Strategy Inc. just did something it rarely does: acknowledged that holding Bitcoin in massive quantities requires, well, an actual plan for when things get bumpy.
On June 29, the company announced what it calls a “Digital Credit Capital Framework,” a multi-pronged liquidity strategy designed to stabilize its stock and securities while keeping its long-term Bitcoin thesis intact. The announcement snapped a nine-day losing streak.
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What the framework actually does The new framework has three main pillars. First, a BTC monetization program that allows Strategy to sell up to $1.25B in Bitcoin. Second, the company authorized up to $2B in buybacks, split evenly between MSTR common stock and its STRC preferred shares, at up to $1B each. Third, the STRC preferred stock dividend rate is set to jump to 12% annually, effective July 1, with the goal of pinning STRC’s trading price close to its $100 par value.
The balance sheet behind the plan Strategy’s current USD reserve sits at roughly $2.55B. According to the company’s own estimates, that cash pile covers between 17 and 26 months of financial obligations, depending on how things shake out. Having nearly two years of runway in fiat currency means the company doesn’t need to panic-sell Bitcoin during a downturn. It can be strategic about when, and whether, it taps that $1.25B monetization program.
Why the losing streak mattered For context, Strategy has spent years transforming itself from a sleepy enterprise software company into the world’s most prominent corporate Bitcoin holder. Under Michael Saylor’s direction, the company accumulated a massive Bitcoin position that dwarfs any other public company’s holdings. The STRC preferred shares had recently traded well below their par value, reflecting pressure from both the declining Bitcoin market and wider economic uncertainties.
What this means for investors The $2B in buyback authorizations is a meaningful amount relative to Strategy’s market presence. The 12% STRC dividend is designed to attract income-focused investors who want exposure to Bitcoin’s upside. If STRC stabilizes near that $100 level, it becomes one of the higher-yielding preferred instruments in the market.
The risk hasn’t disappeared, though. That $1.25B Bitcoin monetization program is a double-edged sword. Selling Bitcoin generates liquidity, but it also reduces the very asset that justifies Strategy’s premium valuation.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Ondo Finance’s native token, ONDO, is approaching a critical technical zone that could determine its short-term price direction. As of the time this article was prepared, ONDO was trading at $0.3084, with a 24-hour trading volume of $61.48 million and a market capitalization of $1.5 billion. While trading action has remained relatively subdued over the last day, ONDO’s price structure and rising institutional interest have attracted notable attention in the market.
Technical setup points to a breakout thresholdCrypto analyst Crypto With Gopal has noted that following a recovery from recent lows, ONDO is moving within an ascending wedge pattern. This formation indicates that the token has been registering higher lows, but a persistent overhead resistance suggests that bullish momentum may be starting to wane.
According to Crypto With Gopal, ONDO is nearing a pivotal technical phase; if the price breaks above the upper trendline, a move towards $0.325 is on the table, while a drop below the pattern’s support could trigger short-term selling pressure.
In technical terms, such compressed trading ranges are often viewed as precursors to heightened volatility. Investors are therefore closely watching to see whether ONDO can break above its resistance or hold the ascending support line. Analysts suggest that confirmation of the next move could play a key role in shaping ONDO’s short-term trend.
Data from Token Terminal highlights how blockchain-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are increasingly bridging traditional finance and digital asset infrastructure. The overall global ETF market is valued above $20 trillion, while ETF tokens issued on blockchains collectively total less than $450 million in value. This contrast underscores the vast room for growth as real-world assets make further inroads into decentralized finance.
Mini glossary: A tokenized ETF is a blockchain-based digital token that represents a traditional ETF. RWA stands for real-world asset and refers to moving instruments such as stocks, bonds, or funds onto blockchain networks.
Ondo Finance stands out in this niche market, commanding a dominant 74.5% share. The company is known as a fintech platform focused on integrating real-world assets with blockchain infrastructure. Ondo Finance’s strong position in the tokenized ETF segment is widely seen as a sign of institutional investors’ growing appetite for blockchain-based financial products.
Market sentiment remains cautiousDespite these positives, ONDO’s price has yet to confirm a clear direction. Even with a constructive technical outlook and robust standing in the tokenized ETF market, the token remains affected by broader market conditions, particularly Bitcoin’s sideways movement. This cautious atmosphere is consistent with the current behavior observed across many altcoins.
In the short term, attention is focused both on whether ONDO will see a technical breakout and on continued demand for tokenized financial products. A decisive move above the resistance could propel prices toward $0.325, while losing the support line risks triggering a bout of short-term selling.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Cryptocurrency miners are seen in a liquid immersion cooling mining tank at the TMG Core stand during the Bitcoin Conference 2022 in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. April 6, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesJune 29 (Reuters) - Bitcoin miner and AI infrastructure firm Ionic Digital filed on Monday to go public through a direct listing.
The company was formed in January 2024 to acquire the cryptocurrency mining assets of Celsius Mining, a subsidiary of Celsius, which received U.S. bankruptcy court approval for a restructuring in November 2023.
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A direct listing allows a company to list its existing shares on an exchange without an underwritten offering. No new shares are created, and insiders can sell their holdings instantly.
Ionic's registered stockholders plan to sell up to 10.8 million shares of common stock in the listing.
As part of Celsius' reorganization, Ionic issued about 37 million Class A shares to Celsius creditors, turning them into shareholders in the new company.
New Jersey-based Celsius filed for Chapter 11 protection in July 2022, one month after freezing customer accounts to prevent withdrawals. It is one of several crypto lenders to go bankrupt following the rapid growth of the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, Ionic raised $400 million at a pre-money valuation of $2 billion in a funding round led by new investors Attestor, Oaktree Capital Management and Sachem Head Capital Management.
Ionic plans to list its shares on Nasdaq under the symbol "IOND". J.P.Morgan, Jefferies and BTIG are the financial advisors for the listing.
Reporting by Pragyan Kalita in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
June 29 : Bitcoin miner and AI infrastructure firm Ionic Digital filed on Monday to go public through a direct listing.
The company was formed in January 2024 to acquire the cryptocurrency mining assets of Celsius Mining, a subsidiary of Celsius, which received U.S. bankruptcy court approval for a restructuring in November 2023.
A direct listing allows a company to list its existing shares on an exchange without an underwritten offering. No new shares are created, and insiders can sell their holdings instantly.
Ionic's registered stockholders plan to sell up to 10.8 million shares of common stock in the listing.
As part of Celsius' reorganization, Ionic issued about 37 million Class A shares to Celsius creditors, turning them into shareholders in the new company.
New Jersey-based Celsius filed for Chapter 11 protection in July 2022, one month after freezing customer accounts to prevent withdrawals. It is one of several crypto lenders to go bankrupt following the rapid growth of the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, Ionic raised $400 million at a pre-money valuation of $2 billion in a funding round led by new investors Attestor, Oaktree Capital Management and Sachem Head Capital Management.
Ionic plans to list its shares on Nasdaq under the symbol "IOND". J.P.Morgan, Jefferies and BTIG are the financial advisors for the listing.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
For more details, visit the official Beincrypto platform.
TL;DR XRP spot ETF products reportedly extended their inflow streak to eight consecutive weeks. Bitcoin ETFs have moved in the opposite direction, with heavy outflows reported in June. The split suggests investors may be separating broad crypto risk from targeted altcoin exposure. XRP Funds Keep Drawing Inflows XRP-linked ETF products have reportedly extended their inflow streak to eight consecutive weeks, pulling in fresh capital while Bitcoin funds have been dealing with heavy outflows.
That contrast is the story. In a weak market, investors are not simply selling everything crypto-related at the same pace. Some are reducing Bitcoin exposure, while pockets of demand remain for specific assets and wrappers. XRP is one of the names showing up in that rotation.
For readers, this matters because ETF flows are a cleaner signal than social hype. They do not tell the whole story, but they do show where capital is moving through regulated products. If XRP continues to attract inflows while Bitcoin bleeds, it suggests that some investors are making more selective decisions rather than exiting the sector entirely.
What The Bitcoin-XRP Split Says The split between Bitcoin outflows and XRP inflows is especially interesting because Bitcoin is usually treated as the institutional gateway into crypto.
When BTC products lose assets, the easy assumption is that institutional appetite for crypto is weakening. But XRP inflows complicate that view. They suggest investors may still want exposure to certain narratives, even if they are reducing broad market beta.
That does not automatically make XRP stronger than Bitcoin from an investment standpoint. It simply shows a difference in flow behavior. XRP has its own investor base, legal history, payments narrative, and community structure. Those factors can create demand that does not always move in lockstep with Bitcoin.
