A potential U.S. ground assault in Iran risks escalating into a broader regional conflict, undermining prospects for a peaceful resolution.

The post US risks escalation trap with potential Iran ground assault, analyst warns appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The signing highlights traditional transfer dynamics, potentially sidelining crypto innovations in sports transactions and fan engagement.

The post Manchester United signs Youri Tielemans for €41M, and crypto fans are wondering what it means for fan tokens appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Crypto speculation during major sports events highlights the volatile nature of fan tokens, posing risks and opportunities for investors.

The post World Cup fever is driving crypto speculation, from Chiliz surges to unofficial player tokens appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Crypto's integration into the World Cup highlights its growing mainstream acceptance, potentially reshaping fan engagement and ticketing.

The post The World Cup semi-final is here, and crypto is quietly having its own tournament moment appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and US strikes heighten regional instability, disrupt global oil markets, and complicate diplomatic resolutions.

The post Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, US launches retaliatory strikes appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

The Bitcoin Softfork That Tried to Police “Junk Data” — And Why It’s Already Failing

This is a guest post by Brandon Black. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.

Within the tiny internet bubble of Bitcoin X (formerly Bitcoin Twitter or Crypto Twitter), there has been a lot of noise in the past year about @dathon_ohm’s proposal for a Reduced Data Temporary Softfork, otherwise known as BIP110. Underlying this proposal is the idea that certain Bitcoin transactions have been violating the principles of the network by including in their locking or unlocking scripts data that can be interpreted in one or more additional ways besides their plain Bitcoin script interpretation. According to BIP110’s supporters, reducing the use of these transactions is sufficient justification for the most confiscatory Bitcoin softfork to date, on a deployment timeline that is dramatically faster than the two most recent softforks, and with a lower activation readiness threshold.

Bitcoin is an open-access, censorship-resistant ledger to which anyone can write entries if they are willing to pay fees sufficient to convince block template creators and miners to include their transaction. The fundamental value of Bitcoin vs. all other ledger systems is the aforementioned open access. Without it, Bitcoin’s ledger has no more value than the bowling alley scoreboard. Because of this fundamentally open access, we all know that Bitcoin will be used by those we hate. Much like the principle of free speech, which is meaningless unless it applies to speech that we don’t like, Bitcoin’s open access would be meaningless if it only applied to transactions of which you or I approve. I will therefore assume that we do not want to be in the business of inspecting how other people structure their ledger entries any more than we want them inspecting our entries.

BIP110 proponents might say, “Sure, but that only applies to monetary entries! What about these non-monetary entries?”, but the reality is that there simply is no such distinction. Every transaction made on Bitcoin is made by satisfying the conditions of some locking script to make an entry in the ledger, which consumes input coins and creates output coins. The fact that one transaction’s scripts are larger or smaller than another is of no relevance to me as a Bitcoin node operator or user. First, I simply do not look at other people’s transactions. They’re no more my business than other people’s orders at the local café. Second, my node makes no such distinction. Transactions are either valid or invalid, and they are either costly to validate (like a large multisig) or cheap to validate (like one of these Ordinals or OP_RETURNs).

One could argue that Bitcoin, like gold, would be a superior monetary asset if it could not also be looked at in other ways. Imagine if gold could not be used in industry or jewelry! It might be true that that would make it better as money. But of course, the very same properties that make gold good money also make it desirable in jewelry and industry. The same applies to Bitcoin. The very fact that Bitcoin allows anyone to make an entry if they are willing to pay the fees means that we must give up the idea that we can control how they will look at that entry. No matter what restrictions we put on the structure of the entries, it will always be possible to make entries that can be interpreted in other ways by non-Bitcoin software. So, both with Bitcoin and with gold, we accept that other use is inevitable. In gold, this leads to distortions in the market when non-monetary demand increases or decreases. In Bitcoin, this can lead to periods of higher transaction fees when there’s greater demand for its limited blockspace.

In Bitcoin, we have two advantages that gold does not have. First, making Bitcoin transactions that can be viewed in alternative ways does not affect the market for Bitcoin itself. Unlike gold, very little Bitcoin is allocated to these uses. Second, in Bitcoin, we have a protocol that is already designed to minimize cost to the validation network from such other interpretations. Bitcoin limits both the size of blocks and the number of signatures that can be used in transactions. These are the greatest costs to validating nodes, and the protocol limits on them have been in place since the very early days of Bitcoin, precisely to prevent abuse by any high-frequency or high-volume use of the ledger. These limits have already spurred innovations such as the Lightning Network, Ark, Spark, Cashu, and many more. Even the boom in demand for blockspace caused by these “non-monetary” ledger entries (yes, that does sound ridiculous) has increased the use of these scaling solutions, which require fewer entries on the main ledger.

With the justification for BIP110 thus explored, and hopefully shown to be woefully lacking, let’s look at the proposed change itself. BIP110 restricts the size of locking scripts, restricts the number of alternative scripts in taproot, makes the taproot annex invalid, removes all upgradable witness and tapscript versions, removes all tapscript upgradable opcodes, and makes OP_IF and OP_NOTIF invalid in tapscript. All of these restrictions apply to UTXOs created during the 52414 blocks (approximately 1 year) after its activation. BIP110 also proposes a miner readiness signaling threshold of 55% instead of the threshold used in prior miner signaled softforks of 90% or more. If 55% of blocks do not signal readiness before block 961632, nodes enforcing BIP110 will treat blocks not signaling readiness as invalid to force the change to lock in by block 963648 and activate by block 965664.

BIP110 would be the most sweeping restriction of Bitcoin script since Satoshi’s well-known deactivation of many opcodes in response to a critical vulnerability (CVE-2010-5137) back in 2010. It proposes miner signaled activation with an unprecedentedly low threshold and node-forced activation after less than 9 months from the date the BIP was assigned a number. It does all of this because (as discussed above) other people are viewing certain ledger entries in ways which the BIP110 supporters do not approve of. Worse yet, the folks who use such disapproved ledger entries have already updated their software to continue making such entries even if BIP110 were to become Bitcoin’s consensus rule set. This was, of course, a predictable outcome (many of us explicitly predicted it) because it is fundamentally impossible to restrict how other people use external software to analyze entries on an open-access public ledger.

In summary, BIP110 is a proposal to do something impossible (limit how users of an open access ledger use that ledger) in response to a problem that is already fully addressed through Bitcoin’s existing protocol limits. It proposes to do this impossible thing on an irresponsibly short activation timeline, with incredibly limited code review, and regardless of whether the change reaches any type of ecosystem consensus. Fortunately, Bitcoin is not such a delicate flower of a system that such a foolhardy attempt at modifying it will succeed. Not only have miners soundly rejected BIP110, but other voices throughout the developer, investor, influencer, and corporate landscape have spoken out against the changes.  In August, this particular attack against Bitcoin’s consensus rules will have made Bitcoin stronger through its failure, and the network will continue its steady rhythm of tick-tock, next block.

This post The Bitcoin Softfork That Tried to Police “Junk Data” — And Why It’s Already Failing first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Brandon Black.

Bitcoin Magazine

CleanSpark Signs $6.6 Billion Data Center Lease as Bitcoin Miner Pivots to Compute

CleanSpark, the Nasdaq-listed bitcoin miner, said on July 14 that it has signed a 20-year infrastructure lease with an unnamed high-investment-grade global technology company at its campus in Sandersville, Georgia. 

The deal marks the firm’s largest step from pure bitcoin mining toward high-performance computing for hyperscale clients.

The lease covers data center infrastructure that will support 175 megawatts of critical IT load. CleanSpark expects the initial term to generate $6.6 billion in contracted revenue, a figure that would climb to $11.6 billion if the tenant exercises both extension options. 

The company has recently announced that it would repurpose part of its electricity capacity and mining infrastructure to power AI data centers, aiming to diversify beyond bitcoin mining. 

CleanSparks’ average annual net operating income from the agreement should reach $330 million. First deliveries are due in the fourth quarter of 2027.

In a further sign of the tenant’s appetite, the two sides executed a letter of intent and an exclusivity arrangement covering CleanSpark’s entire Texas portfolio, a base of up to 885 megawatts of secured and planned power capacity. Should that convert into firm contracts, CleanSpark’s transition into an infrastructure landlord for artificial-intelligence and cloud workloads would deepen.

CleanSpark holds 13,924 bitcoin

The announcement lands as CleanSpark’s core mining business posts records. The company produced 614 bitcoin in early July and lifted its operational hashrate to 50 exahashes per second, a company high. 

Treasury holdings rose to 13,924 bitcoin, one of the larger corporate stashes among public miners. Management has kept much of its mined bitcoin rather than sell into the market, a bet on the asset’s long-term price.

Wall Street has warmed to the compute pivot. Citizens began coverage with an Outperform rating and a $27 price target, citing the shift toward hyperscale compute capacity. Chardan lifted its target to $19 from $16 and kept a Buy rating. Both notes framed the Sandersville lease as proof that CleanSpark can monetize its power and land assets beyond mining, where margins swing with bitcoin’s price and network difficulty.

Investor reaction has been mixed. Shares of CleanSpark gained more than 20% in pre-market on the news but have since dropped to 9% gains on the day. 

The Georgia lease offers somewhat of a hedge. Contracted rent from a creditworthy tenant provides a revenue stream that does not rise and fall with hash prices, while the company keeps its mining fleet and bitcoin treasury intact. 

The next test is execution: bringing 175 megawatts online before the close of 2027 and turning the Texas letter of intent into signed leases.

This post CleanSpark Signs $6.6 Billion Data Center Lease as Bitcoin Miner Pivots to Compute first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

UK Adopts ‘No Gain, No Loss’ Tax Treatment for Crypto Lending and Liquidity Pools

The United Kingdom’s HM Revenue & Customs will treat certain disposals involving cryptoasset loans and liquidity pools as “no gain, no loss,” deferring Capital Gains Tax until a user makes an economic disposal of the underlying cryptocurrency.

The measure, published Monday, takes effect 6 April 2027 and applies to individuals and trustees who enter cryptoasset loan and liquidity pool arrangements, according to the policy paper. 

It amends the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992.

