Bitcoin Surges Past $81,238 as CFTC Rule Enters White House Review

Bitcoin (BTC) hit $81,238 during trading on August 18 before settling around $81,800. Bitcoin.com News reported the price movement was driven by recovering spot demand and leverage adjustments. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rule proposal has entered White House review, according to reports.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved a temporary conditional exemption allowing tokenized stock exchanges to trade certain U.S. equities on-chain. Crypto Briefing reported Ethereum (ETH) rose 6% the same day, with the SEC imposing conditions including transaction participant limits and record-keeping requirements.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $159.45 million in net inflows on August 17, reversing a previous $295.98 million outflow from the prior day. BlackRock's IBIT received $183.66 million while Fidelity's FBTC saw $16.64 million leave, per SoSoValue data.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) outlined criteria for regulating offshore crypto platforms starting October 25, 2027, with applications accepted between September 30, 2026 and February 28, 2027.

The U.S. Congress passed a bill allowing up to 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy, though it awaits President Donald Trump's signature. India has not decided to stop purchasing Russian oil.

Eurozone inflation rose to 3.3% in August from July's 2.9%, with energy prices jumping 14.3%, per Eurostat's flash estimate. International Energy Agency (IEA) noted disruptions in liquefied natural gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices exceeded $100 per barrel amid speculation of an EU emergency meeting.

A security vulnerability led to a $1.3 million theft and a 10-day halt in blockchain transaction confirmations, according to CryptoSlate. The flaw persisted despite passing a 2024 security review.

Blockchain dead drop activity has surged 420% over the past year, with Chainalysis reporting state-backed attackers storing malicious payloads and command-and-control information on blockchains.