2. Bitcoin Falls to a Four-Week Low

On October 15, bitcoin fell to approximately $79,770 before recovering above $81,000. Barron’s attributed the decline to U.S. economic data: inflation and retail sales exceeded expectations, heightening concerns about further Federal Reserve interest rate increases. A selloff in technology stocks added pressure. This is the publication’s explanation, rather than proof of a single cause behind the price movement. According to Investing News Network’s market recap as of 10:00 p.m. UTC on October 16, BTC was trading at approximately $81,541, down 1.6% over the previous 24 hours. Ethereum was near $2,412, XRP at $1.30, and Solana at $103.59. All four assets were recording daily losses at that time. The same report noted that BTC’s brief rebound above $82,000 failed to hold. An analyst quoted by the publication described a sustained recovery in inflows into cryptocurrency ETFs as a more convincing sign of improving demand than a temporary price bounce. This was the analyst’s assessment, not a confirmed prediction.

3. UK Dispute Continues over 61,000 Bitcoin Valued at Approximately £3.8 Billion

The High Court of England and Wales ruled that victims’ ownership claims to the seized bitcoin must be assessed under Chinese law. The ruling was handed down on October 12, with reports appearing on October 13. The case concerns investment fraud carried out by Zhimin Qian in China between 2014 and 2017. London police seized devices providing access to the cryptocurrency in 2018. Victims must now establish ownership rights to the assets themselves. Simply proving that they handed money to fraudsters and are entitled to repayment is insufficient. According to the Financial Times, the ruling increased the UK government’s chances of retaining a substantial portion of the funds. However, ownership of the bitcoin remains unresolved: questions concerning Chinese law still need to be examined, and representatives of the victims intend to appeal. The development does not mean that the government has already been awarded the coins or announced their sale.

4. Court Rejects Gemini and CFTC Request to Vacate $5 Million Settlement

Reuters reported on October 16 that Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected a joint request by cryptocurrency exchange Gemini and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, to vacate an earlier settlement. The agreement resolved a case involving allegedly false or misleading statements made by Gemini during the regulator’s review of a proposed bitcoin futures product. The lawsuit was filed in 2022, and the settlement was reached in January 2025. The parties later argued that the case would not have been brought under the regulator’s new enforcement priorities. The court found that this was insufficient grounds to undo a voluntary settlement reached after several years of litigation. The $5 million penalty has already been paid; the ruling does not impose a new fine.

5. Deutsche Bank Prepares to Launch Bitcoin and Ethereum Custody for Clients

On October 16, Gerald Podobnik, co-head of Deutsche Bank’s Corporate Bank, told Reuters that the launch of its digital asset custody service was only weeks away. Germany will be the first market, with expansion into Asian financial centers planned for 2027. Future plans include tokenized deposits and the issuance of digital bonds. According to the bank’s official announcement, the service is primarily intended for corporate and institutional clients, including companies, asset managers, funds, and other professional market participants. Deutsche Bank will manage wallets and private keys on their behalf, enabling clients to hold assets and transfer them to third parties. The announced range of supported assets includes Bitcoin, Ether, and selected stablecoins, including USDC, EURC, and EURAU. The launch remains subject to completion of regulatory procedures, and an exact date has not yet been announced. This concerns preparations for a bank custody service, rather than an announcement that Deutsche Bank itself is buying bitcoin.