Bitcoin News Today: Regulatory Clarity Fuels Grayscale's Altcoin Expansion into AI and DeFi

Grayscale Investments, a leading crypto asset manager, has significantly broadened its investment scope in the third quarter of 2025, adding 28 new altcoins to its Assets Under Consideration list. The firm's latest updates reflect a strategic pivot toward emerging sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), decentralized finance (DeFi), and smart contract platforms, aligning with broader market trends and regulatory developments.

The firm's expanded portfolio includes tokens such as Binance Coin (BNB), Hyperliquid (HYPE), and Ethena (ENA), underscoring its interest in both centralized and decentralized exchange-linked assets. Grayscale's research highlights a growing emphasis on AI-related tokens, with Grass (GRASS) and Prime Intellect joining the list. The firm also reiterated its commitment to DeFi, adding projects like Aave (AAVE) and Uniswap (UNI) to its Financials category.

A key driver of this expansion is the U.S. stablecoin legislation, which has spurred adoption of smart contract platforms. The July passage of the GENIUS Act, which established a regulatory framework for stablecoins, has accelerated demand for networks like Ethereum (ETH) and Tron (TRX), which facilitate stablecoin transactions. Grayscale noted that stablecoin supply grew by 16% in Q3 2025, reaching over $290 billion, with Ethereum-based stablecoins leading the charge.

Grayscale's strategic shift extends beyond tokens to foundational blockchain infrastructure. In August 2025, the firm launched two new single-asset trusts-DeepBook (DEEP) and Walrus (WAL)-targeting the Sui ecosystem's protocol layer. These products represent a departure from traditional Layer 1 token investments, focusing instead on core infrastructure like decentralized liquidity engines and on-chain data storage. The move has validated Sui's ecosystem, with DEEP and WAL tokens surging 12% and 7%, respectively, following the announcement.

The firm's research also underscores a "distinct altcoin season" in 2025, with altcoins outperforming Bitcoin (BTC) in Q3. While BTC reached a record $124,000, its gains lagged behind tokens in the Financials and Smart Contract Platforms sectors, which benefited from rising centralized exchange volumes and regulatory clarity. Grayscale attributed this trend to institutional interest in digital asset treasuries (DATs)-public companies holding crypto on their balance sheets-and the proliferation of decentralized perpetual futures exchanges like Hyperliquid.

Grayscale's expanding portfolio spans six crypto sectors, including Currencies, Smart Contract Platforms, and Utilities & Services. Notable additions include Zcash (ZEC), which saw a 110% price surge after Grayscale highlighted its privacy-focused zk-SNARKs technology, and Stellar Lumens (XLM), which transitioned from a trust to an ETF to enhance institutional accessibility. The firm also signaled renewed interest in meme coins like Bonk (BONK), reflecting speculative demand amid market volatility.

Looking ahead, Grayscale anticipates regulatory developments, including pending U.S. Senate legislation and SEC approval of crypto ETFs, to further catalyze market growth. The firm's Q4 outlook also factors in Federal Reserve rate cuts, which could reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-interest-bearing assets and boost risk appetite.

[1] Grayscale Adds 28 Crypto Assets to Watchlist in July 2025 (https://blockchair.com/news/grayscale-updated-q3-assets-consideration-list--655a2002b9355f37)

[2] Grayscale Considers 39 Altcoins for Investment in Q1 (https://beincrypto.com/grayscale-announces-new-investible-digital-assets/)

[3] Grayscale Adds Many Altcoins to Its Expanding List of Potential Crypto Investment Products (https://www.grayscale.com/blog/general-updates/assets-under-consideration-current-products)

[4] Grayscale Research Insights: Crypto Sectors in Q4 2025 (https://research.grayscale.com/market-commentary/grayscale-research-insights-crypto-sectors-in-q4-2025)

[5] Grayscale: Altcoin Season Has Already Arrived in 2025 (https://coinpaper.com/11313/grayscale-altcoin-season-has-already-arrived-in-2025)

[6] Grayscale Crypto Report Signals Historic Altcoin Takeover in 2025 (https://www.xt.com/en/blog/post/grayscale-crypto-report-signals-historic-altcoin-takeover-in-2025)

[7] Binance Success – BNB Is Included in Grayscale's List (https://crypto.ro/en/news/binance-success-bnb-is-included-in-grayscales-list-of-29-cryptos-considered-for-future-investments/)

[9] Altcoins Grayscale Is Stacking Before the Next Rally (https://beincrypto.com/altcoins-grayscales-investment-accumulating/)

[11] Grayscale strategy upgrade! Aiming at the Sui protocol layer (https://www.gate.com/news/detail/12996298)