It also raises a question about maturity in crypto markets. Earlier cycles often moved together: Bitcoin led, altcoins followed, and risk appetite rose or fell as a block. ETF flow divergence suggests a more segmented market, where investors can express narrower views through specific products.
The Caveat For XRP Bulls XRP inflows are constructive, but they should not be treated as a guaranteed price signal.
Flows can support a market, but price still depends on liquidity, broader sentiment, technical structure, and whether new demand is large enough to overcome selling. Inflows also need to persist. One strong streak is useful; a durable trend would be more meaningful.
For Bitcoin, the pressure remains clear. Heavy ETF outflows in June have weakened one of the market’s most important demand channels. For XRP, the opposite is happening: regulated-product demand is still showing signs of life.
The takeaway is not that XRP has “won” the institutional race. It is that crypto flows are becoming more selective. That is a healthier, more complicated market — and one traders will need to read asset by asset rather than assuming everything moves as one trade.
For readers, the useful approach is to treat this as a signal to monitor rather than a standalone trading call, because confirmation still has to come from follow-through in price, flows, and broader market behavior.
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This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
Kiyosaki Says The Pin Is Near For The Biggest Bubble In HistoryKiyosaki posted his boldest price targets yet, predicting gold hits $35,000 an ounce and silver reaches $200 an ounce within a year of the bubble popping.
He paired those calls with $750,000 for Bitcoin and $95,000 for Ethereum, framing all four assets as the winners once the current financial system breaks.
“I do not know what pin, what event will pop the biggest bubbles in history,” Kiyosaki wrote. “It’s not IF. It’s WHEN.”
His targets mark a sharp jump from the $250,000 Bitcoin and $60,000 Ethereum figures he gave back in November, when the ETH number itself sparked confusion since the asset hadn’t traded anywhere near that level.
Cowen Says Bitcoin Closing Below The 200-Week Average Isn’t NewProminent analyst Benjamin Cowen pointed out that Bitcoin’s first weekly close below its 200-week moving average this cycle mirrors exactly what happened in June 2022, the last time Bitcoin broke that same level.
He noted Bitcoin tends to drop into June in multiple cycles, including 2018 and 2022, and that the pattern rarely needs to be more complicated than it looks.
Cowen’s base case calls for Bitcoin to form an early summer low, followed by a counter-trend rally into mid-to-late summer, before a final drop into the actual cycle bottom sometime in the third or fourth quarter.
He said this play would only change if a major blowup, similar to FTX or Luna in the last cycle, triggers a faster price-based capitulation instead of the slower time-based pattern.
Cowen’s preferred strategy is dollar-cost averaging into Bitcoin through the second half of midterm years, a method he said has worked across prior cycles even when short-term drawdowns got worse before recovering.
He’s watching for a volume spike similar to those seen at the end of the 2014, 2018, and 2022 bear markets as the real signal that capitulation has actually happened.
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TL;DR Institutional products tied to Bitcoin and Ethereum reportedly saw net outflows. XRP and HYPE wrappers attracted inflows during the same period. The divergence points to a more selective crypto market, where investors are not treating every asset the same way. Institutions Are Not Just Buying Or Selling Crypto As One Trade Institutional investors reportedly reduced exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF products while still adding to XRP and HYPE-linked wrappers.
That is a more interesting story than a simple “institutions dumped crypto” headline. The flow picture suggests that investors are becoming selective. They may be cutting broad exposure to the two largest crypto assets while still looking for targeted opportunities elsewhere.
For Bitcoin and Ethereum, outflows are never a great signal in the short term. These products are major access points for traditional capital, and sustained redemptions can weigh on sentiment. But the fact that XRP and HYPE products saw inflows at the same time shows that the entire sector is not being abandoned.
Why Selective Flows Matter Crypto traders often talk about risk-on and risk-off as if the whole market moves together. That is still true during major volatility events, but flow data can reveal a more detailed picture underneath.
If investors are selling BTC and ETH exposure but buying XRP and HYPE, they may be rotating away from broad market beta and toward specific narratives. XRP has its payments and legal-resolution storyline. HYPE has become tied to the Hyperliquid ecosystem and more specialized on-chain trading demand.
That kind of split matters because it changes how traders should think about the market. The question is not just “are institutions bullish on crypto?” It becomes “which crypto exposures are institutions willing to hold during stress?”
That is a much more useful question. It also means Bitcoin dominance, Ethereum sentiment, and altcoin flows may give different signals at the same time.
The Risk In Reading Too Much Into It There is a caveat. Smaller products can show impressive inflows without matching the absolute scale of Bitcoin or Ethereum ETF flows. A modest inflow into an altcoin wrapper does not cancel out much larger outflows from BTC or ETH products.
So the takeaway should be measured. This is not proof that institutions are rotating into altcoins en masse. It is evidence that some targeted altcoin demand has remained active while broad crypto exposure has weakened.
For Bitcoin and Ethereum, the next test is whether outflows slow. For XRP and HYPE, the test is whether inflows continue once the market stabilizes or if they were simply temporary pockets of interest.
The market message is still useful: institutional crypto demand is no longer one-dimensional. Investors are not just buying the whole sector or selling the whole sector. They are separating assets, narratives, and wrappers — and that makes flow data more important than ever.
For readers, the useful approach is to treat this as a signal to monitor rather than a standalone trading call, because confirmation still has to come from follow-through in price, flows, and broader market behavior.
—
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
Bitcoin is caught between a resistance zone and building liquidity above, while Ethereum mirrors a familiar February structure and XRP shows early signs of seller exhaustion.
Bitcoin: $60.5K to $61K Is the Wall
On the three-day chart, Bitcoin is holding above $60,000 without a confirmed candle close below. If that level breaks with confirmation and fails to be reclaimed, the next meaningful support sits at $54,000 to $55,000.
A bullish divergence is visible across the 12-hour, eight-hour, and daily timeframes, with lower price lows and higher RSI lows. That signal helped produce a short-term relief from recent extreme selling pressure. However, that relief has stalled directly at the $60,500 to $61,000 resistance zone, where previous support has flipped into resistance.
The liquidation heatmap shows significant liquidity clustered above at $62,000 and between $63,200 and $63,500, making a push toward $62,000 plausible once resistance clears. A smaller but growing liquidity pocket is also building below at $58,000, which becomes a target if stocks open weakly on Monday.
The weekly timeframe shows a large bullish divergence forming but not yet confirmed. The super trend indicator remains red.
Ethereum: Repeating February’s Pattern
Ethereum is holding the $1,500 to $1,600 support zone on the three-day chart. The daily chart closely mirrors the February structure, with horizontal lows, an oversold first low, and a higher RSI low suggesting early momentum recovery.
If the pattern continues to echo February, choppy sideways action or a modest relief rally could follow over the coming days. However, if stocks drag Bitcoin back toward $58,000 on Monday, Ethereum is unlikely to sustain any recovery regardless of its own setup.
XRP: Sellers Losing Steam, Not the Battle
XRP’s weekly trend remains technically bearish with no confirmed bottom. Support sits between $0.90 and $1.00, with the recent bounce from almost exactly $1.00. Resistance sits at $1.13.
The past two days have produced extremely small candle bodies, a classic outcome of a bullish divergence. Sellers are losing momentum rather than buyers taking control. Flat price action is the most likely outcome ahead of Monday’s stock market open.
What to Watch
Monday’s US market open is the single most important near-term catalyst. A stable open gives Bitcoin room to target the $62,000 liquidity zone. A weak open risks a move back to $58,000 and invalidates the short-term recovery signals across all three assets.
Story Ends Here
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Ethereum has fallen harder than Bitcoin, down nearly 70% from its high while the ETH/BTC ratio sits near multi-year lows. Will Ether keep lagging the market leader through 2026, or is the underperformance setting up a reversal? Here is the case on both sides, and what would flip it.
Summary
Ethereum trades near $1,550 as of late June 2026, down roughly 68% from its August 2025 all-time high near $4,950 and below every major moving average, the weakest technical picture among the large-cap majors. The ETH/BTC ratio sits near multi-year lows because Ether has fallen harder than Bitcoin’s roughly 52% drawdown, extending a multi-year stretch of underperformance against the market leader. The case for continued underperformance rests on Bitcoin’s ETF and treasury-driven institutional dominance, competition from Solana for on-chain activity, and a muddier investment narrative for Ether. The case for a reversal rests on deep-value pricing, staking yield, the Layer-2 and tokenization ecosystem, potential rotation of ETF flows, and the tendency of Ether to outperform in late-cycle altcoin phases. Year-end forecasts span roughly $1,266 at the bearish end to $4,400 to $5,300 at the bullish end, a gap that turns on whether capital rotates back toward Ether or stays concentrated in Bitcoin. Ethereum (ETH) is trading near $1,550 as of late June 2026, and it has fallen harder than almost any other large-cap crypto asset, which raises the question this article addresses: will Ether keep underperforming Bitcoin through the rest of 2026, or is the very depth of its decline setting up a reversal?
