Melissa Wisner, Vice President of Cryptocurrency Risk at Ciphertrace, a cryptocurrency intelligence company under Mastercard, stated that cryptocurrency is part of the future and emphasized the maturity of the cryptocurrency industry over the past decade. Wisner stated that the connection between the traditional financial system and the cryptocurrency ecosystem is still very close. Although some believe that cryptocurrency will replace banking institutions, the cryptocurrency industry does not seem to have detached from the traditional financial system. Many of Mastercard's banking partners are not interested in cryptocurrency because of their low risk appetite. Ciphertrace was founded by the US Department of Defense in 2015 and was acquired by Mastercard in September 2021. Wisner stated that this acquisition highlights Mastercard's belief that virtual assets and cryptocurrency are a persistent part of the financial future.

Bitcoin's price surged past resistance at $27,000 on Monday, boosting sentiment for most cryptocurrencies. Ethereum also saw gains, reaching above $1,600 but stalling at $1,650. Other altcoins such as XRP, Cardano, and Toncoin also performed well, with gains ranging from 2.5% to 4.5%. The total market capitalization increased by 1.4% to $1.1 trillion, indicating a bullish trend. However, if Bitcoin fails to break through the $27,000 resistance, it may revisit the next major support area at $25,000.

Major cryptocurrencies saw positive performance on Monday, September 18, with investors regaining confidence in digital currencies. Bitcoin's price rose 0.15% to $26,585.27 over the last 24 hours, while Ethereum's price remained flat at $1,629.15. XRP's price increased by 0.11% to $0.4973, and Litecoin's price added 1.06% to trade at $64.63.

Polygon, a major player in the world of cryptocurrencies, has announced plans for a network upgrade and resynchronization of its Layer 2 Bridge on September 18, 2023. The upgrade will not disrupt the overall stability of the ecosystem and will provide enhanced security, improved scalability, optimized performance, and future-proofing the platform.

Investors in the crypto market are cautious due to concerns, resulting in mixed sentiment on Saturday. Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies have traded near the flatline, with a slight gain from the previous day. The Fear and Greed index remains in the "fear" zone at 38. While some cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Solana, have seen slight gains, others like Cardano and XRP have decreased in price.

The finance industry has been transformed by the introduction of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Central banks are now exploring the use of digital currencies, with 11 countries already launching their own CBDCs.

Sam Altman, co-founder of Worldcoin, stated at Token 2049 on September 14 that Worldcoin scanning devices are expected to release a new version every two years with better security and imaging. He also stated that for cryptocurrencies to become mainstream, they need to be easier to use, more suitable for certain important use cases, and have clearer regulations. The two biggest obstacles for Worldcoin currently are operational challenges and biometric resistance.

Coinbase Prime has launched its Web3 Wallet, providing institutional clients with access to cryptocurrencies, NFTs, dapps, and DeFi. The wallet is fully integrated into Coinbase Prime, allowing users to store tokens from supported networks, interact with dapps and smart contracts, trade assets on decentralized exchanges, participate in DAO governance, and manage NFT collections and web3 social accounts.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has voted unanimously to change the way companies account for and disclose their holdings of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and other digital assets. The new rules, which will come into effect in 2025, aim to provide greater transparency to investors and other financial statement users about these volatile assets. Companies will be required to account for digital assets at fair market value, with gains and losses flowing through the income statement.