Yunfeng Financial Group Buys 10,000 ETH, Joins Crypto Treasury Trend

Ethereum's latest price was $, in the last 24 hours. Yunfeng Financial Group, a Hong Kong-listed financial services firm with ties to Jack Ma, has made a significant move into the cryptocurrency space by purchasing 10,000 Ethereum (ETH) to establish an ETH treasury. This acquisition marks Yunfeng’s entry into the growing trend of public companies adopting crypto treasury strategies. Yunfeng, which offers services including insurance, brokerage, and asset management, aims to reduce its reliance on traditional currencies and support its technological expansion into Web3, real-world assets, digital currencies, and AI. The company unveiled its broader strategy in July as part of a pivot toward next-generation financial infrastructure. Yunfeng is majority owned by Shanghai-based Yunfeng Capital, a private equity group co-founded in 2010 by Ma, who also helped launch Ant Group and Alibaba.

Yunfeng’s move into crypto treasuries indicates a broader trend among Asia-based firms adopting digital assets in corporate finance strategies that go beyond speculative trading. This shift highlights the growing institutional acceptance of Ethereum as a key player in the cryptocurrency market. In a related development, the Ethereum Foundation announced plans to sell 10,000 ETH through a centralized exchange (CEX) for research and donation funding. The 10,000 ETH was transferred to Kraken within 10 minutes before the announcement was made. This sale follows a previous transaction in July, where the Foundation sold 10,000 ETH via over-the-counter (OTC) at a price of $2,572 to SharpLink.

Ethereum’s network activity has shown notable strength, with a 30% weekly surge in fees allowing it to overtake Tron as the highest-grossing network. Including layer-2 activity, Ethereum’s total fees reached $16.3 million, more than double Solana’s $7.9 million. According to DefiLlama, Ethereum posted its second-highest decentralized application (DApp) fees since February 2022. In August, Ethereum DApps generated $466 million in fees, a 36% increase from the previous month. In contrast, Solana DApp fees fell 10% over the same period, while BNB Chain saw a 57% contraction. Among Ethereum’s top contributors were Lido with $91.7 million, Uniswap with $91.2 million, and Aave with $82.9 million in 30-day fees.

While onchain activity shows progress, Ether derivatives suggest traders remain skeptical about ETH reclaiming $5,000 in the short term. The monthly futures premium stands at 5%, hovering at the edge of a neutral-to-bearish market. Such caution is expected after a 15% pullback from the Aug. 24 all-time high. Yet, futures aggregate open interest has risen 26% in 30 days, reaching $58.5 billion, signaling that traders are not abandoning the asset. Ether options skew measured 3% on Monday, well within the -6% to +6% neutral band, as traders assigned similar probabilities to surprise moves in either direction.

Institutional adoption of Ethereum continues to build. Corporations have added 2 million ETH to reserves over the past 30 days. Firms including Bitmine Immersion Tech (BMNR), SharpLink Gaming (SBET) and The Ether Machine (ETHM) now hold a combined 4.71 million ETH. More significantly, some of these companies are beginning to deploy capital into Ethereum-based DApps. ETHZilla (ETHZ) announced new commitments, underscoring the growing activity across the ecosystem. This expansion of real-world usage strengthens ETH’s role within decentralized applications and could further differentiate Ethereum from competitors.

In a bold move that highlights growing institutional confidence in Ethereum, SharpLink has acquired an additional 39,008 ETH, pushing its total ETH holdings to a staggering 837,230 ETH. The entire stash is now valued at approximately $3.6 billion, reinforcing SharpLink’s deep commitment to the Ethereum ecosystem. This acquisition is significant not only in size but also in timing, as the broader crypto market shows early signs of a bull run. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, has been a top choice for institutions due to its robust smart contract capabilities and strong developer community.

SharpLink’s continued accumulation of ETH could be interpreted as a strong bullish signal for the market. Large-scale purchases by institutional players typically reflect long-term confidence, not just short-term speculation. Moreover, this move may inspire other firms to either initiate or expand their crypto portfolios. Ethereum has seen increased demand recently due to the rise of Layer 2 solutions, staking rewards, and upcoming network upgrades aimed at enhancing scalability and reducing fees. When a major entity like SharpLink commits billions to ETH, it reduces available supply in the open market, potentially driving prices up. It also reaffirms Ethereum’s role as a critical infrastructure asset in the digital finance space. If other institutional players follow suit, we could see an upward trend in Ethereum’s price and even stronger adoption across the crypto landscape. For retail investors, it may be a hint to watch ETH closely in the coming months.

The United Nations released findings on September 2, 2025, highlighting the potential benefits of digital currencies for developing economies. A UN panel specifically advocated for the integration of virtual currency systems into international aid and remittance channels to increase efficiency and reduce transaction costs for recipients in less developed regions. The report emphasized the necessity of establishing robust regulatory frameworks alongside adoption to mitigate risks like fraud and ensure financial stability.

Congress returned from recess in early September facing unresolved cryptocurrency tax policy matters. Lawmakers are debating how to address several expiring tax provisions related to digital asset transactions and mining operations that were not covered in previous legislative packages. Discussions are centered on whether to incorporate these measures into a possible bipartisan tax extenders bill attached to other legislation, or if another major reconciliation bill specifically targeting crypto oversight will be prioritized before year-end deadlines.