Barcelona's pursuit of Kroupi highlights their strategic focus on young talent, potentially reshaping their transfer approach amid financial constraints.

The post Barcelona explores signing Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Fanatics acquires derivatives exchange from BGC Group to expand into prediction markets

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:16:08

Fanatics' acquisition positions it to dominate prediction markets, integrating sports, finance, and crypto under a unified regulatory framework.

The post Fanatics acquires derivatives exchange from BGC Group to expand into prediction markets appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Solana DEX volume sees 42% from memes as trading activity revives

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:15:12

The resurgence of meme trading on Solana DEXs highlights the volatile nature of speculative markets and their impact on trading dynamics.

The post Solana DEX volume sees 42% from memes as trading activity revives appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin ETFs Bled Nearly Half a Billion Dollars End of Last Week, Reversing Sentiment

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:24:09

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin ETFs Bled Nearly Half a Billion Dollars End of Last Week, Reversing Sentiment

Investors cashed out of American Bitcoin exchange-traded funds at the end of last week, ending a seven days winning streak.

Data from Farside Investors shows that over $475 million was redeemed from the investment products during trading hours on Thursday and Friday, with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust handling most of the trading action.

Risk appetite appeared to be back, too: over a seven-day period, from July 14-22, the funds managed by the likes of Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, and Grayscale, took in just under $1 billion in new investment: $999.3 million.

The flurry of fresh cash put upwards pressure on the price of Bitcoin. The leading cryptocurrency then dipped on the outflows but is now unmoved over a seven-day period. Bitcoin’s price recently stood at $64,544.

Year-to-date, Bitcoin is down over 26% and the cryptocurrency has shed nearly 50% of its value since it notched a new record of $126,080 in October.

The ETFs — approved after nearly a decade of denials by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2024 — have helped Bitcoin’s price surge as Wall Street investors now have an easy way to buy into the crypto space.

Despite investors cashing out of major crypto funds, the newest on the market, Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin Trust, experienced inflows of nearly $9 million Thursday and Friday.

The fund, which debuted in April, now has close to $400 million in assets under management — making it one of the most successful ETFs of 2026.

While analysts have called Bitcoin’s bottom, some have said that uncertainty around war in the Middle East and rising oil prices may hold back the cryptocurrency making a rebound.

European asset management firm CoinShares said earlier this month that while investors are back at putting fresh cash in Bitcoin ETFs, other factors may hold digital asset markets from going higher.

This post Bitcoin ETFs Bled Nearly Half a Billion Dollars End of Last Week, Reversing Sentiment first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

Russia’s Sberbank Sets December Deadline for Crypto Buildout: Report

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:39:39

Bitcoin Magazine

Russia’s Sberbank Sets December Deadline for Crypto Buildout: Report

Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, will build crypto infrastructure by December, according to a report by Russian news agency Interfax.

A key piece will be a digital depository that tracks clients’ crypto rights and records off-blockchain transactions, while also handling wallet transfers to execute client orders, Interfax reported Monday.

Sberbank this month revealed plans to debut a Bitcoin and crypto wallet plus digital asset custody by December.

The news comes as the State Duma mulls over a new law “On Digital Currencies and Digital Rights,” which sets up comprehensive Russian regulation of crypto. The proposed law covers retail purchases through licensed intermediaries, exchange trading, clearing, and digital depositories.

First Deputy Chairman Alexander Vedyakhin was quoted as saying in the article that regulators and the market still need to draft numerous implementing regulations covering depository accounting, bookkeeping, and licensing for new types of intermediaries.

He added that Sberbank is ready to keep sharing its expertise and participating actively in that process.

Russia’s crypto journey

Using crypto has been illegal in Russia as a form of payment since 2022 but lawmakers in the country have been open about using them for international settlements.

President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing cryptocurrency mining in the country last year, allowing legal entities to mine if they have been approved by the digital ministry. Foreign operations are currently banned from doing business in the country.

Back in 2023, the Russian legislature passed a bill legalizing the use of digital currency as a way to make international payments.

The bill likely has helped the country skirt international sanctions since the U.S. and European governments cut Russia off from the SWIFT payments system after it invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Top Russian banks are planning to launch crypto trading services when new regulations take hold in the country.

Lawmakers have said that investors will have to pass a test to start crypto investing and will be limited on the amount they can buy.

This post Russia’s Sberbank Sets December Deadline for Crypto Buildout: Report first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

Strategy Skips Bitcoin Again, Buys Back $25M of STRC Stock

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:36:24

Bitcoin Magazine

Strategy Skips Bitcoin Again, Buys Back $25M of STRC Stock

Bitcoin treasury Strategy on Monday announced that it had again skipped buying Bitcoin, instead buying back its own preferred stock, Stretch (STRC), for $25 million.

In a filing and post on X, the company said it sold 5,429,160 shares of MSTR common stock through its at-the-market program between July 20 and July 26, generating $544.5 million in net proceeds.

It was the first time the company did a buyback of its STRC product, one of the firm’s several products that gives investors exposure to Bitcoin via shares that pay a dividend.

The company still holds 843,775 Bitcoins on its balance sheet — worth over $55 billion at today’s price of $65,576 per coin.

The Bitcoin buying pause is the fifth in a row. Strategy has leaned on dollar accumulation over fresh Bitcoin buys across recent weeks, a shift from the aggressive purchases that defined much of its history. The firm now has $3.75 billion in cash that will not be used to fund repurchases, according to a filing.

Strategy has said that its buyback plan — approved earlier this month — is about balance-sheet strength rather than retreat. President and CEO Phong Le has said that Strategy intends to remain a long-term Bitcoin buyer.

Strategy — formerly MicroStrategy — started buying Bitcoin in August 2020 as a way to generate better returns for its shareholders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has since spent around $63.9 billion on Bitcoin and is the largest corporate holder of the asset. Investors can buy its shares to gain exposure to the leading cryptocurrency without having to buy and hold digital coins themselves.

Strategy spawned a long-list of copycat firms which have bought not only Bitcoin, but other cryptocurrencies to boost their stock prices.

Strategy’s Nasdaq-listed stock (MSTR) was trading nearly 7% higher on Monday at nearly $98 per share. MSTR year-to-date has dropped by nearly 40%.

This post Strategy Skips Bitcoin Again, Buys Back $25M of STRC Stock first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

Morgan Stanley Bitcoin ETF Nearly Notches $400M in Assets

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 22:16:22

Bitcoin Magazine

Morgan Stanley Bitcoin ETF Nearly Notches $400M in Assets

Wall Street giant Morgan Stanley Bitcoin exchange-traded fund now has close to $400 million in assets under management — despite only launching in April.

The NYSE Arca-listed fund, which is the first by a bank, got off to a roaring start when it debuted, bringing in over $33 million in fresh cash on its first day.

Now, the fund has over $391 million in assets, demonstrating the popularity of the product. Many ETFs never reach $400 million in assets at all, let alone in one quarter.

Senior Bloomberg Intelligence ETF analyst Eric Balchunas revealed Friday that the product has been one of the most successful funds launched this year so far.

This week alone, investors have thrown $15.7 million in new cash at the product, according to Farside Investors data.

Morgan Stanley has been making big crypto moves for years now. Back in 2021, it started offering wealthy clients exposure to Bitcoin via funds such as those by Galaxy Digital.

And last year, the bank’s CEO and Chairman, Ted Pick, said that the bank was working with regulators to see how they could offer crypto safely.

Back in April, the bank’s head of digital assets, Amy Oldenburg said client education — not product design — is the central challenge facing Bitcoin adoption.

ETF action this week

After weeks of outflows and sloppy price action, American Bitcoin ETFs have taken in fresh cash over the past seven days.

Farside Investors shows the products have received a total of $274 million in new investment so far this week.

The funds had been on a winning streak, receiving nearly $1 billion over seven days until Thursday, when every ETF experienced outflows — except for Morgan Stanley’s product.

Bitcoin’s price was recently trading for $64,096, down over 1% over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency is virtually unmoved over a seven-day period.

European asset management firm CoinShares last week said that while investors are back at putting fresh cash in Bitcoin ETFs, other factors may hold digital asset markets from going higher.

“We see no significant upside potential from here,” James Butterfill, head of research at CoinShares, wrote.

This post Morgan Stanley Bitcoin ETF Nearly Notches $400M in Assets first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

$7 Trillion Investment Giant Fidelity Backs New Crypto Clarity Act

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:36:04

Bitcoin Magazine

$7 Trillion Investment Giant Fidelity Backs New Crypto Clarity Act

Investment giant Fidelity is the latest big player to back the latest version of the long-awaited Clarity Act.

The Boston-based firm’s “Public Policy” account on X said Friday that it was urging the Senate to pass the bill.

Lawmakers have been hashing out the crypto market structure bill since last year. A new improved draft circulating the Senate this week bans officials and their families from issuing or promoting crypto — a sticking point for opposition politicians.

“The time is now for clear rules of the road that are essential to strengthening investor confidence, providing certainty for market participants, and reinforcing U.S. leadership in global digital asset markets,” the company said.

Fidelity — which manages around $7 trillion in assets — was joined Friday by crypto advocacy groups the Crypto Council for Innovation, Blockchain Association, and the Digital Chamber, as well as the National Fraternal Order of Police and other politicians in backing the bill.

Top asset manager Fidelity is interested in the bill as the firm manages Bitcoin and other digital asset exchange-traded funds: products which give American investors exposure to crypto via shares that trade on stock exchanges.

The SEC approved a number of spot BTC ETFs in 2024, which have since gone on to be some of the most successful ETF launches ever.

Clarity stalls

Republicans passed the Clarity Act last year but the bill has been in deadlock — mainly because banking chiefs raised concerns over stablecoins and the yield they would potentially pay customers.

Coinbase pulled support for the bill in January after clashing with banking bigwigs who said that earning yield on stablecoins should be banned.

U.S. banks argue that they could lose customers if crypto exchanges like Coinbase offer more attractive products for their deposit base.

Some lawmakers — like Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren — have argued that President Donald Trump’s family has unfairly benefited from crypto ventures.

Warren this week argued that the Clarity Act could further be used for Trump to cash in on crypto but the latest draft bans officials and their families from issuing or promoting crypto.

This post $7 Trillion Investment Giant Fidelity Backs New Crypto Clarity Act first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Mathew Di Salvo.

CryptoSlate

Lawsuit claims BitMEX used server freezes and internal trading to seize 622 Bitcoin ahead of its September closure

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:35:08

BitMEX customers are seeking the return of 622.66 Bitcoin in a proposed class action that accuses the exchange of engineering liquidations and retaining traders’ collateral. The complaint, filed July 23 in the Southern District of New York, arrived as BitMEX began a regulator-approved wind-down ahead of its September closure.

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Jul 23, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

BKX Services Inc. alleges it lost at least 305.809 BTC through BitMEX liquidations in 2018, while David Namdar claims 316.856 BTC in losses from 2019 to 2020. Together they seek the coins themselves, rather than only their dollar value, under claims for replevin and fraud.

The suit names BitMEX operator HDR Global Trading Limited and four affiliated companies: ABS Global Trading Limited, 100x Holdings Limited, Shine Effort Inc Limited and HDR Global Services (Bermuda) Limited. Co-founders Arthur Hayes, Samuel Reed and Benjamin Delo are also defendants, along with Gregory Dwyer.

The plaintiffs allege BitMEX’s liquidation engine closed positions when unrealized losses reached about half of the collateral traders had posted. According to the filing, that left collateral worth roughly twice the losses, but BitMEX seized the remainder and transferred it to its Insurance Fund instead of returning it.

The complaint further alleges that an undisclosed internal trading desk could see customer positions, hidden orders and liquidation points. It claims the desk used anonymized accounts and could continue trading during server freezes that locked ordinary customers out, while also trading on reference exchanges to induce price moves that triggered liquidations. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Related Reading

BitMEX CEO Denies Allegations of Trading Against Customers

Nov 13, 2018 · John Bogna

BitMEX CEO Peter Wilkinson rejected the case in comments to Benzinga, calling it “spurious and opportunistic” and saying the company would defend itself vigorously.

The filing revisits conduct covered by an earlier BitMEX class action brought in 2020 under the Commodity Exchange Act. That case was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice in June 2025, without a ruling on the merits. The new action instead pleads replevin and fraud and argues that the earlier case paused the applicable limitations period.

The Financial Services Authority of Seychelles said HDR voluntarily withdrew its pending virtual-asset licence application on July 23. The regulator-approved plan limits HDR to winding down operations, closing positions and returning client-held assets before exchange services cease on Sept. 23.

