ALIPEAlien Pepe Price

On August 15, CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost stated that Bitcoin's apparent demand has significantly improved but remains negative, currently at -32,000 BTC. When Bitcoin entered its new consolidation range in early June, the estimated demand was -272,000 BTC. This is a positive change, but it is still not strong enough. Similar patterns were observed in February and May 2026, after which demand weakened again. This may also be related to the decline in average mining volume, as hash rate has decreased, leading to lower output. Therefore, this is not yet a sufficiently strong positive momentum, but this trend is worth close monitoring. Note: Apparent demand is calculated as the number of newly mined BTC minus the supply that has not been used for over a year. In other words, this metric is used to assess whether structural hoarding is sufficient to absorb the new supply generated by the network.

On August 15, according to CCTV International News, Israel will hold parliamentary elections in October this year. Recent polls released by several Israeli media outlets show that Prime Minister Netanyahu's approval ratings are low. So far, U.S. President Trump has not expressed clear support for Netanyahu in the Israeli elections. Reports also indicate that several of Netanyahu's competitors are concerned that Trump may support the incumbent Prime Minister. Sources revealed that they conveyed messages to Trump and his aides through intermediaries, urging Trump to remain neutral. A former U.S. official familiar with the situation stated that Netanyahu's poor performance in the polls has dissuaded Trump from intervening in the matter.

According to IRNA, Hussein Nushabadi, the Director General of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Department, stated in an interview that Washington's controversial claims regarding control over the Strait of Hormuz are primarily driven by domestic political needs and are a reactive response to Iran's demonstrated strength and strategic actions in this waterway. He noted that the baseless assertions made by the US President regarding the Strait of Hormuz do not align with international shipping regulations or the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Nushabadi also pointed out that Iran possesses political and military dominance over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital lifeline for global energy and economy, making it a powerful lever and strategic trump card in responding to external threats.