The numbers frame the problem starkly. Ether is down roughly 68% from its August 2025 all-time high near $4,950, a far deeper drawdown than Bitcoin’s roughly 52% fall from its own peak, and it trades below every major moving average, from the 20-day exponential average on up through the 200-day near $2,317, with a completed death cross and a relative strength index near 30.
Ethereum daily price chart — June 29 | Source: crypto.news The Fear and Greed reading sits around 13, even deeper in extreme fear than Bitcoin’s, and the $1,500 to $1,600 zone has become the line in the sand that bulls are defending; a clean loss of it opens $1,450 and then $1,400. Most tellingly for this question, the ratio of Ether’s price to Bitcoin’s sits near multi-year lows, the clearest single expression of how badly Ether has lagged the asset the market treats as its anchor.
That ratio, ETH measured against BTC, is the real subject of this piece, because the question is not only where Ether’s dollar price goes but whether it keeps losing ground to Bitcoin specifically. This article works through it from both directions: where Ethereum stands technically, what the ETH/BTC ratio actually measures and why it matters, the structural reasons Ether has underperformed, the case that the underperformance continues, the case that it reverses, what the analysts forecast, the specific conditions that would flip the ratio one way or the other, and three scenarios for both the ratio and the absolute price into year-end. The aim is to give a fair hearing to both sides, because this is a genuinely contested question on which thoughtful people disagree.
The forecasts here are information, not advice. And the framing to carry throughout is that Ether’s 2026 outcome has 2 layers: its dollar price, which depends heavily on the broad market, and its performance relative to Bitcoin, which depends on whether capital rotates back toward Ether or stays concentrated in the market leader. Both layers point to the same underlying question of whether Ethereum can reclaim the narrative momentum it has lost.
Where Ethereum stands right now The technical condition of Ethereum is the weakest among the large-cap majors, and being honest about that is the starting point. Near $1,550, Ether trades below its 20-day, 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day exponential moving averages, the last of which sits up near $2,317, meaning price is far beneath even its slowest-moving trend line. A death cross, the bearish crossover of shorter and longer averages, has completed, confirming the downtrend on the technical framework many traders use.
The relative strength index near 30 indicates oversold conditions and weak buying momentum, and the broader structure since the spring has been one of lower highs and lower lows, with sellers in control through a steep decline from the $2,000-plus range earlier in the year down to the current zone. The $1,500 to $1,600 area is the critical support, having acted as the 2026 floor, and below it the next levels are $1,450 and $1,400.
Sentiment is correspondingly grim. The Fear and Greed reading around 13 is a deeper extreme fear than Bitcoin’s, reflecting how thoroughly the market has soured on Ether specifically. The drawdown of roughly 68% from the August 2025 high near $4,950 is severe even by crypto standards and significantly worse than Bitcoin’s contemporaneous decline, which is the heart of the underperformance story. To improve the picture,
Ether needs, at minimum, to reclaim short-term resistance near $1,700 to $1,750, and a genuine trend change would require recovering the higher averages up toward $2,000 and then $2,317. Until then, the structure is bearish, and the burden of proof sits with buyers.
This is the uncomfortable backdrop against which the underperformance question must be answered: Ether is not merely down; it is down harder than Bitcoin, deeper in fear, and weaker on the charts, which is exactly why some see capitulation and opportunity while others see a structurally lagging asset with further to fall.
What the ETH/BTC ratio is telling us To analyze underperformance properly, you have to understand the ETH/BTC ratio, because it strips out the broad market and isolates the question of Ether versus Bitcoin specifically. The ratio simply expresses Ether’s price in terms of Bitcoin rather than dollars, and it rises when Ether outperforms Bitcoin and falls when Ether lags. Right now it sits near multi-year lows, which is the precise, quantified statement of the problem: over an extended period, and especially through the 2025 to 2026 drawdown, Ether has lost value against Bitcoin, not just against the dollar. When both assets fall, but one falls more, the ratio captures the difference, and Ether’s roughly 68% drawdown against Bitcoin’s roughly 52% means Ether has shed a meaningful chunk of its value relative to the market leader.
Why does this matter beyond bookkeeping? The ETH/BTC ratio is one of the most-watched gauges in crypto because it functions as a barometer of risk appetite and capital rotation within the asset class. When the ratio rises, it typically signals that capital is rotating out of Bitcoin and into Ether and the broader altcoin complex, the classic risk-on, altcoin-season dynamic. When it falls, as now, it signals that capital is concentrating in Bitcoin, treating it as the safer, more institutionally endorsed crypto asset while shunning the higher-beta alternatives.
A ratio near multi-year lows therefore tells a story: the market, in its current risk-off and Bitcoin-dominated mood, has been choosing Bitcoin over Ether decisively. For the question of whether Ether underperforms again in 2026, the ratio is both the scoreboard and the leading indicator.
A continued decline or stagnation in the ratio means underperformance persists; a sustained turn upward would be the clearest sign that Ether is regaining ground. Everything that follows, the structural arguments and the catalysts, ultimately expresses itself through which way this ratio moves.
Why Ethereum has underperformed Understanding the causes of Ether’s underperformance is essential to judging whether it continues, and several structural forces have converged against it. The 1st and arguably most important is the institutional bid for Bitcoin that Ether has not matched in kind.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs and a wave of corporate Bitcoin treasuries have created sustained, price-insensitive demand that treats Bitcoin as digital gold and a primary reserve asset, a role with no clear Ether equivalent. While Ether has its own ETFs, the institutional narrative around Bitcoin as a macro reserve asset has been far more powerful, channeling the bulk of institutional crypto allocation toward Bitcoin and leaving Ether to compete for a smaller, more speculative pool of capital. In a risk-off market, that distinction is decisive: capital flows to the asset with the strongest institutional endorsement, which has been Bitcoin.
The 2nd force is competition for Ethereum’s core use case. Solana and other high-throughput chains have captured a large share of the on-chain activity, particularly the memecoin and high-frequency trading culture, that once would have flowed to Ethereum, challenging Ether’s status as the default smart-contract platform and muddying its growth narrative.
The 3rd is a narrative problem of Ether’s own. Following its technical upgrades, the relationship between network activity and value accrual to the token has become more complicated, with much activity migrating to Layer-2 networks whose fees do not always translate cleanly into demand for Ether, leaving the investment case harder to articulate than Bitcoin’s simple scarcity story.
Together, these forces- Bitcoin’s institutional dominance, Solana’s competitive pressure, and a muddier value-accrual narrative- explain why capital has favored Bitcoin and why the ETH/BTC ratio has fallen to multi-year lows. They are real and structural, not merely cyclical, which is what gives the continued-underperformance thesis its force.
The case that the underperformance continues The bearish-on-ratio case holds that the forces just described are durable and that Ether keeps lagging Bitcoin through 2026. Its strongest pillar is that the institutional preference for Bitcoin is structural rather than temporary. As long as the dominant institutional narrative casts Bitcoin as the crypto reserve asset and digital gold, with ETFs and treasuries channeling allocation toward it, Ether will struggle to attract a comparable bid, and in any risk-off phase capital will continue concentrating in Bitcoin.
This is not a sentiment that flips quickly; it reflects how large allocators have categorized the two assets, and that categorization has only deepened through the current drawdown. On this view, the ETH/BTC ratio at multi-year lows is not an anomaly poised to mean-revert but the accurate reflection of a lasting shift in how the market values the two.
The competitive and narrative pillars reinforce the case. If Solana and other chains continue to capture on-chain activity and developer attention, Ethereum’s growth story weakens further, and a weakening fundamental narrative makes it harder for Ether to outperform regardless of price level. The muddled value-accrual picture, with activity on Layer-2 networks not cleanly driving Ether demand, means that even genuine ecosystem growth may not translate into the token appreciation that would lift the ratio. Bears also note that Ether’s deeper drawdown is itself a warning: an asset that falls harder than the market leader in a downturn is displaying higher beta and weaker relative strength, traits that tend to persist until a clear catalyst changes them.
In this reading, the most likely path for 2026 is that Ether’s dollar price may rise or fall with the broad market, but it continues to underperform Bitcoin specifically, with the ratio grinding sideways to lower, because none of the structural forces working against it have meaningfully reversed. The underperformance, on this thesis, is a feature of the current market regime, not a temporary dislocation.
