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Bitcoin whales appear poised for a dramatic ascent in the weeks ahead, with some expecting the cryptocurrency to crest $190,000 this December—a target that has drawn both excitement and caution among market observers.

Whales, or large holders of Bitcoin, have been signalling confidence through increasing accumulation. On-chain data indicates sustained purchasing patterns and institutions continuing to funnel capital into Bitcoin, supporting forecasts like the $190,000 December rally that some market models envision.

For instance, Tiger Research cites growing institutional inflows—including spot-Bitcoin ETF demand and new crypto allocations in retirement plans such as US 401s—as key drivers behind a projected price ceiling of $190,000. They argue that surging liquidity and tightened supply dynamics could push Bitcoin to that level by the close of Q3 or early Q4 2025.

Yet other analysts strike a more measured tone. Crypto economist Willy Woo warns that long-standing whales, many of whom acquired Bitcoin at below $10, now control large portions of the supply. He explains that each Bitcoin they opt to sell requires over $110,000 of fresh demand to absorb it—creating a de facto resistance level that complicates momentum.

eToro Group Ltd is poised to pursue bolder acquisitions after securing a substantial liquidity base, according to one of its co-founders. At the Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio, Italy, Ronen Assia, executive director and co-founder, confirmed that the firm “has cash and cash equivalents of around $1.2 billion at the end of the first half of the year, with a cash position of $988 million, with no debt.” He added: “We’re looking to do more ambitious stuff involving acquisitions,” emphasising that eToro aims to broaden both asset classes and its geographic footprint.

eToro’s deliberate pivot into more aggressive mergers and acquisitions comes on the heels of its listing on Nasdaq in May 2025, where it raised $620 million in its initial public offering. The company’s robust cash war-chest endows it with flexibility to explore new verticals and markets in a dynamic fintech landscape.

Beyond financial strength, eToro is deepening its product offering. The platform recently rolled out tokenisation and artificial intelligence tools targeted at retail investors, along with expanding its global reach. Meanwhile, preliminary selected business metrics for July and August reveal continued operational momentum: assets under administration rose to $19.7 billion, funded accounts approached 3.69 million—both reflecting high year-on-year growth—while crypto trading volumes surged by nearly 50 percent.

The company’s healthy balance sheet is grounded in a successful IPO and product innovation. In Q1 2025, eToro reported $736 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, alongside growth in user accounts and assets under administration. The firm also expanded its trading products, launching options in the UK and futures in Europe, while diversifying geographic access to include exchanges in Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong.

This marks a clear signal that bold acquisitions are on eToro’s horizon—a phrase that captures the firm’s evolving strategic ambition and its capacity to act decisively in a competitive market.

The timing of this announcement is significant. Mergers and acquisitions within fintech and crypto sectors have become tools for scale, innovation, and regulatory navigation. With its substantial liquidity and no leverage, eToro may look to acquire firms offering complementary capabilities—whether in tokenisation, AI-driven trading, wealth management, or regional expansion.

Ronen Assia’s stance highlights both intent and preparedness. The expressed goal to take on “more ambitious” deals indicates a readiness to move beyond smaller bolt-ins, aiming instead for transformative moves that could reshape the firm’s product and regional scope. The emphasis on adding asset classes and locales suggests potential targets might include firms with niche offerings or solid footprints in under-penetrated markets.

At a time when many fintech companies are consolidating or recalibrating amid macroeconomic shifts and evolving regulation, eToro’s proactive posture sets it apart. With backing of a strong balance sheet and public market credibility, the platform is well placed to capitalise on strategic M&A opportunities as they arise.

Oil prices edged higher after OPEC+ approved a modest production increase of 137,000 barrels per day from October, signalling a deliberate shift from propping up prices to recapturing market share even as the possibility of oversupply looms.

A rapid, 11-minute virtual meeting resulted in the decision by eight key alliance members to introduce a restrained output lift, clearly OPEC+ inches production upward amid surplus risk. That modest hike marks the start of unwinding an additional tranche of voluntary cuts—around 1.65 million barrels per day—that were originally scheduled to remain in place until the end of 2026.

Brent crude gained approximately 34 cents to trade at $65.84 per barrel, while U. S. West Texas Intermediate rose about 30 cents to $62.17 a barrel, trimming losses incurred last week following a soft U. S. jobs report. Analysts see the price rebound as partly driven by relief over the modest hike and technical factors, alongside concerns that looming U. S. sanctions on Russian oil may curb supply.

