Today Crypto News, August 29 – $15 Billion Bitcoin and Ethereum Options Expire, Binance Futures Goes Offline: Chainlink and Pyth Compete for Best Crypto to Buy Now

Despite broader market weakness, both Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs recorded solid inflows on August 29. Bitcoin ETFs saw a net inflow of 1,578 BTC, worth about $174.35 million. BlackRock’s iShares led the way with 568 BTC ($62.74 million) added, bringing its total holdings to 746,584 BTC valued at $82.5 billion.

Ethereum ETFs also posted gains, with a net inflow of 12,489 ETH, worth $54.86 million. BlackRock again dominated, securing 15,127 ETH ($66.45 million), and now holds 3,777,263 ETH valued at $16.59 billion.

Tron has approved a 60% cut in network fees, aiming to strengthen its lead in the stablecoin transfer market. The proposal, backed by the network’s super representatives, comes after transaction costs doubled over the past year and hit record highs in June.

Founder Justin Sun acknowledged the fee reduction will temporarily lower Tron’s profitability, since network income depends directly on fees. However, he expects long-term growth as cheaper costs attract more users and increase transaction volumes. To maintain balance, Tron will introduce quarterly fee reviews.

The blockchain remains the top platform for Tether’s USDT stablecoin, hosting nearly $81 billion worth, according to DeFiLlama. TRX, Tron’s native token, has surged 126% in the past year despite rising costs.

Bitcoin ETFs have staged a comeback, recording $179 million in inflows on August 28, significantly ahead of Ethereum’s $39.2 million.

Ark 21Shares’ ARKB led with $80 million, followed by BlackRock’s IBIT ($63.7 million) and Bitwise’s BITB ($25 million). Other issuers, including Grayscale and Fidelity, reported smaller flows, while several funds saw no activity.

Ethereum-tracking ETFs posted mixed results. BlackRock’s ETHA brought in $67.6 million and Grayscale’s ETH added $6.3 million, but withdrawals of $34.7 million from Fidelity and Bitwise weighed on net inflows.

(Source: BTC/ETH ETFs)

The move marks the first time in over a week that Bitcoin funds have outperformed Ethereum’s in daily flows. From August 21 to 27, ETH ETFs accumulated $1.83 billion, while BTC ETFs managed just $171 million. Despite the recent catch-up, Bitcoin ETFs still dominate in scale, holding $145 billion in assets, compared to Ethereum’s $29.5 billion.

Amid renewed focus on Bitcoin, investor attention is also turning to Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER): a presale project building a Bitcoin Layer 2 with Solana-level speed and lower fees. Designed to expand BTC’s utility in dApps and staking, Bitcoin Hyper has raised nearly $12.7 million so far.

Presale buyers can use HYPER tokens for transaction fees and governance, with staking rewards offered at up to 89% annually. Tokens are currently priced at $0.012825, with the next price increase expected soon.

Visit HYPER Here

PetroChina has announced plans to study the feasibility of using stablecoins for cross-border settlement and payments, marking a major step toward financial innovation in the energy sector. The news comes as Hong Kong’s new stablecoin regulatory framework officially took effect on August 1, requiring issuers to obtain licenses and meet strict capital requirements.

According to Yahoo Finance, PetroChina’s CFO Wang Hua confirmed the initiative during the company’s half-year results briefing, noting that the firm is closely monitoring developments from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. This move positions PetroChina as one of the first energy giants to explore digital asset-based settlement under Hong Kong’s new rules.

Industry analysts suggest stablecoins could lower costs, reduce FX risks, and increase efficiency in global energy trade.

Mantle has announced that its treasury has surpassed $4 billion in assets, making it the largest in the crypto market. Alongside this milestone, Mantle highlighted its involvement in the recent U.S. Department of Commerce and Chainlink integration, which aims to bring key U.S. government data on-chain.