The case for a reversal The bullish-on-ratio case is equally serious and rests on the proposition that Ether’s underperformance has gone far enough to create the conditions for its own reversal. The 1st pillar is deep value. After a 68% drawdown that has driven Ether to multi-year lows against Bitcoin and into extreme fear, the bull argument is that the selling has been overdone, that much of the bad news, the competition, the narrative confusion, the risk-off flight to Bitcoin, is now priced in, and that assets this oversold relative to the leader have historically offered strong mean-reversion potential when sentiment turns.
The 2nd pillar is Ether’s genuine fundamental base, which remains the deepest in the smart-contract world: it anchors the largest decentralized finance ecosystem, hosts the bulk of tokenized real-world asset activity, supports a sprawling Layer-2 network of scaling solutions, and offers a staking yield that gives holders a return Bitcoin does not. These are real assets that a reversal thesis can build on.
The 3rd pillar is the potential for capital rotation, which is how ratio reversals historically happen. In past cycles, after Bitcoin leads a move and its dominance peaks, capital has frequently rotated into Ether and the broader altcoin complex in a late-cycle altcoin season that drives the ETH/BTC ratio sharply higher, and bulls argue the current extreme in Bitcoin dominance and Ether weakness is exactly the kind of setup that precedes such a rotation.
Specific catalysts could trigger it: ETF flows rotating from Bitcoin toward Ether, particularly if Ether ETF staking features attract yield-seeking institutional capital; a stumble in Solana’s momentum that returns activity and attention to Ethereum; a broad macro shift to risk-on that lifts the higher-beta assets most; and the growth of tokenization and institutional finance building on Ethereum translating into clearer token demand.
On this view, the very severity of Ether’s underperformance, the multi-year-low ratio and the extreme fear, is the contrarian signal, and 2026 could be the year the ratio turns as capital rotates back toward a deeply discounted asset with the strongest fundamental ecosystem in its category. The reversal is not guaranteed, but it is a coherent thesis grounded in real catalysts and historical precedent.
What the analysts forecast The analyst forecasts for Ether’s dollar price in 2026 span a wide range that maps onto the underperformance debate. On the bearish side, model-driven and cautious forecasters see continued weakness: Traders Union’s statistical model projects a year-end average near $1,266, and DigitalCoinPrice has pointed to a 4th-quarter low around $1,370, both implying Ether stays near or below current levels and, by extension, likely keeps underperforming a Bitcoin that most forecasters see holding higher absolute levels. These bearish targets are consistent with the thesis that the structural forces against Ether persist and that the ratio does not recover.
On the bullish side, forecasters such as BitScreener have projected Ether reaching toward $4,676 by year-end, and others, including Cryptopolitan and the optimistic scenarios at LiteFinance, point to ranges of roughly $4,400 to $5,300, which would imply a powerful recovery and, if Bitcoin does not rise proportionally, a sharp improvement in the ETH/BTC ratio.
The gap between roughly $1,266 and $5,300 for the same asset in the same year is enormous, and like Bitcoin and XRP, it reflects genuine uncertainty rather than careless modeling. The bearish numbers assume the structural underperformance continues and Ether stays pinned near its lows; the bullish numbers assume a reversal driven by rotation, deep-value mean reversion, and Ether’s fundamental strengths reasserting themselves.
What the forecasts collectively reveal is that Ether’s 2026 outcome is even more binary than Bitcoin’s, because it depends not only on the direction of the broad market but on whether capital rotates back toward Ether specifically. An investor who believes the rotation comes will lean toward the high forecasts; one who believes Bitcoin’s dominance is structural will lean toward the low ones.
The forecasts cannot settle the debate; they can only show how much rides on it. For the underperformance question specifically, the spread is a reminder that Ether is the higher-variance bet, capable of both deeper losses and sharper recoveries than the market leader, which is precisely the profile of an asset whose relative performance is genuinely up for grabs.
What would flip the ratio, and what would keep it down The underperformance question ultimately resolves into a set of watchable conditions, and naming them is more useful than guessing. The ratio would flip in Ether’s favor on several developments. The clearest would be a broad rotation into altcoins, the classic late-cycle dynamic in which Bitcoin dominance peaks and capital flows down the risk curve into Ether first; a sustained turn upward in the ETH/BTC ratio off its multi-year lows would be the signal that this is underway. ETF flows rotating toward Ether, especially if staking-enabled Ether products draw yield-seeking institutional capital, would provide a concrete demand catalyst.
A stumble in Solana’s momentum that returns on-chain activity and developer attention to Ethereum would repair the competitive narrative. A macro shift to risk-on, with the Federal Reserve easing and liquidity improving, would favor the higher-beta asset, which is Ether. And technically, reclaiming resistance near $1,700 to $1,750 and then the higher averages toward $2,000 and $2,317 would confirm a trend change. If these align, the reversal thesis gains the upper hand.
The conditions that keep Ether underperforming are the mirror image. Continued institutional concentration in Bitcoin, with ETFs and treasuries channeling allocation toward the market leader and away from Ether, would preserve the structural imbalance. Ongoing Solana strength and further erosion of Ethereum’s on-chain dominance would keep the fundamental narrative weak.
A persistent risk-off market would keep capital huddled in Bitcoin instead of rotating into higher-beta Ether. And technically, a loss of the $1,500 support that opens $1,450 and $1,400 would confirm that sellers remain in control and that the ratio is still falling. The practical discipline for anyone watching this question is to track the ETH/BTC ratio directly as the scoreboard, alongside Bitcoin dominance, ETF flow data, Solana’s activity trends, and the macro backdrop. Those signals will reveal whether 2026 is another year of Ether lagging the leader or the year the long underperformance finally reverses. The market will answer the question through the ratio; the job is to watch it instead of to assume.
Three scenarios for Ethereum in 2026 Translating the debate into scenarios captures both the dollar price and the relative-performance dimension. In the bull scenario, the underperformance reverses. Capital rotates into Ether in a late-cycle altcoin phase, ETF flows and staking demand pick up, Solana’s momentum cools, the macro turns risk-on, and Ether recovers toward the $4,400 to $5,300 range that the optimistic forecasts describe, with the ETH/BTC ratio turning sharply higher off its multi-year lows.
In this world, Ether not only rises in dollar terms but decisively outperforms Bitcoin, rewarding the deep-value and rotation thesis. It is a coherent path, grounded in historical precedent and real catalysts, but it requires the structural forces that have favored Bitcoin to loosen.
In the base scenario, Ether broadly tracks the market without a clean resolution of the underperformance question. It stabilizes around current levels, recovers modestly if the broad market does, but continues to lag Bitcoin or merely matches it, with the ETH/BTC ratio grinding sideways near its lows instead of reversing decisively. Ether’s dollar price spends 2026 in a wide, volatile band, and the relative-performance question stays unresolved into 2027. This middle path reflects how balanced the structural arguments are and is a reasonable central expectation. In the bear scenario, the underperformance deepens.
Bitcoin’s institutional dominance persists, Solana continues to pressure Ethereum, the market stays risk-off, Ether loses the $1,500 support and slides toward $1,400 and below, validating the bearish forecasts near $1,266, and the ETH/BTC ratio falls further as capital keeps choosing Bitcoin. Which scenario unfolds depends on capital rotation, ETF flows, the Solana competition, and the macro backdrop, all of which express themselves through the ETH/BTC ratio. All 3 are live, and the breadth between them is exactly why Ether is the higher-variance bet among the majors heading into the rest of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions Will Ethereum underperform Bitcoin in 2026? It is truly contested. Ether has underperformed Bitcoin badly, down roughly 68% from its 2025 high versus Bitcoin’s roughly 52%, pushing the ETH/BTC ratio to multi-year lows. The case for continued underperformance rests on Bitcoin’s structural institutional dominance through ETFs and treasuries, competition from Solana for on-chain activity, and a muddier value-accrual narrative for Ether. The case for a reversal rests on deep-value pricing after the severe drawdown, Ether’s strong fundamental ecosystem and staking yield, and the potential for capital to rotate into Ether in a late-cycle altcoin phase. The deciding signal is the ETH/BTC ratio itself; a sustained turn higher would mark a reversal, while continued weakness would confirm more underperformance.
Why has Ethereum fallen harder than Bitcoin? Several structural forces have weighed on Ether more than Bitcoin. The biggest is the institutional bid for Bitcoin as digital gold and a reserve asset, channeled through ETFs and corporate treasuries, with no equally powerful equivalent for Ether. Competition from Solana and other high-throughput chains has captured on-chain activity that once flowed to Ethereum, weakening its growth narrative. And Ether’s value-accrual story has grown more complicated, with much activity migrating to Layer-2 networks whose fees do not cleanly translate into demand for the token. In a risk-off market, capital concentrates in the asset with the strongest institutional endorsement, which has been Bitcoin, leaving higher-beta Ether to fall harder.
