Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Surges Past $4,000 on Institutional Buying and Regulatory Clarity

The cryptocurrency market recorded a notable upward movement on August 8, 2025, with Ethereum (ETH) surging past the $4,000 mark for the first time since early 2025, peaking at $4,012 within a 24-hour period [1]. This milestone, coupled with regulatory developments and institutional buying, reinforced a positive sentiment across the crypto space. At the time of writing, ETH traded around $3,960, maintaining a strong position despite not yet reaching its previous high of $4,878, seen in October 2021.

The rally was supported by large institutional investors, including BitMine Immersion Technologies, which holds 833,000 ETH valued at approximately $2.9 billion. SharpLink Gaming (SBET) further added to the buying pressure by acquiring 83,561 ETH between July 28 and August 3, for $303 million, averaging $3,634 per token. The company now holds 521,939 ETH in its treasury, with all tokens staked and generating rewards, indicating a growing trend of Ethereum being used as a core asset in corporate treasuries [1].

XRP also benefited from favorable developments, particularly following the resolution of its long-standing legal dispute with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The case’s closure led to a sharp rise in XRP’s price, pushing it above $3.30 and reaching a high of $3.38 before retreating slightly. Analyst Lark Davis highlighted that XRP holders who endured the nearly five-year legal battle are now up over 1,700%, offering a compelling example of long-term value realization in the crypto market [1].

Stellar (XLM) and Chainlink (LINK) also experienced strong gains, both rising over 11% within 24 hours. XLM’s performance was attributed to its association with Ripple and cross-border transaction use cases, while Chainlink’s rally was driven by the announcement of a new LINK Reserve fund, aimed at expanding its decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem [1]. Together, these altcoins demonstrated the broader market’s appetite for projects with clear utility and growing real-world adoption.

Pendle emerged as the top gainer among the 100 largest cryptocurrencies by market cap, rising 20% in 24 hours as its yield-trading protocol continued to attract attention from investors. Aerodrome Finance and Lido DAO also posted gains of 16% and 10%, respectively, while Conflux fell out of favor, underperforming during the market rally [1]. This divergence in performance highlights the market’s selective nature, with only assets demonstrating tangible progress or use cases seeing strong support.

The overall momentum was underpinned by regulatory clarity and U.S. policy shifts. The SEC’s clarification that certain liquid staking activities do not constitute securities provided relief for Ethereum staking operations. Meanwhile, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) launched its “Crypto Sprint” initiative to streamline crypto regulations and foster innovation. Additionally, President Donald Trump’s executive order, allowing digital assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP in 401(k) retirement plans, marked a significant policy shift, signaling growing institutional acceptance [1].

These developments collectively contributed to the market’s bullish tone, with analysts forecasting sustained buying pressure in the coming months. As Ethereum continues to solidify its role as a foundational asset in both institutional and retail portfolios, the broader altcoin market is poised for further gains, particularly among projects with clear use cases and regulatory alignment [1].

Source:

[1] Invezz, [https://invezz.com/news/2025/08/08/crypto-wrap-aug-8-eth-hits-4k-as-xrp-xlm-and-link-among-top-performers/](https://invezz.com/news/2025/08/08/crypto-wrap-aug-8-eth-hits-4k-as-xrp-xlm-and-link-among-top-performers/)