The rules cover three scenarios. In a single cryptoasset lending arrangement, a user who acquires or disposes of an interest in exchange for cryptoassets of the same type as those invested will be taxed on a no-gain-no-loss basis. 

Borrowing arrangements will treat borrowed cryptoassets as acquired at market value at the time of borrowing, with any collateral disregarded for Capital Gains Tax purposes.

For automated market-making arrangements — liquidity pools operated through smart contracts — a user acquiring an interest in exchange for the same type of cryptoasset is also taxed on a no-gain-no-loss basis. On exit, that treatment holds to the extent the user receives the same quantity first invested. Any difference between what was invested and what is received triggers a gain or a loss.

HMRC said the change aligns tax treatment with the economics of these arrangements, recognizing gains and losses only when a participant makes an economic disposal.

HMRC simplifies DeFi crypto tax rules

The measure addresses problems that arose from HMRC’s own 2022 guidance, which stakeholders said produced disproportionate administrative burdens. 

A call for evidence ran from July to August 2022, followed by a consultation between 27 April and 22 June 2023 that sought to align tax with economic substance by not treating crypto used in DeFi lending and liquidity pools as a taxable disposal. 

HMRC published a summary of responses at Budget 2025 and set out its approach at that time.

The change is expected to affect about 700,000 individuals who engage in these transactions, according to the paper. HMRC said users will benefit from a framework that is easier to understand.

The current UK regime treats crypto as an investment asset, with selling, swapping, or spending it counting as a disposal for Capital Gains Tax at 18% for basic-rate taxpayers and 24% for higher-rate taxpayers. The new treatment modifies that disposal rule for certain lending and liquidity pool arrangements.

Final costing will be subject to scrutiny by the Office for Budget Responsibility and set out at a future fiscal event. HMRC said the measure is not expected to have any significant macroeconomic impact.

This post UK Adopts ‘No Gain, No Loss’ Tax Treatment for Crypto Lending and Liquidity Pools first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Price Jumps Above $64,000 as Cooler-Than-Expected Inflation Strengthens the Case for Rate Cuts

Bitcoin price briefly climbed above $64,000 on Tuesday after the June Consumer Price Index came in softer than forecast, giving traders fresh reason to bet the Federal Reserve will step back from further tightening.

The Labor Department reported that headline CPI fell 0.1% in June from the prior month, pulling the annual rate down to about 3.9% from 4.2% in May. A near 10% drop in gasoline prices drove much of the decline. Bitcoin price, which had spent the past week under pressure from leverage flushes and geopolitical risk, turned higher on the print and traded near $63,800, a gain of about 2% on the day.

Softer inflation data eases the path toward rate cuts, and lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding an asset that pays no yield. As the reading crossed the wire, Treasury yields eased, the dollar gave back ground against major currencies, and equities pushed into the green. Gold added to its recent advance.

Core CPI, which strips out food and energy, held at about 2.9% year over year, above the Fed’s 2% target and a sign that underlying price pressure has not broken. That stickiness keeps a July hike on the table. 

Ahead of the release, futures markets priced a two-in-three chance the Fed holds its 3.5% to 3.75% range at the July 28-29 meeting, with the remainder betting on a quarter-point increase.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh added to the uncertainty. Minutes from the June meeting flagged AI-driven energy demand as a new source of inflation, a factor that complicates any read on where prices head next. Warsh is due to testify this week, and traders will parse his tone for signals on the September path.

The gasoline drop that flattered the June number could reverse fast. President Trump reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian shipping and moved to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, and crude has pushed back above $80. A sustained oil rebound would feed straight into the inflation the Fed has fought to contain.

Bitcoin price setup

For Bitcoin price, the setup is a balancing act between hope for looser policy and caution over what a renewed energy shock would mean.  Spot ETF flows, which anchored much of the past year’s demand, have shown signs of fatigue, leaving price more exposed to macro swings.

Bitfinex analysts wrote to Bitcoin Magazine that Bitcoin ETF demand still isn’t price- or sentiment-agnostic, with the bid appearing on calm days and pulling back on volatile ones. The analysts think this signals that Bitcoin remains a macro-dependent asset.

They note the 30-day average of ETF net flows has been in an outflow regime since mid-May 2026, though daily redemptions have eased from $193 million in early June to $88.9 million now, a slowing decline that still hasn’t found a floor for institutional demand.

Over the past 7 days Bitcoin price traded in a roughly $61,600–$64,700 range, peaking near $64,400 around July 10–12 before sliding to its low near $61,600 on July 13. It has since rebounded to $63,748 (up ~1% on the day), landing back in the middle of the week’s range.

The next broader market markers arrive fast: Q2 earnings from JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America land this week, and the July FOMC decision follows in two weeks. 

At the time of writing, the bitcoin price is near $63,780.

This post Bitcoin Price Jumps Above $64,000 as Cooler-Than-Expected Inflation Strengthens the Case for Rate Cuts first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

White House Crypto Chief Patrick Witt to Begin Military Leave as Clarity Act Nears Senate Deadline

Patrick Witt, the White House’s top crypto adviser, will begin a months-long leave of absence this month to report for training with the Georgia Army National Guard, according to a report from Crypto in America. 

His departure arrives as the Senate works to advance the Clarity Act before its August recess.

Witt, 37, is expected to conclude his White House work next Friday before reporting on July 27 to the Guard’s Judge Advocate General (JAG) program. Completion of the training qualifies him to serve as a JAG officer, a military attorney who advises on military justice and operational and administrative law. Witt and the White House did not respond to Crypto in America’s requests for comment.

Witt took over as executive director of the White House crypto council last August, after Bo Hines left the post for a role at stablecoin issuer Tether. He spent two years at the Defense Department before the appointment. 

Sources told Crypto in America that Witt applied to the JAG program last spring and postponed an April start date to remain at the White House as Clarity Act talks stretched on. A second postponement was not an option.

Witt’s absence and the current Clarity Act status

The timing carries weight for the Clarity Act, the crypto industry’s market structure bill, which would divide oversight of digital assets between the SEC and the CFTC. The measure cleared the House in July 2025 by a 294-134 vote and advanced from the Senate Banking Committee in May by a 15-9 margin. 

Senate leaders aim to open floor debate before Congress breaks on August 7, a window many policy observers view as the last chance for passage this Congress.

As executive director, Witt served as the administration’s chief negotiator on the bill. He led talks with lawmakers and industry stakeholders over its most contested provisions, including a compromise on stablecoin yield, disputes over ethics language, and concerns from law enforcement groups about developer protections.

The ethics provisions remain among the bill’s largest obstacles. Lawmakers continue to negotiate guardrails addressing President Trump’s crypto business interests, after disclosures showed he earned more than $1 billion from crypto ventures last year. 

Prediction market Polymarket prices 2026 passage near 48 percent, down from 74 percent a month earlier.

In Witt’s absence, crypto council deputy director Harry Jung is expected to assume his duties. Jung worked alongside Witt over the past year and sat in on many of the same negotiations, a factor sources cited as a measure of continuity. Witt intends to stay involved during training, though his full-time return remains unconfirmed.

Beyond the Clarity Act, Witt has directed the administration’s rollout of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and its work on the GENIUS Act, the stablecoin law enacted in July 2025, along with efforts to revise the tax treatment of digital assets.

This post White House Crypto Chief Patrick Witt to Begin Military Leave as Clarity Act Nears Senate Deadline first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Public companies' Bitcoin treasury reserves become something very different once pledged to lenders. They become collateral, measured against loan ratios that can force a company to post more Bitcoin, repay debt, or risk lender sale rights within hours.

That risk is no longer theoretical. Fold received a formal collateral-maintenance notice in February and posted 50 BTC. Empery Digital's continuing loan crossed its collateral-call level and the company posted 576 BTC. Nakamoto separately posted 688 BTC to satisfy maintenance requirements.

Fold disclosed a formal lender notice. Empery and Nakamoto reported topping up collateral after hitting loan thresholds. However, there was no indication that either lender made a formal call. In addition, none of the companies CryptoSlate reviewed has reported a lender selling its pledged Bitcoin.

Bitcoin trades between $61,988 and $64,207 throughout July 14, making the price down 19-23% over 60 days. No filing says a 12- or 24-hour response clock is currently running as a result of the decline. Although, another threshold breach could turn a market move into an immediate liquidity decision.

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Collateral pressure has already forced companies to act

Fold provides the clearest example of a formal demand. The company received a collateral-maintenance notice on Feb. 5 after Bitcoin fell below the threshold in its loan agreement. It posted another 50 BTC within the required notification period.

Fold reported $20 million outstanding and 430 BTC pledged at March 31. In June, it sold about $45 million of Bitcoin at an average price near $71,000 and repaid the full $20 million balance.

The company directed that sale and repayment.

Empery Digital's filing uses different language. Its continuing Two Prime facility fell below its collateral-call level on Feb. 4, causing the company to post 576 BTC to restore coverage.

Six days later, Empery amended the loan. The new terms reduced its initial collateral ratio from 250% to 174%, its call level from 175% to 153% and its liquidation level from 150% to 143%.

Empery had $45 million outstanding and 1,096 BTC pledged under that agreement at March 31. Its July update again reported $45 million of debt after a voluntary $10 million repayment, but did not provide a new pledged-Bitcoin figure.

The company also said it had sold 1,400 BTC since May 7 at an average price of about $62,200, leaving it with 1,514 BTC and $73.9 million in cash. Those were company-directed treasury and repayment decisions, not a reported lender liquidation.

Nakamoto disclosed another form of collateral pressure. On Feb. 5, it posted 688 additional BTC to satisfy maintenance requirements on a 210 million USDT loan, bringing the pledged amount to about 4,405 BTC.

Nakamoto later refinanced the position. It sold roughly 600 BTC and exited derivatives positions, generating about $48 million in net proceeds. It used $45 million to reduce the loan to 165 million USDT, with the new facility initially secured by 3,805.112 BTC.

Its filing describes maintenance and liquidation thresholds without disclosing the numerical levels. That prevents a reliable calculation of how far Bitcoin would need to fall before another action was required.

The filings trace what can happen before liquidation. A lender flags a breach, the borrower adds collateral, then may sell assets, refinance or repay the debt.

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Some contracts give borrowers only hours to respond

These agreements show how fast companies may need to move when their collateral cushion shrinks. Because each contract measures risk and gives notice differently, the headline ratios do not offer a like-for-like ranking.