What is the ETH/BTC ratio and why does it matter? The ETH/BTC ratio expresses Ether’s price in terms of Bitcoin instead of dollars; it rises when Ether outperforms Bitcoin and falls when Ether lags. It matters because it strips out the broad market and isolates the question of Ether versus Bitcoin specifically, and because it functions as a barometer of risk appetite and capital rotation within crypto. A rising ratio typically signals capital rotating out of Bitcoin into Ether and altcoins, the classic altcoin-season dynamic; a falling ratio, as now near multi-year lows, signals capital concentrating in Bitcoin. For the underperformance question, the ratio is both the scoreboard and the leading indicator, so watching it directly is the best way to judge whether Ether is regaining or losing ground.
What would make Ethereum outperform again? A reversal would likely require capital rotation into Ether, the late-cycle dynamic in which Bitcoin dominance peaks and money flows into Ether and altcoins, signaled by the ETH/BTC ratio turning up off its lows. Concrete catalysts include ETF flows rotating toward Ether, especially staking-enabled products attracting yield-seeking capital; a stumble in Solana’s momentum returning activity to Ethereum; a macro shift to risk-on that favors higher-beta assets; and Ether reclaiming technical resistance near $1,700 to $1,750 and then the higher averages toward $2,000 and $2,317. The bull thesis also leans on deep value after the 68% drawdown and Ether’s strong fundamentals in decentralized finance, tokenization, Layer-2s, and staking. If these align, the long underperformance could reverse in 2026.
What are analysts forecasting for Ethereum in 2026? The range is very wide. Bearish, model-driven forecasts see continued weakness, with Traders Union projecting a year-end average near $1,266 and DigitalCoinPrice pointing to a 4th-quarter low around $1,370, implying Ether stays near its lows. Bullish forecasts are far higher, with BitScreener toward $4,676 and others, including Cryptopolitan and optimistic scenarios at LiteFinance, in the $4,400 to $5,300 range, implying a strong recovery. The gap from roughly $1,266 to $5,300 reflects genuine uncertainty: the low end assumes structural underperformance continues, while the high end assumes a reversal driven by rotation and deep-value mean reversion. Ether’s outcome is more binary than Bitcoin’s because it depends on whether capital rotates back toward Ether specifically.
Is Ethereum a better buy than Bitcoin right now? This article does not give buy recommendations, and the honest answer is that it depends entirely on the question it examines. Ether offers higher potential reward if the underperformance reverses, because it is more deeply discounted and has more room to mean-revert, but it carries higher risk because the structural forces favoring Bitcoin- institutional dominance, Solana competition, and a muddier narrative- may persist. Bitcoin has been the safer, more institutionally endorsed asset that capital has favored in the risk-off market. Choosing between them is really a bet on whether capital rotates back toward Ether in 2026 or stays concentrated in Bitcoin, which is the unresolved question at the center of this analysis. Both are highly volatile and can lose value.
This article is information, not financial or investment advice. Ethereum and Bitcoin price levels, the ETH/BTC ratio, indicator readings, and analyst forecasts reflect data available as of June 28, 2026, are point-in-time, and can change rapidly. Cryptocurrency is highly volatile, and you can lose money. Price predictions are inherently uncertain, and the scenarios described are not guarantees. Do your own research and consult a qualified financial professional before making any investment decision.
GameStop said it will continue to advance its $56 billion acquisition plan for eBay.
According to Reuters, GameStop says it will continue advancing its acquisition of eBay, even after the e-commerce giant rejected its roughly $56 billion all-cash and stock offer. GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen’s May proposal to acquire eBay took Wall Street by surprise. Cohen argued the combined entity would be a stronger competitor to Amazon, and stated he would oversee its operations. eBay rejected the offer that same month. GameStop noted it remains committed to the acquisition plan, but did not disclose the deal’s rationale or next steps. Separately, in a brief regulatory filing, GameStop projected its adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2026 will exceed $600 million, up from the $345.4 million reported for fiscal 2025.
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The USD/JPY exchange rate has risen above 162, marking the first time in nearly 40 years.
According to data from Bitget, depreciation pressure on the Japanese yen continues to intensify, with the USD/JPY exchange rate breaching the 162 threshold for the first time since December 1986.
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Crypto KOL Ansem has airdropped 67.38 million ANSEM tokens to over 700 addresses, valued at approximately $9.43 million.
According to Lookonchain’s monitoring, crypto KOL Ansem has airdropped 67.38 million ANSEM tokens to over 700 addresses, valued at $9.43 million. Of the total, 49.89 million ANSEM (worth $6.98 million) went to seven addresses. These seven addresses have sold 38.29 million ANSEM, generating $1.29 million in proceeds, and currently hold 11.6 million ANSEM, valued at $1.62 million.
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South Korea's KOSPI index extended its decline to 2%, with SK Hynix falling 3%.
According to Bitget data, South Korea’s KOSPI index has extended its decline to 2%, with Samsung Electronics down 0.4% and SK Hynix down 3%.
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Serenity: Bullish on Agility Robotics and Unitree in the humanoid robot sector
Serenity stated in a post that it favors robotics firms Unitree and Agility Robotics, adding that its largest position in the humanoid robot space is currently concentrated in Agility Robotics, as it personally prefers U.S.-based humanoid robot companies. Regarding exposure to upstream components, Serenity said it currently holds Harmonic Drive (6324), noting that harmonic reducers and related parts account for a large share of the bill of materials. It also holds Vishay Precision, citing its sensor business and potential to become a candidate supplier for Tesla Optimus. It also expresses optimism about LeaderDrive (688017) and Schaeffler, though it does not hold positions in these firms. In other AI data center-related companies, it also gains indirect exposure to robotics through areas like storage. Serenity emphasized that it does not advise anyone to replicate its positions, noting it is only sharing its personal holdings and views. Serenity said the humanoid robot industry is large, citing a Goldman Sachs report that states, "South Korean companies will directly and indirectly account for 30% of global humanoid robot output." It noted that there are numerous players globally, and related companies continue to appear in Goldman Sachs' institutional reports and coverage. Currently, Agility Robotics is its most favored company.
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SemiAnalysis: AI semiconductor manufacturing bottlenecks may extend to critical materials such as tungsten
Independent semiconductor and AI research institute SemiAnalysis noted in a report that one of the most underrated ways to contribute to AI semiconductor development may not be the chips themselves, but materials. As the industry accelerates production of more advanced semiconductors, demand growth is not limited to GPUs and foundry equipment, but also extends to the critical materials underpinning modern chip manufacturing. Taking tungsten as an example, the report points out that tungsten is one of the most critical materials in semiconductor manufacturing, valued for its high-temperature stability and resistance to electrical wear. Foundries rely on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to fill deep, high-aspect-ratio vertical vias connecting multi-layer chip architectures, and use physical vapor deposition (PVD) to deposit ultra-thin structural barrier layers around them. Because tungsten is used in both core deposition processes, it is irreplaceable in advanced chip production. Tungsten supplies appear to be increasingly constrained. High-purity tungsten metal powder is the primary raw material for manufacturing tungsten hexafluoride (WF6), a gas used in CVD. Japan hosts key tungsten hexafluoride suppliers including SK Materials and Shin-Etsu Chemical, but is facing sharp price hikes and a significant drop in tungsten raw material imports, making it nearly impossible to continue producing this critical material. This price pressure is also reflected in South Korea’s tungsten hexafluoride import prices, which have surged by 151% year-to-date. As semiconductor complexity and AI demand rise, bottlenecks may emerge not only in chips or equipment, but also in the critical materials at the base of the entire supply chain.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
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Bitcoin climbed back above $60,000 after Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) unveiled its BTC monetization and capital restructuring program, easing near-term concerns and supporting a rebound in crypto sentiment.
Notable Statistics:
Coinglass data shows 86,762 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $355.22 million. SoSoValue data shows net outflows of $444.5 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Friday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net outflows of $12.9 million. In the past 24 hours, top losers include MemeCore, Velvet and Pi. Notable Developments:
Trader Notes:
Analyst Ted Pillows noted that Bitcoin recorded its first weekly close below $60,000 in nearly two years, signaling a significant technical breakdown.
He also pointed to continued spot Bitcoin ETF selling and the prospect of Strategy selling Bitcoin as additional headwinds, arguing BTC is likely to fall toward $50,000 before eventually rallying to $100,000.
Trader Justin Bennett said Bitcoin’s first weekly close of the year below $60,000 reflects persistent bearish market structure despite expected end-of-month and quarter-end institutional positioning.
A short-term relief rally or bullish reversal is possible.
