The Weekly Wrap: Bitcoin Reclaims $80K, ETF Inflows Return and Solana Leads the Market Higher

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This Week’s Top Stories

“Bitcoin rallied roughly 9% this week, briefly reaching $81,280 before consolidating around $80,000. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded eight consecutive sessions of net inflows totaling approximately $2.8 billion, supporting the strongest monthly flow momentum seen in 2026.” – The past few days.

• The advance was broad-based. Ether and XRP gained close to 11% over the week, while Solana led major assets with a rise of approximately 20%. Bitcoin’s Coinbase premium also turned positive for the first time since May, pointing to renewed U.S. spot demand.
• Macro sentiment remained shaped by recent economic shifts. Markets spent the week in digestion-mode following previous data showing a contraction in July payrolls (-23,000 against an 85,000 forecast) and a 0.6% decline in retail sales. This defensive backdrop was offset by durable-goods orders rising 1.1% (beating the 0.4% consensus) and the U.S. Treasury doubling its long-dated bond buyback volumes, boosting structural liquidity expectations.
• Inflation data were broadly in line with expectations. Headline CPI rose 3.4% year on year, while core CPI eased to 2.5%. The Fed’s preferred core PCE measure held at 3.3% year on year, leaving inflation above target but avoiding a material upside surprise.
• Institutional access and ecosystem activity continued to expand. Charles Schwab announced plans to add Solana, Avalanche and Chainlink to its crypto trading platform, BitGo agreed to acquire NYDIG’s institutional trading business, and Solana governance advanced proposals on supply reductions and token burns.

The market recovery gathered pace this week, led by renewed spot demand for Bitcoin. BTC gained approximately 9% over seven days and briefly traded above $81,000, while U.S. spot ETF inflows reached $2.8 billion over eight consecutive sessions. The accumulation was supported by a positive Coinbase premium, a signal of renewed demand from U.S.-based investors. Altcoins participated strongly in the move. Solana outperformed with a roughly 20% weekly gain, while Ether and XRP gained close to 11%. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index rose to 73, indicating that market sentiment has shifted decisively into “Greed” territory.

Our proprietary bottom signal indicator, which tracks the percentage of cumulative unique signals triggered within recognized market bottom periods (represented by the gray shaded zones), indicates that 90% of our bottom indicator thresholds have now been met during the current 2026 bear market phase. Historically, as shown in previous cycles like November 2011, June 2015, and September 2022, reaching this high density of triggered signals has strongly suggested that the macro price bottom is already behind us. However, while the technical on-chain and market metrics heavily point toward a cyclical floor, we strongly encourage exercising extreme caution; current macroeconomic and escalating geopolitical uncertainties could still introduce unprecedented volatility capable of disrupting historical cyclical patterns.

Solana governance is considering material adjustments to its token economics. A proposal to accelerate reductions in SOL issuance has cleared quorum and is narrowly passing, while a separate initiative to substantially increase token burns remains below its required approval threshold. The votes will be watched closely given Solana’s recent outperformance and growing institutional interest. 

Bitcoin infrastructure also came into focus after Core Lightning (CLN) issued an emergency advisory following a wave of AI-generated security reports that exposed several vulnerabilities. CLN developers immediately released patched software binaries. For node operators unable to update their code immediately, developers advised running nodes in a temporary offline mode (--offline) rather than shutting them down completely, allowing them to safely follow the underlying blockchain and monitor payment channels against fraudulent force-closes.

Digital asset investment products experienced a notable surge in acceleration, with massive positive net inflows marking a strong extension of buying activity amid a resilient macro backdrop. Coinciding with a better-than-expected US weekly jobless claims report (which fell unexpectedly to 203,000, below the 208,000 forecast), investor confidence solidified. For the week of August 23rd, BTC investment vehicles captured a staggering +$926.9M, while ETH products added +$507.6M. Additionally, SOL inflows stood strong at +$114.8M, and HYPE generated +$44.5M. This massive multi-asset momentum, building directly upon the previous week's $1.89B BTC inflows, suggests substantial institutional backing as broader economic recession fears clear.

Crypto market sentiment sit firmly in "Greed" at 73. This marks a steady upward progression from last week's reading of 72 and yesterday's 71, showing sustained bullish momentum among market participants. This prolonged stay in the low-to-mid seventies reflects rising confidence and growing FOMO (fear of missing out) as spot prices break upward. Interestingly, sentiment has completely decoupled from previous defensive postures, flashing strong greed signals despite lingering macroeconomic uncertainty. Because the indicator is climbing deeper into the green zone, contrarian investors are beginning to watch for potential local tops, creating a sharp divergence between the current retail excitement and cautious institutional risk management.

• Institutional integration continues to broaden across major brokerages. Charles Schwab's addition of SOL, AVAX, and LINK directly to its Schwab Crypto trading layer expands direct digital asset access to millions of active brokerage clients. On the custody front, BitGo agreed to acquire NYDIG’s institutional trading business, significantly strengthening its derivatives clearing and prime services footprint. This follows BitGo's expansion into East Asian liquidity hubs after securing a direct VASP license from South Korea's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). 
   
• Stablecoins and protocol yield mechanisms remain highly active development areas. Dunamu (Upbit's parent company) and Visa announced a global payments and AI commerce partnership, with Open Standard’s OUSD noted as one of several stablecoin frameworks under active evaluation. Meanwhile, Ethena advanced governance proposals to direct protocol revenue toward ENA token buybacks and restructure venture-token unlock schedules, triggering a sharp rally in the ENA token.

The upcoming U.S. labor-market report on 4 September will be closely watched following July’s unexpected payroll contraction. The next CPI release, scheduled for 11 September, and the Federal Reserve’s 16 September policy meeting will be important catalysts for rates, Treasury yields, and broader risk appetite. 

For crypto markets, the key signals remain Bitcoin’s ability to hold the $80,000 area, whether U.S. spot ETF demand extends beyond the current inflow streak, and the direction of Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar. On the protocol side, Solana’s tokenomics votes and Core Lightning’s forthcoming security update remain the principal developments to monitor. 

Below, you can find some of the key data releases and events to watch out for next week. 

Monday, 31 August 2026 

• U.S. Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index (Aug) 

Tuesday, 1 September 2026 

• U.S. Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for July.
• ISM Manufacturing PMI for August. 

Wednesday, 2 September 2026 

• Bank of Canada interest-rate decision.
• U.S. Factory Orders for July. 

Thursday, 3 September 2026 

• U.S. trade balance for July.
• U.S. weekly initial jobless claims.
• ISM Services PMI for August. 

Friday, 4 September 2026 

• U.S. Employment Situation report for August: nonfarm payrolls, unemployment rate, and wage growth. 

The U.S. jobs report is the week’s principal macro event following July’s unexpected payroll decline. Its outcome will likely influence expectations for the magnitude of potential policy changes ahead of the September 16 Federal Reserve interest rate decision.