The notice was published at 18:19, before trading opened in this capture window. The event adds a new spot market, while volume and spreads can only be checked after the opening.
6. Strategy's BTC holdings return near breakeven
Strategy's BTC treasury returned near overall breakeven after BTC moved above $77,000. Public reporting compared the latest price with the company's cumulative purchase cost on August 21. The figure will change with BTC prices and does not mean the company sold holdings or realized a profit.
Assets to watch: MSTR BTC
7. Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields rise
Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields rose on August 21 as the prior rally tied to expanded Treasury buybacks faded. The Hermes 18:10 snapshot put the U.S. 10-year yield at 4.700%, up 0.002 percentage points on the day. Higher yields correspond to lower bond prices and change the discount rate applied to equities and precious metals.
8. Samsung plans up to $80B in shareholder returns
Samsung announced a shareholder return plan of up to $80 billion on August 21, following SK Hynix's buyback update. The plan covers future cash returns, with execution subject to later approvals and the company's implementation schedule. The announcement arrived as stronger AI server demand improved cash generation across memory-chip producers.
Assets to watch: SAMSUNG
9. Capital.com plans UAE spot crypto services
Capital.com said on August 21 that it plans to offer spot crypto services in the UAE after an affiliate secured a local license. The move adds a regulated market and product category, but the public notice did not provide a full asset list or launch date. A license does not mean the service is already open to all users.
10. Japan inflation reaches its highest level this year
Japan's inflation reading released on August 21 reached its highest level of the year, with energy prices among the main contributors. Markets continued to assess the Bank of Japan policy path and yen carry trades after the release. Further policy assessment still depends on core inflation, wages and Bank of Japan meeting guidance.
Market snapshot
BTC: above $77,000
Gold: $4,640.0 | Silver: $69.515
WTI: $86.64 | Brent: $93.62
S&P 500: 7,641.16 | Nasdaq 100: 29,213.17