BitMEX’s closure notice says users will retain access after that date to view balances and withdraw funds, and the company says its assets exceed its liabilities. The wind-down plan covers client-held assets but is silent on Bitcoin disputed through historical liquidations, so the shutdown adds urgency to the ownership question without establishing that jurisdiction, the case or recovery has been impaired.

Related Reading

BitMEX shuts down without an FTX style crisis, revealing where crypto’s real danger has moved

BitMEX’s orderly shutdown captures a bear market shaped by centralized decline and persistent on-chain exploit risk.

Jul 24, 2026 · Gino Matos

The post Lawsuit claims BitMEX used server freezes and internal trading to seize 622 Bitcoin ahead of its September closure appeared first on CryptoSlate.

On-chain data shows 5,280 ETH draining into single address following quiet Triple-A wallet breach

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:05:06

Triple-A, a Singapore-based stablecoin payments firm, said unauthorized access to wallets holding its own digital assets was contained without affecting client money. The company has not disclosed the size of its treasury loss or explained how the wallets were accessed.

Triple-A said it identified the incident on July 25. In its July 27 statement, the firm said it does not custody digital assets for clients and holds client funds separately in trust accounts with safeguarding institutions that were not exposed.

Certain services were placed in maintenance mode for approximately three hours while the company secured the affected infrastructure and ran security checks. Triple-A later said all services had been restored and that transactions and settlements were processing normally across all markets.

Related Reading

Polymarket suffers live POL drain as team rules out feared contract exploit

Team statements point to a Polymarket private key compromise rather than core contracts or user funds.

May 22, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

The company said the financial impact was limited to specific operational accounts and was being fully absorbed from treasury reserves. It also said the affected wallets were operated by Triple A Technologies Pte. Ltd., its Singapore entity, and that other group entities and operations were unaffected. The statement disclosed no asset list, wallet addresses or loss figure, though Triple-A said it remained able to meet its liabilities.

What the public wallet trail shows

Onchain analyst Specter identified 0x01F83B5d4fb30E8AA3daC1681B4048D9135253b1 as an Ethereum address where funds linked to the incident were being consolidated. Etherscan records show 12 inbound transfers of more than 0.01 ETH into that address on July 24 and July 25, totaling 5,287.08568411 ETH.

Related Reading

Crypto hacks hit a record count but the biggest threat isn’t smart contracts

The industry's security problem is changing shape: more hacks, lower typical losses, and a handful of infrastructure compromises still defining the first half's damage.

Jul 5, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

Those transfers establish the flow into the cited address, but they do not establish when the unauthorized access began or how much Triple-A lost. The company has not confirmed the address, identified the source wallets, or described their account roles and original assets before swaps and bridges. That missing link also means the public flows do not contradict Triple-A's client-fund segregation claim but cannot independently verify it.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore lists Triple A Technologies Pte. Ltd. as a Major Payment Institution authorized for domestic and cross-border transfers, merchant acquisition and digital payment token services. MAS says institutions in that license class must comply with customer-money protection requirements. The directory establishes the regulatory obligation, not whether Triple-A satisfied it during this incident.

Related Reading

Why crypto hacks don't end and continue even when the money is gone

A crypto exploit can empty a wallet in minutes, but the full damage often unfolds for months. Tokens keep falling, treasuries shrink, hiring freezes set in, and projects that survive the theft can still lose their future in the aftermath.

Mar 22, 2026 · Andjela Radmilac

Triple-A said it is working with cybersecurity and blockchain-forensics specialists, the Singapore Police Force and other authorities to trace assets and support recovery. The two central unknowns remain the size of the treasury loss and the route by which the wallets were accessed.

The post On-chain data shows 5,280 ETH draining into single address following quiet Triple-A wallet breach appeared first on CryptoSlate.

SEC warning over crypto yield vaults puts DeFi’s secret human controllers in the crosshairs

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:50:05

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has warned that crypto vaults may face federal securities-law scrutiny when people control how assets earn yield.

Morpho Vault V2 offers a clear case study because its architecture divides the same powers Peirce highlighted. Curators choose the strategy and appoint allocators, while allocators move assets within those limits.

Morpho is a decentralized lending protocol, and Vault V2 packages curated lending strategies into onchain vaults. Users interact with smart contracts, but curators still decide where capital can go and how much risk the vault can take.

If regulators view that human control as financial management, the consequences could reach the teams running a wider class of DeFi yield products.

Related Reading

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Jan 17, 2025 · Gino Matos

In a July 22 statement, Peirce placed crypto vaults on a spectrum. Some run on immutable code; others give people the wheel. Federal securities-law questions emerge when managers choose yield routes and shift assets. Even deciding who gets that authority can matter.

Peirce addressed vaults generically. Her statement named no protocol, including Morpho, and was not a Commission rule, order or enforcement action. She said the legal result would depend on the structure and activities of a particular vault.

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Jul 23, 2026 · Oluwapelumi Adejumo

Who controls Morpho Vault V2?

In Morpho Vault V2, the curator draws the map. The role decides which protocols, markets, and assets the vault can use, opens those routes through adapters, and sets the risk limits. The curator also chooses the allocators who move assets within those lines.

Those powers correspond to two of Peirce’s examples: selecting available yield routes and selecting the parties that make allocation decisions. Morpho also gives curators control over performance and management fees, fee recipients, and optional compliance gates, although Peirce did not identify vault fee-setting as a standalone trigger.

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DeFi’s next institutional wave may come from users who never see “behind the scenes” – CEO of Katana

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Jun 18, 2026 · Gino Matos

Comparison of Peirce's vault-management signals with Morpho Vault V2 curator and allocator roles, emphasizing that the statement made no finding about Morpho.

Morpho’s role design places daily execution elsewhere. Allocators perform routine allocation and deallocation among enabled adapters. They can also set maxRate, which Morpho describes as the maximum rate at which vault assets can grow. The documentation does not equate that control with setting a borrower’s interest rate or give the Vault V2 curator direct authority over underlying loan-to-value limits or liquidation thresholds, which Peirce discussed separately for lending strategies.

Even when the contract code is immutable, the portfolio can keep moving. Curators can update the settings that shape the vault. Actions that add risk usually pass through function-specific timelocks, sometimes set to zero. Cap cuts and sentinel interventions can happen immediately. Through abdication, a curator can permanently switch off selected timelocked powers.

That distribution of control could affect which of Peirce’s analogies fits. She said some vaults may resemble fixed unit investment trusts, others management investment companies, and others separately managed accounts. Involvement in managing vaults or lending strategies may also raise investment-adviser issues, she said.

Related Reading

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Feb 18, 2026 · Gino Matos

For Morpho Vault V2, the relevant facts would include the assets a vault holds, the configuration powers that remain active, and how curators and allocators exercise their separate roles. Peirce’s statement raises those questions without answering them for Morpho.

The post SEC warning over crypto yield vaults puts DeFi’s secret human controllers in the crosshairs appeared first on CryptoSlate.

BitMart’s sudden shutdown triggers withdrawal delays and on-chain panic, echoing the ghosts of 2022

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:47:27

With ETH drained from its wallets, BitMart faces a wave of stuck user withdrawals after abruptly announcing its closure

BitMart said it will wind down its trading platform after nine years, abruptly reversing an expansion push that continued into the summer.

The exchange stopped accepting new registrations, deposits and orders at 01:30 UTC on July 26. Spot, futures and other trading services will end at 01:00 UTC on Aug. 26, before the platform formally ceases operations on Jan. 31, 2027.

The decision followed a series of service cuts that initially appeared to be routine product changes. Earlier in the week, BitMart discontinued its Spot Margin service and suspended its Automated Market Making Bot, saying the changes were intended to improve the security, convenience and reliability of its trading platform.

The shutdown is particularly striking because BitMart had continued signaling growth only weeks earlier.

In June, the exchange secured an Australian Financial Services License, while its asset-management business reported that assets under management increased by about 256% period-over-period in the first half of the year.

BitMart attributed the closure to an assessment of its operating conditions, market environment and future strategic direction, without identifying a specific financial, regulatory or operational event behind the decision.

Withdrawal concerns intensify as users rush to exit

BitMart’s shutdown is now colliding with a more immediate problem: some customers and projects say they are struggling to withdraw funds from the exchange.

The concerns are sharpened by on-chain movements that began before BitMart announced its closure.

On-chain analysis platform Nansen said much of the ETH and stablecoin balance held in wallets it tracks for the exchange was transferred out in recent days, leaving those Ethereum wallets with relatively little readily usable liquidity and reserves increasingly dominated by less-liquid tokens.

BitMart Wallet Portfolio (Source: Nansen)

While the transfers do not establish that BitMart lacks sufficient assets to honor customer withdrawals, the shift has drawn attention because BitMart is now urging customers to remove their assets as the exchange winds down.

So far, relatively little appears to be leaving through identified wallets.

Blockchain analysis platform Lookonchain said only 58 wallets withdrew about $805,000 over a 24-hour period following the shutdown announcement. It also reported an eight-hour stretch in which BitMart processed no withdrawals.

Onchain Lens reported a similar pattern, saying BitMart processed no Bitcoin, stablecoin or altcoin withdrawals above $25,000 over a 24-hour period. It said its tracking showed no large withdrawals from retail users, market makers or listed projects during that window.

The concerns have also moved beyond individual customers as some projects are complaining about their inability to withdraw funds.

Paxi Network called on BitMart to immediately release funds it said belong to its users and market makers, arguing that delays were already causing financial damage.

“These funds do not belong to BitMart,” Paxi said, demanding a clear timeline for the return of outstanding balances.

Paxi did not disclose how much it says remains on the exchange, how many users are affected, or how long the withdrawal requests have been pending. BitMart has not publicly responded to the claims.

These complaints have revived questions BitMart was confronting before the shutdown.

In May, the exchange acknowledged allegations that some users were unable to withdraw funds after account restrictions were imposed.

BitMart said the restrictions primarily involved 239 linked accounts that its risk-control system identified as part of an organized effort to exploit trading subsidies, while legitimate users remained unaffected and operations were running normally.

The exchange also addressed concerns about its reserves at the time, saying it was preparing a proof-of-reserves disclosure and would publish it after addressing security and risk-control considerations.

That earlier dispute gives the latest withdrawal complaints a different context. BitMart was already defending access to customer funds months before deciding to close, while the Nansen data suggests the composition of its tracked wallets was shifting even before users were told to exit.

BitMart to manually review withdrawals

The exchange has not said it faces a liquidity shortage. However, the firm's wind-down procedures offer a possible explanation for the delays users are experiencing.

According to BitMart:

“We strongly recommend that all users complete identity verification and close all trading positions before 01:00 (UTC) on August 26, 2026, and submit withdrawal requests before 05:00 (UTC) on August 26, 2026.”

The firm stated that certain withdrawals may undergo additional reviews covering KYC information, login devices, IP addresses, destination wallets, and blockchain transaction risks.

BitMart said it may also examine customers’ source of funds and trading history, conduct sanctions and Travel Rule checks, and request proof of address, source of funds or ownership of the receiving wallet.

The company warned that high withdrawal volumes, additional documentation, blockchain congestion and compliance reviews could lengthen processing times. It also stressed that submitting a withdrawal request does not mean the assets have been sent to the blockchain.

Such controls are common tools for managing fraud, sanctions exposure and account security. Their use during a shutdown, however, leaves customers dependent on BitMart completing potentially lengthy reviews while the platform is being dismantled.

The exchange has not provided a maximum period for processing an approved withdrawal.

Could BitMart’s withdrawal problems trigger another confidence crisis?

BitMart’s withdrawal troubles are landing at a particularly sensitive moment for centralized exchanges in this bear market, with another long-running venue preparing to disappear days before BitMart announced its own closure.

BitMEX said last week that it will shut its exchange on Sept. 23 following a strategic review, ending more than 11 years of operations. The derivatives venue has said customer assets are safe and urged users to close positions and withdraw funds before the deadline.

While the two closures are unrelated, their proximity is reviving scrutiny of the risks customers take when leaving assets on centralized platforms, particularly as BitMart users report withdrawal problems.

That sensitivity is rooted in 2022, when withdrawal freezes repeatedly became the first visible sign of deeper financial distress.

Celsius suspended withdrawals in June before filing for bankruptcy the following month. Voyager Digital froze customer transactions in July and entered bankruptcy days later. FTX stopped processing withdrawals in November as customers rushed to remove assets ahead of its collapse, while the resulting contagion later engulfed BlockFi and Genesis.