USBC provides the clearest company-calculated buffer. It said the value of its pledged Bitcoin could have fallen another 18.2% from its July 2 level before reaching the 130% call ratio, assuming it neither repaid principal nor added collateral.

USBC also said no collateral call, mandatory repayment or liquidation event had occurred as of July 2. In fact, Bitcoin has risen around 5% since.

Its quarterly filing says the February amendment reduced the period for providing collateral at the liquidation level to 12 hours.

However, the filed loan amendment also says a breach of the 143% liquidation level automatically creates an event of default and permits the lender to sell collateral without notice. The disclosure does not support treating 12 hours as an unconditional grace period.

We can also look to Hut 8, adding another active facility with a short timetable. The company entered a $200 million FalconX Charlie loan on May 1 at 7%, using the proceeds to repay an earlier Coinbase facility.

The refinancing released roughly 3,300 BTC from the previous collateral arrangement, according to Hut 8's quarterly filing. The company did not disclose the exact amount pledged under the new FalconX loan.

Under the FalconX agreement, a drop below the 130% call level allows the lender to issue a notice requiring funds or collateral within 24 hours.

At the 105% default level, a borrower that promptly provides the required officer certificate may receive a delay limited to the lesser of 12 hours or the time left in the original 24-hour period. If those conditions are not met, the lender's rights can arise without that delay.

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The clock matters before liquidation begins

The filings cannot tell us which borrower is nearest to a collateral call. They can show how quickly the pressure builds once coverage breaks.

A lack of standards in reporting metrics really muddies the playing field here.

USBC does not directly state its pledged-Bitcoin quantity. Empery's last disclosed collateral amount is dated March 31 even though its debt was updated in July. Hut 8 does not disclose the exact amount securing its FalconX loan, while Nakamoto omits the numerical maintenance and liquidation thresholds.

Using those mismatched disclosures to produce Bitcoin trigger prices would create false precision. Repayments, collateral transfers, interest and contract-specific valuation rules can all change a company's coverage without a matching move in Bitcoin's spot price.

That does not make the contractual risk theoretical. A company receiving a notice will have to source cash, transfer more Bitcoin or repay debt within the applicable window. In some agreements, that decision can be measured in 12 or 24 hours.

The most important distinction is between forced response and lender liquidation. Fold, Empery and Nakamoto have already disclosed notices, threshold breaches or maintenance postings. They later sold assets, refinanced facilities or reduced debt, but the reviewed filings describe those as borrower actions.

A lender does not have to sell the pledged Bitcoin to tighten a company’s position. The loan itself can lock up more of the reserve, force a scramble for cash and turn a passive holding into an immediate liability.

The next meaningful signal will be a filing that reports a new notice, collateral transfer, repayment, threshold change or lender action.

Until then, corporate Bitcoin reserves can still remain untouched for years while they are unencumbered. However, once they back a loan, contractual ratios and response clocks determine how long the company has to act. And Bitcoin financing is becoming a thing, especially for miners trying to survive the winter.

The post Bitcoin treasuries already faced two collateral calls in 2026 and some loans can liquidate after just 12 hours appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky took to X (formerly Twitter) to argue that real-world asset tokenization should be judged by how much ownership friction it removes and whether holders can trust whoever holds the underlying asset.

[Editor's note: He announced no Airbnb tokenization product.]

Applied to Airbnb, his thesis points to a counterintuitive opportunity. The company could use its marketplace reach and identity, along with booking and payment signals, to support regulated financing for hosts, while separate lenders, issuers, special-purpose vehicles, custodians, and title systems define the legal claims and keep the homes off Airbnb’s balance sheet.

Chesky cited fractional access, faster settlement and markets that stay open as potential gains. He then connected the trust problem to Airbnb’s experience persuading strangers to share homes, later adding that “Trust is everything”.

His thoughts came after he shared a video of Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, who argued that productive assets such as tokenized stocks, futures, and private companies would drive crypto’s growth as financial markets move on-chain.

Airbnb’s scale can make the approach look deceptively like a property portfolio. Its May 2026 company facts report more than 9 million active listings, more than 5.5 million hosts and more than $380 billion earned by hosts since the platform began.

Airbnb’s 2025 annual filing says the company records rental revenue as an agent because it does not control the right to use host properties, fulfill hosts’ rental promises, bear inventory risk or set host prices. Its stay revenue primarily reflects service fees.

Airbnb reported $107 million in net property and equipment as of Dec. 31, 2025, but that balance does not represent vacation homes listed on the platform. Its gross property and equipment consisted mainly of software and leasehold improvements, while a remaining $49 million category combined buildings and land with computer equipment, construction in progress, and office furniture.

Airbnb’s terms also state that Airbnb and its affiliates do not own, control, offer, or manage the listings on the platform

What it has is distribution, trusted identities, and operating data around host activity.

Host payout financing offers the clearest asset-light path

Airbnb has already shown how platform data can support financing without turning the company into a lender or landlord. In 2018, it allowed participating hosts to provide Airbnb-generated proof of income to specialist mortgage lenders.

A future structure could build on that logic, although Airbnb has announced no such plan.

Hypothetically, a host could receive capital upfront in exchange for tokenized claims on eligible future Airbnb payouts, with the tokens defining payment rights and distribution terms.

Alternatively, a financing vehicle could raise capital from investors and fund hosts, and issue tokens representing investor claims against the vehicle rather than against Airbnb or the underlying property.

Airbnb might, with the necessary agreements and host consent, provide verification signals, distribute the product, or route eligible payments. The lender or investor would have the rights granted by the on-chain financing contracts against the host or vehicle, not an automatic claim on Airbnb or the home.

However, before a stay becomes eligible, a booking may be canceled or changed, and the expected payout may shrink or disappear. Any financing contract would need rules for eligibility, refunds, chargebacks, occupancy changes, payment control, servicing, privacy, loss allocation, and shortfalls.

Different legal structures would produce different obligations. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau treats some sales-based financing tied to anticipated revenue as business credit. Other structures could trigger securities or additional laws depending on their terms. A blockchain record would not necessarily settle that classification.

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Airbnb’s options diverge sharply once the legal claim and balance-sheet exposure are made explicit:

To be clear, none of these structures is an announced Airbnb product. The first structure best preserves the company’s role as a marketplace. Property equity could still be asset-light for Airbnb if a separate vehicle held title, but it would leave much more off-chain work. A loyalty product might be useful without creating an investable claim at all.

A token cannot supply the missing legal rights

Current tokenized stocks already show why the legal wrapper does the heavy lifting. Tenev's Robinhood already has its live Chain designed for tokenized real-world assets. Its new Stock Tokens, however, are debt securities issued by Robinhood Assets in Jersey. Holders have contractual rights under that debt instrument, but no legal or beneficial ownership or shareholder rights in the referenced company.

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A January SEC staff statement describes issuer-sponsored tokenized securities and third-party models, including custodial and synthetic structures. The nonbinding statement applies to instruments that are securities, not every tokenized asset. For an instrument that is a security, moving it on-chain does not remove federal securities-law requirements; its structure still determines what the holder owns or is owed.

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For property equity, the token cannot create clean title, clear a lien or define investor governance by itself. The off-chain entity would still need to hold or evidence the property interest and allocate maintenance, vacancy and local accommodation obligations.

Those burdens make Airbnb buying properties and selling interests the most significant break from its agent model. It would add the inventory, capital, and operating risks that the platform currently largely leaves with hosts, along with new conflicts between investors and the supply side of the marketplace.

With contingent payouts, the real challenge sits in the contract. Airbnb could stay out of the ownership chain while clear eligibility rules, consent, payment controls, and an enforceable claim keep hosts, investors, and service providers aligned. Its trust and operating data could support that structure while specialist firms hold and enforce the claim.

Crypto exchanges are already becoming distribution channels for exposure to traditional assets. Airbnb’s possible advantage would be different: verified history behind host activity and a payment relationship with the people seeking capital.

The concrete signal to watch is a regulated partnership that uses verified booking history to finance contingent host payouts while specialists own, service, and enforce the claim.

An “Airbnb coin” or tokenized listings would take the company somewhere else entirely. A financing partnership offers a simpler way to test whether Chesky’s ownership idea works without disrupting Airbnb’s marketplace model.

The post Airbnb’s 9 million listings could unlock crypto host financing while the homes stay off its balance sheet appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Crypto and tokenized assets appear to be finding their way into all aspects of finance at the moment.

However, when South Korea's KOSPI fell as much as 8.22%, triggering a 20-minute halt on July 13, trading volume on Korean crypto exchange Upbit rose modestly, leaving little evidence that traders made a durable shift from legacy stock trading platforms to crypto exchanges.

KBS World reported the intraday equity decline and circuit breaker. The sell-off came as renewed tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices higher, while steep losses in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix amplified the decline across Korea’s chip-heavy benchmark.

Upbit volume rose from 7,436 BTC at 06:10 UTC on July 12 to 8,379 BTC on July 13, then to 8,724 BTC on July 14. That marked a 12.67% jump, followed by another 4.12% increase.

Today's number is still 27.38% below the 12,014 BTC average of the 30 observations and 57% below the series high of 20,506 BTC on June 26. Activity remains higher, but from a low base and without breaking above recent conditions.

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Why the rolling window matters

Under Korea Exchange rules, a phase-one breaker activates if the KOSPI falls by 8% or more from its previous close within 1 minute, pausing the market for 20 minutes. It freezes trading during acute stress; it does not redirect investor funds.

The shock also landed in a highly leveraged market. KOFIA data reported by Yonhap showed that the combined average daily balance of margin loans and stock-backed loans reached a record 61.98 trillion won in the second quarter, up from 57.42 trillion won in the first quarter.

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Evidence of a rotation would include Upbit's rolling volume remaining elevated across several observations after the event window has cleared and moving above, rather than merely toward, its recent baseline. Exchange-level volume would still need corroboration before it could be tied to Korean stock investors.

For now, Upbit activity neither vanished immediately nor broke into a new range. It rose modestly while remaining well below recent norms. So we got a brief increase in activity rather than evidence of lasting crypto demand.