Expert Benjamin Cowen pointed out that Bitcoin posted a weekly close below its 200-week moving average, calling it another example of the recurring four-year market cycle.
He also noted that the first weekly close below the 200-week moving average during the 2022 bear market likewise occurred in June, suggesting a historical parallel with the current price action.
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Demand for Shiba Inu is a major issue. Although "buying volume at zero" is not a precise description of the market, current technical and on-chain indicators indicate that significant buying interest has all but vanished, making SHIB susceptible to additional drops. The recent increase in exchange inflows is the most evident cause.
Trillions of SHIB tokens have been moved to centralized exchanges in the past few days. While exchange outflows approached 295 billion SHIB, exchange inflows surpassed 240 billion SHIB. Despite the fact that netflow is still negative overall, the abrupt increase in deposits has sparked worries that large holders are getting ready to sell rather than buy.
SHIB/USDT Chart by TradingViewInstead of waiting for sales to happen, traders respond to the potential for future selling pressure. Instead of attempting to catch a falling knife, many investors would rather step aside when billions or trillions of tokens arrive on exchanges. This lack of confidence is reflected in the chart. Since breaking out of a multi-month rising wedge pattern, SHIB has failed all significant attempts at recovery.
HOT Stories
The asset is still trading below its 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving averages, all of which remain in a bearish formation. Due to the fact that every rally has been sold into, buyers are becoming more and more hesitant to enter the market. The lack of speculative momentum is an additional problem.
Historically, SHIB has depended on social media attention, retail enthusiasm, and quick inflows of risk capital. None of those catalysts are present in the current market environment. Meme coins have found it difficult to compete for investors' attention as Bitcoin, Solana, and other assets draw the little capital that is still entering cryptocurrency markets. It is worth noting that some network metrics are improving.
Over the last 24 hours, there has been an increase in active addresses, active sending addresses, and transaction counts. A recovery narrative would normally be supported by increasing activity. Nonetheless, it seems that investors are more concerned with price action than network usage. Improving on-chain activity is unlikely to alter sentiment as long as SHIB keeps setting lower highs and lower lows.
Dogecoin's Potential Bottom It looks like Dogecoin is finally approaching the point where its downward momentum is running out. Several technical signals indicate that DOGE may be forming a local bottom near current levels following months of unrelenting selling pressure and a nearly continuous series of lower highs and lower lows. After going through one of the worst corrections of the current cycle, the meme cryptocurrency is currently trading at about $0.072. With sellers retaining total control over the market, DOGE has lost more than 35% of its value since reaching a peak above $0.11 in May.
The most recent price action, however, suggests that the decline's intensity may be lessening. The Relative Strength Index is one of the most significant indicators. With its RSI down to about 21, DOGE is firmly in oversold territory. In the past, readings below 30 have been indicative of severe selling pressure.
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Oversold conditions frequently precede periods of stabilization or relief rallies, but they do not by themselves ensure a reversal. The gap between the current price and major moving averages is another positive indicator. At the moment, DOGE is trading well below its 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving averages. Such dislocations seldom last forever. Over time, markets typically return to their averages, particularly following protracted episodes of panic selling.
The potential for a bottoming process is further supported by volume dynamics. The explosive selling volume that marked previous breakdowns has not coincided with recent declines. This implies that there may be less immediate selling pressure, as many weak hands may have already sold their positions. Nevertheless, it would be premature to declare a complete trend reversal.
The overall market structure is still negative, and DOGE is still below all significant resistance levels. Regaining the 50-day moving average around $0.083 would be the first obstacle facing bulls. The 100-day and 200-day moving averages at $0.093 and $0.11, respectively, would become significant barriers above that.
Bitcoin Is Back in the Trading RangeOne of the most significant psychological levels in the cryptocurrency market is being tested once more by Bitcoin. Following weeks of intense selling pressure, Bitcoin has returned to the $59,000–$60,000 range, where bulls are trying to avert another significant collapse. The technical picture is still very bearish, which is the concern.
Recently, an upward trendline supporting the April–May recovery rally in Bitcoin was lost. The sharp selloff that ensued throughout June was made possible by the breakdown, which signaled the end of the medium-term uptrend. Every attempt at recovery since then has been met with fresh selling pressure.
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At the moment, Bitcoin is trading below its 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving averages. While the 100-day and 200-day averages, at roughly $69,000 and $76,500, respectively, remain significantly above current prices, the 50-day EMA near $63,700 has emerged as the first significant resistance level.
BTC/USDT Chart by TradingViewThis alignment demonstrates that sellers continue to dominate the overall trend. The $60,000 threshold has become a battlefield. Traders and institutions have historically paid close attention to round numbers, and Bitcoin is no different. Although buyers have so far managed to avoid a clear breakdown below this level, support is eroding with each retest. Momentum indicators are sending conflicting signals. With the RSI declining toward 30, Bitcoin is now close to being oversold.
This raises the likelihood of a relief rally and implies that selling pressure may be running out in the near future. Oversold conditions, however, frequently persist longer than traders anticipate during severe downtrends. Volume remains a concern. Elevated selling activity has coincided with recent declines, suggesting that market participants are still reducing exposure rather than actively accumulating.
Bulls' immediate goals are straightforward: protect $60,000 and push Bitcoin above the 50-day moving average. A more extensive rebound toward the $69,000 area could be sparked by a successful move above $64,000. However, the market may experience another wave of liquidation pressure if support fails. In that case, as traders look for the next significant support zone, Bitcoin would likely enter a new stage of price discovery to the downside.
Ukraine has placed more than $8.3 million in seized crypto under state management, the first time the country has moved confiscated digital assets into a government-controlled wallet.
The National Agency for Finding, Tracing, and Management of Assets, known as ARMA, received the funds from wallets tied to an alleged member of an international hacking group.
Seized Crypto from an International Hacking CaseThe holding is Tether (USDT), the largest stablecoin, valued at over 372 million Ukrainian hryvnias at the time of the transfer, according to prosecutors.
Investigators say the group attacked people and companies across Europe and the United States. The case reflects a rise in stablecoin-driven crypto crime.
The attackers stole confidential data, demanded ransom payments, and laundered the money in Ukraine through real estate and cars.
Authorities estimate the network caused more than $100 million in damage. The pattern mirrors other crypto laundering networks that ended in multiple arrests.
Four suspects, including the alleged organizer, remain in custody. Total seizures in the case topped $11.1 million, covering homes, apartments, vehicles, and cash.
What State Custody Means for the FundsUntil now, crypto seized in Ukrainian cases sat frozen, with no agency actively holding or moving it. The transfer gives ARMA direct control of the wallet.
A 2025 reform law overhauled how ARMA manages seized property, adding independent audits and tighter oversight. The change was a condition of hundreds of millions of euros in European Union support.
The step stops short of confiscation, which requires a court conviction. For now, the agency holds the assets rather than owning them.
USDT sits near its dollar peg, trading close to $1. That gives ARMA a relatively stable asset to manage, hold, or eventually sell.
USDT Near Its Dollar Peg. Source: BeInCryptoA stablecoin avoids the price swings tied to bitcoin, making the holding easier to value. But USDT is centrally controlled, and Tether can freeze tokens at law enforcement requests.
Under Economic Fury, @USTreasury will continue to systematically degrade Tehran’s ability to generate, move, and repatriate funds.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is sanctioning multiple wallets tied to Iran — resulting in the freeze of $344 million in…
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) April 24, 2026 Follow us on X to get the latest news as it happens
What to do with seized crypto has split governments. The United States ordered forfeited Bitcoin into a strategic reserve it pledged not to sell. It treats confiscated coins as a long-term asset.
Germany took the opposite path, and critics still debate its seizure of Bitcoin sales after prices later climbed.
Ukraine has not said whether it will sell the USDT or hold it. That choice may shape how it treats future seizures, and whether seized tokens become state revenue.
Bitcoin infrastructure firm Breez has unveiled a major update to its developer toolkit, enabling users to send USDC and USDT stablecoins directly from their Bitcoin balances. The new feature supports over 30 blockchain networks, eliminating the previous need for users to hold stablecoins or convert Bitcoin in advance before making a payment.
Payments flow through the Lightning NetworkAccording to information shared by Breez, the system combines the Lightning Network with an automatic conversion mechanism. When a user initiates a payment, their Bitcoin is instantly converted into USDC or USDT and sent to the recipient’s chosen blockchain network.
Once the sender enters the recipient’s wallet address, the Breez SDK identifies the target network, calculates the optimal conversion route, and transparently displays the amount, network, and transaction fees before approval. The transaction is then processed by liquidity providers such as Flashnet and Boltz, who handle the conversion from Bitcoin to stablecoin and transfer the coins to the selected network.