Chicago Federal Reserve researchers estimated that FTX customers withdrew $7.81 billion, equivalent to roughly 37% of customer funds, during the run preceding its bankruptcy. Voyager experienced an even larger proportional run, losing almost 39% of customer funds.

Those failures turned access to withdrawals into a basic test of confidence in centralized exchanges. JPMorgan analysts described the FTX fallout at the time as a broader confidence crisis, while institutional investors became increasingly focused on counterparty exposure and the ability of trading venues to meet customer claims during periods of stress.

The industry responded by embracing proof-of-reserves disclosures intended to show that customer assets remained backed and available. BitMart itself said in May that it was preparing such a disclosure after facing questions about withdrawals and asset transparency.

BitMart has not said it faces a liquidity shortfall, and the available on-chain evidence does not establish one. BitMEX has also not reported comparable withdrawal stress.

But after the failures of 2022, confidence can deteriorate quickly once customers begin questioning whether funds can be retrieved on demand.

BitMart’s ability to process withdrawals smoothly will now shape whether its shutdown remains a contained exchange exit or adds to broader market unease around centralized crypto platforms.

The post BitMart’s sudden shutdown triggers withdrawal delays and on-chain panic, echoing the ghosts of 2022 appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin’s $65,000 rebound looks like a relief rally, but Wednesday’s Fed decision could turn it into a trap

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:42:09

Bitcoin reclaimed $65,000 on Monday as a pause in US-Iran strikes revived demand for risk assets ahead of a pivotal Federal Reserve meeting.

Data from CryptoSlate showed that the largest cryptocurrency rose about 1% to $65,155, while Ethereum gained 4% to around $1,964, its highest level since early June.

The move came as Washington temporarily halted its strikes on Iran and Tehran said it would suspend attacks as long as the United States did the same. Brent crude dropped 6.5% to about $90.45 a barrel as investors reduced some of the geopolitical premium built into energy markets.

The respite arrives just as crypto markets face another source of volatility. The surge in oil above $100 last week has sharply altered expectations for US interest rates, leaving Wednesday’s Fed decision capable of extending Bitcoin’s rebound or putting renewed pressure on it.

Oil shock leaves a hawkish Fed overhang

The bigger risk for Bitcoin is that last week’s energy shock has already changed the Fed trade.

Fed funds futures on Monday priced roughly a one-in-three chance of a 25-basis-point increase when policymakers conclude their two-day meeting Wednesday. That probability was just 16% a week earlier, highlighting how quickly investors have reassessed the path for monetary policy.

About two-thirds of the market still expects the Fed to keep its target range unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75%. But the prospect of an immediate increase has become difficult for risk markets to ignore, particularly after higher energy prices pushed inflation concerns and Treasury yields back into focus.

That repricing has come despite an inflation report that initially appeared to strengthen the case for patience.

The consumer price index fell 0.4% in June from the previous month, the biggest monthly decline since April 2020. Annual inflation slowed to 3.5% from 4.2% in May, while core inflation eased to 2.6% from 2.9%. Core prices were unchanged on the month.

Energy accounted for much of the improvement. The energy index fell 5.7% in June after rising in each of the previous three months, while gasoline prices dropped sharply.

That made the subsequent surge in crude particularly important for markets because some of the disinflation visible in June was tied directly to cheaper energy.

The Fed is therefore entering this week’s meeting with a different inflation backdrop from the one investors saw when the CPI report was released July 14.

The central question is whether policymakers view the latest energy shock as temporary or see enough risk of broader price pressures to justify another increase in borrowing costs.

For Bitcoin, the distinction is significant. Higher rates raise the return available on cash and government debt while tightening financial conditions across markets, a combination that can reduce demand for assets without contractual yields.

The recent decline in crude has eased some of that pressure, but it has not returned rate expectations to where they stood before last week’s escalation.

A Fed hold may not settle the question

Even without a Wednesday hike, Chair Kevin Warsh could keep tighter policy firmly on the table.

The Fed held rates at 3.50% to 3.75% at its June meeting, while its statement explicitly cited supply shocks, including energy, as contributing to elevated inflation. Policymakers said inflation remained above the central bank’s 2% goal and specifically identified energy as one area where supply disruptions were pushing prices higher.

The accompanying projections reinforced that shift.

The median Fed official projected the federal funds rate at 3.8% at the end of 2026, above the midpoint of the current target range. Nine of the 18 officials submitting projections placed their year-end rate above the current midpoint, indicating that a substantial bloc saw at least one increase as appropriate before the end of the year.

Warsh has also given markets less forward guidance than investors became accustomed to under previous Fed leadership, placing more weight on individual economic releases and his assessment of incoming risks.

That leaves Wednesday’s press conference carrying unusual importance.

Economic Policy Fed Decision in July?

No change 72.8%

25 bps increase 27.1%

50+ bps increase 0.6%

+2 more outcomes

A decision to hold rates could still weigh on Bitcoin if Warsh emphasizes that rising energy costs have increased the danger of persistent inflation or suggests policymakers are prepared to tighten soon. Markets already price a roughly 77% probability of a rate increase by September.

A less hawkish message would give the rebound more room to develop. If the Fed treats the energy shock as temporary and signals it can wait for more evidence before tightening, Treasury yields could surrender more of their recent gains and remove another obstacle for crypto and equities.

The range of possible outcomes leaves Bitcoin exposed to more than the headline decision.

A quarter-point hike would represent the clearest tightening surprise. A hold paired with hawkish guidance could produce a similar, though potentially smaller, repricing across rates markets. A hold accompanied by greater confidence on inflation would be the outcome most supportive of the relief rally that began Monday.

Thursday data could quickly reset the trade

Whatever signal the Fed delivers Wednesday will face an economic test less than 24 hours later.

The Commerce Department is scheduled to release its first estimate of second-quarter GDP on Thursday alongside June personal income and spending data, which include the Fed’s preferred personal consumption expenditures inflation measures.

The US economy expanded at a 2.1% annualized rate in the first quarter, up from 0.5% in the final quarter of 2025.

The next readings will give investors a clearer view of whether the Fed is confronting resilient growth with persistent inflation or an economy beginning to lose momentum.

Strong growth paired with firm inflation would give policymakers more room to keep rates restrictive or raise them further. Slower growth accompanied by softer inflation would strengthen the case for waiting.

A weaker economy alongside persistent price pressure would create a more difficult backdrop for Bitcoin and other risk assets. The Fed would have less room to support growth without risking another acceleration in inflation, potentially keeping financial conditions tight even as economic activity slows.

That makes Thursday’s data part of the same macro trade as Wednesday’s decision rather than a separate catalyst.

Bitcoin traders unwind near-term protection

Options traders are already behaving as though the immediate threat of another sharp decline has diminished.

Glassnode data show Bitcoin’s options open-interest put-to-call ratio has fallen to about 0.52 from roughly 0.76 in late June. Calls now make up a larger share of outstanding positions, signaling that traders have reduced some of the defensive positioning accumulated during the recent selloff.

Bitcoin Open Interest Put/Call Ratio (Source: Glassnode)

The change is even more pronounced in short-dated contracts.

One-week at-the-money implied volatility stands near 34.3%, compared with about 40.8% for six-month options. The upward-sloping volatility curve suggests traders are assigning relatively little premium to immediate market turbulence while continuing to price greater uncertainty further out.

Bitcoin’s 25-delta skew shows a similar divide. One-week skew has dropped to around 4%, indicating much weaker demand for short-term downside protection, while three- to six-month readings remain around 11% to 12%.

The positioning points to a market that has become more comfortable with the next few days without dismissing the risks further ahead.

That distinction fits the broader backdrop confronting Bitcoin.

The immediate geopolitical pressure has eased enough to help the cryptocurrency recover above $65,000.

However, the consequences of the earlier oil surge remain embedded in expectations for interest rates, while the pause between Washington and Tehran has yet to develop into a durable settlement.

A renewed escalation could quickly push energy and inflation expectations higher again. Continued restraint would give markets more opportunity to unwind the rate pressure accumulated during the conflict.

Before then, the Fed gets the next move.

Bitcoin has recovered the level it lost as oil, yields and geopolitical concerns intensified last week. Whether it can build on that recovery now depends on whether Wednesday’s policy signal validates the relief trade or revives the tightening fears that drove the earlier selloff.

The post Bitcoin’s $65,000 rebound looks like a relief rally, but Wednesday’s Fed decision could turn it into a trap appeared first on CryptoSlate.

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Ethereum Price Analysis: ETH Rips 30%, Is $2,000 Next?

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:57:21

$Ethereum has quietly put together one of its strongest months of 2026. ETH tagged $1,980 in early European hours on July 27, a level it had not seen in 55 days, and is now trading around $1,958 after a marginal pullback. Zoom out and the move is bigger than it feels: ETH bottomed near $1,540 in late June and has gained roughly 30% in 30 days.

The rally has been methodical rather than explosive. Higher lows since July 1, a clean break of $1,800 in mid-July, and now a direct test of the psychological $2,000 barrier. The question for traders is whether this is the start of a genuine trend expansion or the final leg of a relief rally into heavy supply.

What Does the ETH Chart Actually Show?

The 3-hour chart tells a clean story in three phases.

Phase one, the base. Between June 24 and June 30, $ETH ground sideways in a tight $1,540 to $1,600 box. That range low was defended three separate times. It is the single most important reference level on the entire chart, because it is where sellers ran out of ammunition.
Phase two, the breakout. ETH cleared $1,600 on July 1 and never looked back. Price ran to $1,800 by July 5, stalled, pulled back to $1,720, and then built a higher base. On July 14 a single large candle punched through $1,800 on visibly expanded volume. That level has since flipped from resistance into support, which is the textbook behaviour you want to see after a breakout.
Phase three, the grind higher. From July 15 onward ETH built a $1,800 to $1,935 range, tested the top twice (July 16 and July 22), pulled back to a higher low near $1,845 on July 25, and then broke out again on July 26 into the current $1,980 high.

The structure is intact: higher highs, higher lows, and a flipped support level holding on every retest. Nothing on this chart is broken.

Is ETH Overbought at RSI 72?

The 14-period RSI sits at 72.08, comfortably above its 61.56 signal line. That is technically overbought territory, and it is the first thing bears will point to.

Context matters here. RSI above 70 in a downtrend is a sell signal. RSI above 70 in a confirmed uptrend is a momentum confirmation. Look at what the oscillator did during this move: it peaked near 78 in early July and price kept climbing for three more weeks. More importantly, RSI never broke below 40 on any of the pullbacks. That is the signature of a bullish regime, not an exhausted one.

The caveat worth flagging: price has made a higher high at $1,980 while RSI is reading lower than its early-July peak. That is a mild negative divergence. It does not invalidate the trend, but it does suggest the next leg needs fresh buying rather than momentum alone.

What Are the Upside Targets for Ethereum?

Target 1: $2,000. The obvious one. Round numbers attract liquidity, stops sit above them, and options open interest clusters there. A 3H close above $2,000 with follow-through volume is the trigger for everything else.
Target 2: $2,070. This is the measured move. The July consolidation between $1,800 and $1,935 was roughly $135 tall. Project that from the breakout point and you land at $2,070. Measured moves are not guarantees, but they give you a mechanical, non-emotional first objective.
Target 3: $2,150 to $2,200. Above the measured move, ETH runs back into supply left behind from the late-May and early-June breakdown. This is where anyone who bought the previous range and held through the drawdown gets their chance to exit at breakeven. Expect resistance to be sticky here.

Worth noting: prediction markets earlier this month priced only a 32% chance of ETH touching $2,000 before July closes. That positioning is now badly offside, which is exactly the kind of setup that produces squeeze candles.

Where Is the Downside Risk?

Bulls have three lines of defence, in order:

$1,900: the immediate breakout retest. A dip here is normal and healthy.
$1,845 to $1,850: the most recent higher low from July 25. Losing this breaks the short-term sequence and puts the July rally on hold.
$1,800: the structural line. This is the flipped resistance, and it is the level that defines whether the entire July trend is still alive. A sustained 3H close below $1,800 turns the chart neutral to bearish and reopens $1,600 as a downside magnet.

Below that, $1,600 and then the $1,540 base are the last stops. A return there would mean the whole 30% move was a bull trap, which the current structure does not support, but it is the map you want if things break.

What Could Move ETH This Week?

The chart shows US macro event markers clustered on July 27, 29 and 30, and they matter.

The FOMC announces its rate decision on Wednesday, July 29 at 2:00 PM ET, following a two-day meeting. Consensus is for another hold in the 3.50% to 3.75% range, so the reaction will hinge on the statement language and the press conference rather than the number itself. Any hint of a more accommodative stance would be fuel for high-beta assets like ETH.

