Bitcoin Temporarily Drops Below $107,000

Prominent crypto trader Killa noted in a post that Bitcoin has been in a steady downtrend leading up to August 14, with the key focus now being whether it can hold its current trading range and stay above $60,000. He believes that if BTC continues to trade above $60,000, a short-term low may form near the current price zone. Conversely, if BTC breaks below $60,000 and loses its current range, the likelihood of further declines over the remainder of August will rise significantly. A break below $60,000 from its current position could push BTC down to below $57,000. On the flip side, if Bitcoin retains its technical structure after August 14 and reclaims the $61,000 to $62,000 level, Killa predicts it may rebound within its range for the rest of the month.

According to South Korean media reports, SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won received 1.75 billion won (approximately $1.24 million) in compensation from SK Inc. in the first half of this year. The information was disclosed in SK Inc.’s half-year report released on August 14, per an announcement from the Financial Supervisory Service. The chairman’s first-half compensation was flat year-on-year, with no bonuses received beyond his salary. Choi Jae-won, the chairman’s younger brother and SK Group’s vice chairman, earned 1.5 billion won during the same period. SK Inc. President Jang Yong-ho took home a total of 1.8 billion won, including 1 billion won in salary and 800 million won in bonuses. Additionally, Yoon Pung-young, head of the SK Supex Pursuit Council, was revealed to have received 7.715 billion won overall: 500 million won in salary, 800 million won in bonuses, and 6.415 billion won in compensation from 12,103 performance stock units (PSUs) granted three years ago.

In an official announcement, Binance stated that in light of recent changes to regulatory requirements, it will phase out processing of transactions involving certain crypto asset service providers or platforms to maintain ongoing compliance with relevant rules and safeguard user assets. The restrictions took effect for Shelbit and Aban Tether Exchange on August 7; A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa, and PilotFinance Ltd were added to the list with effect from August 13. Effective August 23, additional entities subject to the measures include Rapira, Aifory Pro, ABCeX, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto, Tradex, Monease, BitPapa, Exnode, Exnode Pay, HTX (Huobi Global SA), and EXMO Ltd. Binance warned that after the respective effective dates, users should avoid transferring assets to, receiving assets from, or conducting any other transactions with the above-mentioned entities directly or indirectly via Binance. Any user attempting such transactions may face additional compliance reviews, during which associated wallets could be restricted, and the activity may violate Binance’s Terms of Use. Binance noted that these measures are designed to fulfill its regulatory and compliance obligations in the jurisdictions where it operates, as well as maintain a secure trading environment for users and protect their assets.

MSCI is soliciting feedback on a new non-operating company identification methodology, a proposal that could result in Strategy and Metaplanet being removed from MSCI’s global investable market indices. Based on MSCI’s simulation using May 2026 data, Strategy, Metaplanet, and uranium investment firm Yellow Cake would be excluded from the MSCI All Country World Index Investable Market Index (ACWI IMI), while companies including SharpLink would be placed on a public watchlist. The new methodology adopts a two-step screening process. Companies first undergo an operating asset structure test; if they fail, they are evaluated based on five metrics: operating asset ratio, expense intensity, operating cash flow, fair value changes, and capital dependence. Failing the core test and triggering at least four exclusion criteria simultaneously may deem a company ineligible for index inclusion. For companies already included in indices, MSCI plans to apply relatively lenient thresholds, requiring failure to pass screening for two consecutive annual reporting periods before removal. Strategy’s free-float adjusted market capitalization in the May 2026 simulation stood at $23.9 billion, making it the largest company flagged for potential removal. MSCI noted that the proposal will not immediately alter index constituents, as it is soliciting feedback from market participants through September 30, with consultation results expected to be released by October 16. JPMorgan analysts previously estimated that Strategy’s exclusion from MSCI indices could trigger roughly $2.8 billion in passive fund outflows.

MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor published a post noting that digital assets compete across four distinct markets—they do not form a single market, but a new financial architecture comprehensively challenging the traditional financial system (TradFi). The breakdown: Digital capital (BTC) competes for wealth, with rivals including stocks, real estate, gold, and art. Digital credit (STRC) competes for income, facing bonds and private credit. Digital currency competes for savings, with competitors being money market funds and Treasury bonds. Digital payment currency competes for payments, with rivals including cash and bank deposits. Saylor elaborated on digital assets’ "currency spectrum" concept in his post yesterday, categorizing them as: Bitcoin = digital capital, STRC = digital credit, SR-strcUSX = digital currency, USDT = digital payment currency. On this spectrum, volatility and return potential decline gradually from left to right, while stability and transaction utility rise gradually. Saylor defines Bitcoin as the ultimate store of value—highly volatile, high-energy, a sound bearer asset; USDT as the ultimate medium of exchange, stable and easy to transact; digital credit and digital currency serve as bridges between capital and currency.

Wells Fargo raised Sandisk's target share price from $1,400 to $1,550, and lifted Dell Technologies' target share price from $505 to $545.