Luno's entry into Nigeria's regulatory program could set a precedent for global crypto exchanges, fostering a more regulated African crypto market.
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The Supreme Court's decision reinforces Fed independence, potentially stabilizing markets, while increasing presidential influence over other agencies.
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Unverified sports rumors can significantly impact digital asset markets, highlighting the need for investors to rely on credible sources.
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Chelsea's focus on youth talent acquisition could reshape their long-term strategy, potentially impacting player development and market dynamics.
The post Chelsea’s youth spending spree continues as club locks down 17-year-old Scottish defender appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Blockchain-based verification in sports could prevent doping controversies by ensuring transparent, tamper-proof tracking of substances.
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Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Exchange Inflows Spike to 49,000 BTC in a Day, Signaling More Volatility is Coming: Report
CryptoQuant’s weekly report, “Incoming Volatility?”, makes a clean, data-backed case that something is about to break.
Bitcoin exchange inflows spiked to roughly 49,000 BTC on June 30 — an extreme reading seen only four other times in 2026. Ethereum inflows blew past 1.25 million ETH the same week. Altcoin deposit transactions hit nearly 45,000 a day, the highest in two months and the exact pattern that front-ran Bitcoin’s slide from $82K in early May to below $58K in late June.
Every one of those signals has historically preceded a directional move, usually down.
And yet, as of Thursday morning, Bitcoin is trading around $61,600 — back above the $60K support the report frames as the line in the sand, and up several thousand dollars from Wednesday’s print near $58,600. The chain is screaming risk-off but the price just shrugged it off.
The most bearish detail in the report isn’t the raw inflow volume — it’s the composition. The average deposit size doubled from 1 BTC to 2 BTC. That’s not retail panic-selling in dribs and drabs; that’s whales and institutions deliberately repositioning coins onto exchanges.
As CryptoQuant’s Julio Moreno notes, a jump in average deposit size is a more bearish tell than high volume alone, because it signals intent rather than noise. When large holders queue up to sell, they usually know something, or think they do.
So why did price go the other way? Because the flows aren’t happening in a vacuum. Bitcoin’s June bleed had less to do with anything crypto-native than with capital rotating out of digital assets and into the semiconductor trade, U.S.-Iran tensions stoking inflation fears, and Strategy trimming its stack.
Mt. Gox moving 10,422 BTC last month revived creditor-selling anxiety ahead of the October repayment deadline. Spot Bitcoin ETFs, meanwhile, have bled billions across a double-digit streak of outflow sessions.
The whales moving coins to exchanges may simply be positioning for that same macro storm and not really causing it.
Thursday’s bounce came courtesy of dovish Fed commentary that eased rate-cut fears. That’s the tell within the tell: in this market, macro is the dog and on-chain flows are the tail.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $61,469.98, up $1,322.54 (+2.2%) on the day after bouncing off a 24-hour low of $59,520 and peaking near $62,148 around 10 a.m.
The recovery back above $60,000 — with $32.49B in daily volume and a $1.23T market cap — lines up with the report’s read that $60K is the battleground level, and today the bulls are holding it.
This post Bitcoin Exchange Inflows Spike to 49,000 BTC in a Day, Signaling More Volatility is Coming: Report first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
Bitcoin Magazine

Wavespace Launches MiCA-Compliant Self-Custodial Bitcoin Debit Card Powered by Lightning and NWC
Wavespace, a Bitcoin neobank serving the Eurozone, has announced MiCA compliance of its ‘self-custodial’ debit card. The young fintech company is at the cutting edge of Bitcoin payments technology in Europe, with support for the Lightning Network, and auto DCA to self-custody.
Debit cards in the Bitcoin and broader crypto industry have traditionally worked by preloading custodial accounts with bitcoin or stablecoins. The process of preloading was usually on-chain, taking time to settle and requiring manual input from the user to send from self-custody wallets or cold storage. If the preloaded balance ran out on the card, spending would not be possible.
Wavespace’s self-custody debit card solves these problems with a novel Bitcoin technology called Nostr Wallet Connect, or NWC for short. This protocol, documented in NIP-47, allows users to connect a service like this debit card to a self-hosted Lightning node. The user sets a minimum balance, say $200 and every time the user spends from the card via the VISA network, Wavespace pulls sats from the user’s self-custodial wallet to top up the card. This process minimizes custodial exchange risk while maximizing user exposure to the asset and automating away the friction to spend bitcoin.
NWC is a technology developed by the Nostr ecosystem, a high-tech niche within the Bitcoin industry that is branching out into social media and other communication protocols.
As a high-tech neobank, Wavespace gives users a personal IBAN account, which they can send fiat to, to purchase Bitcoin. Their automated DCA services can be set to withdraw bitcoin upon purchase to a selected Bitcoin address.
The company is MiCA compliant, making it one of the few surviving Bitcoin exchanges in Europe, as the complicated crypto regulations came online.
On the privacy front, the deep Lightning network integration of Wavespace lets user get access to the banking system in a clear and compliant manner, without exposing all their payment data on the Bitcoin blockchain. Since Lightning payments are off-chain, there is no single public record that leaks user data; instead, transactions move through payment channels between various user services, leaving no obvious public trace. The result is a growing compromise between the high privacy, cypherpunk values that created the Bitcoin and crypto industry, while also unlocking access to the legacy financial system, and compliant integration with regulation-heavy areas like Europe.
In an interview with Bitcoin Magazine, Eivydas Račkauskas, Chief Orange Pill Giver at Wavespace, said that 70% of the payments made on the platform use the Lightning Network and that the company is looking into the ARK protocol for further self-custody-oriented payments integrations. He also revealed that the company is integrated with Lightspark and is ready for an expansion into the USA, though he did not reveal further details on the matter.
Wavespace has been almost entirely bootstrapped and self-funded, according to Račkauskas, except for an early Relai angel investor who supported them in 2025. They are currently in the middle of another fundraising round.
This post Wavespace Launches MiCA-Compliant Self-Custodial Bitcoin Debit Card Powered by Lightning and NWC first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.
Bitcoin Magazine

Bitget Bolsters Stock+ Platform With U.S. Stock Options Trading
Crypto exchange Bitget has launched US stock options, allowing users to trade options on US-listed companies.
The company described itself in a note to Bitcoin Magazine as the world’s largest Universal Exchange and states that it is the only major crypto exchange offering US stock options alongside crypto and contract-for-difference markets in gold, forex, commodities and indices.
The initial release includes long call and long put strategies for eligible users. A call option lets a trader take a bullish position on a stock, while a put option allows a trader to express a bearish view or manage downside exposure.
Risk for buyers is limited to the premium paid, and an option can expire without value if the expected price movement does not occur.
The launch expands Bitget’s stock product line.
The company’s earlier products include tokenized stocks and pre-IPO access to private market opportunities. Stock options join the Stock+ offering, which the company positions as a direct-access venue for US equities built for traders familiar with established stock market products and regulated market infrastructure.
Bitget stated that the addition supports its goal of combining crypto, stocks, commodities and other assets in one trading environment.
Demand for listed options has reached record levels. The US options market processed more than 15.2 billion contracts in 2025, an average of about 60 million contracts per trading day. The figures reflect wider use of options among retail and institutional participants for directional trading, hedging and capital management.
“We have moved first to connect stock opportunities with our users,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “From tokenized stocks to now options, we are executing on convergence. Our products provide advanced trading access to stocks, gold, crypto and worldwide assets.”
The first release focuses on single-leg options buying to provide an entry point for users. The company plans additional functionality, including multi-leg strategies, as the Stock+ options product develops.
For the launch, eligible users who complete a first US stock options trade may receive $15 in NVIDIA stock, subject to campaign terms and regional availability.
Bitget said they have more than 125 million users and access to over two million crypto tokens, along with 500-plus tokenized stocks, ETFs, commodities, foreign exchange and precious metals such as gold.
The company holds partnerships with MotoGP and UNICEF, the latter to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. Bitget states that it leads the tokenized traditional-finance market across 150 regions.
This post Bitget Bolsters Stock+ Platform With U.S. Stock Options Trading first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
Bitcoin Magazine

FBI Director Kash Patel Did Not Disclose Six-Figure Strategy (MSTR) Stake: Report
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed a six-figure investment in Strategy (MSTR), the world’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, more than six months past the deadline set by federal ethics law, according to a report from NOTUS. The lapse has reopened a fight over stock trading by senior government officials and raised questions about a potential conflict of interest.
Patel purchased between $100,001 and $250,000 in shares of Strategy on November 21, 2025. He did not report the trade to federal regulators until May 26, 2026, a gap of more than 180 days. The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act requires senior executive-branch officials to disclose individual stock trades over $1,000 within 45 days of the transaction.
In his May 26 letter to the Office of Government Ethics, Patel said the trade had been “inadvertently omitted” from a prior filing. Two days later, Deputy Assistant Attorney General William Taylor attributed the omission to a miscommunication, and an FBI official told NOTUS the late reporting was “not realized and unintentional.”
First-time STOCK Act violators face a $200 fine. The Department of Justice, which would issue or waive the penalty, has not fined Patel. The bureau said the corrected filing was reviewed and approved by a DOJ ethics official.
Strategy, the firm led by Michael Saylor, pioneered the corporate Bitcoin-treasury model and holds more than 760,000 BTC. The stock functions as a proxy for the price of Bitcoin, which makes it one of the most direct routes to a Bitcoin bet through a brokerage account. Strategy’s shares have lost about half their value since the date of Patel’s purchase.
The identity of the company is the crux of the concern. The FBI, under Patel, plays a central role in cryptocurrency enforcement, and Patel has promoted that record.
In a June 19 post on X, he warned crypto fraudsters that “this FBI will find you, and we will bring you to justice.” Weeks before his purchase, he had touted a case that seized roughly $15 billion
Strategy has done millions of dollars in business with the Justice Department, of which the FBI is a part, along with the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, and State, over the past decade, according to the report.
Taylor maintained that Patel’s stake does not create a conflict of interest with his oversight of the bureau.
Patel is not an outlier. Vice President JD Vance disclosed up to $500,000 in Bitcoin, and President Trump and his sons reported more than $1 billion in crypto-related income last year.
This post FBI Director Kash Patel Did Not Disclose Six-Figure Strategy (MSTR) Stake: Report first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
Bitcoin Magazine