Roy Sheinfeld clarified that there is no need to issue USDT or USDC directly on the Lightning Network. Thanks to interoperability, users can make payments from their Bitcoin balance, while recipients get stablecoins on any supported network.
Breez also emphasized that users continue to hold Bitcoin right up until the payment is executed. On the recipient side, there’s no need to manage a separate stablecoin balance—the funds are delivered in the chosen network seamlessly. The company stated that the new feature is non-custodial and, in the initial phase, only supports outgoing stablecoin payments. Incoming stablecoin transfers from outside blockchain networks are planned for a future update.
Mini glossary: The Lightning Network is a second-layer payment network operating on Bitcoin, designed for faster and lower-cost transactions. It routes transfers off-chain and later settles them on the main Bitcoin network.
Aims to reduce integration complexity for developersBreez developed this feature with a focus on developers, aiming to streamline stablecoin payment integration into applications without the hassle of connecting individually to each blockchain. This approach could allow users to manage both Bitcoin and stablecoin transactions from a single balance, minimizing complexity.
Renowned for its Bitcoin and Lightning-based payment infrastructure, Breez offers an SDK that lets developers embed Lightning functionalities directly into their products and services.
Lightning Network’s expanding use casesThe rollout comes at a time when startups are seeking broader financial and commercial applications for Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. In recent months, the network has been tested in scenarios well beyond small retail payments, demonstrating its scalability and utility.
In February, Secure Digital Markets, a provider of institutional trading and lending services, completed a $1 million Bitcoin payment to Kraken via the Lightning Network in under half a second—highlighting the protocol’s potential for large-scale corporate transfers.
That same month, Voltage introduced a revolving credit line integrated with Lightning payment flows, supporting settlement in US dollars. Meanwhile, event platform Satlantis launched a Bitcoin-focused ticketing system with built-in Lightning wallets. In March, Ark Labs, a Tether-backed Bitcoin infrastructure startup, secured $5.2 million in funding to develop technologies for stablecoin issuance, transfer, and settlement on the Bitcoin network.
Growth in Lightning Network adoption continues apace. As estimated by River in February, the network’s monthly transaction volume surpassed $1 billion by the end of 2025—a steep rise from approximately $12 million in 2021.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
The cryptocurrency market is closing out June under significant pressure, as Bitcoin is headed for its weakest monthly performance in 4 years and U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs posted their largest monthly net outflows on record. The combination of sustained institutional selling, declining prices, and cautious investor sentiment has marked one of the most challenging periods for the digital asset market.
Although several crypto assets also struggled, Solana stood out as one of the few major cryptocurrencies to post gains during the past 24 hours, supported by continued growth in tokenized equities and dApp activity.
Bitcoin Heads For Its Worst Month Since June 2022 Bitcoin has fallen about 18% in June, constantly flirting with the $60,000 level and putting the cryptocurrency on pace for its worst monthly performance since June 2022, when it declined 37%.
The weakness also extends beyond the monthly timeframe. Bitcoin is on track to finish the second quarter down about 10%, marking its third consecutive quarterly decline. The market has not experienced three straight losing quarters since 2022. Bitcoin has underperformed nearly every major asset class despite entering the year with strong expectations for continued institutional adoption.
Bitcoin ETFs record their largest monthly outflows Institutional demand weakened considerably throughout June. According to SoSoValue data, U.S spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $4.06 billion in net outflows during the month. That figure represents the largest monthly redemption since the funds began trading in January 2024, surpassing the previous monthly record of $3.56 billion set in February 2025.
The selling accelerated during the latest week, when investors withdrew about $1.79 billion from the funds. That marked the second-largest weekly outflow on record. The only larger weekly redemption occurred during the final week of February 2025, when investors pulled approximately $2.61 billion.
The trend extends beyond a single month. Bitcoin ETFs also recorded $2.43 billion in net outflows during May, bringing combined withdrawals over the past 2 months to nearly $6.5 billion.
For the first half of 2026, cumulative net ETF outflows have reached roughly $5 billion. The sustained reduction in institutional demand has coincided with Bitcoin's sharp price decline and has become a defining theme of the current market correction.
Strategy Introduces A New Capital Framework Amid falling crypto prices, Strategy unveiled a Digital Credit Capital Framework to boost financial flexibility while maintaining its long-term Bitcoin strategy.
The plan allows limited Bitcoin sales to fund dividends, build cash reserves, repurchase securities, and meet debt obligations. The company may sell up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin and, with existing reserves, has about $3.8 billion available, which is enough to cover roughly 26 months of obligations.
Strategy raised its $STRC preferred dividend to 12% and approved buybacks for preferred shares and $MSTR stock. Its dedicated cash reserve stands at $2.55 billion, earmarked for dividends and interest, with at least 12 months of coverage expected.
Strategy chairman Michael Saylor ended the announcement post by saying, “Strategy expects to remain disciplined in its use of MSTR issuance, particularly when the stock trades at or near 1x mNAV.”
Strategy reported no new Bitcoin purchases, holding 847,363 $BTC acquired for $64.1 billion at an average of $75,651. In June, it added a net 3,625 $BTC and raised $1.15 billion through $MSTR share sales.
Solana Outperforms As Network Activity Remains Strong While the broader cryptocurrency market remained under pressure, Solana showed relative strength. The token rose more than 6% over the previous 24 hours and is currently trading above $75.
Network activity also continued to expand despite broader market weakness. Solana recorded its largest week ever for tokenized equities, generating a record $1.36 billion in trading volume while accounting for approximately 96% of all tokenized equity trading across blockchain networks.
At the same time, dApps built on Solana generated more than $20 million in revenue during the past week. That represented a 16-week high and reinforced the network's position as one of the most active blockchain ecosystems by onchain activity.
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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is in an interesting spot from a technical perspective, according to a popular trader that outlined his trading approach for the short term.
In a podcast on June 28, heavily followed trader Crypto Banter said he is fully positioned for what he calls "Scenario A," a strong relief rally from current levels toward $72,000.
Bitcoin’s support around the high-$58,000 to low-$60,000 range, combined with weekly bullish divergence and Fibonacci confluence, makes this an attractive accumulation zone, the trader said.
He placed his invalidation below $57,400, adding that a break beneath that level would increase the probability of a much deeper move.
"I’ve gone long in the markets. I’m long on Bitcoin. I’m long on multiple altcoins and I’m going to continue building altcoin positions,” he added.
The trader’s first Bitcoin profit target sits at $67,000, followed by a second target near $71,000, expecting the move to play out over the next one to two weeks.
Altcoins On The RadarBeyond Bitcoin, the trader has opened or is building positions in several major altcoins:
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TL;DR CryptoQuant flagged that Gate.io’s Bitcoin whale share reportedly tripled to 16%. The firm said the last 30 days showed $79.3 million in whale inflows, up 11.6% from the prior window. The signal matters because whale inflows held even as BTC traded below $60,000. Bitcoin Whale Flows Stay Resilient On Gate CryptoQuant has flagged a notable exchange-flow signal, saying Gate.io’s Bitcoin whale share tripled to 16% and held through the latest drawdown.
According to the update, BTC traded below $60,000 during the Q2 weakness, but whale flows on the exchange remained resilient. The last 30 days reportedly recorded $79.3 million in whale inflows, up 11.6% compared with the prior window.
For traders, this is interesting because whale behavior can tell a different story from price alone. Price shows the market result. Flow data can help explain who may be active underneath that result. If larger wallets keep moving coins into a venue during a drawdown, the market has to ask whether they are preparing to sell, reposition, arbitrage, or absorb liquidity.
Why This Signal Needs Careful Reading Whale inflows are not automatically bullish.
In some contexts, exchange inflows can be a warning sign because coins moving to exchanges may be sold. In other contexts, especially when tied to specific venues and broader positioning data, inflows can point to larger players becoming more active while retail sentiment is weak.
That is why the Gate.io detail matters but should not be over-simplified. A rising whale share means larger wallets are accounting for a bigger portion of activity. It does not prove accumulation by itself. It does show that the exchange’s flow mix has changed during a difficult period for Bitcoin.
The timing is also important. BTC being below $60,000 keeps the market on edge. When price is weak and whale flows rise, traders often split into two camps. One sees smart money stepping in. The other sees potential supply preparing to hit the market. The truth often depends on what happens next: whether price stabilizes, whether exchange balances rise or fall, and whether spot demand improves.
What Bitcoin Needs Next The clean confirmation would be a stabilization in BTC price alongside healthier demand signals.
If Bitcoin reclaims key levels while whale activity remains elevated, traders may read the Gate.io data as part of a broader absorption story. If price keeps falling and inflows continue, the same signal may look more like distribution or risk transfer.
