Several crypto news items are in the line-up this week, including BlackRock’s progress on the Ethereum ETF, the MegaETH ICO, and pivotal US–China diplomatic talks. Ongoing institutional action and international policy shifts could fuel volatility and trader optimism.

Traders and investors can position their portfolios strategically by front-running the following headlines this week.

BlackRock’s ETH Staking ETF Deadline

BlackRock’s Ethereum staking ETF stands out, as the application deadline for its staking feature is set for October 30.

The SEC recently moved the process from the 19b-4 route to a broader crypto ETF review, which raises the chances for approval of institutional Ethereum exposure.

Analysts are closely watching for clear regulatory direction, which is expected to be a bullish fundamental for the Ethereum price.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto

As of this writing, Ethereum was trading for $4,202, up by over 6% in the last 24 hours.

MegaETH ICO on Sonar

The MegaETH ICO, launching on Sonar, is set to introduce fresh momentum to the Ethereum Layer 2 sector. The public sale, which kicks off on October 27 at 1 pm UTC/ 9 am EST, creates opportunities for a wide range of participants. It also signals a growing demand for scalable blockchain solutions as the industry matures.

The token’s launch kicks off with an initial valuation of $1 million FDV, capped at a maximum of $999 million to prevent exaggerated “unicorn” pricing.

Participation is structured through an English auction format, allowing users to commit up to $186,282 each. This model aims to balance fair price discovery with controlled demand, ensuring that early buyers compete transparently without inflating the project’s valuation beyond sustainable levels.

US-China Trade Tensions

Meanwhile, the US-China trade tensions remain consequential. President Trump’s comment that proposed tariffs are “not sustainable” triggered a nearly 2% rise in Bitcoin prices.

The latest truce and positive trade negotiations continue to inspire bullish momentum. The expected meeting between Trump and President Xi Jinping is seen as a pivotal event for market confidence.

Token Launches and New Tech as Catalysts

Further, late October brings more than institutional crypto news. Vultisig is set to launch its VULT token in a decentralized, first-come, first-served offering, putting community access first.

The firm’s Threshold Signature Scheme for multi-device, seedless self-custody responds to ongoing concerns about wallet security and scalability.

More than 1,000 Chrome extension users have already tested its functionality, reflecting growing trust in crypto self-custody solutions.

Kaito Announcement

Adding to the flurry of crypto news this week, zkPass will hold its public sale on KaitoAI’s Capital Launchpad on October 27. The project delivers cryptographic proofs for web data while protecting privacy.

Major jurisdictions are open to participation, and if the sale oversubscribes, a notable allocation is guaranteed to Kaito’s community. Strategic investors further highlight the project’s adoption potential.

These developments, along with the first spot SOL ETF listing in Hong Kong and notable DeFi governance proposals, show the market’s growing appetite for innovation and mainstream adoption.

Macro policy moves will further influence crypto sentiment this week. The US Federal Reserve’s rate decision on October 29 and Coinbase’s October 30 earnings call could impact risk appetite.

This convergence of public sales, ETF launches, DAO decisions, and global diplomacy has the potential to influence asset prices for respective ecosystems.

As key deadlines approach, markets could experience significant volatility based on political and regulatory outcomes.