The post South Korea’s 8% stock crash set up a crypto rotation but Upbit volume rose just 4% appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Glassnode reported that XRP holders who bought between 6 and 12 months ago have an average cost basis near $2.22, roughly 52% above the token's price of $1.08 on July 14, and far above the $ 1.09-$1.11 realized price for coins bought in the past month.

XRP perpetual funding spanned a 2.6-basis-point range as of July 12, running from -0.016% on Kraken, through -0.003% on Coinbase, -0.002% on Bybit and Crypto.com, and roughly 0% on Binance, up to +0.005% on Gate, +0.006% on Hyperliquid, and +0.010% on Bitget and Huobi.

How far underwater each cohort sits

Glassnode calculates realized price as the average price at which the circulating supply last moved on-chain, with the duration of each cohort's holding tracked separately.

The one- to two-year cohort has a realized price near $1.89, about 43% below the current spot price and roughly 77% short of breakeven.

The 6-to-12-month cohort needs about 107% from here to reach its $2.22 average cost, while XRP's aggregate realized price is $1.36.

Glassnode's aggregate NUPL reading, which measures unrealized profit against unrealized loss across the tracked supply, sat near -0.252, meaning losses outweigh gains across the token's entire holder base.

The funding rate is a periodic payment between long and short positions, moving from longs to shorts when the rate runs positive and reversing direction when it runs negative, a mechanism meant to keep perpetual futures prices tethered to spot.

The eight venues tracked by CoinGlass split evenly on July 12, four negative and four positive, with no shared directional lean across the market.

CoinGlass cautions that funding varies by venue due to user composition, margin preferences, contract volume, and each exchange's own mark-price system, and that the metric works best alongside open interest, volatility, and liquidation data, with the funding number alone telling only part of the story.

Even with that caveat, a 2.6-basis-point spread between the most negative and most positive venues describes traders making opposite bets on the same asset at the same time.

What a move in either direction would trigger

CoinGlass puts XRP's 24-hour futures volume at over $1.7 billion, compared with a spot volume of about $290.4 million, a ratio of about 5.9 to 1.

Open interest sits near $2.3 billion, down from June's levels, and the volume gap shows derivatives still drive most of the turnover investors actually see day-to-day.

A sustained move above $1.11 would first put the most recent buyers into profit, and a run toward the $1.36 aggregate realized price would start to repair the broader holder base.

That same move could squeeze the negative-funding venues, forcing short-biased traders to cover as the price climbs past the cost basis that recent buyers are watching.

A rally can reward newer buyers well before it repairs the oldest ones, since the $1.11 and $1.36 levels sit far below the $1.89-$2.22 cohort wall.

A decisive break below $1 would flip recent buyers into losses for the first time and push older cohorts deeper underwater.

That same move would test the positive-funding venues, where traders are already paying to stay long, forcing the most exposed positions to unwind as losses compound on both sides of the market.

The backdrop investors are trading against

The Federal Reserve held its target rate at 3.50% to 3.75% on June 17, citing uncertainty tied to the Middle East conflict and inflation partly linked to energy supply shocks.

Renewed US-Iran hostilities on July 13 pushed Brent crude up 2% to $77.60 and supported the dollar as a safe-haven asset, with money markets pricing in 37 basis points of Fed tightening for the year, a backdrop that tends to tighten liquidity for higher-beta assets like XRP.

US-traded spot XRP ETFs recorded about $7.2 million in net outflows during the July 6-10 week, led by a $7.29 million outflow from Bitwise's fund, the same week US spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in about $197 million and ended an eight-week run of redemptions.

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Glassnode's own cost-basis methodology comes with a caveat worth keeping in mind when reading this data: realized price tracks when coins last moved on-chain, a signal that can capture transfers and custody changes alongside ordinary buying.

The cohort and funding splits still describe a market few investors would call settled.

XRP's next move carries a specific test in either direction: clearing $1.11 and then $1.36 before it reaches the coins still priced near $2.22 on the way up, or holding below $1 before positive-funding venues start unwinding on the way down.

The post XRP’s $1 rebound faces holders trapped above $2 appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bolivia's government is evaluating whether to include USDT in its regulated payment system alongside the boliviano and the US dollar, according to local media.

Cryptoassets are authorized in the country with no legal-tender status attached.

The country's finance minister described the current state as a prohibition lifted without a clear regulatory framework, with the technical review still underway, La Razon reported.

A dollar shortage or currency instability pushes citizens toward dollar-stablecoins first, with merchants and businesses accepting them next, banks eventually providing access, and governments formalizing the arrangement only once it has become too widely used to unwind.

Virtual asset operations in Bolivia rose over 630% in a year, reaching $430 million once electronic payment channels for virtual assets opened. First-half volume climbed from $46.5 million in 2024 to $294 million in the same period of 2025.

Why the same forces show up in other nations

The IMF found that naira depreciation, high inflation, and restricted foreign-exchange access pushed Nigerians toward dollar-stablecoins, using them as both a savings hedge and a way to pay overseas suppliers.

The fund said usage at that scale can resemble digital dollarization and weaken the transmission of domestic monetary policy.

Nigeria received about $59 billion in crypto-asset inflows between July 2023 and June 2024, accounting for roughly 60% of stablecoin inflows into sub-Saharan Africa since 2019.

When Nigerian regulators restricted banks' access to crypto exchanges in 2021, the IMF found that activity moved to peer-to-peer channels, evidence that suppression can push activity into less visible corners of the market, with demand persisting regardless.

Stablecoin dollarization requires only a smartphone, a wallet, and sufficient merchant acceptance to make the token useful in day-to-day use.

The BIS describes this progression directly, saying that stablecoins can lower the barriers to holding dollar-denominated value and produce what the institution terms “stealth dollarization” in emerging markets.

That sequencing puts governments in a reactive position: citizens and merchants build the habit first, and official recognition follows only once the habit is already established, leaving the state to respond to a pattern its own citizens already set.

What breaks once the pattern scales

Monetary policy reaches fewer parts of the economy once savings and invoices are denominated in a currency that the central bank doesn't issue.

The IMF makes this point about Nigeria, warning that widespread use of dollar-stablecoins can reduce demand for the local currency and weaken a central bank's tools to influence economic behavior.

The BIS says interest-bearing stablecoins could compete directly with domestic-currency deposits in high-inflation economies. That deposit migration into stablecoins is already a live regulatory concern, since a bank can't lend against dollars held in a private wallet the way it can against a deposit account.

Capital controls lose their grip once residents can move savings into dollar instruments from a phone.

The BIS says stablecoins can let residents bypass capital controls and foreign-exchange regulations, with smartphone-based transfers harder for authorities to monitor than conventional bank deposits.

Every country that integrates USDT also imports decisions it doesn't control: Tether's reserve policy, its banking relationships, its token-freezing decisions, the blockchains carrying the token, and its exposure to foreign legal action.

Tether's first-quarter 2026 attestation put its token-related liabilities near $183.4 billion, backed in part by about $141 billion in direct and indirect US Treasury bill exposure, a scale that puts a single private issuer inside the kind of balance sheet decisions usually reserved for sovereign institutions.

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Two ways the stablecoin pattern plays out

The US Treasury has described stablecoins as an internet-native dollar rail capable of reinforcing the dollar's reserve-currency status, extending access to the dollar economy, and building fresh demand for US Treasuries.

The Richmond Fed makes a similar argument, saying reserve-backed stablecoins can strengthen global demand for safe dollar assets as adoption grows.

A run on a major stablecoin, a sanctions action against its issuer, opaque reserves, or a concentration of that issuer's holdings offshore could turn the same rail extending dollar access into a source of financial instability for whoever depends on it.

In the bull scenario, merchants and importers start quoting and settling invoices in USDT or other dollar-pegged stablecoin directly, and governments formalize that access through licensed banks and payment processors.

Monetary policy transmission weakens as more savings and invoices are denominated in dollars, and the dollar's practical reach expands into economies that have never formally adopted it.

In the bear scenario, worries about money laundering, capital flight, or reserve strain prompt regulators to restrict banks' and exchanges' access to stablecoins.

Demand moves into peer-to-peer and offshore channels, and the country loses regulatory visibility into transactions that continue regardless.

The pattern becomes systemic once ten or twenty economies run the same sequence Bolivia is running now, alongside a handful of larger markets carrying Nigeria's scale of strain.

Each wallet download that arrives before a government's rule-making becomes its own small vote in that pattern, cast before any legislature takes one.

The post The next currency crisis could turn $300 billion in stablecoins into national currencies appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin Price Breaks $64,000 After Cooling CPI Inflation

The trigger was a single data point: US Consumer Price Index inflation came in at 3.5%, well below the 3.8% markets expected. Cooler inflation is exactly what risk-on traders had been waiting for, and Bitcoin responded instantly, punching through $64,000. Ethereum followed, climbing toward $1,900 as the broader crypto market caught the bid.

$135M in Short Liquidations Fuel the Crypto Market Surge

Rallies this sharp are rarely just spot buying. As Bitcoin ripped higher, traders betting on lower prices got caught on the wrong side — and in a 60-minute window, $135 million in short positions were liquidated. Each forced liquidation buys back the asset to close the position, adding fuel to the move that triggered it. That short squeeze cascade is why the candle went vertical rather than grinding up slowly.

Why Cooling CPI Inflation Boosts Rate Cut Odds

This is the real story beneath the price action. Inflation cooling to 3.5% strengthens the case for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates sooner. Lower rates are broadly bullish for crypto: cheaper money pushes investors out of safe yield and into higher-risk assets like Bitcoin, and rate cuts typically weaken the dollar, historically a tailwind for crypto. Markets are now repricing the odds of a cut, and that repricing is showing up directly on the charts.

Bitcoin Price and Ethereum Price Outlook

The immediate direction hinges on whether the move holds above key levels — $64,000 for $Bitcoin and the approach to $1,900 for $Ethereum. Holding confirms the breakout; failing could signal the rally was driven more by liquidations than conviction. The bigger swing factor is the Fed: if more data confirms the cooling trend, rate cut expectations firm up. If the next print runs hot, today's optimism could reverse just as fast.