Metaplanet Adds 2,823 Bitcoin, Reaches 43,000 BTC and Becomes World’s Third-Largest Corporate Treasury
Metaplanet crossed the 43,000 BTC threshold on July 2, a milestone that places the Tokyo-listed firm as the world’s third-largest corporate Bitcoin holder. The company now trails Strategy and Twenty One Capital across the global corporate ranking, and its climb underscores Japan’s role in the corporate Bitcoin accumulation race.
Metaplanet acquired an additional 2,823 BTC during the second quarter of 2026, a purchase worth about $170.7 million. The buy brought total holdings to 43,000 BTC, valued near $2.6 billion. Shares of the company (ticker 3350) closed 3.5% higher at 207 yen ($1.28) on Thursday following the announcement.
The average acquisition price for the quarter landed at roughly 12.71 million yen (about $80,000) per Bitcoin, according to the company. The effective purchase price fell to around 12.09 million yen (about $77,000) once income from the firm’s Bitcoin Income Generation business is counted.
That segment produced approximately 1.75 billion yen ($10.85 million) in operating revenue for the quarter, lifting first-half revenue to about 4.72 billion yen. On a trailing 12-month basis, the division’s revenue reached about 11.4 billion yen.
Metaplanet’s total Bitcoin investment now stands at approximately 659.25 billion yen (about $4.2 billion), with holdings valued near 409 billion yen (about $2.6 billion) as of June 30. The overall average cost basis sits at 15.33 million yen (about $102,500) per BTC.
The company reported a BTC Yield of 6.6% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, a metric that tracks growth in Bitcoin per share. That figure remains a core indicator for corporate treasury strategies of this type.
The corporate Bitcoin leaderboard is now well defined. Strategy, the former MicroStrategy, leads with holdings above 847,000 BTC. Twenty One Capital holds second place. Metaplanet takes third, a position that puts it ahead of other large players such as MARA Holdings, according to data tracked by Bitcoin Treasuries.
Michael Saylor marked the occasion on X, tweeting, “Congrats to Metaplanet on reaching ₿43,000 and becoming the #3 corporate Bitcoin treasury in the world. You are proving that the Bitcoin treasury strategy is global.”
Metaplanet has scaled at speed since it adopted the treasury model in 2024. CEO Simon Gerovich has drawn on equity offerings, debt instruments, and options strategies to build the position, an approach designed to limit the shareholder dilution that comes with large corporate purchases. The Bitcoin Income Generation business uses Bitcoin options to create recurring cash flow while the company expands its holdings.
The balance sheet leaves room to grow. Total debt and preferred stock represent about 23% of the net asset value of the firm’s Bitcoin, a cushion that gives Metaplanet capacity to keep buying.
The dual model, one part aggressive accumulation and one part recurring income, cements Japan as a rising force in the corporate push to hold Bitcoin as a reserve asset.
This post Metaplanet Adds 2,823 Bitcoin, Reaches 43,000 BTC and Becomes World’s Third-Largest Corporate Treasury first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.
A request for the UK standards watchdog to examine Nigel Farage's reported interactions with the Bank of England has turned the UK's digital-pound fight into an access fight: who gets to shape public payment infrastructure while donations from a major crypto-linked backer face fresh scrutiny.
A July 2 Guardian report said Labour MP Phil Brickell asked the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to investigate Farage's reported interactions with the Bank. The request followed the Guardian's earlier reporting that Farage told a crypto event he had challenged Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey over the central bank's digital-pound work.
No finding of wrongdoing has been published yet. The commissioner's current investigations page describes inquiries as currently in the fact-finding stage before any decision is made.
It currently lists Farage under a Rule 5 failure-to-register inquiry opened on May 13, 2026, while the July 2 request remains a complaint rather than a published lobbying-rule case.
The complaint pulls three live policy fronts into one public flashpoint: the Bank's digital-pound design work, stablecoin regulation, and the rules governing crypto-linked political finance.

The digital pound is still only a potential future form of public money. The Bank of England says no decision has been made on whether to introduce it, and that any launch would leave cash in place and would involve central-bank money rather than a cryptocurrency.
Its October 2025 update says the Bank and HM Treasury are continuing a design phase through 2026, with a blueprint and evidence-based assessment due before any decision on further development. If ministers and the Bank later chose to build one, Parliament would still need to pass primary legislation.
That makes the current period unusually important. The UK's digital-pound project remains a live design process in which the Bank is collecting evidence, testing technology, running the Digital Pound Lab, and engaging with industry, academia, civil society, and other stakeholders.
The complaint lands directly inside that consultation window. According to earlier reporting, Farage and Reform MP Richard Tice met Bailey in September 2025, and Farage later described challenging the Bank's digital-pound work at a crypto event.
The Bank was reported as saying that the meeting was part of its engagement with political representatives and that it acknowledged Farage's different view.
That response has wider implications, but routine engagement can still become politically charged when the person raising the issue leads a party that has received large donations from a backer with crypto interests and when the policy at issue could affect the balance between private stablecoins and public digital money.
Earlier public arguments often centered on surveillance, privacy, cash, and whether a central bank digital currency would give the state too much reach into personal payments. Those questions remain. The access question now sits beside them: who gets privileged input while the design is still being shaped?
The Bank's own digital-pound update frames the issue as a broader “multi-money” system in which households and businesses may use cash, commercial bank deposits, stablecoins, tokenized assets, and potentially a digital pound at equal value.
The Farage complaint shifts the focus from the digital pound itself to who gets a voice, even as the UK is still deciding what public money should look like in a digital economy.
A digital pound would be public money issued by the central bank. Stablecoins are private instruments that can function as payment and settlement rails when confidence, reserves, redemption, and regulation are in place.
The more public money is designed to operate in digital commerce, the more policymakers must decide how much room private stablecoins should have, what limits should apply, and whether public infrastructure should act as a backstop or a competitor.
CryptoSlate has already covered Reform UK's criticism of proposed stablecoin limits and the broader political-finance backdrop around a Tether-linked Reform donor. The new accountability test is whether private crypto wealth, political donations, and central-bank access can be separated clearly enough for the public to trust the design process.
That is a harder standard than ordinary policy disagreement. Farage can oppose a digital pound on ideological or economic grounds. Reform can argue that stablecoins are better for innovation than central-bank money.
Crypto investors can lobby against caps or rules they consider anti-growth. The pressure point arises when those positions overlap with concentrated financial support and direct access to officials who design payment infrastructure.
The UK is already trying to adapt its political-finance rules to crypto. The Electoral Commission's cryptoassets guidance says cryptoassets are treated as property rather than currency, that cryptoasset donations are currently permitted under electoral law, and that parties must still identify donors, check permissibility, value donations in pounds, and report where required.
The guidance also warns that crypto presents particular challenges for identifying donors and ensuring funds are permissible.
Ministers have since moved toward stronger restrictions. A March 25 government announcement said the UK would cap donations from registered overseas electors and ban cryptocurrency donations until sufficient regulation is in place to prevent the use of untraceable funds in politics.
The government linked that position to the Rycroft Review on foreign financial interference.
The legal position is still in flux, as the House of Commons Library briefing published on July 2 says the government accepted Rycroft's recommendations on overseas-elector caps and a crypto-donation moratorium, but both required retroactive legislative provisions, and the government had not brought those amendments forward at committee stage.
The remaining Commons stages of the Representation of the People Bill are scheduled for July 14, 2026.
That gap turns the Farage complaint into more than a Westminster standards dispute. Even if crypto donations are restricted, influence around policy design remains harder to police.
That may cover campaign finance, but it does little to address who gets private access to policymakers while digital-pound rules are still being written. Separate expectations may be needed for how central banks, regulators, or ministries disclose meetings when politically connected crypto interests are trying to shape the future of payment rails.
The difference matters for every crypto business that wants a voice in UK policy. A transparent submission to a consultation is one thing.
A private meeting by a political figure whose party has received large donations from a backer with major crypto interests creates a different kind of public-confidence problem, even before a watchdog reaches any conclusion.
The immediate watchdog question is procedural: whether the commissioner opens a separate lobbying-rule inquiry and what, if anything, it finds.
The current public record supports a careful conclusion: a complaint has been made, an existing registration inquiry is already listed, and no finding on the new lobbying allegation has been published.
The policy question is broader and more durable. The Bank and HM Treasury are moving toward a 2026 decision point on the digital-pound blueprint. Parliament is moving toward further debate on political donations and crypto.
Stablecoin regulation remains a contested piece of the UK's digital-asset strategy. All three will determine how much private crypto infrastructure can influence the design of public money.
For the crypto industry, the lesson is mixed. Political access can help push digital assets into mainstream policy, but it also increases scrutiny when policy positions advanced through that access overlap with the interests of wealthy donors or investors.
A pro-innovation argument is easier to sustain when the process is transparent, the interests are visible, and the public can see which meetings, submissions, and policy changes mattered.
For the digital pound, the next credibility milestone may be less about the technology than about governance. If the Bank wants the project to be judged as a public-money design exercise rather than a political fight over who benefits from private payment rails, it will need to keep stakeholder engagement visible enough to withstand pressure from both CBDC opponents and stablecoin advocates.
That is why the Farage complaint changes the shape of the debate even before the watchdog acts. It turns the digital pound from a question about what kind of money Britain might build into a question about who gets to shape the monetary infrastructure before the public gets a final say.
The post The fight over the UK’s digital pound has become a battle over crypto’s political influence appeared first on CryptoSlate.
US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) drew their largest daily inflow since May after a weaker-than-expected jobs report eased rate-hike concerns and helped the digital asset recover from a fresh bear-market low earlier in the week.
The funds recorded $223 million in net inflows on Thursday, ending a 10-day stretch of withdrawals that had drained $2.73 billion from the products, according to SoSoValue data.
The reversal came as Bitcoin briefly climbed back above $62,000 after falling below $58,000 earlier in the week, its lowest level in 21 months.
The return of ETF demand gave Bitcoin a measure of relief after weeks of pressure from fund redemptions, rising real yields and concern that the Federal Reserve could keep monetary policy tighter for longer.
Still, the one-day inflow only partly offsets the scale of recent selling. Bitcoin ETFs have recorded nearly $8.5 billion in net outflows since early May, according to Santiment.

That leaves the market trying to determine whether this recent inflow marks the start of renewed demand or a short-term rebound after a crowded selloff.
Some analysts view extended outflows as a sign that weaker holders have already reduced exposure, but the market has yet to show that buyers are willing to return for more than a single session.
The labor report gave investors a reason to reassess the timing of the Fed’s next move.
US employers added 57,000 jobs in June, roughly half of what economists had expected. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised April and May payrolls lower by a combined 74,000 jobs, weakening what had appeared to be a more resilient hiring trend.
The unemployment rate slipped to 4.2%, but the decline came as the labor force shrank. About 720,000 people left the labor force in June, pushing the participation rate down to 61.5% from 61.8%.
The household survey also showed employment falling by 507,000, adding to signs that the headline unemployment rate understated the extent of the slowdown.
Hiring was concentrated in a narrow group of sectors. Education, health care and social assistance added 69,000 jobs, more than the overall increase in payrolls. Leisure and hospitality payrolls declined, missing expectations for seasonal hiring tied to global sporting events, while government payrolls rose by just 8,000.
While the report did not point to broad job destruction, it showed a labor market losing momentum.
Rick Rieder, BlackRock’s chief investment officer of global fixed income, described the US jobs report as “more fizzle than fireworks,” saying the broader picture still suggests gradual cooling rather than a sharp break in employment.
According to him:
“One month's payroll report rarely defines a trend. Looking across the broader labor market, we continue to see an economy that is cooling gradually, not one experiencing widespread job destruction. Stability, more than strength or weakness, remains the defining characteristic of today's labor market.”
For Bitcoin, the details were enough to ease immediate macro pressure. The asset had struggled as markets priced in higher funding costs, a stronger dollar and tighter financial conditions. A softer labor report reduced the urgency of that trade, allowing risk assets to recover.
The jobs report arrived as investors were already reassessing the Fed’s policy path after Chair Kevin Warsh avoided giving a clear signal on the timing of the next rate increase.
Warsh has continued to stress the Fed’s goal of returning inflation to its 2% target, with price pressures still elevated after years of above-target inflation. Tariffs and the recent US-Iran war have added to the inflation debate, keeping policymakers cautious even as some growth indicators soften.
The June labor data gave markets room to push back expectations for additional tightening. Traders are no longer fully pricing a 25-basis-point hike in October, although expectations for another increase by year-end remain in place.
Tuan Nguyen, an economist at RSM US LLP, said the data gives the Fed room to leave rates unchanged at its July meeting. He added:
“We think this job report is enough to keep the Fed on hold at its July meeting. Looking ahead, there is more room for the economy to grow as headwinds continue to subside.”
That repricing helped ease pressure across rate-sensitive assets. The dollar weakened, the two-year Treasury yield slipped to about 4.11%, and gold extended its rebound after earlier declines.
Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said lower energy prices, easing inflation expectations, softer yields, and a weaker dollar have helped stabilize precious metals.
Bitcoin benefited from the same shift. Higher interest rates tend to reduce demand for speculative assets by increasing the appeal of cash and short-term government debt.
A delay in expected rate hikes gives Bitcoin more room to recover, particularly after a selloff that forced leveraged traders out of the market.
However, the macro relief does not remove the Fed risk. Wage growth remains above the central bank’s inflation target, and policymakers may still prioritize price stability if inflation proves sticky.
But the labor report eased immediate pressure on markets and provided Bitcoin with a catalyst after weeks of defensive positioning.
BTC's price recovery now depends on whether ETF demand continues and whether Bitcoin can hold key levels around $60,000 and $62,000.
Bitwise Europe said investor stress remains elevated, with only 47% of Bitcoin supply held at a profit and aggregate paper losses of about $281 billion. The firm also noted that realized losses have declined with each successive move lower, suggesting that selling pressure may be easing near current levels.
However, the firm noted that options positioning could still amplify volatility. Negative gamma concentrations around $60,000 and $55,000 may reinforce downside moves if Bitcoin loses momentum, while positive gamma near $62,000 could help dampen swings and keep the asset pinned near that level if buyers remain active.
Apart from that, BTC's technical signals are also mixed. Crypto research firm 10x Research said Bitcoin has moved above its seven-day moving average, a short-term positive signal, but remains below its 30-day moving average, leaving the broader trend under pressure.
Exchange-flow data adds another source of caution. Earlier this week, Bitcoin’s decline below $58,000 coincided with heavier transfers to trading platforms, including moves by larger holders.
While such transfers do not always lead to immediate selling, they increase available supply on exchanges during fragile market conditions.
For now, the market has moved from stress to stabilization. The jobs report softened the rate-hike debate, ETF investors returned after nearly two weeks of withdrawals, and Bitcoin reclaimed the $60,000 level.
The next test is whether the inflows continue. A second wave of ETF demand would strengthen the case that investors are treating the drawdown as an entry point. However, a quick return to outflows would leave the recent inflow move looking more like a rate-driven relief rally than the start of a durable recovery.
The post Bitcoin ETFs see biggest inflow since May after weak US jobs report sparks BTC price rebound appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Bitcoin’s recovery above $60,000 is facing a fresh test from exchange-flow and derivatives data after large holders moved one of the year’s largest daily BTC inflows onto trading platforms during the latest selloff.
Data from CryptoSlate showed that the flagship digital asset was trading at $61,528 at press time, after dropping below $58,000 earlier in the week to a new bear-market low.
While the current price rebound has eased immediate pressure, the market data behind the move shows a less secure recovery than the price alone suggests.
Bitcoin’s June 30 exchange inflow has become one of the clearest warning signs behind the latest market rebound.
CryptoQuant data showed that about 49,000 BTC moved to trading platforms that day, one of the heaviest daily inflows recorded this year. Such spikes are closely watched because they can precede sharper volatility, especially when they occur during a fragile recovery.