OPEC+ members—including Saudi Arabia, Russia and several Gulf producers—have been gradually rolling back earlier cuts since April, with previous monthly increases topping 550,000 barrels. This latest move, while smaller in volume, is seen as a strategic signal that the group is prioritising global market positioning over immediate price support. Jorge Leon of Rystad Energy commented, “The barrels may be small, but the message is big,” underscoring the symbolic weight of the alliance’s decision.

Not all members can raise output equally—only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have sufficient spare capacity to make notable additions. Others face physical and contractual limitations to boost deliveries.

Despite the gradual rollback of cuts, analysts warn that the ramp-up, combined with rising non-OPEC+ output, could push the oil market into surplus territory by early 2026. Goldman Sachs, while holding its 2025 price forecast steady, flagged muted price risks for 2026, with expected average Brent and WTI prices in the mid-$50s.

The alliance has reaffirmed its flexibility to adjust future output, including the ability to accelerate, pause or even reverse course as market conditions evolve. Members will meet again on 5 October to review developments and determine whether to extend or amend the output ramp.

Net profits for banks listed across the Gulf Cooperation Council surged to an unprecedented $16.6 billion in the second quarter, marking the second straight quarter of gains and a sequential increase of roughly 3.7 %, with year-on-year growth at a robust 9.2 %, according to Kamco Invest. This performance was driven by broadly higher revenues and a lower cost-to-income ratio that more than compensated for a rise in impairments. Lending activity remained resilient, underpinned by strong economic fundamentals and a pipeline of projects in the region.

Banks across the GCC achieved strong growth, with net profits rising 10.3 % year-on-year to $16.6 billion in Q2 2025, according to the latest Kamco Invest analysis. The sequential increase of about 3.7 % was fuelled by a broad-based rise in revenues, while a leaner cost-to-income ratio offset the impact of elevated impairments. Lending growth persisted, reflecting healthy demand and continued economic momentum.

Abu Dhabi led regional outperformers as its banks posted aggregate Q2 earnings of $3.2 billion—a 23.1 % rise compared to the year before. First Abu Dhabi Bank stood out with a 29.4 % surge in quarterly net profits to $1.5 billion, supported by stronger non-interest income and lower impairment charges. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank also delivered solid gains, buoyed by elevated interest and fee income.

Dubai’s banks, by contrast, experienced a contraction: aggregate city-listed earnings fell by 6.4 % to $3.2 billion, weighed down by increased impairments at major lenders such as Emirates NBD. Some resilience came from Commercial Bank of Dubai, which posted a 15.4 % rise, alongside a surge in real-estate and utilities profits—Emaar Properties and DEWA among the top performers.

Among other GCC markets, Q2 net profits for Oman-listed banks were around $1 billion, while those in Qatar also posted gains, contributing to the overall strength in the banking sector.

The headline figure—$16.6 billion in quarterly profit for GCC banks—captures the scale of the region’s banking sector resilience. This strong performance highlights how GCC banks post record-high quarterly profits, powered by sustained credit growth and operational efficiencies even amid higher impairments.
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The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi unveiled the EAD Avatar at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2025, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 30 August to 7 September. This AI-powered initiative aims to revolutionise public interaction with environmental information, offering a lifelike digital interface that bridges cultural authenticity with technological innovation.

Developed in collaboration with Accord Business Group, the EAD Avatar introduces two digital personas, Souheil and Dana, designed to reflect Emirati heritage. Fluent in both Arabic and English, these avatars provide real-time, interactive communication, delivering accurate, AI-generated responses drawn from verified data sources. This approach ensures that users receive reliable information on environmental topics, enhancing public understanding and engagement.

Ahmed Baharoon, Executive Director of Environment Information, Science and Outreach Management at EAD, highlighted the significance of the launch, stating, “By merging cultural authenticity with cutting-edge AI, we are enhancing how the community interacts with EAD and transforming how they understand and connect with the environment.” The avatars’ natural voice modulation, facial expressions, and body language contribute to a more human-like interaction, fostering trust and encouraging deeper engagement.

Undersea cables in the Red Sea were severed on September 6, 2025, causing significant internet disruptions across parts of Asia and the Middle East. The affected cables include the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4 and the India–Middle East–Western Europe, both vital for regional connectivity.