Crypto Price Today: Red Across the Board

The market is having a rough Tuesday. The global crypto market cap sits at around $2.23 trillion, down roughly 1.5% over the last 24 hours, with total trading volume near $68.5 billion. Sentiment has soured too — the Fear & Greed Index dropped from 28 (Fear) to 22 (Extreme Fear).

Here's how the top of the board looks today:

The one standout is Hyperliquid (HYPE), which despite today's dip is up a staggering ~150% year-to-date — a rare bright spot in an otherwise brutal year for holders.

Why Is the Crypto Market Down Today?

Two words: geopolitics and macro. Crypto's weekend gains gave way to a Monday selloff as Middle East tensions resurfaced, and around $253 million in leveraged positions were wiped out. Bitcoin slipped below $62,000 after climbing to roughly $64,500 earlier, as escalating U.S.–Iran tensions added another layer of risk to global markets.

The bigger picture remains sobering: Bitcoin is down about 30% year-to-date and sits more than 50% below its October record.

What Important Events Are Happening in Crypto Right Now?

Is institutional money still buying the dip? Yes — aggressively. Tom Lee's BitMine expanded its ether treasury to 5.77 million tokens, roughly 4.8% of total ETH supply. On the ETF side, the rotation into Ethereum has been dramatic: ether ETFs recently tallied $1.6 billion in inflows while Bitcoin ETFs saw around $175 million in outflows.

Where does regulation stand? The CLARITY Act — crypto's market-structure bill — is in a decisive phase. The revised draft merges proposals from the Senate Banking and Agriculture Committees, but key provisions remain under active negotiation, particularly around ethics rules, so the timing of a Senate floor vote is uncertain. President Trump has urged the Senate to pass the bill in honor of Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away on July 11.

What else is on the radar?

• New Hampshire passed the Blockchain Fundamentals Act, safeguarding crypto self-custody, developers and miners, and introducing blockchain dispute resolution.
• Circle's 2026 Developer Grants awarded nearly half of recipients from Africa and the Global South, focused on stablecoin payments and remittances.
• Oil jumped after President Trump's new restrictions on Iranian shipping, with Brent crude up about 10% — a reminder that macro shocks are bleeding straight into risk assets.

🇪🇺 Trading from Europe? With MiCA now in force, not every exchange is fully compliant. See which platforms tick every box in our MiCA-regulated exchanges comparison before you deposit a cent.

The 3 Events This Week That Could Unlock Bitcoin's Next Move

Buckle up — the next few days are stacked with catalysts. Between July 13 and 19, crypto enters one of 2026's busiest macro weeks. Here are the three that matter most.

1. Inflation Data: June CPI (Today) and PPI (Wednesday)

The headline event. Monthly CPI for June is expected to slow to 0.2% from 0.5% in May, with annual inflation projected to fall to 3.8% from 4.2%. A soft print revives rate-cut hopes; a hot one keeps the pressure on crypto. The Producer Price Index follows on Wednesday, July 15, measuring wholesale inflation and rounding out the picture ahead of the Fed's next move.

Watch out for the wildcard: Fed Governor Christopher Waller warned that another strong inflation reading could push the central bank toward tighter policy, saying he'd treat a higher print as "signal, not noise." Following his remarks, the odds of a September rate hike jumped to 51.6% on the CME FedWatch Tool.

2. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Testimony (July 14 & 15)

Arguably the single biggest swing factor. Warsh testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday and the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday — his first appearance since taking the helm in May. At his June debut, he effectively killed the market's remaining 2026 rate-cut thesis and sent Bitcoin tumbling, so every word will be parsed for clues on the path ahead.

3. The CLARITY Act Push

The regulatory catalyst. A dovish Warsh lean or a legislative breakthrough could spark the relief rally the market has been waiting for; a hawkish tone and a stalled bill would deepen the malaise. The key deadline to watch: August 7, 2026 is the last day of the Senate term before the summer recess and campaign season.

And looking just beyond this week: all of this data feeds directly into the next FOMC meeting on July 28–29, 2026, where the rate decision will be made.

Crypto Future Price: Will Bitcoin Price go up?

Bitcoin is pinned at the psychologically critical $60K zone while three forces — inflation data, Fed signaling, and the CLARITY Act — pull the market in different directions at once. It's a high-volatility setup layered onto a fragile market. The next 48 hours could set the tone for the rest of the summer.

The crypto market opened the week in the red. $BTC pulled back below a closely watched level as renewed US-Iran hostilities rattled risk assets and traders locked in weekend gains. But underneath the selloff, the ETF data just delivered a signal that has been missing for two months. Here is a breakdown of the crypto news today and what is moving the bitcoin price.

What Is the Bitcoin Price Today?

The btc price today sits at around $63,000, down roughly 1.4% over the past 24 hours after sliding from above $64,300 at the weekly close. The move triggered about $253 million in 24-hour liquidations, skewed toward longs, though the flush was modest — roughly a sixth of the market's worst single-day wipeouts over the past month. $Bitcoin has now traded inside a $59,000 to $66,000 range for a month, so today's drop sits firmly within established territory rather than signaling a breakdown.

Zoom out and the picture stays sober: BTC is down about 30% year-to-date and more than 50% below its October record.

Why Is Bitcoin Falling Today?

Two forces met at once. First, geopolitics: reignited US-Iran tensions over the Strait of Hormuz pushed investors out of risk assets across the board. South Korea's Kospi index shed 9.2%, and WTI crude gained 3% to trade above $73 a barrel as the conflict continued. Second, profit-taking: Bitcoin and the broader market rallied into the weekend, so part of Monday's slide is simply traders banking gains after a strong run.

Which Altcoins Are Hit Hardest Today?

The steeper losses landed further down the risk curve:

• Lighter ($LIT): down 8% in its first major selloff after a 200%+ two-month rally.
• Cardano ($ADA): down 19% since July 4, after a violent 39% June drop and a 40%+ early-July bounce.
• Jupiter ($JUP): down more than 15% on the week as daily volume collapsed to just $17 million, versus $500 million+ regularly in 2025.

On the corporate side, Strategy (MSTR) raised $466.7 million via a stock sale last week, lifting its cash reserve to $3 billion while keeping its Bitcoin stack unchanged at 843,775 coins.

Are Bitcoin ETF Inflows Turning Positive Again?

This is the signal worth watching. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded their first weekly inflows in nine weeks, pulling in roughly $197 million, according to SoSoValue. That breaks an eight-week outflow streak that bled $2.43 billion in May and $4.5 billion in June. July has now logged $124 million in net inflows so far.

In plain terms: after two brutal months of institutions pulling out, the tide may be turning. Analysts caution the structural bid stays unproven until BlackRock's IBIT sees sustained inflows — but for the first time in a while, the flow data leans constructive.

What Crypto Events Should Traders Watch This Week?

This is one of 2026's busiest macro weeks, and two levers dominate:

• Inflation data: June CPI lands Tuesday, PPI Wednesday — two chances to read the Fed's rate path. Softer prints could strengthen the case for easier policy, which has historically supported Bitcoin.
• Fed Chair Warsh testimony: Kevin Warsh testifies before the House and Senate this week, his first appearance since May. At his June debut he held rates steady and tilted the dot plot toward hikes, sending Bitcoin tumbling — so traders will parse every word.

On regulation, the CLARITY Act reconciliation push continues alongside the July 18 GENIUS Act stablecoin deadline. Every step toward asset-classification clarity chips away at the regulatory-uncertainty discount weighing on the market.

What Do XTB Stock Savings Plans Offer?

XTB's savings plan offering covers individual stocks as well as ETFs — not just exchange-traded funds — meeting the growing demand for hands-off, recurring stock investing. Investors can set up an automated savings plan on a single share, an ETF, or a mix of both.

The headline number: XTB offers 3,469 stocks eligible for savings plans, on top of its lineup of ETFs, ETNs, and ETCs. That makes automated, recurring investing available across a large slice of the global equity market — not just fund-based products.

How Much Does an XTB Savings Plan Cost?

The fee structure is one of the most competitive parts of the offering, and it applies uniformly across every eligible stock, ETF, ETN, and ETC:

• 0% commission on monthly trading volume up to 100,000 EUR
• 0.2% commission (minimum 10 EUR) on volume above that threshold

For the vast majority of retail investors — who rarely approach a six-figure monthly savings rate — this effectively means commission-free automated investing. The cost only becomes a factor at volumes far beyond typical private savings plans.

What Are XTB's Savings Plan Templates?

Alongside individual stocks, XTB offers pre-built savings plan templates. Rather than researching and assembling a portfolio from scratch, investors can pick a ready-made plan aligned with a theme or goal — particularly useful for beginners who want a starting point rather than a blank page.

Examples of the predefined plans include:

• Growth — built around funds like a NASDAQ 100 ETF and an MSCI World ETF
• Dividends — including a FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield ETF and an S&P Euro Dividend Aristocrats ETF
• Semiconductors — featuring stocks such as Nvidia, TSMC, Broadcom, and AMD
• Renewable Energy — with names like Ørsted, First Solar, and AXIA Energia

Several additional templates are available, and the platform offers a streamlined, intuitive setup process.

Why Do Savings Plans Matter for Long-Term Investors?

Automated savings plans are the mechanism behind dollar-cost averaging — investing a fixed amount at regular intervals regardless of price. Instead of trying to time the market, you buy consistently, smoothing out your average entry price over time and removing the emotional guesswork that trips up most investors.

Adding individual stocks to that model matters. With savings plans no longer confined to diversified funds, the same automated, low-cost approach can be applied to specific companies — whether that's a single conviction holding or a self-built basket of names — while still keeping the discipline of recurring, scheduled buying.

How to Start a Stock Savings Plan on XTB

Getting started is straightforward, and the interface is designed to make setup quick even for first-time investors:

1. Open or log in to your XTB account and complete verification.
2. Fund your account via SEPA transfer, card, or e-wallet.
3. Browse the eligible stocks and ETFs, or pick one of the ready-made templates.
4. Set your recurring amount and interval (for example, monthly).
5. Confirm the plan — from there, purchases run automatically.

Because XTB offers real stocks and ETFs in its savings plans (not derivatives), you own the underlying assets directly, with commission-free investing up to the volume threshold noted above.