Exchange deposits do not always translate into immediate selling. Investors can move coins to trading venues to rebalance holdings, hedge exposure, post collateral, or prepare for derivatives activity.
Still, the transfers increase the amount of Bitcoin available on exchanges, leaving the market more exposed if sentiment weakens or buyers fail to absorb the added supply.
Meanwhile, the composition of the inflow added to the concern. CryptoQuant reported that the average Bitcoin deposit size doubled during the surge, rising from about 1 BTC to roughly 2 BTC.
That change suggests the movement was led by larger holders rather than a broad wave of smaller retail transfers.
That distinction is important for traders watching liquidity. A rise in many small deposits can reflect routine exchange activity.
However, a jump in average deposit size points to more deliberate repositioning by whales and institution-sized investors, whose transfers can carry greater weight when market depth is already thin.
Beyond the flow of funds, Bitcoin’s price chart continues to present a precarious picture. The recent plunge below $58,000 inflicted significant technical damage that the current bounce has yet to repair.
CryptoQuant reported that the asset recently broke below the neckline of a prominent head-and-shoulders pattern on the daily time frame.
Traders often read this bearish formation as a sign that an uptrend may be giving way to a downtrend. Although prices have briefly reclaimed the $60,000 level, the breakdown remains valid unless Bitcoin mounts a sustained rally that invalidates the pattern.
Traders are now eyeing the $65,000 region as the next major battleground. However, former support zones often become formidable resistance levels during a broader market correction.
Consequently, any corrective bounce toward $65,000 may provide large holders with an attractive liquidity pocket to offload their recently deposited exchange balances, effectively capping further upside.
Moreover, a deeper dive into derivatives data reveals that the recent price recovery lacks the hallmarks of a sustainable bullish reversal.
CryptoQuant analyst Axel Adler pointed out that BTC's net taker volume, which tracks aggressive market buying minus selling and smooths the result with an eight-hour moving average, turned sharply higher after the June 30 sell-off.
The metric fell to about -$61 million as Bitcoin slid toward $58,300, then reversed the next day amid increased buying pressure.
By July 2, net taker volume reached about $68 million as Bitcoin rose from roughly $58,000 to a local high near $64,000. That showed real market buying during the rebound, not merely a passive drift higher.

However, BTC's open interest moved in the opposite direction. The 24-hour change in Bitcoin open interest swung from a gain of about 26,000 BTC at the start of July 1 to a decline of about 23,000 BTC by the morning of July 2.
As a result, total open interest fell from about 368,000 BTC to the 342,000-346,000 BTC range.
This divergence is consistent with a short squeeze. A rising price coupled with falling open interest can indicate that underwater short-sellers are buying back positions to avoid forced liquidation.
Because that kind of move is driven more by deleveraging than by fresh long exposure, it may offer weaker support for an extended uptrend unless new demand follows.
Compounding the structural weakness of the bounce is a noticeable drought in stablecoin liquidity, which serves as a key source of dollar-denominated buying power across centralized exchanges and on-chain markets.
CryptoSlate previously reported that the stablecoin market recorded a rare contraction in the second quarter, adding to signs that crypto liquidity has weakened beyond spot prices.
Stablecoins are a key source of buying power on centralized exchanges and in on-chain markets, so a slowdown in fresh supply can make rebounds harder to sustain.
According to CryptoQuant, a Binance-linked USDT Refresh Rate Z-Score recently stood at -1.81, suggesting fresh stablecoin liquidity has not entered the world’s largest crypto exchange at a pace normally associated with stronger demand.

That puts more pressure on existing buyers. If new dollar liquidity remains limited, Bitcoin may need sustained spot demand from current market participants to offset exchange inflows and prevent another slide below $60,000.
But thin liquidity in the market can also magnify moves in both directions. While it can help a short squeeze carry prices higher quickly, it can also leave the market exposed if large holders use rebounds to sell into strength.
Bitcoin’s next move will likely depend on whether the market can turn the rebound into sustained demand rather than another short squeeze.
Holding above $60,000 would keep the immediate recovery alive and give buyers more time to challenge the $65,000 area. A clean move through that region would ease pressure from the recent breakdown and force traders to reassess the bearish chart setup.
But a failed rebound would leave the market exposed to the supply now sitting closer to exchanges. Another break below $60,000 would likely bring the realized price near $53,000 back into focus and raise the risk that losses broaden across more holders.
For now, the market is showing two competing signals. Buyers returned after Bitcoin fell below $58,000, but whale exchange flows, falling open interest, and weak stablecoin liquidity suggest the recovery still needs proof.
The post Bitcoin whales send 49,000 BTC to exchanges as $60K rebound shows signs of weakness appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Solana just gave delegators a new governance tool called Solana Governance Proposals (SGP), which hands them a lever for the next round of the inflation fight.
The proposing validator’s vote account must have at least 100,000 SOL staked, worth about $7.8 million at $77.97 per token. To advance from proposal to vote, validators representing 15% of Solana’s active stake must support it. Based on 428.1 million SOL in active stake, that threshold is roughly 64.2 million SOL, worth close to $5 billion.
By default, a validator votes with the SOL delegated to its vote account, but a delegator can deviate from that default and vote independently.
Take a validator vote account with 1,000 SOL in stake, including 800 SOL delegated by a single staker. If that delegator submits an independent vote, the 800 SOL moves out of the validator’s tally and into whatever the delegator chose: For, Against, or Abstain, leaving the validator with just 200 SOL of effective weight.
Multiply that across custodians, stake pools, and exchanges holding SOL on behalf of thousands of depositors, and a validator's assumed voting bloc can end up far smaller than its delegated total.
A proposal passes only if ‘For' votes represent at least two-thirds of the stake that votes either ‘For' or ‘Against.' Abstentions are excluded from that calculation, and there is no separate quorum requirement.