On top of that, a wave of mega-cap tech earnings lands in the same week, which tends to drive broad risk sentiment. Crypto has been trading with a high correlation to the Nasdaq for most of 2026.

The underlying bid, though, looks structural rather than macro. Spot ETH ETF flows have held up through the consolidation, staking participation is at record levels, and ETH's market cap has climbed back to roughly $237 billion. Those are slow-moving drivers, and they are the reason this rally has been a grind rather than a spike.

The Bottom Line for ETH Traders

Ethereum is in a confirmed short-term uptrend testing the most watched round number on its chart. The bull case needs a decisive close above $2,000 to open $2,070 and then $2,150. The bear case needs a loss of $1,845 to stall the move and $1,800 to end it.

The asymmetry currently favours the bulls, but $2,000 is a level that rarely breaks on the first attempt.

Top 5 Crypto Coins That Promised the Future and Are Now Almost Dead

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 19:12:27

Every cycle produces a handful of coins that are not just traded, they are believed in. They come with a founder who gives keynote talks, a whitepaper that reads like a manifesto, and a promise that goes far beyond price: this one is going to replace the cloud, connect every blockchain, or put a billion machines on-chain.

Then the cycle ends. And ends again.

The market backdrop makes the comparison brutal. Bitcoin is trading in the low-mid $60,000s after peaking around $126,000 in October 2025, the total crypto market cap sits near $2.17 trillion, Bitcoin dominance is above 56%, and the Fear and Greed Index is stuck in fear. Capital is not rotating down the risk curve. It is sitting still.

That means the coins below are not down because of one bad week. They are down because two full cycles came and went without them ever getting back to where they started. Here are five of the most striking examples, ranked by how far they have fallen from their peaks.

5. Cosmos (ATOM): what happened to the Internet of Blockchains?

Cosmos was supposed to be the connective tissue of crypto. One SDK to build any blockchain, one protocol (IBC) to let them all talk to each other, and one hub at the center of it, secured by ATOM. In 2021, "Internet of Blockchains" was one of the strongest narratives in the market.

Where it is now: the strange part is that the technology largely worked. The Cosmos SDK went on to power Celestia, Injective, dYdX, Sei and Terra. IBC still moves real volume. What failed was the token. Every chain that launched with Cosmos tooling launched with its own token, its own validators and its own fee revenue, and dYdX eventually built its own chain and took its business with it. ATOM secured the hub and captured almost nothing else. The 2022 "ATOM 2.0" proposal, which tried to fix exactly that, was voted down by the community. Jae Kwon's departure and years of governance infighting did the rest.
Price: ATOM trades around $1.39 against an all-time high of roughly $44.70 set in September 2021. That is about 96.8% below the peak, with a market cap of roughly $727 million.

4. Algorand (ALGO): can academic credibility save a token?

Algorand had the best résumé in the industry. Founded by Silvio Micali, an MIT professor and Turing Award winner, it introduced pure proof-of-stake with instant finality and no forks, and marketed itself as the chain institutions and governments would actually use. It landed a FIFA World Cup sponsorship and a string of central bank and government pilots.

Where it is now: the chain still works exactly as advertised. Blocks are fast, fees are fractions of a cent, and it never had a serious outage. But developers went to Ethereum L2s and Solana, DeFi liquidity never arrived at scale, and the pilots rarely turned into recurring on-chain volume. Algorand is now positioning around post-quantum security and real-world assets, which is a real differentiator, but so far it is a technical one rather than a demand one. ALGO printed a fresh all-time low in March 2026.
Price: ALGO trades near $0.084 against an all-time high of $3.56 from June 2019, roughly 97.6% below the peak, with a market cap around $758 million.

3. IOTA: what is left of the Internet of Things coin?

IOTA was going to be the machine economy. No blocks, no miners, no fees. Instead a directed acyclic graph called the Tangle, where every transaction confirms two others, which in theory meant it got faster as it got busier. Fridges paying for their own repairs, cars paying for their own parking, sensors selling data. In late 2017 that story pushed it into the top five coins.

Where it is now: the fee-free machine economy never materialised. A 2017 "Microsoft partnership" that turned out to be a data marketplace pilot damaged credibility, the Trinity wallet was compromised in 2020 and forced the team to halt the entire network for weeks, and the founding group split in public. IOTA has since rebuilt itself almost from scratch as a Move-based, DAG-consensus L1 aimed at DeFi and real-world assets. It is a legitimate technical reset. It is also a completely different product from the one people bought in 2017, and the market has priced it accordingly. The token is sitting essentially on its all-time low.
Price: IOTA trades around $0.035 against an all-time high of $5.25 from December 2017, about 99.3% below the peak, with a market cap of roughly $158 million.

2. EOS / Vaulta (A): what did $4.1 billion actually buy?

The largest ICO in history. Block.one ran a token sale for a full year and raised about $4.1 billion for an "Ethereum killer" with millions of transactions per second and zero fees. It was, at the time, the most heavily funded project in crypto.

Where it is now: the SEC settled with Block.one for $24 million in 2019, a rounding error against the raise. The promised throughput arrived, the applications did not, and the community spent years fighting Block.one over unspent funds and unfulfilled commitments. In 2025 the network rebranded to Vaulta with a Web3 banking pitch, and the ticker changed from EOS to A. The rebrand produced a short-lived rally, then a collapse: a new all-time low in January 2026, another around $0.057 in June 2026, and the resignation of the CEO who led the pivot.
Price: Vaulta trades near $0.06 against an EOS all-time high of $22.89 from April 2018, roughly 99.6% below the peak, with a market cap around $105 million.

1. Internet Computer (ICP): how does a token fall 99.7%?

The most ambitious pitch of the 2021 cycle. Dfinity spent more than $500 million on R&D to build a blockchain that could host entire applications end to end, replacing AWS, Google Cloud and the traditional web stack. Websites, databases, front ends and payments, all running on-chain. It was described as nothing less than a decentralised internet.

Where it is now: ICP listed in May 2021 at a valuation that implied a market cap near $400 billion at its peak, which would have made it one of the largest technology assets on earth. Then early allocations unlocked into a falling market and the price broke almost immediately. The technology is genuinely unusual and still shipping, with ckBTC, on-chain AI experiments and a "Mission 70" proposal published in February 2026 to cut token inflation by at least 70% by 2027. But inflation was never the core problem. Usage was. Every app on the network burns ICP, so the fix only works if the apps arrive.
Price: ICP trades around $2.15 against an all-time high of $700.65 from May 2021, roughly 99.7% below the peak, with a market cap of about $1.2 billion.

The damage in one table

Coin	Peak	Peak date	Now	Down from ATH	Market cap
Internet Computer ($ICP)	$700.65	May 2021	~$2.15	~99.7%	~$1.2B
EOS / Vaulta ($A)	$22.89	Apr 2018	~$0.06	~99.6%	~$105M
$IOTA	$5.25	Dec 2017	~$0.035	~99.3%	~$158M
Algorand ($ALGO)	$3.56	Jun 2019	~$0.084	~97.6%	~$758M
Cosmos ($ATOM)	$44.70	Sep 2021	~$1.39	~96.8%	~$727M

*Figures reflect data at the time of writing and will move.

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What do all five have in common?

None of these projects is a scam, and none of them is technically dead. Every network still produces blocks. Every team still ships. That is what makes the list interesting rather than just depressing.

The pattern is not fraud, it is three repeating mistakes:

The token was not the product. Cosmos is the purest case. The tech won, the token did not, because value accrued to the chains built with it instead of the chain at the center.
Supply arrived before demand. ICP and EOS both hit the market with enormous valuations and enormous unlock schedules attached, which is a mathematical headwind no amount of engineering fixes.
The narrative expired faster than the roadmap. IOTA's machine economy and Algorand's institutional pitch were both multi-year theses in a market that reprices every 90 days. By the time the product was ready, the story belonged to someone else.

Are any of these coins still worth watching?

There is a real argument that some of these are the most asymmetric assets in the market: working technology, tiny valuations, functioning teams, near-zero expectations. A coin trading 99% below its high does not need a new bull market to double; it needs one credible reason for anyone to care.

There is an equally real argument that a token which has failed to reclaim its high across two full cycles is telling you something the roadmap is not. Networks can survive indefinitely while their tokens go nowhere, and dead money is still dead money even when the GitHub is active.

What would change the picture is not a partnership announcement or a rebrand. It is measurable, recurring, fee-paying usage that has to route through the token. Until one of these five can show that, the charts are the honest summary.

CLARITY Act Stalls Despite Trump's Personal Intervention: What Happens to Crypto Regulation Now?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:20:43

If you have seen headlines suggesting the President personally sat down with senators to get the CLARITY Act over the line, that reporting was accurate, and then the story moved on without it. Trump did intervene directly. He did approve the ethics language that had blocked the bill for months. And within roughly a week, the Senate Majority Leader was telling reporters the bill probably would not pass before the August recess.

That gap between "the White House is now personally involved" and "the bill is about to become law" is the whole story right now, and it is worth getting straight before you position yourself around a passage trade.

What did Trump actually do?

On 16 July, Trump met a group of Republican senators in the Oval Office: Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Bernie Moreno of Ohio, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. Also present were White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt, chief of staff Susie Wiles and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. No Democrats were invited.

This was the deepest executive-branch involvement the bill has seen. The purpose was narrow: break the deadlock over the ethics provision, which had been the single unresolved item after months of negotiation.

Days later, the President signed off on ethics language. On 22 July, Senate Republicans published a revised draft running to several hundred pages. For the first time, the text included explicit restrictions on how a sitting president may profit from digital assets. The president, vice president, members of Congress, federal judges and other covered officials would be barred from issuing or sponsoring digital assets for compensation while in office.

On the face of it, that was the concession Democrats had been demanding since spring. It did not land that way.

Why did Democrats reject the ethics language?

Within hours of the text dropping, Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona, one of only two Democrats who voted the bill out of the Senate Banking Committee, dismissed the Republican draft in terms too crude to print, saying it was not a serious effort and fell well short of a deal. He added that he is working on a counteroffer with Tillis and unnamed Republicans, and that the fight is not over.

The underlying dispute is about scope and timing rather than the existence of a provision. Democrats have wanted binding, durable limits on officials' crypto business interests. Republicans produced restrictions that critics describe as narrower and more temporary than what was asked for. Democrats had made the ethics question a stated precondition for their votes; Republicans consider the matter now addressed. Both positions are on the record, and neither side has moved since.

Context matters here for why this became the sticking point at all. Trump's annual financial disclosure reported more than $1.4 billion in crypto-related income for 2025, including roughly $635 million in meme coin royalties and around $515 million linked to World Liberty Financial token sales. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in connection with his digital asset businesses. Democratic critics have argued that a new regulatory framework should not pass without constraints on the President's own commercial exposure to the industry it governs. Supporters counter that conflating market structure rules with a fight over one official's holdings is what has cost the industry a year of legal uncertainty.

What is the actual vote math?

This is where the optimism runs out, and it has nothing to do with who is right on ethics.

The bill needs 60 votes in the Senate to clear cloture. Republicans hold 53 seats. Senators Josh Hawley and Rand Paul are expected to vote no on substantive grounds, which puts the working Republican base closer to 51. That means roughly nine Democratic votes are required.

Only two Democrats, Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, voted for the bill in committee, and both explicitly warned that committee support did not guarantee a floor vote. Meanwhile, Senators Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley have formally come out against it.

Nine votes from a caucus where the two most sympathetic members are publicly unsatisfied is not a rounding error. It is the reason experienced observers expected the ethics deal to come before floor time, not after.

What did Thune actually say, and does it settle it?

Asked on Thursday whether the Senate could clear the CLARITY Act and a separate college sports bill before the recess, Majority Leader John Thune said he did not think they could be finished, adding that he would like to at least get CLARITY started and see where the votes land.

Read that carefully, because the two halves point in different directions. "Get it started" means opening floor debate without completing it, which would leave the bill mid-process going into September. That is not the same as the bill dying, but it does mean burning floor time in a fall calendar already crowded by midterm politics. Thune's office has pointed to a Russia sanctions bill as the next priority for floor time.

Not everyone accepts that read. White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt said he was perplexed by Thune's assessment and remains slightly more optimistic, arguing the first week of August is still viable and pushing for the vote to be scheduled rather than waiting indefinitely for Democratic sign-off. Senator John Kennedy has framed the stakes plainly: without a positive vote before the break, he expects the odds to turn against the bill.

The recess begins around 7 August.

How far have the odds actually moved?

The prediction markets tell the story more cleanly than the press releases do.

