Bitcoin News Today: Crypto ETFs Surge Ahead Without SEC Approval, Fueling Market Optimism and Regulatory Concerns

The cryptocurrency market experienced a dramatic shift in October 2025 as a high-profile trader known as the "100% Win Rate Whale" liquidated nearly all of its positions, erasing $18.86 million in profits and leaving a staggering $18.86 million in unrealized losses. The whale's strategic adjustments, including closing long positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum while maintaining risky altcoin bets, triggered mixed reactions in the market, according to a Bitget report.

Ethereum (ETH) saw a $2.6 billion options expiration on Deribit on October 31, with a put-to-call ratio of 1.91 and the token trading below its max pain level of $4,100, and Ethereum ETFs attracted $9.6 billion in inflows during Q3 2025, outpacing Bitcoin's $8.7 billion, signaling growing institutional confidence, according to a TradingView report. Large withdrawals from exchanges further reinforced bullish sentiment, as investors shifted assets off platforms ahead of potential market gains.

The regulatory landscape for crypto ETFs grew increasingly contentious as Bitwise and Grayscale revealed fees for their XRP and Dogecoin products. Bitwise's XRP ETF carries a 0.34% fee, while Grayscale's XRP and Dogecoin ETFs both charge 0.35%. These filings come as firms bypass traditional SEC approval processes, capitalizing on the agency's limited capacity during a government shutdown, according to TradingView reporting. An analyst even predicted launches within two weeks after the SEC case resolution, as noted in an analyst predicted. "The launch of spot XRP ETFs represents the final nail in the coffin of previous anti-crypto regulators," said Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management.

Bitcoin (BTC) whales also stirred volatility, with early investors like "BitcoinOG" and Owen Gunden depositing hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of BTC into exchanges, as reported in a Yahoo Finance report. These moves, totaling $1.48 billion and $364.5 million respectively, sparked fears of a sell-off, though analysts remain divided. Some argue such activity precedes a rally, while others warn of a crypto winter. Miners added to the pressure, offloading 210,000 BTC in October, with Binance absorbing much of the flow, according to a 99Bitcoins article.

On the Hyperliquid platform, whale positions highlighted the sector's fragility. A major address held $6.57 billion in total exposure, with short positions outpacing longs 54.87% to 45.13%. Notably, one ETH short position with 10x leverage showed a $21.49 million unrealized loss, underscoring the risks of leveraged trading, according to a ChainCatcher report.