Bitcoin briefly dropped below $82,300, as Iranian tensions lifted oil prices above $102, putting pressure on market risk appetite.

According to an announcement from the USDKG project, per Order No. 639-t issued by the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan on August 20, 2026, the USDKG project will cease all operations, including halting related activities on its blockchain network. USDKG token holders can apply to convert their existing tokens into fiat currency or USDT via the project’s official email. The announcement did not provide further details on the specific reasons for the project’s shutdown or subsequent arrangements; holders may contact the project team via the provided email for conversion-related matters.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told attendees at Token2049 that the crypto industry’s heavy past support for the Republican Party has alienated the Democratic Party, and advancing U.S. federal crypto legislation requires bipartisan backing. Cuomo noted that the industry previously “bet big on the Republican Party” to push forward the CLARITY Act, but “you need both Democrats and Republicans; it has to be more balanced.” In the 2026 election cycle, crypto-related political action committees (PACs) have allocated $54.3 million to support Republican candidates, $26.2 million to back Democrats, and an additional $23.2 million to oppose Democratic candidates. Cuomo also pushed back against the perception that Democrats are “anti-crypto,” arguing that crypto technology aligns with Democratic values because it can deliver financial services to populations that previously lacked access to financial products. He stated that if the Democratic Party gains control of Congress after the midterm elections, it could either choose to weaken the Trump administration’s crypto policies or collaborate with Republicans to advance the full CLARITY Act. To date, Fairshake has announced it will support 32 U.S. House candidates in the November midterm elections, including 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats.

According to Lookonchain’s monitoring, a crypto whale currently holds a long position of 98,089 ETH, valued at approximately $252.3 million. If ETH’s price drops to $2,446.48, this position will hit its liquidation price; a further decline to $2,424.47 will also trigger liquidation for the related positions.

Cointelegraph responded to recent CoinDesk reports in a post on X, stating "we will not sell" and accusing the coverage of being based on false information with multiple factual errors. Cointelegraph said it is open to oversight but will not remain silent about the practice of "presenting speculation as fact," and questioned whether CoinDesk is generating controversy to attract readers, promote activities, or address commercial pressures. Cointelegraph demanded that CoinDesk, its publisher, and editorial management correct the relevant reports, explicitly admit the mistakes, and give the correction content the same level of exposure as the original report—rather than quietly revising wording while maintaining the original report’s credibility. Cointelegraph also emphasized that media credibility should be built on accuracy and accountability, not on sensational headlines to gain attention. Earlier today, CoinDesk reported that well-known crypto media outlet Cointelegraph is seeking a buyer, with the specific asking price not yet disclosed. After Cointelegraph received a manual penalty from Google in October 2025, its organic search traffic dropped by approximately 80%, and the site was temporarily removed from Google search results. According to Similarweb data, its monthly visits have fallen from over 12 million in December 2024 to just over 700,000 in early September 2026. Founded in 2013, Cointelegraph has more than 200 employees and has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Letbit Mining Pool founder Jiang Zhuoer posted that he has repurchased 75% of his BTC position at $82,789, after selling portions at $86,789 and $84,460 earlier. He expects a near-term market rebound, citing that the market "has been unable to fall further, with plenty of buyers stepping in". Jiang also noted that his operations in recent months have been unleveraged, generating a cumulative 35.1% profit in BTC terms and 98.6% in USDT-denominated returns.

Attention! A whale's 98,089 $ETH($252.3M) long positions will be liquidated at $2,446.48 and $2,424.47.