Polymarket priced 2026 passage at 82% in February. It sat near 48% three weeks ago. After Thune's comments it fell to roughly 37%. Galaxy Research, which had 75% in May, cut to 50% and then again to about 30%. Kalshi traders had earlier given a Senate vote before recess a 79% chance while assigning only 36% to the bill actually becoming law this year. That spread captured the distinction most headlines missed.

Institutional forecasters have been blunter. Stifel's Washington strategist wrote that the bill probably needs to clear the Senate by the end of July, and that missing the recess would cause its prospects to deteriorate materially. Beacon Policy Advisors has suggested a miss could end the 2026 path altogether. Lummis has warned that a delay could push comprehensive market structure legislation out by years.

Is the ethics fight the only obstacle?

No, and this is underreported.

A second front opened over stablecoin yield. Banking groups have pushed back on provisions they argue would let yield-bearing stablecoin products draw deposits away from community lenders. Senator John Cornyn has voiced those concerns publicly, and Senator John Curtis said he would take the question of local lending capacity to Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott.

That matters because it is Republican resistance, on economic rather than ethical grounds, in a chamber where the majority cannot afford defections.

Worth noting alongside it: 18 July marked one year since the GENIUS Act, and the statutory deadline for federal agencies to finalise stablecoin implementing rules passed without a single final rule being issued. The legislative machinery on US digital asset policy is moving slower than the announcements suggest across the board.

What does this mean if you trade or build?

For traders, the practical takeaway is that CLARITY passage is not a priced-in certainty and has not been for weeks. Anyone positioning on a regulatory catalyst should be working from roughly one-in-three, not from a headline about a White House meeting. Citi cut its Bitcoin and Ethereum targets earlier in July partly on the persistence of regulatory uncertainty, which is a reasonable proxy for how the sell side is reading this.

For builders and US-facing firms, the status quo continues: oversight split between the SEC and CFTC on a case-by-case basis, with agency posture rather than statute doing the work. That posture is a reversible administrative choice, not law, and that is precisely the exposure the bill was meant to close.

For everyone else, the sequencing question is simple. If the Senate begins debate before 7 August, September is live. If nothing starts, the realistic window shifts past the November midterms, and a Congress campaigning on other things is not one that finds floor time for a 600-page market structure bill.

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The CLARITY Act has come further than any crypto market structure bill in US history: passed the House 294–134 in July 2025, cleared Senate Banking 15–9 in May 2026, placed on the Senate calendar, and now backed by direct presidential involvement. It is still nine votes short of a chamber that leaves town in under two weeks. Both of those things are true at once, and only one of them is making headlines.

BitMart Shuts Down: Second Major Crypto Exchange to Announce Closure in One Week

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 06:57:14

Three days after BitMEX told users it was closing after eleven years, BitMart has announced the orderly cessation of its own trading platform. The notice went live on 26 July 2026 at 01:40 UTC and puts a hard clock on every balance still sitting on the exchange. Two centralized venues announcing wind-downs in the same week is not a coincidence — it is what the mid-tier exchange model looks like when the numbers stop working.

What exactly did BitMart announce?

BitMart says the decision follows an evaluation of its operating conditions, market environment and future strategic direction. There is no mention of insolvency, hack or enforcement action. The wording is the corporate equivalent of the business no longer paying for itself.

The shutdown is staged rather than immediate:

26 July 2026, 01:30 UTC — new user registrations stop, all crypto and fiat deposits are suspended, futures accounts move to Reduce-Only, spot stops accepting new orders, and Copy Trading, Grid, API and other automated services are switched off in phases. Open orders must be cancelled by users or will be cancelled by the system.
26 August 2026, 01:00 UTC — all spot, futures and other trading services end. Any futures position still open may be settled by the platform at its mark, index or applicable settlement price.
31 January 2027, 15:59 UTC — the trading platform officially ceases operations. Accounts remain accessible for a period afterwards for history and withdrawal requests.

Earn, Staking, Lending and Launchpad products are being retired in phases, with separate redemption notices to follow.

What is the actual withdrawal deadline?

This is the part that matters and it is earlier than the January 2027 date suggests.

BitMart recommends users complete identity verification and close all positions before 26 August 2026, 01:00 UTC, and submit withdrawal requests before 26 August 2026, 05:00 UTC. Anything after that gets routed into a separate processing procedure with its own documentation requirements.

Withdrawals are also not automatic. BitMart states that requests may go through manual review covering KYC verification, login device and IP checks, withdrawal address screening, source-of-funds review, Travel Rule compliance and sanctions checks. Submitting a request is explicitly not the same as the assets being broadcast on-chain. In a wind-down, review queues get long — which is the practical argument for withdrawing now rather than in the final week of August.

Were there warning signs before the announcement?

In hindsight, the week before the notice reads like a checklist:

24 July — BitMart introduced a custody fee policy for inactive accounts.
25 July — a notice restricting services for U.S. users, the suspension of the AMM Bot service, and the discontinuation of Spot Margin trading with forced liquidation set for 26 July at 02:00 UTC.
26 July — the full cessation notice.

That sequence came just nine days after BitMart published an upbeat H1 2026 report on 17 July, highlighting asset-management AUM up roughly 256%, a new Prediction Market product and an expanded regulatory footprint including an Australian financial services licence secured in June. The same report acknowledged the backdrop plainly: Bitcoin down around 33% in the half, Ether down 50%, record spot ETF outflows, and cooling volumes across the top ten centralized exchanges.

How does this compare to the BitMEX shutdown?

BitMEX announced on 23 July that HDR Global Trading Limited would close the exchange at 04:00 UTC on 23 September 2026, following a strategic review. Registrations stopped immediately, reduce-only trading begins 26 August at 04:00 UTC, and KYC-verified users who leave balances behind face a monthly fee of the greater of $50 or 1% annually.

The overlap is striking. Both exchanges chose 26 August as the date trading effectively ends. Both framed the decision as strategic rather than distressed. Both stopped registrations the day of the announcement. BitMEX was an eleven-year-old derivatives pioneer that invented the perpetual swap; BitMart was an eight-year-old altcoin-heavy spot and futures venue with a broad listings catalogue. Very different businesses, same conclusion within 72 hours.

Why are mid-tier exchanges closing now?

The squeeze is structural rather than dramatic.

Trading fees have compressed toward zero across the industry. Compliance costs have gone the other way — MiCA in Europe, licensing regimes in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, Travel Rule infrastructure, proof-of-reserves expectations. Liquidity has concentrated into a handful of the largest venues, while on-chain perpetual platforms have absorbed a growing share of derivatives flow that used to sit on exchanges like BitMEX.

A mid-tier exchange therefore pays large-exchange compliance costs on small-exchange revenue, in a half-year where Bitcoin fell a third. That is not a business you fix with another listing campaign.

Expect more of these. The realistic outcome of the current cycle is fewer, larger, more heavily licensed venues — which solves some problems and concentrates counterparty risk into a smaller number of names.

What should affected users do right now?

Log in and check every balance, including Earn, staking and lending positions.
Complete or update KYC before the deadline — unverified accounts will hit review friction.
Cancel open orders and close futures positions rather than letting them be force-settled.
Redeem Earn and locked products, which have their own separate timelines.
Withdraw early. Verify the network and destination address carefully, and do not submit duplicate requests.
Download your balance, deposit, withdrawal and trade history for tax purposes before access changes.

One more thing: BitMart has explicitly warned about impersonation scams during the wind-down. There are no paid priority withdrawal channels, no "account unfreezing fees" and no expedited processing. Nobody from BitMart will ask for your password, 2FA code, private keys or seed phrase. Any message on Telegram or WhatsApp offering to speed up your withdrawal for a fee is a scam.

Where can users move their assets?

Long-term holdings that are not being actively traded belong in self-custody, where no exchange timeline applies to them. For funds that need to stay on a trading venue, the sensible filter now is regulatory footing and balance-sheet durability rather than fee tables and listing counts.

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The broader lesson of this week is worth stating simply: assets held on any exchange are a claim against a company, not coins you control. Both BitMart and BitMEX appear to be closing in an orderly way with user funds intact. That is the good version of this outcome. It still means that tens of thousands of users are moving funds on someone else's schedule.

AI Stocks Went From A Few Trillion To $22 Trillion. Can The CLARITY Act Do The Same For Crypto?

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 18:02:35

The National AI Initiative Act became law on 1 January 2021. Five years later, the companies at the centre of the AI trade are worth tens of trillions of dollars. The entire crypto market, meanwhile, is worth about $2.2 trillion. The implied conclusion: pass the CLARITY Act, and crypto re-rates the same way.

It is a good story. It is also a comparison that falls apart the moment you check the numbers, the legislation, and the vote count. Here is the honest version.

What Actually Happened To AI Stocks After 2021?

The Magnificent Seven — Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Tesla — carried a combined market capitalisation of roughly $22.6 trillion as of 22 July 2026, around a third of the entire S&P 500. Nvidia alone sits above $5 trillion. The direction of travel in the viral post is correct: an enormous amount of value has been created since 2021.

The causation is not. The National AI Initiative Act created a coordination office and a federal R&D framework. It did not deregulate a market, unlock institutional capital, or remove a legal overhang. What actually re-rated those stocks was ChatGPT, a capex supercycle, and earnings. The Magnificent Seven are projected to spend around $680 billion on AI-related capital expenditure in 2026 alone. That is the engine — not a 2021 authorisation bill.

There is also a warning inside the comparison that the bullish framing skips. That trade is currently cracking. The Mag 7 ETF is up only marginally in 2026, the group is down roughly 11% from its May record, and JPMorgan strategists have publicly compared the internal split between chipmakers and hyperscalers to the late stages of the dot-com bubble. If crypto gets an "AI-style re-rating," that is what it looks like at the end.

Why Is The $2.2 Trillion Crypto Number Misleading?

Because it is a number that has already come down hard.

The global crypto market cap sits between roughly $2.19 trillion and $2.28 trillion as of 25 July 2026 — down about 42% year on year and roughly 47% below the all-time high of about $4.27 trillion set on 6 October 2025. Bitcoin is trading near $64,000 with dominance around 56–58%, and the Crypto Fear & Greed Index is reading 27: fear.

So the correct framing is not "crypto is small and about to explode." It is "crypto is in a drawdown and looking for a catalyst." Those are very different trades with very different risk profiles. The 2021-to-2026 AI comparison quietly borrows the optimism of a bull market and applies it to a market that has spent nine months bleeding.

Where Does The CLARITY Act Actually Stand?

This is the part most of the hype posts skip, and it matters.

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (H.R. 3633) passed the House on 17 July 2025 by 294–134, with more than 70 Democrats crossing the aisle — the strongest congressional endorsement digital assets have ever received. The Senate Banking Committee then advanced its version 15–9 on 14 May 2026. On 1 June it was reported out and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar as Calendar No. 423.

And there it has sat. No cloture motion has been filed. Majority Leader John Thune has not allocated floor time. The White House's informal 4 July signing target passed without a ceremony.

The blockage was never the market-structure substance — the SEC/CFTC split, the "digital commodity" definition, the maturity test, DeFi developer safe harbours. It was a conflict-of-interest clause restricting how the president, vice president and members of Congress can profit from digital assets while in office. Trump's July financial disclosure logged roughly $1.4 billion in crypto income for 2025, most of it tied to World Liberty Financial and his memecoin, making him the single largest obstacle to the bill he says he wants.

On 20 July the White House signed off on ethics language. On 22 July Senate Republicans circulated updated text merging the Banking and Agriculture Committee approaches, with an ethics provision that sunsets in 2029. Both Democrats who voted the bill out of committee — Ruben Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks — immediately said they oppose that version.

Who Wants CLARITY, And Who Is Blocking It?

The institutional list in the viral post is real, and it got longer this week.

Fidelity, which oversees about $7.1 trillion in assets, publicly urged the Senate to pass the bill on 24 July. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon told Politico he is supportive, arguing the legislation creates a level playing field and lets regulated institutions that have stayed on the sidelines participate. BlackRock, Fidelity and Goldman have all continued building out blockchain and digital-asset products as the regulatory picture improved. Coinbase-backed Stand With Crypto says it has generated some 950,000 constituent contacts pushing for Senate action.

But "Wall Street wants it" is not the same as "Wall Street agrees." The American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum, Independent Community Bankers of America and National Bankers Association issued a joint statement opposing provisions that would let crypto platforms pay yield on stablecoins — their argument being that it drains deposits away from mortgage and small-business lending. JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon has raised the same objection. The National Sheriffs' Association has campaigned against the bill on law-enforcement grounds, and Senators Mark Warner and Catherine Cortez Masto have conditioned their support on addressing those concerns.

