Treasury Buybacks Spark "Not-QE" Bitcoin Rally as Risk Appetite Returns

Crypto markets flipped decisively risk-on this week after Washington signaled a new liquidity impulse—not labeled quantitative easing, but delivered through a plan to expand U.S. Treasury buybacks in longer-dated bonds. Bitcoin jumped more than 23% toward the $79,000 area, while Ether climbed above $2,400 as investors weighed the impact on rates, dollar liquidity and broader risk sentiment. The policy shift is also feeding into crypto business strategy. Standard Chartered reiterated a bullish year-end outlook for Bitcoin. Metaplanet moved to extend its Bitcoin treasury strategy into the U.S. by pursuing control of a Nasdaq-listed company. Separately, Cypherpunk Technologies expanded into Zcash mining, and regulators highlighted growing scrutiny of whether "compute" capacity could be structured into futures products. Key points - U.S. Treasury steps to at least double long-dated bond buybacks lifted Bitcoin and Ether, reinforcing the market’s "liquidity matters" framing for risk assets. - Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick flagged $65,500 as a key Bitcoin level; holding above it would support the view that a cycle low is already in. - Metaplanet plans to contribute 2,100 BTC and $2.5 million cash into a renamed U.S.-listed vehicle, Superplanet, aimed at creating separate U.S. and Japan funding channels. - Cypherpunk’s Zcash mining expansion is live and is positioned at about 18% of Zcash network hashrate; profitability depends on ZEC price, network difficulty and operating costs. - The CFTC is seeking public input on AI compute futures; CME has outlined a potential Oct. 5 launch for compute-related contracts, pending approvals. Treasury buybacks fuel a "Not-QE" bid for Bitcoin Standard Chartered tied its upbeat Bitcoin call to the Treasury’s decision to expand buybacks at the long end of the curve. In comments cited by Cointelegraph, Geoff Kendrick said Bitcoin could reach $100,000 by year-end as the purchases add liquidity—calling it "exactly the type of thing Bitcoin loves." Kendrick emphasized $65,500 as the market’s pivotal technical zone. In his view, sustained trading above that level would help confirm a cycle bottom. The timing is explicit: the expanded buyback window runs from Sept. 9 through Nov. 4. The thesis, he argued, hinges on BTC holding $65,500; a break below would weaken the case that the low is confirmed. Metaplanet takes its Bitcoin treasury strategy to the U.S. via Superplanet Metaplanet said it plans to take a controlling stake in Nasdaq-listed Super League Enterprise, a move designed to bring its Bitcoin treasury strategy into U.S. capital markets. Under terms described by Cointelegraph, Metaplanet will contribute 2,100 BTC and $2.5 million in cash. The company will be renamed Superplanet. The 2,100 BTC is reported to be worth roughly $145 million and represents less than 5% of Metaplanet’s existing 43,000 BTC holdings; the contribution is expected to come from treasury, not new purchases. Management said the structure is intended to create two distinct fundraising pathways: Superplanet for U.S. investors and Metaplanet for shareholders in Japan. Markets responded quickly, with Super League shares reported to have surged more than 50% after the announcement. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to shareholder approval and customary closing conditions. Cypherpunk scales into Zcash mining with significant hashrate share Cypherpunk Technologies is broadening its proof-of-work exposure by launching a Zcash mining fleet after acquiring equipment from Winklevoss Capital in a $33.33 million equity deal. Cointelegraph reported the operation is already running at U.S. facilities and producing about 4.2 GSol/s—roughly 18% of Zcash’s current hashrate. Cypherpunk also holds 323,394 ZEC, about 1.9% of circulating supply, and has cited a 5% ownership target. Operational results remain sensitive to factors such as ZEC price, shifts in network hashrate, mining difficulty and energy and hosting costs. Cointelegraph noted ZEC had surged more than 1,300% over the past 12 months before later correcting, underscoring the volatility that can reshape mining economics. On the protocol side, Zcash implemented its Ironwood upgrade on July 28, replacing the Orchard pool following a flaw that could have enabled counterfeit ZEC creation; Cointelegraph said no exploitation was detected. CFTC seeks input on AI compute futures as CME targets Oct. 5 Regulators are also looking beyond traditional crypto toward tradable exposures tied to real-world infrastructure. Bloomberg reporting cited by Cointelegraph said the CFTC has initiated a process to gather public input on futures contracts linked to AI computing capacity, including a request for comment sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget. CME Group has previously outlined plans to launch two compute futures contracts on Oct. 5, pending regulatory approval, with Silicon Data providing benchmarks. Estimates cited in the same coverage put AI infrastructure spending at roughly 2% to 2.5% of U.S. GDP this year. The policy path remains procedural. After the White House review, the CFTC is expected to open a public comment period—typically 30 or 60 days, Bloomberg said—which could affect timing for CME and other exchanges, including Intercontinental Exchange. What to watch Markets will focus on whether the "liquidity without QE" narrative holds through the Sept. 9 to Nov. 4 buyback window, particularly if Bitcoin stays above the $65,500 level highlighted by Standard Chartered. Investors are also likely to monitor execution risk around cross-border corporate Bitcoin strategies and whether mining profitability can hold up as ZEC prices and network difficulty shift. On market structure, the CFTC’s compute-futures review may shape how quickly AI infrastructure hedging tools can reach trading venues. This article was originally published as Treasury’s 'NotQE' approach boosts Bitcoin as policy expectations shift on Crypto Breaking News – your trusted source for crypto news, Bitcoin news, and blockchain updates.