That 66% bar is where the last major inflation fight fell short: Multicoin Capital's Tushar Jain and Vishal Kankani authored SIMD-0228, proposing to tie SOL issuance to staking participation and to cut emissions once the network reached a well-secured level.
It drew 61.39% approval against a 66.67% requirement, even as roughly 74% of staked SOL weighed in, a turnout that ruled out any low-stakes formality.
Validators staking 500,000 SOL or less voted against SIMD-0228 over 60% of the time, while larger operators leaned the other way.
Treating the SIMD-0228 result as 100 units of decisive stake, split 61.39 For to 38.61 Against: flipping just 5.28 of those points from Against to For clears 66%. Reclassifying 7.92 points as abstain does the same job, since abstentions drop out of the denominator entirely.
Bringing in fresh stake that never voted at all takes more, about 15.84 new For units for every 100 old ones.
| Path to clearing 66.67% | What changes | Minimum shift needed | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flip Against to For | Some prior Against stake becomes For | 5.28 points | Smallest swing needed |
| Move Against to Abstain | Some Against stake exits the denominator | 7.92 points | Abstentions do not count toward approval threshold |
| Add new For voters | Previously inactive stake votes For | 15.84 new For units per 100 decisive units | Harder because total voting stake rises too |
| Scale marker today | 5.28-point swing applied to today’s active stake and prior turnout | ~16.8M SOL / ~$1.3B | Shows the margin was economically large but governably narrow |
Scaled against today's 428.1 million SOL in active stake and the 74% turnout from the prior vote, that 5.28-point swing works out to roughly 16.8 million SOL. At current prices, that's about $1.3 billion.
The model treats the prior vote as a fixed baseline and measures the distance from the threshold, a rough gauge of how tight the actual margin was.
Solana's inflation schedule started at 8% a year, cuts by 15% annually, and targets a 1.5% floor in the long term, with third-party trackers putting the live rate near 3.76% today.
That number touches staking yield, validator revenue, dilution for every SOL holder, and the security budget that keeps the network running.
The Federal Reserve held the federal funds target range at 3.50% to 3.75% at its June 17 meeting, and FRED listed the upper bound unchanged at 3.75% as of July 2.
A SOL holder weighing staking yield against parking cash elsewhere runs the math whether or not Solana's governance page accounts for it.
The bull case for SOL holders runs through the delegators who are most equipped to act. Custodians, stake pools, exchanges, and large native holders can track proposals, execute votes at scale, and withdraw stake from validators who vote ‘Against.'
If enough of them act after a fresh emissions proposal clears the 15% support gate, a SIMD-0228-style cut has a more plausible path to the 66.67% approval threshold, whether the new terms are stricter or softer than the original.
Lower issuance reduces dilution and limits the extra SOL entering the market with every new token minted. Solana's governance is starting to look like something SOL holders steer directly.
The bear case plays out through inaction, with no validator coalition reaching 15% support for an aggressive cut. Alternatively, a vote opens, and override turnout stays thin because staking interfaces don't make participation easy, custodians skip building the tooling, or delegators skip voting.
Validator revenue sits where it sat before SGP existed, and the next inflation fix waits for whatever vote comes next.
| Scenario | What has to happen | Who gains influence | What happens to inflation reform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bull case for SOL holders | A new emissions proposal clears the 15% validator support gate, and large delegators actively override validator votes | Custodians, stake pools, exchanges, institutions, large native stakers | A SIMD-0228-style cut has a clearer path to passing |
| Bear case for reform | No validator coalition reaches 15% support, or override turnout is weak | Validators retain practical control over delegated stake | Inflation reform stalls or returns in a softer form |
| Validator-protection case | Smaller operators successfully argue that issuance cuts threaten decentralization and security economics | Long-tail validators, operators dependent on staking rewards | Any cut is phased, capped, or paired with other revenue assumptions |
| Governance-risk case | Overrides are used mostly by whales, custodians, or exchanges rather than broad retail delegators | Large stake controllers | Governance becomes less validator-dominated but not necessarily more decentralized |
Smaller validators make a real economic case: issuance funds the network's security budget as much as it dilutes holders.
Cutting it compresses the yield that keeps thin-margin operators solvent, pushing stake toward larger validators with other revenue streams already in place.
Helius' review of SIMD-0228 pointed to the same problem from a different angle, tying long-tail validator economics to voting costs, block rewards, MEV, and commission structures, alongside inflation.
Validators vote with the stake they don't own outright, and the cost of high issuance lands on every SOL holder regardless of who they staked with.
SGPs give delegators a direct way to separate their own preference from their validator's default when an issuance proposal reaches a vote.
SGPs redraw who gets counted the next time issuance reaches a vote. Getting the number down still takes a proposal that clears both gates and a delegator base willing to act once it does.
Validators lost the assumption that every SOL staked with them will vote the way they do.
The post Solana stakers get a new way to force the next SOL inflation fight appeared first on CryptoSlate.
June payrolls missed badly, and traders read it as the rate-cut catalyst Bitcoin needed. Payrolls rose by just 57,000, against an estimate of 110,000.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also cut the prior two months by a combined 74,000, April down 31,000, and May down 43,000. Unemployment fell to 4.2%, and wages held at 3.5% year over year, giving a still-hawkish Fed room to look past one soft print.
The unemployment rate looks strong on its own, but the same report showed labor-force participation falling by 0.3 percentage point to 61.5%.
The labor force shrank, making the drop in unemployment less straightforward and keeping the report mixed.
| June labor-market metric | Result | Market read | Bitcoin implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonfarm payrolls | +57K vs. +110K est. | Clear growth slowdown | Supports rate-cut hopes |
| Two-month revision | -74K | Prior strength overstated | Adds to liquidity-relief trade |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% vs. 4.3% est. | Labor market not breaking | Gives Fed cover to wait |
| Wage growth | +3.5% YoY | Still firm | Limits dovish read |
| Labor-force participation | 61.5%, down 0.3 pp | Unemployment drop is less clean | Keeps macro signal ambiguous |
Bitcoin's rally needs the economy soft enough to loosen liquidity expectations and calm enough to keep risk appetite intact.
Iggy Ioppe, chief investment officer at Theo, framed this setup as a trap in a note:
“The payrolls miss reads as a growth wobble, and the knee-jerk is to price cuts back in. That's the trap.”
He argues that a 4.2% unemployment rate gives a hawkish Fed all the cover it needs to look through one soft payroll print. Traders betting on relief may be moving faster than the Fed.
He added that real yields remain high, and the assets that need a dovish pivot remain heavy, as they have all quarter.
Ioppe said thin holiday liquidity could amplify the whipsaw, while delta-neutral positioning is less dependent on either a Fed cut or a directional Bitcoin rally.
The FOMC held its target range at 3.50% to 3.75% at its June 17 meeting and said inflation is still elevated relative to its 2% goal. June's dot plot scattered officials' projections around the current range and above it.
Fabian Dori, chief investment officer at Sygnum Bank, added a filter for reading the next move:
“A soft print will immediately soften hike pressure, and you'll see it in the repricing before the headline settles, but weaker data is not automatically bullish.”
The first is whether the Fed under Chair Kevin Warsh responds to the labor data. His Fed has placed greater weight on inflation credibility, and a single soft report may not move a central bank still focused on price stability.
The second is how weak is weak. A soft-but-orderly number supports the liquidity-relief trade, and a number weak enough to point to real growth trouble can pull risk assets lower even as rate-cut odds rise.
Dori added that Fed policy is only part of the liquidity picture alongside Treasury cash balances, the eSLR reform, and stablecoin adoption.

US equity markets are closed on July 3 for the Independence Day holiday, and CME's own holiday schedule thins trading hours across major contracts into the long weekend.
Crypto keeps trading straight through, so BTC can move on macro headlines while the rest of the risk market sits mostly idle. Dori expects the thin trading to exaggerate whichever instinct wins.
Matt Mena, senior crypto research strategist at 21Shares, picks up where the macro debate leaves price.
He said that Bitcoin priced in the jobs data before the release even landed, retracing to a recent low near $57,000 before breaking through the $60,000-$61,000 resistance zone.
BTC registered an intraday high at $62,056 and traded around the reclaimed $60,000-$61,000 zone, keeping the breakout argument alive without confirming a clean hold above resistance.
The next level Mena is watching is $65,000, as a breakout there opens a path toward $75,000 by month-end if the momentum holds.
July has historically been one of Bitcoin's stronger months, averaging a roughly 7.4% return with gains in 9 of the past 13 years. Extend the setup through year-end, and Mena puts $100,000 within reach if the technical, seasonal, and macro factors continue to align.
| BTC level | Role in the setup | What it would signal |
|---|---|---|
| $57,000 | Recent flush area cited by Mena | Failure zone if the payroll rally unwinds |
| $60,000–$61,000 | Reclaimed resistance zone | Must hold for bulls to keep control |
| $62,056 | Intraday high cited in the article | Shows BTC briefly pushed above the reclaimed zone |
| $65,000 | Next confirmation level | Breakout would validate post-payroll momentum |
| $75,000 | Month-end upside path | Requires sustained liquidity relief and risk appetite |
| $100,000 | Year-end bullish scenario | Needs macro, technicals, and seasonality to keep aligning |
The bull case is the orderly-slowdown path. Payrolls miss, and revisions run negative, but unemployment and wages avoid anything that looks like a genuine downturn.
The Fed stays open to cutting later and lets the market's read stand. Under that path, Bitcoin holds the $60,000 to $61,000 zone, tests $65,000, and keeps Mena's $75,000 July target alive.
The bear case is Iggy's cut-pricing trap playing out in full. The Fed reads the payroll miss as noise next to a 4.2% unemployment rate and looks through it entirely, leaving real yields unchanged.
The rally fades, $60,000 turns into a battleground, and the $57,000 flush zone comes back into view.
The next few sessions test whether Bitcoin can sustain price-liquidity relief through a holiday-thinned market before the Fed says anything at all. A payroll miss can lift BTC for a few sessions on its own, but a more durable move likely needs confirmation from Fed policy or broader liquidity conditions.
The post Bitcoin rally hinges on whether the Fed buys into the weak jobs report after bad miss appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Ethereum has staged its strongest 24-hour move in weeks, with $ETH jumping more than 5% to reclaim the $1,700 level for the first time since the brutal June selloff. The rally came in lockstep with $BTC, which pushed back above the psychologically important $60,000 mark, dragging the broader market higher with it.

The move looks macro-driven rather than Ethereum-specific. A dovish shift in Fed messaging around cooling inflation risks lit the match, and the sharpness of the bounce off multi-year lows carries the fingerprint of a short squeeze after positioning turned heavily one-sided to the downside through June. $Bitcoin holding above $60K is the cover that gives $ETH room to grind higher — lose that, and the tailwind evaporates fast.
The catalyst was broad risk appetite rather than any change in Ethereum's fundamentals. Easier-sounding Fed commentary on inflation prompted a rotation back into risk assets, and the most beaten-down names bounced hardest because they carried the heaviest short interest. $ETH had bled to multi-year lows in June with negative funding across major venues, so a bullish macro headline into that setup was exactly the kind of spark needed to force covering.
There's a fundamental undercurrent too. ETH spot ETF inflows briefly outpaced Bitcoin ETF flows for two consecutive sessions last week, a sign that institutional sentiment toward Ethereum is quietly turning. That relative strength is what separates this bounce from the failed reclaims seen earlier in the downtrend.
Looking at the 2-hour chart, $ETH has cleanly broken out of the $1,540–$1,600 consolidation range that contained price for most of late June. That range acted as a battleground for nearly two weeks, and the decisive break above $1,600 — followed by a push through $1,700 — flips both of those levels into potential support.

Key areas on the chart:
Momentum is stretched. The RSI (14) is reading around 74 — firmly in overbought territory — which means a short-term cooldown or sideways digestion near $1,700–$1,720 would be healthy rather than alarming. Overbought readings can persist in strong trends, but they raise the odds of a pullback to retest reclaimed support before the next leg.
The line in the sand is simple: $ETH holding $1,600 as support with Bitcoin above $60K keeps the bullish case alive. Break either, and this reads as an oversold relief rally rather than a genuine trend reversal.
Momentum is clearly with the bulls in the short term, but the rally is stretched and macro-dependent. The setup favors patient entries on a pullback to reclaimed support rather than chasing an overbought breakout. As always, position sizing and risk management matter more than the direction of any single candle.
The clock ran out on July 1, 2026. Under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), any exchange without a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) licence can no longer legally serve residents of the European Economic Area. The most consequential casualty is the biggest name in the game: Binance withdrew its MiCA application in Greece on June 24 and is now suspending core services for EU users.
If your funds are sitting on Binance — or on Bybit Global, or any other platform that didn't make the cut — you need a new home. And the licensed exchanges know it. What's unfolding is a full-blown land grab: MiCA-approved platforms are throwing cashback, deposit matches, VIP perks and even a €1,000,000 prize draw at anyone willing to move their crypto over. Below is the complete breakdown of who's offering what.
MiCA is the EU's single rulebook for crypto. To legally operate anywhere in the 27-member bloc, an exchange must hold a CASP licence from one member state — that licence then "passports" across the entire EEA. The 18-month transition window closed on July 1, 2026, and ESMA confirmed there would be no extension.
Binance bet on Greece as its entry point and lost, formally withdrawing its application days before the deadline. Of the estimated 1,100–1,300 legacy crypto providers operating in Europe, only around 200 secured a MiCA licence — a clearance rate of roughly 15%. The rivals who cleared the bar are now competing hard for the displaced users, and that competition is good news for your wallet.
A quick but important note: MiCA protection applies to the specific licensed legal entity, not the brand. Bybit Global, for example, is restricting EEA access, while its Austrian-licensed entity Bybit EU remains fully authorised. Always confirm which entity holds your account.
Here's how the six major licensed players stack up right now.
The Austrian veteran is running arguably the most generous package. Move your crypto over using code CRYPTOTICKER and you unlock three rewards at once: 5% cashback in EURCV on your transfer, a €25 welcome bonus in $BTC after your first €100 purchase, and one entry into a 3 $BTC giveaway for every euro of qualifying crypto you transfer. Bitpanda holds BaFin regulation in Germany alongside its Austrian licence, making it one of the most solidly regulated options on this list. The catch: it's strictly limited and first come, first served, running only until July 12.
→ Get started with Bitpanda here
OKX Europe holds MiCA, MiFID and Payment Institution licences via Malta. Opt in through the OKX app and deposit as little as €10 to earn up to 8% on your net deposit, capped at €20,000 in USDC and paid out over 52 weeks. New users get an extra welcome bonus of up to €400, plus a free 30-day VIP upgrade unlocking reduced fees and up to 10% card cashback. The offer runs until July 31. Note: OKX has delisted $USDT for EU users, as Tether doesn't meet MiCA's stablecoin rules — $USDC and USDG are the supported alternatives.
→ Get started with OKX here
Coinbase is keeping it simple: 5% back in $BTC on up to €1,000,000 in crypto transferred to the platform before July 14. You'll need an active Coinbase One subscription to qualify, and only genuine crypto transfers from another exchange or wallet count — fiat deposits, crypto purchases, wire transfers and crypto-to-crypto conversions are excluded.
→ Get started with Coinbase here
New EEA users who register, verify and make a net crypto deposit of at least $10 earn a tiered bonus paid in $CRO — scaling up to 10% on larger deposits, distributed in 12 equal monthly instalments. The campaign runs until July 22 and is capped, so it may close early.
→ Get started with Crypto.com here
Not to be confused with the restricted Bybit Global, Bybit EU operates under an Austrian MiCA licence. New accounts can claim up to €100 in welcome rewards, including €50 in $BTC after a €100 deposit, plus up to €120 in Bybit Card bonuses and first-month subscription cashback. Larger deposits unlock up to 3% annual $USDC cashback and VIP perks. It runs until July 31.4.
→ Get started with ByBit here
Don't take a banner's word for it. Check ESMA's public CASP register, which is updated weekly — if a platform isn't listed, it can't legally serve EU residents after July 1. A properly licensed exchange will also display its CASP authorisation and issuing regulator, usually in the website footer or on a dedicated regulatory page. If an exchange only references an old national registration rather than a MiCA CASP licence, it isn't authorised.
If your exchange lost its EU access, your crypto generally remains withdrawable — but services like trading, deposits and staking may be restricted, so acting sooner rather than later avoids disruption. The practical move is to pick a MiCA-licensed platform, verify your account, and transfer your assets across. Given that every one of these exchanges is currently paying you to do exactly that, there's rarely been a better moment to make the switch. Just read each campaign's terms carefully — most require your funds to stay put for a set period, and several are capped or first-come-first-served.
The bottom line: the MiCA deadline forced the shake-up, but the promo war means EU users hold the leverage right now. Compare the offers, confirm the licensing, and let the exchanges compete for your deposit.
The MiCA enforcement deadline has finally landed, pushing the world's biggest exchange out of the EU. A 140-company alliance just detonated a bomb under the leading regulated stablecoin issuer. And Bitcoin is grinding near its lowest levels in over a year as institutional demand stays soft. Here's what's actually moving the market today.
Sentiment is firmly risk-off. The global crypto market cap sits around $2.11 trillion, down roughly 1.8% over 24 hours, with total trading volume near $76.9 billion. $BTC is trading around $58,500, off about 2.2% on the day, while $ETH is near $1,573, down roughly 1.4%.