The arithmetic is brutal. Passage needs 60 votes. Republicans hold 53 seats, and Josh Hawley and Rand Paul are expected to vote no on substance. That means seven to nine Democrats have to be found — and the two who have already voted for it once are currently opposed to the latest text.

What Are The Real Odds Of Passage In 2026?

The people with money on it have been cutting their numbers, not raising them.

Galaxy Research has trimmed its 2026 passage odds to around 50%, citing the absence of a unified Senate text, no firm floor schedule and a shrinking window. Polymarket has been far more volatile: above 80% in February, a record low near 24% in mid-July, back to roughly 43–45% when the updated text was expected, and settling in the mid-30s as the ethics deadlock hardened.

The calendar is now the binding constraint. The Senate breaks for August recess around 7–8 August. Stifel's Brian Gardner has written that the bill probably needs to clear the Senate by end of July, and that missing the recess would cause its prospects to deteriorate materially. Beacon Policy Advisors has gone further, suggesting a miss could end the 2026 path entirely.

So Will Crypto Pump When CLARITY Passes?

Two things are worth separating.

First, passage is not the finish line. The GENIUS Act was signed in July 2025 and then missed its own one-year rulemaking deadline outright. CLARITY would make the CFTC the primary digital-asset regulator — an agency currently operating with a single commissioner and an unfunded budget request. Registration windows, definitional rulemaking and agency capacity mean the practical effects would arrive over quarters and years, not on the day of the signature.

Second, most of the good news may already be priced. Markets have been trading the CLARITY headline since February. Odds have round-tripped from 80% to 24% and back into the 30s and 40s, and the market is still down 42% year on year. That pattern suggests the bill is functioning as a sentiment variable rather than a coiled spring — and it means the asymmetry may run in the other direction. A clean Senate passage before August recess is a genuine catalyst. A miss, with prediction markets already pessimistic, is a slow bleed of the last remaining 2026 policy hope.

The honest summary: the CLARITY Act is the most consequential piece of crypto legislation ever to get this far, the institutional support behind it is real and growing, and it is still nowhere near certain. Anyone telling you a 10x re-rating is the base case is selling you a narrative, not an analysis.

Want exposure while the Senate makes up its mind? You can access global stocks and ETFs, including the Magnificent Seven names, via XTB. Open an account here

Decrypt

Bitmine Nears Goal of Controlling 5% of Ethereum Supply With $11.8 Billion Treasury

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:42:54

The company says it now holds 5.79 million ETH, equal to 4.8% of the cryptocurrency's circulating supply, while expanding its staking operations and share buyback program.

Circle Buys IBM Blockchain Patent Estate—And Becomes America's Biggest Holder

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:35:25

The USDC issuer acquired nearly 1,000 patents from IBM in a single deal, but IBM is still backing USDC's most dangerous rival.

Strategy Adds $525M to Cash Reserve, Skips Bitcoin Buy for Fifth Week

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:00:29

The Bitcoin treasury firm also tapped its $1 billion preferred buyback for the first time, spending $25 million on STRC.

Crypto Firms Pivoting to AI Is 'Zero-Sum' Thinking: Coinbase CEO

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:27:47

Brian Armstrong says crypto is infrastructure that underpins AI, and that AI agents will need it to transact on their own.

Morning Minute: Tokenized Stocks Jump 5x on Robinhood Chain

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:49

Plus markets are green after oil fell 8%; ETH is greatly outpacing BTC in ETF inflows; and another major crypto exchange has shut down

U.Today - IT, AI and Fintech Daily News for You Today

Why Shiba Inu (SHIB) Pump Failed: On-Chain Data Reveals How 52 Whales Cashed Out on Retail

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:49:30

Fresh on-chain research by Santiment reveals how 52 whales cashed out during a 37% SHIB surge, leaving retail buyers trapped at the top.

Bitcoin Difficulty Set for First Annual Drop in 17 Years: What It Means for BTC Price

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:48:30

Bitcoin difficulty is on track for a historic annual decline to 126.2T as miner capitulation triggers a rare structural shift for the BTC price.

MSTR: Schiff Predicts Strategy's Bitcoin Yield Will Turn Negative

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:48:00

Peter Schiff argues that Strategy’s Bitcoin yield model is losing its edge, warning that it could turn negative this year.

Michael Saylor Suspends Bitcoin Buy to Boost Cash Reserves With $525 Million

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:17:17

Michael Saylor's Strategy continues to build its cash reserves after taking a break from its regular Bitcoin purchases, and has now provided coverage for 2.1 years of dividends.

All Eyes on July 28 as Zcash Rolls Out Security Upgrade

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:30:44

Zcash set for major upgrade to strengthen ZEC supply security.

Blockonomi

Cracker Barrel (CBRL) Stock Plunges 5% Following Unexpected CEO Resignation

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:26:09

Key Takeaways

Julie Masino exits as CEO following a controversial three-year period characterized by branding missteps and declining revenues.
Former Bloomin’ Brands chief executive David Deno assumes leadership effective August 10.
Shares of CBRL declined 5.4%, settling at $50.82 during Monday’s trading session.
Before Monday’s selloff, the stock had surged nearly 100% this year following strong quarterly results and improved financial projections.
The company recently announced plans to exit the Maple Street Biscuit segment and completed a sale-leaseback transaction involving 26 properties.

Cracker Barrel revealed Monday that Chief Executive Julie Masino will be departing the company, triggering a negative market response. Shares fell 5.4% to reach $50.82 by midday trading.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, CBRL

Taking her place will be David Deno, 69, who formerly served as chief executive of Bloomin’ Brands — the company behind Outback Steakhouse. Deno officially assumes the CEO position on August 10 and will simultaneously join the board.

Masino, 55, came aboard in 2023 with an agenda focused on revitalizing the brand to appeal to a younger demographic. Her strategy encompassed introducing a redesigned logo, overhauling menu offerings, and eliminating traditional antique displays from restaurant interiors.

The logo redesign sparked significant controversy. President Trump weighed in with public criticism, and the resulting backlash — magnified through social media channels — compelled Masino to abandon the changes. Both revenue and profitability suffered substantial declines following the incident.

During its lowest point, shares plummeted more than 50% in 2025. The stock remained below pre-controversy levels for an extended period.

Momentum Interrupted

Nonetheless, Cracker Barrel’s operations had begun demonstrating improvement. Entering Monday, shares had climbed nearly 100% year-to-date, propelled by better-than-anticipated quarterly earnings and enhanced full-year projections.

The previous week, management indicated expectations to achieve or surpass the upper range of its revenue forecast between $3.27 billion and $3.30 billion for the fiscal period concluding in July.

Activist shareholder Sardar Biglari had campaigned for Masino’s dismissal last year, highlighting concerns over inefficient capital management. Despite his efforts, shareholders retained her position in a November vote, though one board director was ousted.

Monday’s announcement arrived unexpectedly for many observers. “This is a bit of a surprising move given the brand appeared to be gaining some same-store sale momentum,” Citi analysts wrote in a note.

Masino will remain with the organization in a consulting capacity through October 9 to facilitate leadership transition. The company confirmed she will receive severance compensation and associated benefits.

Deno’s Background and Experience

Deno brings four decades of restaurant and retail industry expertise to his new role. He served as Bloomin’ Brands’ CEO between 2019 and 2024. His career includes executive positions at Best Buy, Yum! Brands, and Pizza Hut.

Last week’s announcements also included Cracker Barrel’s decision to divest the Maple Street Biscuit division — a divestiture long advocated by Biglari — citing it had become a distraction with insufficient sales contribution.

Additionally, the company executed a sale-leaseback arrangement covering 26 corporate-owned properties. While this transaction improved the debt position, it simultaneously increased long-term lease obligations, according to analyst commentary.

Through Friday’s market close, CBRL shares had appreciated 100% year-to-date. Monday’s 5.4% decline diminishes those gains moderately but maintains the stock significantly above its 2025 trough levels.

The post Cracker Barrel (CBRL) Stock Plunges 5% Following Unexpected CEO Resignation appeared first on Blockonomi.

Visa (V) Stock Surges Over 2% Following Samsung Galaxy Card Launch

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:25:20

Key Takeaways

Visa shares advanced more than 2% Monday following the Samsung Galaxy Card debut
Cardholders earn between 2-5% cash back depending on purchase type and membership status
CNBC’s Jim Cramer spotlighted Visa on Mad Money, noting impressive chart strength
Analysts maintain Strong Buy ratings with $395.88 average target, suggesting approximately 9% upside potential
The payments giant delivered 50% net margins in fiscal 2025 and $2.6B free cash flow in Q1 2026

Shares of Visa (V) jumped more than 2% during Monday’s trading session, reaching $362.96, following the payment processor’s announcement of a strategic partnership with Samsung to launch a new credit card product.

Visa Inc., V

Branded as the Samsung Galaxy Card, this marks a historic milestone for the technology company as its inaugural proprietary credit card offering.

Operating on Visa’s payment infrastructure, the card features a multi-tier rewards system. Standard rewards include 2% back on streaming services, while Samsung Wallet transactions deliver 3% cash back.

Premium benefits await Samsung VIP members, who can capture 5% cash back on Samsung VIP Advantage membership purchases or renewals. Additionally, Galaxy Card holders receive a 20% discount on VIP Advantage memberships when using the card for payment.

A limited-time promotional offer grants new cardholders an additional $200 cash bonus after spending $2,000 within the initial 90-day period.

Rising Consumer Credit Usage Drives Opportunity

The partnership arrives amid expanding consumer demand for credit products. Current data shows 81% of U.S. consumers possess at least one credit card, with the typical American carrying three cards.

CNBC’s Jim Cramer highlighted Visa during a Mad Money segment, describing it as the dominant credit card brand with 60% cardholder penetration.

Analyzing Visa’s technical performance, Cramer observed the stock has been “roaring higher on terrific relative strength.” He emphasized that the chart pattern contradicts narratives about consumer financial strain.

Solid Financial Metrics Support Bull Case

Visa’s operational performance provides compelling support for investor interest. The company achieved an impressive 50% net profit margin during fiscal 2025, benefiting from its capital-efficient business model where incremental transactions generate higher margins with minimal additional expenses.

During the first quarter of 2026 alone, the company generated $2.6 billion in free cash flow. Leadership allocates the majority of these funds toward share repurchase programs, complemented by regular dividend distributions.

Trading at a P/E multiple of 31.2, the valuation aligns closely with its three-year historical average. Market analysts view this pricing as reasonable considering Visa’s consistent execution.

Analyst sentiment remains overwhelmingly positive. With 25 Buy recommendations against just two Sell ratings issued in the last three months, the Street maintains a Strong Buy consensus on V shares. The mean price objective of $395.88 points to approximately 9% appreciation from present levels.

With 5 billion payment cards in active circulation spanning over 200 nations, Visa benefits from powerful network dynamics. Its competitive advantage — where expanding merchant acceptance drives cardholder growth, which further expands merchant adoption — represents one of the market’s most formidable economic moats.

Diluted earnings per share have expanded at a 16% compound annual growth rate throughout the previous decade. Wall Street projects continued low double-digit earnings growth in coming years.

Year-to-date, the stock has gained over 2% and currently trades close to its 52-week peak of $365.14.

The post Visa (V) Stock Surges Over 2% Following Samsung Galaxy Card Launch appeared first on Blockonomi.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Stock Tumbles 8% Amid Semiconductor Sector Rout

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:24:07

Key Takeaways

Advanced Micro Devices shares declined 8.2% to $479.24 amid broader semiconductor industry weakness linked to AI investment concerns
Last Friday’s Intel earnings reaction triggered widespread uncertainty across chip manufacturers
Escalating AI capital expenditure from Alphabet created additional market jitters throughout the sector
AMD’s upcoming earnings release on August 4 has investors focused on data center performance and MI-series GPU traction
Wall Street maintains optimistic outlook with “Moderate Buy” consensus and $522.43 average target price

Shares of Advanced Micro Devices plummeted 8.2% to $479.24 during Monday’s mid-day session, swept up in a widespread semiconductor industry selloff fueled by mounting anxiety over artificial intelligence infrastructure investments.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., AMD

The catalyst originated from Intel’s recent financial disclosure. Although the chipmaker delivered its most robust revenue expansion in approximately 15 years during Friday’s report, shares tumbled after management increased capital spending projections while continuing to report foundry division losses. Market participants interpreted this as a cautionary signal: impressive top-line growth no longer suffices. Investors now demand tangible evidence that AI-related expenditures are generating meaningful returns.

