Bitcoin Approaches Key Resistance at $81,500 After Sharp Recovery

Bitcoin Climbs to $80K Ahead of Weak U.S. Economic Data Bitcoin reached $80,000 on September 18, moving higher before adverse U.S. economic data was released — a sequence that points to macro and market-structure factors driving the move rather than a reaction to the figures themselves. The advance coincided with a rebound in tech equities and weakness in the Japanese yen, both conditions that have historically correlated with risk-asset strength. ETF inflows recorded in the prior session added a tentative demand signal ahead of the price move. The pattern suggests Bitcoin is increasingly sensitive to cross-asset dynamics — equity sentiment, currency markets, and institutional flows — rather than responding solely to crypto-specific catalysts. Source Trade on Binance

North Korean Hackers Used Fake Job Interviews to Steal Crypto Across 100 Countries A North Korean state-backed hacker group infected more than 30,000 computers across at least 100 countries with crypto-stealing malware between late 2025 and July 2026, using fake tech recruitment interviews as the attack vector. The campaign involved posing as legitimate employers to lure job seekers into downloading malware during simulated interview processes. Once installed, the software was used to extract cryptocurrency from victims' devices. The operation spanned a significant global footprint, with infections reported across roughly 100 countries. North Korea has a documented history of funding state operations through crypto theft. Groups linked to Pyongyang have been attributed to several high-profile exchange and protocol breaches in recent years, with stolen funds believed to support sanctioned government programs. Source Trade on Binance

$15.6 Billion in Bitcoin Options Set to Expire on Deribit Friday A large batch of Bitcoin options contracts worth $15.6 billion is scheduled to expire on Deribit this Friday, with strike-by-strike data showing the book is heavily weighted toward calls. One price level in particular is drawing hedging pressure from both sides simultaneously. The source material does not provide the specific strike price, max pain level, open interest breakdown, or further analytical detail needed to report the full story accurately. Source Trade on Binance

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BitMEX Closes After 11 Years as Final Shutdown Deadline Arrives BitMEX has removed all remaining trading services — including spot, conversion, and derivatives markets — ahead of its September 23 shutdown, marking the end of over 11 years of exchange operations. HDR Global Trading Limited, the company's owner and operator, approved the closure following what BitMEX described as a "strategic" review. The platform was once among the most prominent crypto derivatives exchanges globally, known for popularising perpetual swap contracts. Users are expected to withdraw remaining funds before the deadline. The shutdown concludes a years-long decline for the exchange, which faced significant legal and regulatory challenges, including a 2020 U.S. indictment of its founders on Bank Secrecy Act violations. Source Trade on Binance