👉 Start your XTB savings plan here →

One of the most important companies in crypto came within reach of disappearing entirely — and taking its plan for $XRP with it. In a candid talk this week, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse revealed just how close the firm came to shutting down and handing its XRP treasury to shareholders rather than fighting the SEC. Here is the xrp news today and why it still matters for the xrp price.

What Did Ripple's CEO Actually Reveal?

Speaking at the University of Kansas School of Business, Garlinghouse said he and co-founder Chris Larsen seriously considered winding Ripple down and distributing its XRP holdings to shareholders after the SEC sued the company in 2020. The mechanics were surprisingly simple: Ripple holds a large treasury of XRP, so the founders could have distributed those tokens to shareholders on a pro rata basis and wound the business down — a maneuver not unlike an airdrop to equity holders. Doing so would have ended the case outright, since Ripple could then tell the regulator it no longer held the asset the SEC claimed was a security.

Why Did Ripple Decide to Fight Instead?

According to Garlinghouse, the deciding factor was not confidence in winning — it was people. A shutdown would have put hundreds of employees out of work, while litigating kept the company operational. He was candid about how difficult the call was, saying he was glad in retrospect, but that it was not obvious at the time. Former CTO David Schwartz reinforced how dire things looked: the company received advice from lawyers that it was done, unsavable, and that leadership should cut a deal to save themselves.

How Much Did the SEC Fight Cost Ripple?

The price of standing its ground was steep. Garlinghouse put Ripple's four-year legal bill at roughly $150 million and confirmed the SEC named him and Chris Larsen personally. He argued the personal charges were a pressure tactic — Schwartz suggested the SEC named Garlinghouse and Larsen personally as a deliberate maneuver to weaken their resolve and force a quick capitulation. Garlinghouse also said he met SEC officials four times between 2017 and 2019 without a lawyer and was never warned that XRP might be treated as a security, feeding a long-standing industry complaint about regulation-by-enforcement.

How Did the XRP Lawsuit End?

Ripple ultimately won on the central question. Judge Analisa Torres ruled that XRP in itself is not a security, and the case was settled last year after a change in SEC leadership that took a more accommodating stance toward crypto. That outcome preserved XRP's primary corporate backer and kept development of its cross-border settlement rails alive — a very different ending from the one Ripple's own lawyers had predicted.

What Does This Mean for the XRP Price Today?

The revelation is a look back, not a new catalyst, so the immediate xrp price impact is muted — $XRP trades near $1.09, down around 1.4% on the day amid a broader market pullback. But there is a quieter bullish read underneath. On-chain data points to accumulation beneath the surface, with roughly 64.9 million XRP flowing into Binance against 49.2 million flowing out on July 7 — a net spot-buying imbalance of about 15.7 million XRP. 

One important caveat: Schwartz later pushed back on the more dramatic headlines, saying his earlier comments were taken out of context and that he never claimed Garlinghouse seriously considered shutting the company down. Either way, the story is a reminder of just how existential the regulatory fight was — and how much of XRP's survival came down to a single decision.

Consumer prices cooled more than expected in June, yet geopolitical tensions continue to cast a shadow over crypto prices

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Ripple has joined the Linux Foundation's newly launched x402 Foundation as a premier member, integrating XRP and its RLUSD stablecoin into the foundation's open-source initiative.

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TLDR

• TSLA stock gained 0.45% and closed at $396.52 after failing to hold above $400.
• The shares closed below major exponential moving averages, creating resistance between $397 and $404.
• Technical indicators showed mild bearish pressure, but the low ADX reading signaled weak trend strength.
• Traders identified $390 as crucial support, while a break above $404 could improve the technical structure.
• Analysts highlighted bear-trap signals, price compression, and a multi-month symmetrical consolidation triangle.

Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) closed slightly higher during the latest session, but it failed to maintain an early move above $400. Technical indicators showed weak momentum, while three traders identified competing short-term and longer-term price structures. Consequently, TSLA stock remains within a narrow range as traders assess support, resistance, and possible breakout signals.

Tesla, Inc., TSLA

Tesla Ends Session Below Key Moving Averages

TSLA stock gained 0.45% and closed at $396.52, according to the latest TradingView market data. The shares opened at $399.05 and reached an intraday high of $402.22. However, sellers pushed the price toward $394.76 before the closing bell.

Tesla finished below its 20-day, 50-day, and 100-day exponential moving averages. Those averages currently sit between $402.31 and $403.64, creating a concentrated resistance area. The shares also closed below the 200-day exponential moving average at $397.29.

TSLA/USD 24-hour price chart source: TradingView

Immediate resistance now extends from approximately $397 to $404, while nearby support remains at $394.76. A lower support zone sits near $390, which traders identified as an important structural level. Therefore, TSLA stock needs a decisive move beyond either boundary to establish clearer direction.

TSLA stock currently faces mild bearish pressure based on readings from the Directional Movement Index. The negative directional indicator stands at 26.11, exceeding the positive indicator reading of 21.81. That difference shows sellers held a modest advantage during the measured period.

However, TSLA stock recorded an Average Directional Index reading of only 12.01. Such a low reading indicates that neither buyers nor sellers currently control a strong trend. Therefore, price compression could continue until trading activity strengthens around the established boundaries.

A break above $404 would place the shares beyond several closely grouped moving averages. Conversely, a drop below $390 would weaken the current structure and expose lower support areas. Until either event occurs, the stock may continue moving between nearby support and resistance levels.

Traders Outline Different Breakout Scenarios

TSLA stock has also attracted several technical interpretations across different chart periods. CoinvoTrading described the recent decline near $400 as a possible bear trap within a broader psychological cycle. The trader’s daily chart projected a recovery after earlier euphoria, anxiety, and capitulation phases.

Meanwhile, @EWTracker placed TSLA stock inside a multi-month symmetrical consolidation triangle. The chart showed the current price near the middle of the formation, rather than either boundary. According to the analysis, repeated trendline tests could delay a confirmed breakout until September or October.

Separately, @optionflys identified compression between descending resistance and rising support on the one-hour chart.

The trader listed $413 and $420 as upside levels, while a fall below $389.90 would invalidate the bullish structure. Overall, TSLA stock remains range-bound after closing at $396.52 and failing to secure support above $400.

The post TSLA Stock Compression Puts $390 Support in Focus appeared first on Blockonomi.

• Ripple joins the x402 Foundation as a Premier Member, gaining a direct role in governance and standards.
• x402 lets AI agents pay for APIs, data, and services through standard web requests without manual approval.
• Ripple plans to support agent payments on the XRP Ledger using XRP and its dollar-backed RLUSD stablecoin.
• The foundation includes 40 organizations and remains network-neutral across blockchains and payment systems.

Ripple has joined the Linux Foundation’s x402 Foundation as a Premier Member, expanding its role in building payment standards for autonomous artificial intelligence agents. The membership was announced on July 14, when the Linux Foundation formally launched the organization to oversee the open x402 protocol.

The initiative connects payment instructions directly to ordinary web communications, allowing software, applications, and AI agents to exchange value without manual approval. Through the membership, Ripple will support technical development and governance while promoting XRP and RLUSD for automated transactions on the XRP Ledger.

How x402 Embeds Payments Into Standard Web Requests

Coinbase introduced x402 in May 2025 before contributing the protocol to the Linux Foundation. The system revives the rarely used HTTP 402 “Payment Required” status code and converts it into a standard payment process.

A typical transaction begins when an AI agent requests access to a paid website, application, or API. The server responds with the required amount, accepted asset, and receiving address.

The agent’s wallet then creates and signs the payment. After verification and settlement, the server delivers the requested data, computing capacity, software service, or individual API call.

This process can remove account registrations, subscriptions, API keys, and manual payment screens. As a result, automated systems can complete small digital purchases using predefined instructions.

The foundation includes 40 organizations from payments, blockchain, cloud computing, and online commerce. Premier Members include Amazon Web Services, American Express, Circle, Cloudflare, Coinbase, Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Solana Foundation, Stellar, Stripe, and Visa.

Premier status gives Ripple an appointed seat on the governing board. It also provides involvement in budgeting, committees, and major decisions, while carrying an annual membership fee of $200,000.

XRPL Tools Support Faster AI Payments With XRP and RLUSD

The membership follows the release of Ripple’s XRP Ledger AI Starter Kit. The package includes an MCP documentation server, an agent wallet skill, and a payment tutorial.

The tools guide developers from initial setup to a confirmed XRPL transaction. They also support x402 payments using XRP and the dollar-backed RLUSD stablecoin.

XRPL documentation states that transactions settle deterministically in about three to five seconds. The network also offers predictable fees and avoids an uncertain pending state.

Those features allow AI agents to determine quickly whether a payment succeeded or expired. This reduces repeated status checks and helps automated systems continue operating efficiently.

However, the x402 Foundation will remain payment-network neutral. Its standards can support different blockchains, stablecoins, and traditional payment methods instead of requiring one provider.

The arrangement brings ledger-based settlement into the same web request cycle used to access information, creating a defined sequence between payment and service delivery online.

That structure places the XRP Ledger beside several competing networks within one technical framework. It also gives Ripple a direct role in defining common rules for machine-to-machine commerce.

By joining the foundation, Ripple is linking XRP and RLUSD to a broader effort that standardizes how AI agents request, authorize, settle, and confirm payments online.

The post Ripple Joins x402 Foundation to Advance AI Payments With XRP and RLUSD appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Microsoft will report earnings in about two weeks, with AI spending and Azure growth taking focus.
• MSFT stock has fallen 23.44% over the past year and recently traded near $387.
• Microsoft trades near 22 times earnings and 19 times forward earnings, its lowest valuation since around 2018.
• Analysts maintain a Strong Buy consensus, with 35 Buy ratings and one Hold.
• The average MSFT price target of $562.37 indicates 45.45% potential upside.

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will report earnings in about two weeks, placing its artificial intelligence investments and cloud performance under renewed scrutiny. MSFT stock has struggled during 2026, but its valuation and analyst targets point to several potential catalysts. Meanwhile, Xbox customers have intensified pressure on management over studio closures and layoffs across Microsoft’s gaming division.

Microsoft Corporation, MSFT

Microsoft Earnings Test Returns From AI Spending

Microsoft’s coming report will show whether heavy artificial intelligence spending has produced stronger commercial returns. The company has expanded infrastructure while encouraging corporate customers to adopt its growing range of AI services. Clear revenue growth from those products could become an important test for MSFT stock after months of weak performance.