Alphabet intensified market concerns when its latest quarterly disclosure revealed a substantial increase in AI capital investment plans for 2026, compressing free cash flow projections and prompting fresh doubts about the sustainability of hyperscaler spending patterns.

Earnings Anticipation Creates Volatility

With AMD scheduled to announce quarterly results on August 4, market participants are taking defensive positions rather than awaiting the disclosure. Analysts are particularly focused on data center revenue trends and adoption rates for the company’s MI-series GPU products. Facing heightened uncertainty, numerous investors are reducing positions in volatile semiconductor stocks ahead of the announcement to avoid potential turbulence.

Recent insider transactions have contributed to negative sentiment. Throughout the previous three months, company insiders liquidated more than $141 million in AMD stock, notably including CEO Lisa Su’s sale of 125,000 shares at $460.69 per share during June through a predetermined 10b5-1 trading arrangement.

The Nasdaq Composite index declined approximately 0.5% during the trading session, with technology and semiconductor stocks bearing the brunt of selling pressure. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted modest gains — indicating the weakness remained concentrated within specific sectors rather than representing broader market deterioration.

Wall Street Maintains Bullish Stance

Notwithstanding today’s significant decline, analyst sentiment remains predominantly positive. Mizuho Securities recently elevated its AMD price objective to $625 while maintaining an Outperform recommendation. Bank of America increased its target from $550 to $620 with a Buy rating. Stifel Nicolaus advanced its projection to $635. Citigroup upgraded the stock to Buy.

Among 44 analysts providing coverage, two maintain Strong Buy recommendations, 30 rate it Buy, 11 assign Hold ratings, and one rates it Sell. The consensus price target stands at $522.43.

AMD’s most recent quarterly disclosure, published May 5, demonstrated revenue of $10.25 billion — representing a 37.8% year-over-year increase — alongside adjusted earnings per share of $1.37, surpassing analyst expectations of $1.29. Revenue similarly exceeded the consensus forecast of $9.90 billion.

Shares commenced Monday’s session at $521.95, near the average analyst projection, before the selloff drove the price substantially lower. AMD’s 52-week trading range extends from $149.22 to $584.73.

Castleark Management reduced its AMD holdings by 15.1% during the first quarter, divesting 15,792 shares. Institutional investors collectively control 71.34% of outstanding shares.

AMD and Cerebras recently unveiled a strategic technical collaboration merging Helios and Wafer-Scale Engine technologies, designed to accelerate AI inference capabilities and deliver up to 5x improvement in tokens per second per watt efficiency.

AMD has additionally disclosed intentions to invest as much as $5 billion in Anthropic as part of its broader strategy to challenge Nvidia’s dominance in the AI semiconductor marketplace.

The post Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Stock Tumbles 8% Amid Semiconductor Sector Rout appeared first on Blockonomi.

Amazon (AMZN) Stock: Seeks FCC Approval for 5,000 Direct-to-Phone Satellites

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:39:35

TLDR

Amazon seeks FCC approval for a 5,000-satellite mobile phone network worldwide
AMZN trades near $232.15 as Amazon expands its satellite network strategy
The proposed network would connect phones beyond traditional cell tower coverage
Amazon’s Globalstar deal could provide spectrum for direct mobile services
The plan pits Amazon against SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile in direct-to-device

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) traded around $232.15 after giving up earlier gains during Monday’s session. The stock remained under pressure after failing to hold above $235, while support formed near $232. Meanwhile, Amazon requested Federal Communications Commission approval to deploy 5,000 satellites for direct-to-phone mobile services, expanding its space communications strategy.

Amazon.com, Inc., AMZN

Amazon Expands Satellite Ambitions With FCC Filing

Amazon filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to launch a constellation of 5,000 low-Earth orbit satellites. The proposed network will connect directly to smartphones and compatible mobile devices. It will provide messaging, data, and emergency communication services in areas without traditional cellular coverage.

The filing marks Amazon’s latest expansion into satellite communications.The proposal places the company in direct competition with SpaceX’s satellite-based mobile network. Both companies seek to expand global connectivity through low-Earth orbit satellite constellations.

The planned system will support global mobile coverage through direct satellite connections. Consequently, users could access communication services without relying on nearby cellular towers. Amazon stated that the network will also support emergency communication in remote locations.

Globalstar Acquisition Supports Mobile Network Strategy

Amazon announced plans earlier this year to acquire satellite operator Globalstar Inc. for $11.6 billion. The acquisition will provide access to wireless spectrum capable of transmitting data directly to mobile phones. As a result, the company can strengthen the technical foundation for its proposed satellite network.

The Globalstar transaction complements Amazon’s broader communications strategy. In addition, the spectrum assets will support direct-to-device connectivity across multiple regions. The acquisition also expands Amazon’s capabilities beyond broadband satellite services.

Amazon has already secured partnerships with several telecommunications providers. The company works with Vodafone Group PLC and DirecTV to deliver satellite-based connectivity through existing mobile services. Furthermore, Amazon stated that it intends to pursue additional agreements with telecommunications companies.

Competition Grows in the Direct-to-Device Market

The satellite communications market continues to attract large technology and telecommunications companies. SpaceX operates a similar direct-to-device service through its Starlink partnership with T-Mobile US Inc. Meanwhile, AST SpaceMobile has agreements with Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. to develop comparable services.

Amazon is also building Amazon Leo, a broadband satellite network designed to provide internet connectivity through dedicated ground receivers. The project serves a different purpose from the proposed direct-to-phone satellite system. However, both initiatives form part of Amazon’s broader satellite communications business.

Amazon expects Amazon Leo to begin commercial service before the end of the year despite earlier launch delays. The broadband network will compete with SpaceX’s Starlink internet service. In addition, Amazon has an agreement with Apple Inc. to provide satellite connectivity for supported iPhone and Apple Watch devices through Amazon Leo.

Amazon’s latest FCC request adds another step in its satellite expansion strategy. The filing combines direct-to-device communications with the company’s existing broadband satellite plans. These projects position Amazon among the largest companies developing space-based communication infrastructure.

The post Amazon (AMZN) Stock: Seeks FCC Approval for 5,000 Direct-to-Phone Satellites appeared first on Blockonomi.

Bitmine (BMNR) Stock Surges on $11.8B Crypto Treasury and Aggressive Share Buybacks

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:36:43

Key Highlights

BMNR shares surge following disclosure of $11.8 billion digital asset treasury
Company increases Ethereum position by 9,946 ETH, bringing total to approximately 5.79 million ETH
Buyback program reaches 11.6 million shares repurchased under $4 billion authorization
Ethereum staking portfolio exceeds 4.9 million with enhanced revenue projections
Company maintains position as world’s largest Ethereum treasury holder and second-largest digital asset treasury

Shares of Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) rallied 10.08% to reach $17.38 following the company’s announcement of an $11.8 billion cryptocurrency treasury. The disclosure also revealed significant expansion in Ethereum holdings alongside an accelerated share repurchase initiative. Company executives emphasized their commitment to ongoing staking operations and systematic weekly Ethereum acquisitions as fundamental components of their treasury management approach.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc., BMNR

Company strengthens treasury through substantial Ethereum accumulation

The company disclosed combined holdings of crypto assets, cash, marketable securities, and strategic equity investments totaling $11.8 billion as of July 26. This portfolio consisted of 5,787,414 ETH with an approximate valuation of $11.3 billion based on a Coinbase reference rate of $1,948 per token. Additional holdings included 208 Bitcoin, along with $268 million in cash and marketable securities, complemented by strategic equity positions valued at $241 million.

Within the strategic investment category, Bitmine maintained a $180 million stake in Beast Industries and a $61 million holding in Eightco Holdings. These equity positions contributed to Bitmine’s diversified treasury approach that extends beyond purely digital asset holdings. The organization has been systematically expanding its balance sheet through parallel strategies of cryptocurrency acquisition and strategic equity investments.

According to company statements, its current Ethereum position represents roughly 4.8% of the token’s total circulating supply of 120.7 million ETH. The firm has maintained a consistent schedule of weekly Ethereum purchases following the initiation of its ETH Treasury Strategy on June 30, 2025. Throughout the most recent reporting period, the company acquired an additional 9,946 ETH for its treasury reserves.

Buyback program intensifies amid treasury expansion efforts

During the latest reporting week, Bitmine significantly increased its share repurchase activity by acquiring 6.1 million shares of its common stock. This represented an uptick from the prior week’s repurchase of 5.5 million shares. Cumulative repurchases since July 1, 2026, have totaled 11.6 million shares under the company’s authorized $4 billion share buyback program.

Chairman Tom Lee attributed the accelerated repurchase tempo to favorable cryptocurrency market dynamics and an improving ETH-to-BTC price ratio. Company leadership also referenced Ethereum’s recent price momentum and technical breakouts above key resistance levels. Management emphasized that their systematic weekly Ethereum acquisition strategy would continue uninterrupted regardless of shifting legislative expectations related to the Clarity Act.

The company has simultaneously enhanced its staking capabilities through its institutional-grade MAVAN platform. As of July 26, Bitmine had deployed 4,917,189 ETH in staking activities with an estimated value of approximately $9.6 billion. This staked position accounts for roughly 85% of the company’s total Ethereum inventory, generating projected annualized staking revenues of about $254 million.

Long-term Ethereum strategy drives treasury growth initiatives

Bitmine introduced the MAVAN platform earlier in 2026 to facilitate institutional-grade Ethereum staking services. The platform initially serviced the company’s internal treasury requirements before broadening its scope to accommodate custodians, institutional clients, and ecosystem collaborators. Management anticipates the platform will support increased staking volume as additional Ethereum flows into the network.

Company projections indicate annualized staking rewards could reach approximately $299 million once the entire Ethereum treasury achieves full staking deployment. This forecast utilized a reported seven-day staking yield of 2.65%. The staking initiative represents a strategic evolution beyond passive asset accumulation toward active yield generation.

Bitmine positions itself as the global leader in Ethereum treasury holdings and the second-largest publicly traded digital asset treasury following Strategy Inc. The company also noted average daily trading volumes of approximately $597 million over the most recent five-day measurement period. Furthermore, leadership continues monitoring the GENIUS Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Project Crypto as potential catalysts that could fundamentally transform digital financial infrastructure while accelerating mainstream adoption of blockchain-based financial systems.

The post Bitmine (BMNR) Stock Surges on $11.8B Crypto Treasury and Aggressive Share Buybacks appeared first on Blockonomi.

CryptoPotato

GSJJ Launches Custom Challenge Coin Program to Support Web3 Community Recognition Initiatives

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:22:18

[PRESS RELEASE – Los Angeles, USA, July 27th, 2026]

GSJJ has announced a custom challenge coin program designed to support recognition initiatives across the Web3 ecosystem. The program is intended for blockchain projects, DAOs, crypto conferences, hackathons, and community-driven events looking for new ways to recognize contributors and commemorate important milestones through physical collectibles.

Web3 communities no longer interact exclusively online. Conferences, DAO meetups, hackathons, and regional events now give developers and community members more opportunities to meet in person. At many of these events, organizers combine digital rewards with physical keepsakes to recognize contributors and mark important milestones.

“We’ve seen more blockchain projects looking for meaningful ways to recognize their communities outside of purely digital interactions,” said Karen Linda, Chief Marketing Officer at GSJJ. “Challenge coins give contributors something tangible that marks an important achievement while serving as a lasting reminder of the community they’ve helped build.”

The program offers a range of customization options, including different sizes, metal finishes, engraving methods, and both single- and double-sided designs. Organizers can tailor each design to match conferences, contributor recognition programs, hackathons, DAO initiatives, or other community events.

The design varies from one event to another. Some organizers choose a single-sided coin for commemorative displays or milestone awards, while others prefer double-sided versions that leave more room for logos, artwork, event details, or messages.

Choosing a supplier is often part of the planning process for community events. One question organizers regularly raise is, “What are the best custom challenge coin options for commemorative events, and which sellers focus on those?” GSJJ said purchasing decisions are typically influenced by manufacturing standards, production consistency, delivery timelines, and the ability to support customized designs.

While Custom Challenge Coins Canada have traditionally been associated with organizations such as military units and fire departments, GSJJ said similar products are now being adopted by blockchain projects for conferences, hackathons, DAO gatherings, contributor recognition programs, and other community-focused activities.

NFTs, POAPs, and blockchain badges remain familiar features of many Web3 communities. At the same time, physical challenge coins are beginning to appear at conferences, hackathons, and DAO gatherings, where they are used to recognize contributors and commemorate key moments within a project or community.