The mood gauge tells the story. The Fear & Greed Index has dropped to 11 — deeper into "extreme fear" — down from 15 a day earlier, as total market cap slipped from $2.16T to $2.11T. The backdrop is a persistent bear phase: ETF outflows, worries over a delayed CLARITY Act, and money rotating out of crypto and into AI stocks have all extended the downturn that dragged $BTC to its lowest levels since 2024 last week. Not everything is red, though — Polkadot and the XRP Ledger ecosystem were among the day's biggest gainers, and Stellar's $XLM climbed close to 12%.
Today is the day MiCA gets real. As of 1 July 2026, any crypto firm serving EU residents must hold a MiCA licence — and Binance doesn't. It withdrew its Greek licence application on 24 June, leaving it without authorisation in any EU country, and from today it halts new sign-ups, spot trading, deposits and Earn products for EU users, though withdrawals stay open.
The scale of the regulatory cull is the real headline. Of more than 3,000 firms that were operating across Europe, only around 210 have secured full CASP authorisation — a pass rate near 7%. Rivals like Coinbase, Kraken and OKX cleared the bar; the world's largest exchange did not. For traders, that means hundreds of thousands of users across Spain, France, Italy and Poland are now weighing where to move their funds — a live migration that favours already-licensed venues.
This is arguably the biggest structural story of the week. Circle ($CRCL) shares fell about 16.5% on 30 June after a consortium of more than 140 companies unveiled Open USD (OUSD), a stablecoin built to compete head-on with USDC. The stock traded as low as $63.10 after opening near $72.46, one of its sharpest single-day drops since listing, and is now down more than 40% over the past month.

What makes OUSD dangerous to incumbents is its economics. Launch partners include Stripe, Coinbase, Mastercard, Visa and BlackRock, and the new stablecoin lets partners keep the reserve earnings — striking directly at one of the core economics of today's issuers. Where issuers like Circle earn revenue by investing reserves in short-term Treasuries and keeping most of the interest, OUSD instead distributes that yield to participating businesses, with free, uncapped minting and shared governance. The Coinbase angle stings most: Circle paid Coinbase roughly $908 million in a single recent year in USDC distribution fees — and that partner is now backing a rival. OUSD is expected to go live later this year, initially on chains including Base and Solana.
Several fronts are heating up at once. Jefferies has warned of crypto market volatility as the CLARITY Act faces a key Senate test, noting passage would boost institutional adoption while delays would prolong regulatory uncertainty. Meanwhile, the stablecoin rulebook is diverging across borders: the UK's Financial Conduct Authority has proposed lowering stablecoin capital buffers, undercutting the EU's stricter MiCA requirements. And in Asia, Taiwan has passed a sweeping crypto law introducing licensing, reserve mandates and tough penalties, now awaiting final presidential approval.
Binance is shutting the door on EU customers. From 1 July 2026, the world's largest crypto exchange can no longer offer services to residents of the bloc, after failing to secure a licence under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) before the transition period closed. If your funds are sitting on Binance, you don't need to panic — but you do need a plan. This guide explains what happened and walks you through moving your crypto to a regulated platform, step by step.
MiCA is the EU's single rulebook for crypto. To legally serve customers anywhere in the bloc, an exchange must hold a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) licence from one member state — that licence then "passports" across all 27 EU countries and the wider European Economic Area. The transition period that let legacy operators keep working while awaiting authorisation closed on 1 July 2026, the hard enforcement date.
Binance bet on Greece as its entry point. On 24 June 2026, it formally withdrew the application it had filed with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission, citing prolonged review timelines and the absence of any formal decision — just days before the deadline. The exchange says it remains confident it will secure an EU licence in the coming months and intends to approach France next. But any approval will land after 1 July, leaving a gap where Binance is locked out.
The scale of the cull is striking. Of more than 3,000 crypto firms operating across Europe, only around 210 received full MiCA authorisation by the deadline — a clearance rate of roughly 7%. Rivals including Coinbase, Kraken, OKX and Crypto.com cleared the bar; the largest exchange in the world did not.
Yes. This is a suspension and orderly wind-down, not a shutdown or a seizure. From 1 July, Binance halts new spot orders, deposits, sign-ups and Earn, staking and launchpool products for EU residents — but funds remain accessible and withdrawals stay active. The Convert feature stays usable for selling only, so you can wind down positions in an orderly way.
Think of it as closing the register while leaving the warehouse open so you can collect your goods. That said, staying on an unlicensed platform means giving up the consumer protections MiCA was built to guarantee. ESMA has called on unlicensed firms to halt new registrations, restrict activity to asset transfers and account closures, and give customers clear timelines. The sensible move is to migrate to a licensed platform or a self-custody wallet.
Bitpanda is a European-headquartered exchange that is already fully regulated, holding licences with Germany's BaFin, Austria's FMA and Malta's MFSA. It secured MiCA authorisation through Austria, meaning it can legally serve users right across the EU, with a strong focus on capital security and consumer protection. For anyone leaving an unregulated venue, that is exactly the kind of safe harbour the new rules were designed to reward.
One key tip before you move: under MiCA, USDT (Tether) cannot be traded on regulated EU platforms. If you hold USDT on Binance, convert it to a MiCA-compliant asset such as USDC, or to EUR, before transferring — so your funds arrive ready to use.