Capital expenditure remains central because markets have questioned the scale and timing of Microsoft’s infrastructure commitments. Management must demonstrate that demand can support those costs without placing sustained pressure on margins. Consequently, earnings and guidance could shape expectations for MSFT stock during the next reporting period.

Cloud results will also help measure adoption because Microsoft sells many AI services through its Azure platform. Stronger usage would indicate that corporate demand is supporting the company’s broader investment program. However, the report must provide measurable results before markets can reassess MSFT stock based on execution.

Valuation and Analyst Targets Create Another Catalyst

Microsoft shares recently traded near $387, following a 23.44% decline during the previous year. Reports placed the company near 22 times earnings and about 19 times projected earnings. Those multiples put MSFT stock near valuation levels that reports said had not appeared since around 2018.

Wall Street analysts maintained a Strong Buy consensus based on 35 Buy ratings and one Hold. Their average price target stood at $562.37, which represented 45.45% potential upside from the cited market price. That gap shows analysts expect MSFT stock to recover, although price targets offer no guarantee of future returns.

The lower valuation creates another earnings catalyst because stronger results could change how markets price Microsoft’s growth. Still, weaker revenue, margins, or guidance could limit any valuation-based recovery. Therefore, MSFT stock enters the report with favorable analyst coverage but clear expectations surrounding operational performance.

Xbox Users Challenge Microsoft’s Gaming Decisions

Separate pressure has emerged from Xbox users through Microsoft’s Player Voice Portal. A thread opposing further studio closures received more than 3,000 upvotes, showing organized resistance to recent restructuring. The response adds a customer-relations issue while MSFT stock faces broader questions about growth and spending.

Participants requested a two-year moratorium on gaming layoffs and rejected what they called “unrealistic profit expectations.” They also asked Microsoft to suspend executive bonuses during years involving layoffs. The demands create another governance issue for MSFT stock, although Microsoft has not quantified any financial effect.

The post Can Earnings Revive Struggling Microsoft Stock? appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• SK Hynix debuted its American Depositary Receipts at $149, securing $26.5 billion in capital
• Demand during the IPO reached approximately $171.5 billion — representing 7x oversubscription
• Major institutional investors including Coatue, Baillie Gifford, and Situational Awareness sought up to $7 billion in aggregate allocations
• Barclays launched coverage with Overweight rating and $330 target — suggesting approximately 117% potential gain from $152.35
• Analysts project DRAM demand expansion of 35% in 2027 against only 20% supply growth

SK Hynix (SKHY) shares are changing hands near $186 following last week’s American listing, having priced their ADRs at $149 each — and major Wall Street analysts are already weighing in aggressively.

SK hynix Inc., SKHY

During the bookbuilding phase, the IPO order book swelled to approximately $171.5 billion. Against the backdrop of 177.9 million ADRs available, demand exceeded supply by more than sevenfold. The vast majority of interested parties received allocations substantially below their requested amounts.

Three institutional heavyweights — Coatue Management, Baillie Gifford, and Situational Awareness — collectively expressed interest totaling up to $7 billion. The investor roster also included sovereign wealth funds, technology-focused investment vehicles, and prominent global long-only managers.

Such overwhelming appetite stands out particularly given market conditions.

Memory semiconductor equities — encompassing SK Hynix’s Korea-listed shares and Micron — had plunged into bear territory in the sessions preceding the American debut. Market participants were dumping the sector amid concerns about a cyclical peak, despite strong quarterly results from competitors. Yet institutional capital was simultaneously flooding toward SK Hynix with unprecedented intensity.

Barclays Launches With Bullish $330 Price Objective

Barclays kicked off coverage this Tuesday with an Overweight designation and a $330 price objective, representing potential appreciation of roughly 117% above Monday’s closing price of $152.35.

Senior analyst Simon Coles contends that DRAM supply constraints will intensify through 2027, with bit supply expansion of approximately 20% year-over-year projected to dramatically lag demand acceleration toward 35%. His analysis suggests this supply-demand imbalance could extend for multiple years.

Regarding SK Hynix in particular, Coles anticipates the manufacturer will maintain its dominance in high-bandwidth memory (HBM). He noted that any perceived technological gaps relative to Samsung should be “neutralised by HBM4E,” with SK Hynix preserving greater than 50% HBM market share over the coming years.

Coles additionally highlighted an evolving investment narrative centered on shareholder capital allocation. His projections show SK Hynix accumulating cash reserves exceeding 40% of current market capitalization by 2027’s conclusion, creating substantial flexibility for share repurchase programs. Under a scenario modeling $50 billion in buybacks, Barclays forecasts double-digit earnings per share expansion in 2028 — even assuming flat to modestly declining average selling prices.

Chinese Competition: Advancing but Contained

Coles acknowledged that Chinese memory manufacturers are making rapid technical progress. China’s leading DRAM producer elevated its DDR5 manufacturing yield above 75% by late 2025, with bit shipment volumes estimated to have climbed 55% year-over-year in 2025 and projected to rise 48% in 2026.

However, he characterizes the immediate global competitive impact as constrained. Any market share captured by Chinese producers outside their domestic market would liberate merely 1-4% of combined production capacity across Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. Furthermore, China’s HBM3 technology development continues to lag, with volume manufacturing now expected to slip into 2027.

The American listing generated approximately $26.5 billion in proceeds, according to regulatory disclosures, positioning it among the most substantial capital raises in recent years.

Barclays’ $330 price objective represents the inaugural formal Wall Street assessment of the ADRs since trading commenced.

The post SK Hynix (SKHY) Stock: Analyst Predicts 117% Rally Ahead on Memory Chip Boom appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Bitcoin remains near $62,000 despite continued supply transfers from long-term holders.
• Glassnode’s RHODL Ratio fell below 6 after reaching 6.5 in early July.
• New buyers are absorbing available supply without triggering broad market capitulation.
• The $60,000 level remains crucial for maintaining the current consolidation structure.
• Possible Federal Reserve tightening could pressure demand and test recent buyers.

Bitcoin remains confined between $60,000 and $80,000, while on-chain data shows a significant transfer between different holder groups. Long-term owners are reducing their dominance, and newer buyers continue absorbing available supply without triggering widespread panic. Bitcoin still trades near $62,000, showing resilience despite months of limited price movement and continued market redistribution.

Bitcoin Holds Firm as Long-Term Holders Sell

Glassnode’s RHODL Ratio measures the relative wealth held by long-term owners and newer market participants. The indicator reached 6.5 in early July, marking its second-highest recorded level. However, its subsequent decline below 6 showed that newer buyers had gained a larger share of circulating wealth.

This compression reflects gradual distribution from established holders rather than a rapid, panic-driven exit. Long-term owners have transferred part of their accumulated supply, while incoming participants have matched the available selling pressure. Consequently, Bitcoin has avoided the sharp price collapse associated with similar on-chain conditions during 2022.

The current structure differs from the period surrounding FTX’s failure and the decline toward $15,000. During that crisis, forced selling and weakened confidence drove prices sharply lower across the digital asset market. The latest rotation has occurred near $62,000, and buyers have maintained the broader consolidation range.

New Holders Establish a Lower Price Base

New participants are entering after Bitcoin lost approximately half its value from the October 2025 peak near $124,000. Their purchases have occurred during prolonged weakness rather than during a fast and highly speculative rally. This behavior indicates that current demand centers on stabilization following the extended decline.

However, recent buyers often react faster when their holdings move into unrealized losses. A sustained break below $60,000 could test whether the new cohort can maintain its positions. Selling from these holders could weaken support and increase pressure across leveraged market positions.

Previous cycle data shows that RHODL Ratio compression has sometimes appeared before major price recoveries. However, the indicator can also reflect distribution when older holders transfer supply during uncertain conditions. Therefore, Bitcoin needs continued demand from newer participants to preserve the current balance between buyers and sellers.

Federal Reserve Policy Creates the Next Market Test

The macroeconomic environment remains a central risk because markets anticipate possible Federal Reserve tightening during the coming months. Higher interest rates generally increase borrowing costs and reduce demand for risk-sensitive assets. Consequently, Bitcoin could face renewed pressure if policymakers adopt a more restrictive monetary position.

A decisive decline below the consolidation range could accelerate selling and expose heavily leveraged positions. It could also test the willingness of recent buyers to retain assets purchased between $60,000 and $80,000. However, five months of range-bound trading have not produced the broad capitulation seen during earlier downturns.

Long-term holders continue distributing supply, while newer buyers maintain demand around the lower end of the range. This transfer has changed ownership without causing a disorderly market decline or breaking established support. Bitcoin now depends on new holders maintaining demand as monetary policy and price conditions evolve.

The post Bitcoin Ownership Shifts as New Buyers Absorb Supply appeared first on Blockonomi.

Binance has marked its ninth anniversary by highlighting strong user growth and expanding beyond digital assets into traditional financial products. The exchange now reports 323 million registered users across more than 100 countries, reflecting its growing global presence.

The scale of that user base becomes clearer when placed in the context of global cryptocurrency adoption. According to the firm’s report, its users represent about 43% of the estimated 741 million people worldwide who currently own cryptocurrency. Notably, this compares with a global crypto user population of fewer than six million when Binance launched in July 2017.

User Growth and Trading Activity

Registered users on Binance grew by another 7% during the first half of 2026 despite mixed market conditions. The company also reported a 9% rise in institutional users over the same period, pointing to continued participation from larger market players.

This growth in user activity was accompanied by higher trading volumes. Binance’s cumulative trading volume reached $156 trillion after adding $11.4 trillion during the first six months of the year. That pushed total trading activity 7.8% above the level recorded at the end of 2025.

Expansion Into Traditional Financial Products

The exchange also reported steady activity outside its crypto business through newer financial products. Monthly trading volume for its traditional finance offerings has remained above $80 billion since March, according to the company.

One of the latest additions to that business is direct stock trading, which Binance introduced in June as part of its broader financial services strategy. The product reached $1 billion in assets under management within 30 days and generated more than $3 billion in cumulative trading volume.