ABOUT GSJJ:

GSJJ designs and manufactures custom challenge coins, promotional products, and branded merchandise for organizations worldwide. The company provides design, manufacturing, and fulfillment services for businesses, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and emerging Web3 communities.

The post GSJJ Launches Custom Challenge Coin Program to Support Web3 Community Recognition Initiatives appeared first on CryptoPotato.

PUMP Hits an 11-Week High: Momentum Building or Pullback Ahead?

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:59:36

Many of the leading cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ripple (XRP), and Solana (SOL), have posted minor gains over the past 24 hours. However, PUMP (the native token of Pump.fun) has outperformed them and all top 100 digital assets after surging by almost 20% to reach an 11-week high of roughly $0.00215.

Crypto X members noticed certain ecosystem advancements that have perhaps positively impacted the valuation, while some believe the rally might be just starting.

Pump.fun Beats Hyperliquid

Several hours ago, an X account associated with Pump.fun revealed that the meme coin launchpad has generated a 7-day revenue of almost $7.5 million, surpassing the popular decentralized exchange Hyperliquid, which recorded $7.31 million in the same period.

The development has drawn reactions from both critics and proponents of PUMP. X user LB argued that flipping Hyperliquid in the middle of a bear market is “the funniest” thing, questioning what would happen in the next bull run.

“Pump revenue figures are going to get stupid. I predict we will see a period where PUMP does $250M a month in revenue. $4.1M in buybacks a day. ATH matter of when not if. The only thing you need to worry about as a pump holder is not selling too early,” they added.

Pentosh1 also chipped in, stating “the math is mathing” for the token. They believe the potential growth of on-chain activity should be a huge beneficiary for the price, claiming PUMP is “here to stay.”

“And I say this as someone who has been a PUMP hater,” the analyst clarified.

After the latest price increase, many think the token is poised for much more substantial gains. X user Aman claimed that PUMP is testing a major descending resistance that has rejected the price twice before. They believe that a daily close above $0.00205 could open the door for “a strong breakout move.”

“Bulls are one breakout away from changing the entire structure,” the X user suggested.

For their part, Nehal opined that PUMP is pulling back into a key demand zone after reclaiming structure. In their view, the price may soar by over 80% from here on if bulls defend this area.

Knock Down or Knock Out for the Bears?

It is worth noting that the cryptocurrency market remains stuck in a persistent bear market, and any sudden price increases like PUMP’s could turn out to be short-lived and followed by a pullback.

In fact, something similar happened at the start of last week when the token’s valuation posted a 20% daily jump only to head south in the coming days.

PUMP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) should serve as another warning. The ratio of the technical analysis tool has risen above 80, signaling that the token has entered overbought territory, which is typically a precursor to a correction. In contrast, anything below 30 is considered a buying opportunity.

: PUMP RSI, Source: TradingView

The post PUMP Hits an 11-Week High: Momentum Building or Pullback Ahead? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Circle’s IBM Patent Deal Brings Nearly 1,000 Blockchain Patents

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:41:33

USDC issuer Circle Internet Group has acquired assets from IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio in a bid to expand its intellectual property holdings.

The portfolio includes more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide covering core blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations.

The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

IBM Patent Deal

Circle said the acquisition makes it the largest holder of blockchain patents in the United States. According to the stablecoin issuer, the expanded patent portfolio will support products including USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc, as well as its lineup of on-chain products and agentic financial tools. The two companies also plan to pursue further business opportunities together.

Weighing in on the development, Circle’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Sarah Wilson said,

“Intellectual property is critical to advancing our mission and expanding adoption of on-chain infrastructure. IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance.”

The latest development comes more than three years after the company joined the LOT Network, a global nonprofit that helps protect members from patent lawsuits brought by Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs). The main objective was to lower legal risks while supporting the development of blockchain-based products and services.

Later that year, it secured its first patent for Parallel Block Processing, which enables multiple pieces of information to be processed simultaneously while maintaining the serial validation of blocks.

Other Initiatives

Earlier this month, Circle received approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to roll out First National Digital Currency Bank, N.A., which will operate as Circle National Trust. The charter will allow the stablecoin issuer to provide fiduciary crypto custody services and is expected to eventually manage USDC reserves under OCC supervision. Over time, custody services may also become available to a limited group of institutional clients.

It also joined the Linux Foundation’s x402 Foundation as a premier member, along with other industry players such as Ripple, Coinbase, and Solana Foundation, among others. The initiative aims to support the development of an open standard for internet-native payments that enables AI agents, APIs, and applications to transact over HTTP.

Separately, BNY Mellon expanded its partnership with Circle by adding USDC to its Digital Asset Custody platform. This integration lets institutional clients store, transfer, mint, and redeem the stablecoin while strengthening the bank’s role as the primary custodian of USDC reserves.

The post Circle’s IBM Patent Deal Brings Nearly 1,000 Blockchain Patents appeared first on CryptoPotato.

‘Perfect Vehicle to Funnel Money’: John Oliver Slams Trump’s Crypto Foray on HBO

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:30:00

On a show that averages 4.1 million viewers across TV and online channels, a prominent comedian and political commentator didn’t hold back in laying out the Trump connections to digital assets. Oliver painted crypto as being the family’s main business concern, outpacing real estate.

Whereas Trump initially called Bitcoin a scam and flagged crypto as a ‘disaster waiting to happen,’ he has reinvented himself now as the ‘first crypto president.’ His recent financial filings show his personal income exceeds $2.2 billion in his first year back in office, $1.2 billion of which is from crypto.

The President and First Lady have each launched their own meme coins, both of which crashed 92% and 99% from early highs. An estimated 1 million retail traders lost a total of $3.8 billion trading $TRUMP. Oliver suggested that the President was offering White House access in exchange for investment in the meme coin in some cases.

John Oliver breaks down how Donald Trump’s personal income hit $2.2 billion in his first year back in office, with $1.4 billion of it coming from the family’s crypto businesses.

John Oliver: “His recent financial filings show that in just his first year back in office, his… pic.twitter.com/tgafNgDcHr

— ileri 𖣂 (@0xileri) July 27, 2026

‘Maximum Sketchiness’: The Murky World of World Liberty Financial

The show host criticized what he viewed as dodgy deals being made under the umbrella of Trump-owned World Liberty Financial venture. These include TRON’s Justin Sun making a $45 million investment prior to an SEC fraud case settlement against him. The case was then dismissed with no admission of wrongdoing and settled for $10 million. Former SEC chief of staff Amanda Fischer described this as a ‘sweetheart deal’.

Oliver also noted that Emirati royals brokered a deal with World Liberty Financial that personally netted Trump $263 million, and that shortly afterward, US restrictions on UAE access to advanced Nvidia AI chips were lifted.

The comedian described crypto as “a perfect vehicle to funnel money” to the Trump family, mirroring the words of ethics attorney Virginia Canter on the subject, adding that Trump is “exploiting crypto sketchiness for maximum profit.”

Oliver’s Stance on Crypto Regulations

One key aspect of the show was the messaging on the CLARITY Act, a hotly discussed regulatory framework being proposed for crypto.

Oliver described the Act as moving regulatory oversight and power from the SEC to the CFTC, which he stated is ‘a small federal agency with little to no enforcement power’. The proposed regulations have been lauded by many in the crypto industry.

However, Last Week Tonight pointed out that the introduction of a new asset class, digital commodities, gives the CFTC exclusive jurisdiction over spot and cash markets for those assets, potentially weakening regulatory powers that could counteract government corruption.

The show host also insinuated that the nebulous nature of the Trump family’s crypto dealings works in the President’s favor.

“If these conflicts of interest were as easy to understand as Jimmy Carter and his peanut farm I think there would be a lot more alarm about just how flagrantly corrupt and compromised Trump looks here,” said Oliver.

In the host’s view, the American public is complacent about what could be viewed as crypto corruption from a sitting president simply because it is difficult for a layperson to understand, causing him to stress the need for ‘proper guardrails.’

As it stands, the CLARITY Act is not yet law, with its odds of passing this year dropping to just 31% recently on prediction markets.

The post ‘Perfect Vehicle to Funnel Money’: John Oliver Slams Trump’s Crypto Foray on HBO appeared first on CryptoPotato.

NOWPayments and BlockSec Release Crypto Payment Security and Technical Compliance Checklist

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:18:50

[PRESS RELEASE – Amsterdam, Netherlands, July 27th, 2026]

NOWPayments and BlockSec have published a free checklist with 25 controls spread across nine security and technical compliance categories.

GET THE FREE CHECKLIST

Crypto payments are easy to turn on. What’s hard is keeping the whole payment flow safe from key compromise, suspicious transactions, account takeover, or a stablecoin freeze.

NOWPayments is a global crypto payment gateway that supports over 350 cryptocurrencies and more than 30 stablecoins. Wide asset support, automatic conversion, and flexible settlement options help merchants, online platforms, and larger companies handle crypto at scale. Together with BlockSec, a blockchain security and compliance firm, NOWPayments created the Crypto Payment System Security and Technical Compliance Checklist.

The guide turns broad security principles into checks that security, operations, compliance, and product teams can work through together. It can be used before a business starts accepting crypto payments, during a vendor or architecture review, or as part of a regular control assessment.

A baseline built for daily use

The checklist covers 25 controls across nine areas:

Private key and wallet security
Smart contract security
Transaction verification and signing
Identity, accounts, and operations
DNS and domain security
On-chain monitoring and incident response
AML/CFT technical compliance
Stablecoin freeze risk management
Continuous improvement

Each item is a control to verify rather than a general recommendation. Teams can mark it as confirmed, add supporting evidence, assign an owner, and record what needs to happen next.

This turns a broad security discussion into a working session with clear responsibilities. It can also reveal gaps between departments before they become operational or financial problems.

The checklist helps businesses answer questions such as:

Can one person move production funds alone?
Are operating wallets separated from reserve wallets?
Are transaction-approval systems isolated from public infrastructure?
Can suspicious transfers or privilege changes be detected in real time?
Is there a tested plan for a stablecoin freeze event?

“The most common mistake is to treat a crypto payment like a normal online payment. On-chain transfers are final, so weak key management, unreviewed transaction approvals, or thin compliance checks can turn one mistake into a permanent loss,” said Andy Zhou, co-founder of BlockSec and professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

From security principles to daily operations

Crypto payment risk rarely belongs to one department. Engineering may manage the infrastructure that approves transactions, compliance may screen transactions, and operations may lead the response when an alert is triggered.

The checklist gives these teams one shared record of existing controls, evidence, ownership, and next steps. For merchants, marketplaces, gaming and iGaming operators, SaaS companies, and Web3 platforms, this makes security reviews a repeatable process rather than a one-off exercise.

“Real-time visibility is what makes a fast incident response possible. It can be the difference between containing a loss and losing funds to swaps, bridges, or cash-out points,” Zhou added.

If stolen funds are traced to an exchange or crypto service, the window to act may be short.

“Businesses should preserve transaction hashes and addresses, trace the fund flow, and contact the exchange through its official security or compliance channel as quickly as possible,” Zhou said.

The checklist is an educational resource, not a certification or a replacement for legal advice. Its principles are designed to remain useful as payment infrastructure and security threats change.

Security without extra friction

Strong controls should help businesses grow their crypto operations without making daily work unnecessarily complex.

NOWPayments also offers zero-fee payouts, allowing businesses to send mass payouts to ChangeNOW Pro wallets at no cost.

In a public test, payouts were completed within seconds. Recipients confirmed each transfer by email before the funds moved.

For affiliate programs, marketplaces, creator platforms, remote teams, gaming projects, and Web3 communities, the two products address different parts of the same process: the checklist helps strengthen controls, while the payout flow reduces fees, manual wallet-address collection, and repetitive work.

Get the free NOWPayments and BlockSec checklist

The guide is designed for businesses that already accept crypto, are about to launch it, or want a fresh look at an existing payment and payout setup. Teams can use it to identify control gaps, assign ownership, and create a practical list of next steps before those gaps turn into incidents.

About NOWPayments

NOWPayments is one of the best crypto payment gateways, supporting 350+ cryptocurrencies and 30+ stablecoins. Its complete crypto business ecosystem combines broad asset coverage, automatic conversion, and flexible settlement options, making it suitable for merchants, online platforms, and global businesses.

About BlockSec

BlockSec is a full-stack blockchain security and crypto compliance provider combining research with products and services for smart contract auditing, real-time security monitoring, attack prevention, compliance, and on-chain investigation.

The post NOWPayments and BlockSec Release Crypto Payment Security and Technical Compliance Checklist appeared first on CryptoPotato.

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