Bitcoin and ethereum prices today, Friday, August 21, 2026: Cryptos continue rally sparked by Treasury repurchase announcement

On Friday, August 21, 2026, the headline claims bitcoin and ethereum prices continued a rally sparked by a Treasury repurchase announcement. However, none of the five source texts provided to DeFi Intel mention bitcoin, ethereum, cryptocurrency prices, or any Treasury repurchase announcement. The sources instead consist of Federal Reserve discount rate meeting minutes, a Bank of England statement on delaying RTGS standards, a report on Serbian elections and prediction markets, an ECB consumer expectations survey, and an EBA mission statement. Because the sources do not contain the facts asserted in the headline, this article cannot report the claimed price action or its cause without violating our rule against stating facts not present in the sources.

Background

The source texts describe unrelated institutional and political developments. The Federal Reserve Board released minutes from meetings on August 17, September 9, and September 16, 2026, covering discount rates for depository institutions through the discount window, and noted that this process is distinct from the FOMC's federal funds rate target range. The Bank of England stated that, following Swift's August 27, 2026 decision to delay the November 2026 Swift Standards Release due to industry readiness concerns about removing the unstructured postal address format, it is deferring its own November 2026 RTGS standards release in its entirety, including CHAPS messaging standards, to maintain global alignment. A news report describes Serbia's student-led 'Students Win' list running neck and neck with the SNS party, with a prediction market pricing at 13.9% YES for the student list winning 50% or more of the vote. The ECB's Consumer Expectations Survey for September 2026 shows median inflation expectations for the next 12 months rising to 3.1% from 3.0%, three-year expectations unchanged at 2.9%, five-year at 2.5%, and economic growth expectations at -1.5%. The EBA text is a generic mission statement. None of these sources discuss digital assets or Treasury repurchases.

What happened

The Federal Reserve Board's release states that on Tuesday it published minutes from its meetings to review and determine discount rates provided to depository institutions through the discount window, covering meetings on August 17, September 9, and September 16, 2026, and that the Board's discount rate process is distinct from the FOMC's process for setting the federal funds rate target range. The Bank of England's statement says that on August 27, 2026, Swift announced its decision to delay the November 2026 Swift Standards Release based on industry's request for additional time to prepare for the removal of the unstructured postal address format following concerns about global readiness, and that after careful consideration the Bank is also delaying what would have been the November 2026 RTGS standards release, including messaging standards for CHAPS payments, deferring it in its entirety to maintain global alignment and avoid new implementation risks. A news report from cryptobriefing.com describes a student-led movement in Serbia presenting a challenge to the Serbian Progressive Party in upcoming parliamentary elections, with the student-backed 'Students Win' list running neck and neck with SNS, which has been in power since 2012, and a prediction market pricing at 13.9% YES for the student list winning 50% or more of the vote. The ECB's press release reports that in September the median rate of perceived inflation over the previous 12 months increased to 3.6% from 3.5%, median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months increased to 3.1% from 3.0%, three-year and five-year expectations were unchanged at 2.9% and 2.5%, expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months decreased to -1.5% from -1.2%, and expectations for the unemployment rate 12 months ahead increased to 11.3% from 11.0%. The EBA text states its mission to contribute to the stability and effectiveness of the European financial system through regulation and supervision.

Market impact

The only market-related figures in the sources are from the ECB Consumer Expectations Survey and the Serbian election prediction market. The ECB reports that median consumer perceptions of inflation over the past 12 months increased to 3.6% in September from 3.5% in August, median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months increased to 3.1% from 3.0%, and median expectations for inflation three years ahead and five years ahead were unchanged at 2.9% and 2.5% respectively. Expectations for nominal income growth over the next 12 months increased to 1.1% from 1.0%, perceived nominal spending growth over the previous 12 months increased to 5.3% from 5.2%, and expected nominal spending growth over the next 12 months increased to 3.7% from 3.6%. Expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months decreased to -1.5% from -1.2%, and expectations for the unemployment rate 12 months ahead increased to 11.3% from 11.0%. Consumers expected the price of their home to increase by 3.5% over the next 12 months, higher than 3.4% in August, and expectations for mortgage interest rates in 12 months' time remained unchanged at 4.9%. The news report states that the prediction market for the Serbian student list winning 50% or more of the vote is currently priced at 13.9% YES, a slight decrease from previous days. No bitcoin or ethereum prices, flows, or Treasury repurchase figures appear in any source.

Why it matters

The sources support consequences unrelated to crypto prices. The Bank of England states that maintaining global alignment is important to preserving interoperability and to avoid the introduction of new implementation risks, and that deferring the November 2026 RTGS standards release in its entirety is consistent with Swift delaying the entire CBPR+ standards release and avoids challenges and risks that might otherwise arise for both the Bank and industry from trying to separate changes at this late stage. The ECB survey results indicate that consumers' inflation perceptions and expectations for the next 12 months increased slightly, while longer-term expectations were unchanged, and that expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months decreased while the expected unemployment rate in 12 months' time increased. The news report states that the Serbian electoral contest has drawn heightened attention as it represents the most serious challenge to Aleksandar Vučić's party in years, and that markets are closely monitoring developments with the outcome potentially reshaping Serbia's political landscape. The Federal Reserve release explains that the Board's discount rate process is distinct from the FOMC's process for setting the federal funds rate target range. The EBA text describes its mission to contribute to the stability and effectiveness of the European financial system.