The First Day of October Arrives with a Nice Crypto Pump Although it is Halloween season, there was nothing even remotely spooky about the recent pump. With ETH and BTC hitting their best best stride in weeks, an increase of almost 10% was seen. With China issuing a strict crackdown in the past few weeks — on both trading and mining — fintech enthusiasts have been wary about what might happen to their favorite cryptocurrencies as a result. Due to holders utilizing DEX and other means to navigate the storm, it would appear that the market is still slightly bullish — even in the wake of an announcement that could strike terror in the hearts of investors.

ETH Remains a Bit Problematic Due to Gas Fees Although DeFi is receiving a lot of praise lately, some believe that it is somewhat responsible for all the high fees. Of course, there is also chatter about NFTs, which are largely powered by ETH smart contracts, doing the same thing. There is no doubt that ETH's gas fees remain a barrier to scaleability — and to the price of ETH going up in a meaningful way right now. Many have tried to address the issue, building bridges from proof-of-stake networks to ETH. This cross-chain functionality could transform the situation, with Umbrella Network serving as just one example of how things could work in an ideal environment.

Traders Turn to Options to Mitigate Risk In this uncertain landscape, it's no surprise that savvy traders are looking for ways in which to lower their exposure. With options markets, investors can come up with their own innovative strategies, putting together creative solutions that they believe will serve them. Selling derivatives, which some might say is similar to creating futures contracts, has become increasingly popular. A favorable risk reward ratio — 1.65 to 1 — has proved attractive to those who want to take their chances. All in all, it's an exciting time for Ethereum.