Ethereum Institutional Adoption Soars as Corporations Invest $162 Million in ETH
In a significant boost to Ethereum's institutional adoption, SharpLink Gaming and The Ether Machine have collectively acquired over $162 million worth of ETH this week. This aggressive accumulation highlights growing confidence in ethereum as a cornerstone of digital infrastructure. SharpLink Gaming alone spent $108.57 million USDC to purchase 30,755 ETH, signaling strong corporate belief in Ethereum's long-term value. As of August 2025, these developments underscore Ethereum's rising prominence in the institutional investment landscape, potentially paving the way for further price appreciation and mainstream adoption.
Corporate Ethereum Purchases Surge with $162 Million in Acquisitions
Ethereum's corporate adoption reaches new heights as institutional buyers aggressively accumulate ETH. SharpLink Gaming and The Ether Machine have collectively purchased over $162 million worth of Ethereum this week, signaling growing institutional confidence in ETH as digital infrastructure.
SharpLink executed a series of strategic acquisitions, spending $108.57 million USDC to acquire 30,755 ETH at an average price of $3,530. The gaming company's latest transaction of 15,822 ETH ($53.9 million) brings its total holdings to 480,031 ETH—a $1.65 billion position that now rivals traditional treasury assets.
The Ether Machine simultaneously expanded its position with a $56.9 million purchase of 15,000 ETH, growing its reserves to 334,757 ETH. These moves come as Ethereum dominates 58.1% of the $13.4 billion tokenized real-world asset market, cementing its role as the backbone of institutional crypto adoption.
Ethereum ETFs Attract $5.4 Billion Inflows as Whales Accumulate
Institutional demand for Ethereum continues unabated, with exchange-traded funds recording $5.4 billion in net inflows over a 20-day streak. BlackRock's ETHA ETF dominated the flows, accumulating over $4 billion, while its iShares Ethereum Trust added $1.7 billion. The funds saw outflows on just one trading day in July.
On-chain data reveals aggressive accumulation by mega-whales, with addresses holding 10,000+ ETH increasing by 200 since early July. One notable OTC transaction saw a single entity acquire $300 million worth of Ether through Galaxy Digital. The cryptocurrency rebounded to $3,560 after briefly dipping below $3,400 over the weekend.
The sustained institutional inflows coincide with growing whale activity, suggesting strong conviction among large holders despite recent volatility. Ethereum's ecosystem appears to be entering a new phase of institutional adoption, with ETF products capturing significant capital inflows while on-chain metrics show deepening holder commitment.
Lido Cuts 15% of Workforce in Strategic Cost-Control Move
Ethereum's dominant liquid staking protocol, Lido, has reduced its workforce by 15% in a bid to strengthen long-term sustainability. The cuts impact contributors across Lido Labs, Lido Ecosystem, and Lido Alliance.
Co-founder Vasiliy Shapovalov emphasized the decision reflects operational discipline rather than performance issues. "This difficult choice roots itself in resilience," he stated, noting the layoffs occur despite recent crypto market recovery.
Affected employees receive support through a referral network, with Shapovalov urging hiring firms to connect via Telegram. The protocol maintains its market-leading position in ETH staking despite the restructuring.
CrediX Hit by $4.5M Hack, Attacker Bridges Funds to Ethereum
CrediX, a DeFi project, has suffered a significant security breach resulting in losses of approximately $4.5 million. The attack, attributed to a compromised private key, allowed the hacker to gain unauthorized access and drain funds. CrediX has temporarily taken its website offline to prevent further deposits while investigations continue.
The stolen assets were bridged from the Sonic network to Ethereum, where they remain in the attacker's wallet with no further movement detected. Security firms CertiK and Cyvers Alerts flagged suspicious transactions, noting that the attacker initially funded an address via Tornado Cash before borrowing $2.64 million from CrediX.
SlowMist, an on-chain security firm, revealed that the exploit may have been planned six days prior to detection. The incident underscores persistent vulnerabilities in DeFi protocols, particularly around private key management and cross-network asset transfers.