Sign up here, complete identity verification (KYC) and enable two-factor authentication (2FA). Have your ID ready — verification usually takes only a few minutes.
Convert any USDT to USDC or EUR and consolidate small balances. This avoids assets being unusable on a MiCA-regulated platform and keeps network fees lower.
Choose the asset you want to receive (e.g. $BTC, $ETH or a stablecoin), select Deposit, and copy the wallet address. Make sure you pick the same network you'll use on Binance (e.g. Bitcoin, Ethereum/ERC-20).
On Binance, go to Wallet → Spot → Withdraw. Select the asset and the matching network, paste your Bitpanda address, and double-check it character by character. For transfers above €1,000 you may be asked for Travel Rule details — your own name must match your KYC on both platforms.
Withdraw a small test amount before moving everything. Wait for it to arrive (usually 2–15 minutes depending on the network), confirm it landed correctly, then send the rest.
Once the full balance appears in Bitpanda, you're fully migrated to a regulated EU platform — consumer protections intact and your crypto ready to trade.
The main thing to watch is the USDT conversion — don't transfer Tether and expect to use it on a regulated platform. Beyond that, the usual rules apply: always send a test transaction, match networks exactly, and verify addresses character by character. The market context also matters: with millions of users facing restricted access, capital is expected to shift fast toward compliant platforms, so acting sooner rather than later avoids any last-minute congestion.
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The crypto market is bleeding again, but the biggest story may not be the Bitcoin crash itself.
Bitcoin has slipped below the $59,000 level, Ethereum is trading near $1,560, and most major altcoins are flashing red. Dogecoin, TRON, XRP, BNB and Litecoin are all under pressure, while only a few names such as Zcash, Stellar and Hyperliquid are showing relative strength.
At first glance, this looks like another risk-off day for crypto. But behind the sell-off, a much bigger shift is taking place: some of the world’s largest financial and payment companies are moving deeper into stablecoins.
A new initiative called Open Standard has launched a global dollar-backed stablecoin named Open USD, with major names including Visa, Mastercard and Coinbase involved. Reports also point to backing or participation from companies such as BlackRock, Google and Stripe, making this one of the most important stablecoin stories of the year.
The result is a strange but important contradiction: crypto prices are falling, but crypto infrastructure is becoming more institutional than ever.
Open USD is a new U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin designed to make digital dollar payments cheaper, easier and more scalable for businesses.
According to Reuters, the project is being launched by a consortium of more than 140 participating businesses under the Open Standard initiative. The stablecoin is designed to be freely minted and redeemed by businesses, with no volume restrictions. The model also includes shared reserve earnings for participating consortium members after a management fee.
That detail is important.
Stablecoins are already one of the most useful parts of crypto. They allow users and businesses to move dollars onchain without relying on traditional banking rails for every transfer. But the market is still dominated by a small number of players, mainly Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC.
Open USD appears to be targeting that dominance by offering a more open, business-friendly model. Instead of just creating another dollar token, the project seems designed as a shared infrastructure layer for companies that want access to stablecoin payments without building everything from scratch.
For years, stablecoins were seen as a crypto-native product. Traders used USDT and USDC to move between exchanges, avoid volatility and park liquidity during market swings.
Now, the biggest payment networks in the world are no longer watching from the sidelines.
Visa and Mastercard entering deeper into stablecoin infrastructure suggests that the payment industry sees digital dollars as a long-term part of global settlement. This does not mean stablecoins will replace credit cards tomorrow. But it does mean the biggest players in payments are preparing for a world where money moves faster, cheaper and across borders with fewer intermediaries.
Mastercard has already been expanding settlement capabilities to include stablecoins, intraday transfers, weekend settlement and holiday settlement options. That shows the company is not treating stablecoins as a temporary trend, but as part of the next payment infrastructure cycle.
This is why the Open USD launch matters more than a normal token launch. It is not a meme coin. It is not another speculative altcoin. It is a sign that traditional finance and crypto payment rails are moving closer together.
The real question is whether Open USD can compete with USDT and USDC.
USDT remains the largest stablecoin in crypto and is deeply integrated across global exchanges. USDC, meanwhile, has stronger regulatory and institutional positioning, especially in the United States. Together, they dominate the digital dollar market.
But Open USD has one major advantage: distribution.
If Visa, Mastercard, Coinbase, Stripe, BlackRock and other major companies support the same stablecoin infrastructure, Open USD could gain faster access to businesses, wallets, exchanges, payment platforms and fintech apps.
That does not guarantee success. Stablecoins need trust, liquidity, regulatory clarity and deep integrations. Traders and businesses do not switch stablecoins just because a new one launches. They switch when the new option is cheaper, safer, faster or more useful.
Still, the launch could pressure both USDT and USDC. If Open USD succeeds, the stablecoin market could become less about crypto exchanges alone and more about payments, business settlement and mainstream financial infrastructure.
The timing is what makes this story powerful.
Bitcoin is showing weakness below $59,000, and technical sentiment across the market looks fragile. Many major coins are trading with “sell” or “strong sell” signals, while altcoins remain under pressure.
Normally, a Bitcoin crash dominates the crypto news cycle. But this time, the market is split between short-term price fear and long-term infrastructure adoption.
That is the key point: prices can crash while adoption continues.
In previous cycles, crypto infrastructure often slowed down during bear markets. This time, payment giants, banks and asset managers are still building. JPMorgan has also been talking about digital assets moving closer to the core of the financial system, especially through tokenization and programmable money.
This creates a very different market narrative.
Retail traders may be asking whether Bitcoin is heading to $55,000 or lower. Institutions, meanwhile, appear to be asking how stablecoins, tokenized assets and digital settlement systems can become part of the financial system.
Open USD is not automatically bullish for Bitcoin in the short term.
A new stablecoin does not mean BTC will reverse today. It also does not mean Ethereum, Solana, XRP or BNB will immediately recover. The market is still dealing with weak momentum, low confidence and heavy selling pressure.
But from a structural perspective, this is bullish for the crypto industry.
Stablecoins are one of the clearest real-world use cases in crypto. They are used for payments, trading, settlements, remittances, cross-border transfers and onchain liquidity. If major global companies are now competing to build stablecoin infrastructure, that supports the argument that crypto is not disappearing — it is becoming more embedded in traditional finance.
The market may be crashing, but the infrastructure layer is expanding.
That is why this story matters.
For years, Bitcoin was the face of crypto. Then came Ethereum, DeFi, NFTs, meme coins and ETFs. But stablecoins may now be the sector’s most important bridge to the real world.
They do not need users to believe in price appreciation. They do not need people to speculate. They simply need to be useful.
Businesses want faster settlement. Payment companies want cheaper rails. Fintech apps want global dollar access. Crypto exchanges need deep liquidity. Institutions want tokenized cash equivalents that can move across blockchain networks.
Stablecoins sit at the centre of all of that.
That is why Open USD could become one of the most important launches of the year. Not because it will pump like a meme coin, but because it shows that the stablecoin race is entering a new phase.
The crypto market looks weak today. Bitcoin is below $59,000, Ethereum is struggling, and most large-cap altcoins are trading in the red.
But the launch of Open USD tells a different story.
While traders focus on the crash, Visa, Mastercard, Coinbase, BlackRock and other major players are moving deeper into stablecoins. That means the next crypto battle may not only be about Bitcoin price predictions or altcoin pumps. It may be about who controls the future of digital dollars.
If Open USD gains adoption, the stablecoin war could become one of the biggest crypto narratives of the year.
For now, Bitcoin may be falling. But the financial giants are still building.
Experts warn quantum computers could someday forge Bitcoin’s digital signatures, allowing unauthorized transactions.
Israeli prosecutors charged a 21-year-old American man with spying for Iran while studying at a seminary in Jerusalem.
A Labour MP says the Reform leader pressed the Bank of England on policy that could enrich his biggest donor, a major Tether investor.
Thursday's inflows ended a run that drained $2.7 billion, but analysts warn one green day isn't necessarily a trend reversal.
Sam Altman is pitching a 5% equity stake in OpenAI for the U.S. government—and reportedly wants every major AI company to do the same.
Shiba Inu is seeing increasing demand as the latest exchange activity shows that over 1.3 billion SHIB are in demand as they have been offloaded from exchanges.
Michael Saylor steps in to define who truly controls Bitcoin as controversial spam filters and Satoshi wallet freeze proposals split developers and miners.
Dogecoin set for its short term golden cross in July as optimism returns to crypto market.
Ripple co-founder and Democratic megadonor Chris Larsen has joined a roster of elite angel investors backing a new financial startup founded by Theo Gillibrand.
XRP ETFs add $6.55 million before Independence Day, while Adam Back calls BIP-110 dead, SHIB falls to 32nd and Bitcoin defends its $59,000-$62,000 accumulation zone.
Shares of Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG) moved higher as its utility subsidiary PSE&G mobilized resources ahead of extreme heat and potential weekend storms. PEG advanced 1.68% to close at $81.62 during the trading session. The uptick followed the utility’s announcement regarding outage preparedness and anticipated surges in power consumption.
Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated, PEG
PSE&G announced enhanced staffing levels throughout its service area as the holiday weekend approached. The company strategically deployed crews and stockpiled repair materials for rapid response capabilities. The operational strategy prioritized both heat-related strain and potential storm-induced infrastructure damage.
The National Weather Service maintained an Extreme Heat Warning through Saturday evening while simultaneously issuing storm alerts for Friday through Sunday. High winds accompanying thunderstorms posed significant risks to trees and electrical infrastructure across the region.
PSE&G indicated that repair teams would evaluate damage systematically and prioritize restoration efforts. The utility’s strategy focuses on repairing infrastructure that restores electricity to the greatest number of customers initially. Concurrently, customer service operations prepared for increased call volumes.
Public Service Enterprise Group equity appreciated as investors responded favorably to the utility’s proactive weather response strategy. The stock movement signaled market confidence in the company’s operational preparedness during peak summer electricity demand periods. Nevertheless, shares retreated modestly in after-hours trading.
PSE&G functions as the state’s premier electric and gas distribution utility serving New Jersey. Public Service Enterprise Group, its parent entity, maintains close ties to grid dependability and energy consumption patterns. Consequently, severe weather developments frequently influence operational performance metrics.
The company has committed substantial capital to electric infrastructure enhancements over recent months. These investments target improved reliability during extreme weather events including storms and prolonged heat episodes. Additionally, the utility maintains that system modernization enables faster crew response following service interruptions.
PSE&G encouraged customers to fully charge mobile phones, essential medical equipment and backup power sources before storm systems arrive. The utility recommended securing patio furniture and loose objects outdoors. Furthermore, it suggested keeping flashlights and fresh batteries readily accessible.
The utility emphasized that all downed electrical wires must be presumed energized. Residents should maintain a minimum distance of 30 feet from any fallen conductor. They should immediately report hazardous conditions to PSE&G while contacting emergency services when imminent danger exists.
PSE&G cautioned against operating gasoline-powered generators indoors, within garages or any confined areas. The company stressed that incorrect generator operation creates serious carbon monoxide poisoning risks. Customers relying on electrically-powered medical devices should enroll in PSE&G’s registry and maintain alternative contingency arrangements.
Prolonged extreme heat forces air conditioning systems to operate continuously, substantially increasing electrical draw. PSE&G recommended that customers adjust thermostats to higher settings during absences from residences. The utility also suggested utilizing ceiling fans, closing window coverings, and maintaining clean HVAC filters.
The company directed customers toward available energy conservation programs and consumption monitoring resources. The MyMeter platform enables customers to monitor electricity usage via online accounts or smartphone applications. Accordingly, households can modify consumption patterns before receiving elevated utility statements.
The impending weekend storm threat compounds challenges for an already taxed electrical grid infrastructure. However, PSE&G affirmed that personnel and equipment remain positioned for forecasted conditions. The announcement maintained emphasis on service reliability, public safety, and seasonal power demand management.
The post Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG) Stock Gains Ahead of Severe Weather Response appeared first on Blockonomi.
Tesla activates robotaxi operations in Miami following delays past initial timeline.
TSLA shares gain momentum in after-hours trading following Miami announcement.
Miami marks the first of several postponed 2026 robotaxi cities to go live.
Waymo’s existing Miami presence intensifies competitive dynamics for Tesla.
Cybercab development continues as cornerstone of Tesla’s autonomous strategy beyond Model Y.
Tesla (TSLA) activated its autonomous ride-hailing service in Miami on Friday, refocusing attention on the company’s postponed geographic expansion strategy. This deployment extends Tesla’s robotaxi footprint into Florida following setbacks in meeting previously announced schedules. TSLA shares finished Friday’s session at $393.45, down 7.49%, before climbing modestly to $394.40 in extended trading.
Tesla, Inc., TSLA
Tesla confirmed the Miami service activation via its dedicated robotaxi social media channel, releasing details of the operational boundaries. The designated coverage zone encompasses sections of western Miami-Dade County, including West Miami, Doral, and Coral Gables. Notably absent from initial coverage are downtown Miami and Miami Beach.
This Florida entry represents Tesla’s inaugural robotaxi deployment beyond Texas and California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Miami also becomes the first among five cities that missed the company’s original first-half 2026 launch window. While the activation demonstrates forward momentum, it simultaneously highlights execution challenges.
Tesla’s announced first-half 2026 expansion list included Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Only Dallas and Houston met that timeframe, leaving the remaining cities behind schedule. Miami’s activation now breaks through that logjam as the first delayed location to commence operations.
Tesla initiated its autonomous ride service in Austin on June 22, 2025, deploying modified Model Y vehicles for passenger transport. Operations subsequently grew throughout Austin before extending into Dallas and Houston. The company has progressively removed safety personnel from certain trips as confidence in system performance increased.
California operations follow a distinct model because state regulations mandate specific permits for fully autonomous commercial rides. Tesla has not pursued these authorizations, resulting in Bay Area service that relies on human operators. Florida thus offers Tesla a more direct pathway for driverless commercial expansion.
Waymo’s established paid autonomous service in Miami amplifies competitive pressure on Tesla’s deployment speed. Tesla conducted Model Y testing in Miami starting August 2025. However, fare-paying passenger service only materialized after the company’s self-imposed first-half deadline had passed.
Tesla’s strategic robotaxi vision centers on Cybercab, a vehicle engineered specifically for autonomous operation. The design eliminates traditional steering wheels and pedals, making full autonomy a functional requirement rather than an option. Tesla currently operates its commercial robotaxi network exclusively with adapted Model Y vehicles.
Production began at Giga Texas in February when the first Cybercab exited the assembly line. Tesla has initiated public road validation in Austin using production-spec Cybercabs. Nevertheless, no jurisdiction has yet authorized the vehicle for commercial driverless passenger transport.
The Miami activation provides Tesla with momentum following notable TSLA stock weakness. However, substantial challenges remain including fleet expansion, geographic penetration, and regulatory clearances. Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, and Las Vegas now represent critical milestones for validating the broader 2026 expansion blueprint.
The post Tesla (TSLA) Stock Gains Ground Following Miami Robotaxi Service Launch appeared first on Blockonomi.
Sandisk shares fell 14.13% even as manufacturing milestone was achieved.
Kioxia partnership launches 10th-generation 3D Flash at Japanese production site.
K2 manufacturing facility increases cutting-edge NAND production for AI applications.
Partnership extension through 2034 provides sustained NAND development framework.
After-hours recovery modest following significant intraday selling pressure.
Sandisk Corporation (SNDK) experienced a steep 14.13% decline, closing at 1,745.00, even as the company achieved significant progress with its Kioxia NAND manufacturing collaboration. After-hours trading saw a modest recovery to 1,762.07, representing a 0.98% gain. Nevertheless, the trading session revealed substantial downward pressure that overshadowed positive manufacturing developments.
Sandisk Corporation, SNDK
Kioxia Corporation and Sandisk have initiated manufacturing operations for their 10th-generation 3D Flash memory technology at the Fab2 location in Japan. This manufacturing site operates within the Kitakami Plant complex located in Iwate Prefecture. The production achievement represents a significant expansion in their capacity to deliver advanced NAND solutions for data-intensive use cases.
The K2 manufacturing complex began operations in September 2025, initially focusing on eighth-generation 3D flash memory products. The partners are now implementing their latest 10th-generation technology at the same location. This strategic move aligns with their objective of achieving sustained bit volume expansion over time.
Both technology generations incorporate CBA architecture, which creates direct bonds between CMOS logic and memory arrays. This innovative design delivers enhanced storage density, superior operational speed, and reduced energy consumption. Consequently, these products address the growing requirements of artificial intelligence and data storage sectors.
The Fab2 production site incorporates seismic isolation technology, ensuring consistent manufacturing operations in earthquake-prone regions of Japan. The facility also deploys energy-efficient production systems throughout critical manufacturing stages. As such, the location aligns with the partners’ commitment to sustainable chip fabrication.
Kioxia and Sandisk have integrated artificial intelligence systems throughout the facility to optimize production workflows. The facility architecture maximizes clean-room capacity for manufacturing equipment installation. This strategic layout enables the partners to increase production volume while utilizing available infrastructure efficiently.
The collaboration partners recently renewed their joint venture agreement, extending it through December 2034. This extension reinforces a strategic alliance that has driven NAND innovation for over a quarter century. The agreement provides both organizations with an extended timeframe for coordinated capital deployment.
Sandisk and Kioxia have constructed their NAND collaboration through synchronized technology development and pooled manufacturing investments. This strategic partnership continues to serve as the foundation for their capacity to manufacture sophisticated flash memory at commercial scale. The alliance also ensures consistent supply availability for clients across multiple technology sectors.
This production launch arrives as artificial intelligence infrastructure drives increased requirements for high-performance storage solutions. Flash memory technology enables rapid data retrieval, expanded storage volumes, and reduced energy demands. State-of-the-art NAND products remain critical for cloud infrastructure, consumer devices, and enterprise computing environments.
Despite these developments, Sandisk shares experienced significant downward movement throughout the trading day. The price action indicated that the manufacturing achievement failed to counterbalance wider market pressures. Nonetheless, the K2 facility expansion positions Sandisk and Kioxia with enhanced manufacturing capabilities for upcoming NAND production cycles.
The post Sandisk Corporation (SNDK) Stock Falls 14% Despite Major NAND Manufacturing Breakthrough appeared first on Blockonomi.
Europe’s securities watchdog has expanded its MiCA-compliant crypto registry with 37 additional firms following the conclusion of the transition window. This expansion brings the total number of authorized providers to 280. The development marks a pivotal shift from regulatory development to active market oversight.
ESMA released its initial registry revision following the conclusion of MiCA’s transitional window on Wednesday. The Friday announcement included companies that successfully obtained crypto-asset service provider authorization. Consequently, the registry now offers enhanced transparency regarding licensed European Union operators.
ESMA’s previous registry update, issued on June 26, documented 243 crypto-asset service providers. The current revision increased this figure to 280. This expansion means 37 additional companies have entered the European Union’s structured crypto regulatory framework.
Notable additions to the registry include Standard Chartered, FalconX, Sygnum Europe, and Ronin EM. Furthermore, the electronic money token section welcomed Crédit Agricole’s CACEIS division. Notably, ESMA did not document any new asset-referenced token issuers during this update cycle.
Standard Chartered emerged as one of the most prominent additions in ESMA’s recent registry expansion. Luxembourg’s financial authorities granted the banking institution MiCA authorization on June 25. This approval establishes a compliant pathway for the bank’s cryptocurrency operations throughout Europe.
The financial institution simultaneously obtained an Electronic Money Institution license from Luxembourg authorities. This credential enables electronic money issuance and payment processing services. Combined, these authorizations facilitate custody operations, token-related services, and payment-integrated digital asset activities.
Standard Chartered indicated these licenses align with its broader European digital asset strategy. The institution has previously expanded digital asset custody capabilities across Asian and Middle Eastern markets. MiCA provides a unified regulatory structure for comprehensive EU market participation.
Cyprus emerged as the frontrunner in the latest ESMA registry expansion, contributing six newly authorized crypto-asset service providers. France, Italy, and Malta each contributed five companies. The Czech Republic and Spain registered four providers respectively.
Luxembourg contributed three new registrations, while the Netherlands added two companies. Germany, Liechtenstein, and Latvia each registered one licensed provider. This geographic distribution demonstrates how individual national authorities contribute approvals to the centralized ESMA registry.
Cyprus has now issued 21 MiCA authorizations through its securities regulatory body. Germany maintains the overall leadership position with 58 authorizations under BaFin supervision. Nevertheless, smaller jurisdictions remain competitive by offering streamlined and transparent licensing procedures.
The most recent ESMA registry update reveals inconsistent advancement across MiCA’s different categories. The asset-referenced token registry remains without any approved issuers. The non-compliant entities roster stayed static at 162 companies.
This disparity indicates that service provider licensing is advancing more rapidly than certain token issuance approvals. Exchanges, brokers, custodial services, and financial institutions now have established pathways. However, token issuers continue facing more stringent requirements and extended approval processes.
The registry now functions beyond a simple compliance database. It influences market access decisions, counterparty verification processes, and institutional risk assessment procedures. ESMA has transformed MiCA into an operational gateway for European Union crypto market participation.
The post ESMA Expands Crypto Register by 37 Firms Following MiCA Transition Period appeared first on Blockonomi.
Stake.com and Bet365 represent two sides of online betting that rarely overlap. Stake.com has built a strong following in the crypto space, while Bet365 sits at the top of the long-established fiat-based market. Each operates with a different audience, a different banking approach, and a different regulatory profile. Around both of them, though, a new wave of crypto-first operators is starting to make a real mark. ZunaBet — live since 2026 — is one of the names raising its profile in that emerging group.
What follows looks at how Stake.com and Bet365 hold up today, and where ZunaBet’s setup is starting to attract notice.
Stake.com launched in 2017 and quickly became one of the most familiar names in crypto gambling. Built around crypto from day one, the platform supports a wide range of currencies and pairs its casino with a full sportsbook. Sponsorships across UFC and football have brought it mainstream visibility, though it doesn’t operate inside the regulated US market.
Bet365 has been running since 2000, growing from a UK base into one of the largest privately owned betting companies in the world. Sportsbook, casino, poker, and bingo all sit under one account. Banking runs through cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets, with active licensing in every region the operator serves.
Both brands lead in their own areas. Stake.com is at the front of the crypto side; Bet365 leads on the fiat side. Both also carry their own constraints. Bet365 is tied to fiat payments and region-by-region rules. Stake.com is restricted in certain markets and now faces growing competition from newer crypto-first operators.
ZunaBet launched in 2026 under Strathvale Group Ltd with an Anjouan gaming license. The clearest separator from the older brands is the design starting point. Crypto sits at the foundation of ZunaBet rather than being added later, and the platform is positioning itself as a fresh take on the crypto-first model with appeal across player types.