The company’s tokenized U.S. equities, known as bStocks, also recorded early growth after launch. Binance said the offering reached $100 million in assets under management within two weeks, while 47% of trading activity occurred outside regular U.S. market hours.

Co-CEOs Yi He and Richard Teng said the company aims to serve both retail users and institutional participants through a wider range of financial products. They added that recent launches, including stocks and tokenized assets, support Binance’s goal of improving access to global markets.

To celebrate the milestone, Binance launched a community campaign called “Built by You,” featuring up to $4.5 million in rewards and an interactive virtual experience. The anniversary comes as regulatory frameworks continue to evolve in major markets and institutional participation in digital assets remains a key industry trend.

The post Binance Marks Ninth Anniversary With 323 Million Users and Expansion Beyond Crypto appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Cardano’s largest holders have been increasing their exposure even as smaller investors reduce theirs, according to Santiment’s latest supply distribution data.

Wallets holding between 100,000 and 100 million ADA now collectively own more than 25.6 billion coins. The figure is the highest balance since February 2023. On the other hand, wallets holding fewer than 100 ADA have reduced their holdings by about 0.7% over the past four months.

Whales See Opportunity

Santiment said this trend comes as ADA faces intense FUD. The crypto asset’s price performance in 2026 fell short of expectations, and it recently traded near multi-year lows. Last week’s upside push toward $0.2 proved futile after ADA quickly pulled back. It slid to $0.15 and was down more than 11% over the past week. Despite that backdrop, major holders have continued accumulating.

The analytics firm pointed to several ongoing developments within the Cardano ecosystem, including work on the Leios testnet, continued Hydra scaling upgrades, progress on Mithril, integration of Pyth oracles, and new ecosystem funding initiatives.

These combined factors – whale and shark accumulation, declining retail participation, and persistently weak sentiment – represent one of the healthier market setups ADA has shown so far this year, although it does not necessarily signal an immediate price reversal.

String of Setbacks

2026 has been challenging for Cardano as the ecosystem has witnessed a series of setbacks. This month, EMURGO announced it was stepping down from the Cardano Pentad, the network’s governance group, to focus its resources on helping users recover from the SecondFi exploit. One community member described the exit as worrying and speculated that the organization may have run out of funds following the SecondFi exploit.

Earlier in the year, analytics platform TapTools shut down, while the planned 2026 Singapore Summit was called off. During the same period, Charles Hoskinson also warned that a “wave of failures” could hit DeFi projects built on the network. The developments came even as the ecosystem continued pushing ahead with technical upgrades behind the scenes.

The post Whales Keep Loading Up on Cardano While Retail Dumps ADA appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The broader cryptocurrency market has endured a persistent bearish phase in recent months, with countless leading digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), and more bleeding heavily.

The sector, though, consists of thousands of tokens, and few have defied the ongoing carniage by charting substantial gains. Cash Cat (CASHCAT) is one of the most notable examples, with its price skyrocketing by 2,000% over the last week. Below is a detailed breakdown of its performance and what may lie ahead.

The Impressive Pump

At the start of July, the cat-themed meme coin was basically worthless, trading well below $0.01 with a market cap of around $3 million. Over the past few days, though, there has been a remarkable uptick, and now CASHCAT stands at around $0.17, with a capitalization of just under $200 million. This makes it the 176th-largest cryptocurrency.

Perhaps the most evident reason for the price explosion is that the meme coin is affiliated with the official Robinhood platform, which recently launched its own blockchain. Following the move, CASHCAT dominated the network with massive transaction volume, thousands of traders, and high liquidity.

Another main factor is the backing from Binance. The world’s largest crypto exchange added the token to its perpetual services, allowing traders to use up to 10x leverage. 

Investor interest is also quite high. The analytics platform Lookonchain revealed that an anonymous market participant spent 519 ETH (over $920,000) to purchase 6.12 million CASHCAT coins. Prior to that, the entity disclosed that another investor had successfully cashed out $1 million in the meme coin after investing less than $1,000. Of course, this triggered speculation of potential inside information.

However, a separate individual sold too early and made “only” 10x on their initial $69 investment. Should they have held a bit more, they could have made a fortune, Lookonchain noted.

CASHCAT is indeed on fire lately, with many analysts predicting further gains in the near future. Some even suggest that Coinbase could be the next big exchange to support the token, potentially adding more fuel to the rally.

Beware the Risks

Despite the overall enthusiasm, though, traders and investors must be extremely careful when dealing with such meme coins since they are often driven purely by hype, and once that momentum fades, the price usually follows. 

The crypto community is well aware of other tokens of that type that recently charted substantial gains only to collapse by double digits in a matter of minutes. One example is MemeCore (M), whose price hovered around $3 in late June before nosediving to around $0.50 following allegations of manipulation.

Siren (SIREN) should also be mentioned. Last month, the token experienced a whopping crash from approximately $1.30 to $0.05 after its controller supposedly sold roughly 94% of the supply.

The post Viral Cat-Themed Meme Coin Explodes by 2,000% in a Week: What’s Behind the Madness? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Ripple’s XRP remains trapped within a broader bearish market structure despite several recovery attempts over the past few weeks. While the recent price action suggests sellers remain active at higher levels, the market is once again testing a critical demand zone that could determine whether the token stabilizes or extends its decline.

XRP Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, XRP continues to trade inside a large descending channel that has contained the price action since the beginning of the year. The asset was recently rejected from the upper resistance region around $1.22-$1.29, a supply zone that has repeatedly capped bullish advances throughout the downtrend.

The rejection occurred near the confluence of the descending channel’s upper boundary and the 100-day moving average, reinforcing the significance of this area.

Following the rejection, XRP has retraced toward the key demand zone around $1.02-$1.08. This region has repeatedly attracted buyers and currently represents the most important support level on the daily chart. As long as the price remains above this area, the market could continue consolidating within the lower portion of the channel.

A breakdown below the $1.02-$1.08 support zone would likely invalidate the current stabilization attempt and expose the lower boundary of the channel, potentially opening the door for a deeper decline.

XRP/USDT 4-Hour Chart

The 4-hour chart provides a clearer view of the recent weakness. XRP rallied aggressively from the lower demand zone but failed to sustain momentum after reaching resistance at the descending trendline and the overhead supply region around $1.22-$1.29.

Since then, the asset has produced a series of lower highs and lower lows, reflecting growing short-term bearish pressure. The market has now returned to the decisive demand zone around $1.03-$1.08, which has acted as the foundation for every meaningful rebound since late June.

This area remains the primary level to monitor. A successful defense could trigger another relief rally toward the descending trendline and the $1.22-$1.29 resistance zone. Such a move would keep XRP trapped within its broader consolidation structure while preserving the possibility of a larger breakout later.

On the other hand, a decisive loss of the demand zone would represent a significant structural deterioration and likely shift momentum firmly back in favor of sellers.

For now, the token remains positioned at a critical support area. While the broader trend continues to favor caution below the major moving averages and descending channel resistance, the $1.02-$1.08 demand zone remains the key level bulls must defend to prevent another leg lower.

The post Ripple Price Analysis: This One Level Could Decide XRP’s Next Major Move appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Ethereum has stabilized after its sharp correction from the $2.4K May highs, with the price attempting to build momentum beneath major resistance. Both the daily and 4-hour charts suggest buyers are gradually regaining control, although confirmation will require a decisive breakout above the current supply zone. The futures market’s aggressive positioning is also pointing to an interesting situation.

Ethereum Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, ETH continues to recover after breaking out of the long-term descending channel that had capped the price action for several months. Following the breakout, the market experienced a deep retracement toward the $1.5K demand region before buyers stepped back in aggressively.

The rebound has brought ETH back into the $1.85K resistance zone, which now serves as the first major obstacle. This area also aligns closely with the higher channel resistance, creating a strong technical confluence that explains the recent consolidation.

The 100-day and 200-day moving averages remain overhead near the $2K to $2.2K region, indicating that the broader trend has not fully shifted bullish yet. Until those averages are reclaimed, the recovery should still be viewed as a corrective move within a larger neutral-to-bearish structure.

Momentum has improved noticeably, with the RSI recovering above 50 after rebounding from oversold conditions. However, the indicator remains below overbought territory, suggesting there is still room for continuation if buyers can overcome current resistance.

A successful breakout above $1.85K could expose the next resistance zone around $2K to $2.2K, where both major moving averages converge. On the downside, losing the $1.5K support would likely lead to a prolonged bearish trend.

ETH/USDT 4-Hour Chart

The lower timeframe presents a more constructive picture. Ethereum has been trading inside a rising channel, producing a sequence of higher lows while repeatedly testing the overhead supply zone between roughly $1.8K and $1.85K.

The ascending lower trendline continues to provide dynamic support, with every pullback attracting buying interest before reaching the broader support area near $1.7K. This suggests buyers remain active despite repeated rejection from resistance.

The price is currently compressing between rising support and horizontal resistance, creating conditions for an eventual breakout. Such structures often precede a volatility expansion, making the current range particularly important.

A confirmed move above $1.85K would likely trigger renewed bullish momentum toward the psychological $2k level and potentially the $2.2K region. Conversely, a breakdown below the rising trendline could invalidate the short-term bullish structure and expose the $1.71K support zone, followed by the broader $1.63K order block if selling pressure accelerates.

The 4-hour RSI remains around neutral territory, reflecting balanced momentum after cooling from recent highs. This supports the view that the market is waiting for a catalyst before choosing its next directional move.

Sentiment Analysis

The Taker Buy Sell Ratio remains below the neutral 1.0 threshold, indicating that aggressive sellers continue to slightly outweigh aggressive buyers across futures exchanges. Historically, readings below one reflect cautious market sentiment and reduced conviction from bulls.

However, the 30-day moving average of the ratio has turned higher after recovering from recent lows, suggesting selling pressure has gradually eased. Although buyers have not yet established clear dominance, the improving trend points to strengthening demand beneath the surface.

If the ratio continues climbing toward and eventually above 1.0 while ETH breaks above the $1.85K resistance area, it would provide additional confirmation that buyers are regaining control. Until then, the sentiment data supports a cautiously optimistic outlook rather than signaling a fully confirmed bullish trend.

The post Ethereum Price Analysis: Will ETH Finally Break the $1.85K Barrier? appeared first on CryptoPotato.