Microsoft reported increased latency for users in the Middle East, while NetBlocks, a digital rights group, confirmed that the outages impacted countries such as India and Pakistan. The disruptions have also affected cloud services, with Microsoft Azure experiencing service degradation due to rerouted traffic.

The cause of the cable cuts remains unclear. While there is concern that the Houthi rebels in Yemen may have targeted the cables as part of their campaign related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, the group has denied responsibility for such attacks. In early 2024, the Houthis had threatened to target undersea cables, but no direct evidence has been presented linking them to the current incident.

Thailand’s incoming prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, will nominate veteran economic official Ekniti Nitithanprapas to lead the finance ministry, aiming to stabilise an economy weighed down by US tariffs and mounting household debt.

Anutin, fresh from his parliamentary victory and poised to assume the premiership, unveiled his cabinet selections on Saturday, naming experienced hands to key posts: Ekniti for finance, diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow for foreign affairs, and energy executive Auttapol Rerkpiboon to helm the energy ministry. Seasoned Bureaucrat Bound for Finance Ministry signals a clear intention to anchor the economic team with trusted professionals.

Anutin said he chose Ekniti due to his broad leadership across the finance ministry’s departments and his readiness to meet the challenges of the role swiftly. He underscored the appointee’s capacity to help guide Thailand through the turbulence created by US-imposed tariffs and persistent high levels of household debt.

Ekniti, 54, brings an extensive résumé. He has served as director-general across revenue, excise, and treasury departments, and held roles at the Fiscal Policy Office and State Enterprise Policy Office. His résumé also includes positions as financial attaché in London, adviser at the World Bank, and board chairmanships across major financial institutions and state enterprises—including Siam Commercial Bank, EXIM Bank, and Thai Airways.

Anutin’s selections come at a critical juncture. Thailand’s economy has been under strain from weaker growth compared to regional peers, ongoing political unrest, border tensions with Cambodia, declining tourism, and disruptions linked to global trade pressures—particularly from US tariffs. These factors have combined to sap investor confidence.

The finance nomination must receive royal assent before becoming official. Assuming approval, Ekniti will carry the mandate to reassure markets and manage policy responses that address fiscal and external vulnerabilities. His depth of institutional experience positions him as a credible figure to help guide economic policy swiftly during the transition.

The integration embeds Ripple Payments into Thunes’s Direct Global Network, spanning 130 + countries and over 80 currencies. This union leverages Ripple’s global payout infrastructure—serving 90 + markets and covering more than 90 % of daily FX flows, with over US $70 billion processed—bringing real-time, cost-efficient, and transparent transactions to Thunes’s vast network.

Chloe Mayenobe, President and COO of Thunes, emphasised that the partnership bridges traditional finance and digital assets, enabling seamless, compliant cross-border payments at scale. She stressed the importance of real-time settlement and robust local integrations in scaling financial access globally. Fiona Murray, Managing Director for Asia-Pacific at Ripple, underscored how combining Thunes’s payment reach with Ripple’s digital asset infrastructure enhances speed, accessibility, and compliance.

This move extends Thunes’s capability to deliver payouts in local currencies in regions with limited banking access, particularly through its SmartX Treasury System. Ripple Payments is now integrated into SmartX, bolstering liquidity management and last-mile delivery in underbanked markets.

Analysis from BeInCrypto notes that this alignment enables faster settlement and improved compliance, especially where mobile wallets like GCash, M-Pesa, and WeChat Pay dominate. For enterprises, the collaboration promises efficient global transfers with lower friction. Crowdfund Insider adds that the partnership broadens payout reach while streamlining money movement across key markets.

Electronic Payments International confirms the integration into SmartX, reinforcing Thunes’s treasury capabilities and enhancing its services. CryptoBriefing highlights the joint effort to improve speed, transparency and compliance across Thunes’s global network by incorporating Ripple Payments.

This development reflects an industry shift: traditional payment networks increasingly adopt blockchain infrastructure to reduce costs and boost efficiency. Thunes, with its “Smart Superhighway” platform covering billions of mobile wallets, bank accounts, and cards, stands well-positioned to harness Ripple’s tools for expanding financial inclusion.

Thunes, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Singapore, already partners with PayPal, Uber, Grab, Paytm, and others, serving a global footprint that includes more than 3 billion accounts across 130 countries. The integration with Ripple strengthens its proposition to these and other clients seeking faster, more transparent cross-border transfers.