The casino library covers more than 11,000 titles from over 60 providers, including Pragmatic Play, Hacksaw Gaming, Yggdrasil, BGaming, and Evolution. That places it among the larger crypto-focused libraries on the market today, and well beyond what Bet365 stocks in most of its licensed regions. Slots, table games, and live dealer streams all run from one account.

The sportsbook completes the platform. Football, basketball, tennis, NHL, and other major sports cover the standard ground, while CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant sit on the esports side. Virtual sports and combat sports fill out the menu. ZunaBet’s hybrid structure lines up with both Stake.com and Bet365.
The biggest gap between these brands shows up in payments. Bet365 operates mainly on fiat, which brings processing windows, possible holds, and withdrawal speeds shaped by which method the player picked. That works for players who value the familiarity of regulated, banking-based platforms — but speed isn’t its strong suit.
Stake.com and ZunaBet both run on crypto. ZunaBet supports more than 20 currencies, with Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT on multiple chains, Solana, Dogecoin, Cardano, and XRP all in the lineup. No platform fees apply, and withdrawals settle quickly. For players already comfortable with crypto, the workflow removes the friction tied to bank-driven payments.

Geographic reach is the other factor. Crypto-first operators aren’t bound by the region-by-region licensing model fiat brands operate within. ZunaBet’s full platform is accessible in regions Bet365 can’t legally serve. For players already moving in digital, crypto-friendly contexts, that aligns with what they expect from a modern platform.
Bet365 builds welcome offers around region-specific deposit matches or new-player bonuses, with wagering rules that often need close reading. Stake.com runs promotions too, but its welcome offer is lighter than what some crypto-first competitors push — more of the weight sits in reload bonuses and rakeback for active play.

ZunaBet’s welcome package totals up to $5,000 plus 75 free spins across three deposits. The first matches 100% up to $2,000 plus 25 spins. The second adds 50% up to $1,500 plus 25 spins. The third closes with 100% up to $1,500 plus 25 more spins. Marketed as a 250% bonus across three deposits, the structure gives new players more depth and time to explore the platform than a single-deposit format does.
Bet365 keeps loyalty quiet, with personalised offers reaching player accounts based on activity rather than a structured tier system. Stake.com runs a strong VIP program built around rakeback, reloads, and milestone bonuses — a setup that’s helped it retain long-term players. Both work, but Bet365 follows the conventional loyalty card layout while Stake.com leans heavily on rakeback as the main hook.
ZunaBet takes a different approach by combining rakeback with gamified progression. The program runs on a dragon evolution theme, with a mascot named Zuno guiding players through six tiers. Squire opens at 1% rakeback, then Warden at 2%, Champion at 4%, Divine at 5%, Knight at 10%, and Ultimate at the top with 20% rakeback.

Tier movement unlocks more than rakeback. Free spins scale with tier — reaching 1,000 spins at the highest level — alongside VIP club access and double wheel spins through the climb. The format reads more like in-game progression than chasing flat rakeback or accumulating points. For players drawn to that kind of mechanic, the system shifts how regular play feels relative to either a standard VIP program or a plain rakeback model.
Bet365 remains a solid choice for players who value the security of a long-running, well-regulated brand. Stake.com continues to hold its place as a leading name in crypto casinos. Both have earned their positions. But the expectations players bring to these platforms keep climbing. Quick payments, deep libraries, and engaging loyalty mechanics are turning into starting features rather than premium upgrades.
ZunaBet was designed around those starting features from day one. The crypto-first core delivers fast settlement and minimal fees. The library reaches beyond what most established brands carry. The sportsbook covers traditional sports and esports together. The dragon loyalty program brings direction and progression to regular play.
For players who want speed, variety, and a more current feel, ZunaBet ranks among the more compelling platforms in the market right now. The brand is still in its early growth phase, but the direction is clear. A new generation of players treats crypto support, gamified rewards, and global access as defaults rather than features to ask for.
Stake.com and Bet365 built the online betting world that exists today. ZunaBet is one of the platforms working on what comes next — and the players paying attention now are catching that change early.
The post Stake.com, Bet365, and the Rise of ZunaBet’s Profile appeared first on Blockonomi.
Bitcoin is attempting to build a short-term recovery after weeks of sustained selling pressure. Although buyers have defended a key support zone, the broader trend remains fragile as price continues to trade beneath major technical resistance levels that must be cleared first to expect a genuine recovery.
The daily chart continues to reflect a bearish market structure, with BTC trading around $62.1K. The price remains well below both the 100-day and 200-day moving averages, which are now acting as dynamic resistance around the $71K to $75K region. As long as BTC remains beneath these averages, sellers are likely to maintain control.
Following the sharp breakdown below the 100-day moving average near $72K earlier this month, the market found demand within the $60K support zone. This area has once again prevented a deeper decline and is currently fueling a modest rebound. The RSI has also formed a bullish divergence, with higher lows while price recorded lower lows, indicating that bearish momentum is fading and a short-term recovery is possible.
However, the broader trend remains bearish. Even if buyers extend the current bounce, the first major obstacle lies between $72K and $75K, where previous support has turned into resistance alongside both moving averages. A successful recovery above this region would improve the medium-term outlook, while rejection could expose the $60k support once again. Losing that area would likely open the door toward the next major demand zone around $55K.

The 4-hour timeframe presents a more constructive picture. Bitcoin has been trading inside a broad falling wedge following the sharp June sell-off, a pattern that often precedes bullish reversals when confirmed by a breakout.
Price has recently rebounded from the wedge’s lower boundary and the $60K support zone. At the same time, the RSI has produced another bullish divergence, reinforcing the idea that selling pressure is gradually weakening.
The next important hurdle lies near the wedge’s descending upper trendline, which currently aligns with the $62K level. A breakout above this resistance could trigger a stronger recovery toward the $66K to $68K supply zone. Beyond that, the much larger resistance area between $72K and $74K remains the key barrier to any meaningful trend reversal.
Failure to break the wedge would keep the broader bearish structure intact and increase the probability of a drop below the $60K support.

The Long-Term Holder SOPR (Spent Output Profit Ratio) continues to trend below the critical 1.0 threshold, indicating that long-term holders are, on average, realizing losses when spending their coins. Historically, sustained readings below 1.0 reflect periods of market stress, where even experienced investors begin distributing coins at a loss rather than taking profits.
The 30-day EMA of the metric has continued to weaken and now sits below the neutral level, suggesting this behavior has become persistent rather than temporary. This points to subdued investor confidence and confirms that long-term holders have yet to return to meaningful profit-taking.
While this reflects ongoing bearish sentiment, prolonged periods of LTH SOPR below 1.0 have often coincided with the later stages of market corrections, as weaker conviction is gradually exhausted. A recovery of the metric back above 1.0 would signal that long-term holders are once again spending coins in profit, a shift that has historically aligned with improving market conditions and a healthier uptrend. Until then, the on-chain data suggests the broader market remains in a phase of capitulation and recovery rather than a confirmed bullish reversal.

The post Bitcoin Recovery Hinges on Breakout Above $72K Resistance (BTC Price Analysis) appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Tokenized stocks are gaining attention as one of the few areas still attracting capital, with financial services provider BIT arguing in a July 3 report on X that the sector is becoming a rare bright spot as traditional altcoin narratives continue to weaken.
The view reflects a wider change across crypto markets, where investors are paying closer attention to projects tied to real-world assets instead of speculative tokens that are facing heavy selling pressure.
According to the analyst behind the BIT report, the crypto market is going through a structural change after years of relying on meme coins and DeFi tokens as well as new narratives to attract capital.
More than $111 billion worth of token unlocks have entered the market in the last two years, averaging around $700 million every week, and per the report, that persistent supply overhang has suppressed retail participation and put pressure on prices.
This pressure worsened by the changing nature of crypto rallies, with the average uptrend in a coin in 2024 lasting about 61 days, while the same in 2025 dropped to just 19 days. And that’s not all. Institutional players with ETF flows and corporate reserves have largely channeled their capital into proven assets like Bitcoin (BTC), leaving the market’s long tail of speculative tokens high and dry.
Since spot Bitcoin ETFs launched, BTC has returned almost 260% for the average crypto hedge fund, with BIT arguing that the old altcoin playbook is no longer producing the same results. For context, the Altcoin Season Index is currently at around 54 out of 100, well short of the 75 that is usually considered the signal for a genuine altseason.
Against this backdrop, exchanges have been looking for new growth engines, with BIT’s independent analyst believing that tokenized stocks are creating a new area of demand. They highlighted Solana as the leading blockchain for tokenized equities, as it accounts for 95% of global trading volume in the category.
According to the post, projects like Jupiter and Jito are potential beneficiaries as they sit across different parts of the tokenized equity infrastructure. Others include Ondo, Hyperliquid, Backpack, and Pyth, with Ondo alone surpassing $1 billion in total value locked (TVL) in less than 8 months. Meanwhile, Hyperliquid’s perpetual stock products now account for more than 35% of trading activity on its platform.
Looking at recent industry announcements, you can see that crypto exchanges are piling in on tokenized equities. For instance, Coinbase said in June that it would launch tokenized trading for non-US customers, backed 1:1 by the underlying asset with full shareholder rights, including dividends, while Binance introduced bStocks on the BNB Chain. Other players, such as Kraken and Bybit, already list dozens of xStocks for spot trading.
Recall also that earlier this year, Jupiter and Ondo Finance announced plans to bring more than 200 tokenized US stocks and ETFs to Solana through Ondo Global Markets, and such developments support BIT’s take that tokenized equities are becoming one of the few sectors in crypto still building new products while much of the altcoin market is struggling with weak demand and persistent selling pressure.
The post Tokenized Stocks Emerge as Altcoin Lifeline Amid Crypto Market Reset appeared first on CryptoPotato.
The cryptocurrency market has shown signs of a revival over the past few days, yet Ripple’s XRP and Ethereum (ETH) still don’t seem to be out of the woods.
Pi Network unveiled three new features during the highly anticipated Pi2Day, but the project’s native token has failed to stage a decisive recovery and has even plummeted to a new all-time low.
Ripple’s cross-border token is down 11% for the past month and is currently trading at around $1.10 (per CoinGecko). Meanwhile, several factors suggest that the bears still haven’t had the final say.
As CryptoPotato reported, the spot XRP ETFs experienced two consecutive red days for the first time since March. This reflects waning institutional interest that could put further downward pressure on the price.
Additionally, XRP’s 30-day MVRV has dropped to -45%, while its 365-day MVRV stands at -47%, indicating that investors are seeing some of the weakest average returns in the asset’s history.
This development hints at extreme fear and frustration among holders, which, ironically, has historically marked the arrival of the cycle bottom. The popular analyst Ali Martinez has reignited bullish hopes, pointing out that XRP’s SuperTrend indicator has flashed a buy signal.
The second-largest cryptocurrency recently plummeted to as low as $1,500, yet in the last few days the bulls reclaimed some of the losses, and it currently trades at around $1,720.
The concerning thing around ETH is that it closed Q2 in the red, which marked the third consecutive quarter with losses: something unseen until now.
Analysts see the asset at a pivotal moment, with its short-term direction tied to a potential break above key thresholds. X user Ted claimed that ETH needs to reclaim the $1,700-$1,750 range for “any strong upside”; otherwise, it will drop towards yearly lows again. For his part, Sjuul | AltCryptoGems thinks the asset is in “deep trouble,” where the best long opportunities are presented.
PI’s community celebrated Pi2Day on June 28 and had been expecting major ecosystem developments to be delivered on that day. The Core Team did not stay silent, unveiling SoloHost, Pi Sign-in, and PiVerify – tools designed to expand the ecosystem beyond native apps and into AI, digital identity, and third-party services.
Instead of a price rebound for PI, though, the announcement triggered a classic “sell the news” effect, and the token’s price tumbled to a new all-time low of around $0.11.
As of press time, the coin trades just south of $0.12, representing a minor 1.5% increase for the day, reflecting the overall resurgence of the crypto market. Meanwhile, certain bullish elements, such as PI’s RSI drop to oversold territory and the less aggressive token unlocks, suggest that a more substantial pump might come next.
The post Worrying Ripple and Ethereum Signals, Recent Pi Network Updates: Bits Recap July 3 appeared first on CryptoPotato.
US President Donald Trump defended his family’s crypto earnings during a CNBC interview, saying there was “nothing illegal” and “nothing wrong” with the businesses generating billions of dollars while he serves in the White House.
He made the comments just days after new federal financial disclosures detailed the scale of his digital asset holdings and crypto-related income, renewing debate over whether a sitting president’s private business interests can coexist with public office.
In the July 2 interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen at the White House, Trump was asked about the massive windfall revealed in his annual financial disclosure.
The 927-page document released by the US Office of Government Ethics showed the president brought in more than $2.2 billion in 2025, with the bulk of it coming from crypto. This included $594 million from World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a DeFi venture he co-founded with his sons, and $636 million from sales of Trump-branded meme coins. He is also reported to be holding more than $50 million in Bitcoin in a cold wallet.
When he was asked whether he knew about the family’s crypto activities, the president replied, “No,” before quickly adding, “I could know about it. I didn’t, I mean, there’s nothing illegal, there’s nothing wrong with it. I could know.”
Trump then pointed out that his assets are managed through trusts overseen by his sons Eric and Donald Jr., as well as outside investment firms that he does not talk to. “I don’t even know who they are,” he said, adding that he doesn’t discuss investment decisions with his sons either, suggesting that almost any business dealing by his children could be construed as a conflict of interest given the expansive nature of presidential policy.
“I tell my kids: stay away from as much as you can stay away from. But they also have a life,” he told Kernen.
The US president also repeated a point he’s made on several other occasions, that crypto is a strategic industry that the United States cannot afford to lose to rivals.
“The way I look at crypto is if we’re not going to do it, China’s going to get it,” he said. “It’s a big deal, and anything we do, I want to be number one in, and we’re number one in crypto.”
The White House had also dismissed the conflict of interest allegations after the disclosure became public, saying Trump and his family have not engaged in conduct that conflicts with the public interest.
Despite the dismissal of conflict claims, longtime Bitcoin critic Peter Schiff was not convinced. In his latest podcast, which aired on June 3, the economist claimed that Trump’s earnings were closely tied to his presidency and were not just ordinary returns on investment.
According to him, the people buying Trump-branded tokens were paying for access and political influence instead of making conventional investments. A quick check on CoinGecko shows that Official Trump (TRUMP) and Melania Meme (MELANIA) are trading 97% and 99%, respectively, below their peaks, something that Schiff used to justify his influence-buying argument.
“It’s really a way to bribe the president,” he alleged. “You don’t have to give him money directly; just buy his token, because who else would buy the token? It’s a lousy investment.”
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XRP climbed roughly 5% over the past 24 hours, which helped the token reclaim the $1.10 level. Despite the short-term recovery, it remains down more than 50% compared with its value a year ago.
Fresh on-chain data suggests the prolonged decline has pushed key holder metrics to historically extreme levels.
According to Santiment, XRP holders are experiencing some of the weakest average returns in the asset’s history. Its 30-day MVRV has fallen to -45%, while its 365-day MVRV stands at -47%, which signals that both short-term and long-term holders are deeply underwater.
For the first time in XRP’s nearly 12-year history, both short- and long-term holders are facing record-low average returns, which demonstrates that fear and frustration have reached unusually high levels. Santiment said this does not rule out the possibility of further price declines if the broader crypto market remains under pressure.
However, from a risk-reward perspective, it believes buying or increasing exposure to XRP now carries less risk than usual because much of the downside has already been absorbed by existing holders, a condition that has historically coincided with stronger market setups.
Meanwhile, crypto analyst Ali Martinez said the SuperTrend indicator has flashed its first buy signal on XRP since mid-June. He explained that the previous buy signal was followed by a 14% rally, while the indicator also successfully identified the last two major declines of 19% and 16%.
XRP’s network activity has also picked up, according to his earlier analysis. Daily active addresses have increased from 23,000 on June 14 to nearly 40,000, indicating stronger on-chain participation.
On the institutional side of things, US-based spot XRP ETFs attracted more than $59 million in net inflows throughout June. After two consecutive days of outflows, the funds returned to positive territory on July 3, bringing in $6.55 million.
Data from SoSoValue revealed that Bitwise’s ETF accounted for the largest share of the day’s inflows.
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