This is why flow data works best as context, not as a standalone trading system. It can sharpen the read, but it does not replace price structure.
For now, CryptoQuant’s update adds one important clue: larger Bitcoin wallets did not disappear during the drawdown. They remained active, and on Gate.io their share of activity rose sharply. In a fearful market, that is worth watching.
—
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
Key Takeaways Strategy is preparing to liquidate up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin holdings to strengthen its cash position, currently sitting at $2.55 billion. Two separate $1 billion buyback initiatives have been authorized — targeting both common and preferred shares. The firm’s mNAV metric fell beneath the critical 1.0 threshold on June 27, eliminating its capital-raising edge. STRC preferred stock dividend increased to 12%, with new policies requiring cash reserves to cover a full year of obligations. Shares of MSTR were trading at $82.31, reflecting a 3.5% decline, as Bitcoin hovered around $60,275. Strategy (MSTR) is executing a dramatic strategic reversal. The enterprise that staked its reputation on accumulating and never selling Bitcoin is now preparing to offload a significant portion — a development that has captured Wall Street’s full attention.
Strategy Inc, MSTR
In a June 29 filing, Strategy outlined intentions to divest up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin assets. The capital raised will strengthen the company’s treasury, finance preferred shareholder dividends, service debt obligations, and support general corporate requirements.
MSTR shares climbed approximately 5% during pre-market hours following the disclosure, though by regular trading the stock had retreated to $82.31, representing a 3.5% decline. Bitcoin was trading near $60,275, posting a modest 0.6% gain over the previous day.
According to the filing, Bitcoin disposals will occur opportunistically based on prevailing market dynamics and capital requirements — not according to any predetermined timeline.
The Economics Have Shifted For an extended period, Strategy’s approach was remarkably straightforward: raise capital through securities offerings, acquire Bitcoin, then repeat the cycle. This framework delivered exceptional results during Bitcoin’s bull runs, particularly when the company’s mNAV — measuring enterprise valuation against Bitcoin holdings — remained substantially above 1.
That crucial metric slipped below parity on June 27. This development signals that the valuation premium enabling Strategy to access inexpensive capital for Bitcoin acquisitions has essentially vanished.
Both common and preferred securities have experienced severe declines tracking Bitcoin’s downturn. MSTR has plummeted nearly 80% during the past twelve months. The perpetual preferred instruments Strategy introduced in 2025 — initially conceived as a mechanism to expand Bitcoin holdings without diluting existing shareholders — have tumbled below $75, significantly beneath the $100 par value necessary for economically sensible purchases.
Management also indicated greater restraint regarding future common stock issuances, especially when share prices approach net asset value.
Dual share repurchase authorizations totaling $1 billion each were unveiled — one addressing Class A common stock, the other targeting preferred Digital Credit Securities.
A newly adopted board mandate now obligates Strategy to maintain treasury reserves sufficient to cover no less than twelve months of anticipated preferred dividends and interest charges. Current reserves total $2.55 billion.
Warning Signs Emerged Weeks Ago The shift became evident as early as June 1, when Strategy revealed it had liquidated 32 Bitcoin — marking its first sale since 2022. While negligible compared to its approximately $51 billion total position, the symbolic significance was undeniable.
Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff quickly seized on the development. In a June 29 commentary, he characterized Strategy as “now a Bitcoin seller,” highlighting the company’s rebranded Bitcoin Monetization Program.
FalconX senior derivatives trader Bohan Jiang provided a more balanced perspective: “While there is more selling pressure on Bitcoin, it is definitely positive for the stock, and both the common and preferred shareholders.”
The STRC preferred dividend rate was elevated to 12% as part of the restructuring announcement.
Bitcoin has faced headwinds lately, dipping below $59,000 the previous week before staging a partial recovery.
Just before the start of July, the Bitcoin price is approaching a pivotal trendline that may determine its ultimate fate.
After a very difficult month, the existing chart structure suggests a good chance prices will continue to fall.
We are entering the month of Bitcoin's top trading at about $59,500, which is a considerable decrease from its high in the spring.
Factors Shaping Crypto
In the next weeks, three factors will determine market behavior: a bearish chart pattern, falling on-chain demand, and enormous capital outflows.
A cautionary tale based on historical events is the first. With an average gain of 5.90% and a median gain of 2.49%, June has traditionally been a beneficial month for Bitcoin.
But the price of Bitcoin fell almost 19% this month.
In a similar fashion, May started off with a decline of 3.57%, contrasting sharply with the typical rise of 18%. April was the only month in 2026 that exceeded its own median.
This represents a significant shift compared to 2025, when the initial two months of that year concluded on an optimistic note.
According to TradingView, the Bitcoin price is moving within a bearish head-and-shoulders pattern over the three-day period.
This formation is defined by a high - the head - placed between two lower peaks - the shoulders, and the price is presently slowly approaching the lower trendline.
There was a notable spike in sales volume from June 15th to June 24th, suggesting a possible 26% drop.
Source: TradingViewNonetheless, volume alone cannot be considered a dependable signal regarding the potential selling actions of significant stakeholders.
On-chain data points to the impending pressure point.
There has been a local high of about 0.69 for the Bitcoin exchange whale ratio, which is a measure of the proportion of total inflows that come from the top 10 addresses relative to the total.
Following the last rise on June 19, which reached 0.67, Bitcoin fell from $63,481 to $59,501, representing a 6.30% fall. In most cases, a surge in selling pressure is imminent when the ratio rises since it suggests that greater deposits are moving toward exchanges.
There is a parallel pattern in the retail sector.
ETF Sell-Off Hits Crypto
According to The Kobeissi Letter, US gold and Bitcoin ETFs have seen over $12 billion leave the market since April, while semiconductor ETFs have drawn almost $20 billion.
During this period, the largest Bitcoin ETF has lost almost 12% of its value due to investors fleeing to chip stocks.
Everything about the ambience is terrible.
Renowned investor Jeremy Grantham recently described Bitcoin as a “useless, speculative mechanism” that is destined to “dwindle away with a whimper,” reflecting the growing indifference now affecting spot demand.
That alignment of significant capital movements, fund withdrawals, and subdued market sentiment prompts a critical inquiry: Are we facing a sharp downturn or a gradual decline?
Consistent growth is the prevailing trend in the derivatives industry.
Around May 30th, the entire value of active futures contracts for Bitcoin, known as open interest, hit a peak of over $31.3 billion. About $21.6 billion is the current value.
At 0.003%, the financing rate for Bitcoin is marginally positive; it stands for the periodic cost of holding leveraged holdings.
A little leaning towards long positions is indicated by this. Significantly, there is far less leverage available to cause a dramatic liquidation cascade compared to a month ago, as indicated by the decreasing open interest.
Bitcoin is trading at over $59,500, and chart signs point to the possibility of more drops after an almost 19% decrease in June.
The cryptocurrency is also approaching a crucial trendline. If the neckline is broken, a three-day head-and-shoulders pattern, as reported by BeInCrypto, indicates a possible downside of almost 26%.
Furthermore, the exchange whale ratio has hit a new low of about 0.69, and June saw record-high outflows of $4.06 billion from US spot Bitcoin ETFs, the highest monthly total since the fund's launch.
The breakdown would be confirmed by a closing below $55,298 according to BeInCrypto.
Support levels are around $52,458 and $48,413, while the anticipated objective is approximately $42,000. But if you were to regain the $61,654 and $67,335 levels, this situation would be null and void.
Institutional spot flows, not leverage, are feeling the heat.
Massive Exodus from Bitcoin ETFs Extends the Drag
This departure has never happened before.
With about $4.06 billion flowing out of US spot Bitcoin ETFs in June, it was the most liquid month since the funds were first introduced.
This amount is more than the previous record, which was achieved in February 2025 and was $3.56 billion.
The persistent flight of capital sheds light on the seemingly constant rather than erratic downward pressure on the Bitcoin price forecast, which is explained by the data from whales and the change in retail investment.
Price Bets For July
Here is when the levels become important. The head and shoulders design suggests a possible 26% movement in the event that the neckline is broken. Whether or not Bitcoin reaches that mark will determine the July value projection.
A collapse would be verified if the price closed below $55,298—the 0.5 Fibonacci barrier. Following it are $52,458 and $48,413, which will lead to the expected goal of around $42,000.
Buyers must recoup $61,654 and then $67,335 to defy the existing arrangement.
Here, a nuanced difference is at work.
Since head-and-shoulders breakdowns don't always work, and open interest is now low, a big short squeeze might happen.
At $55,298, we can see a slight lateral shift away from a possible 26% drop to the $42,000 region.
Bitcoin Bottom, Anyone?
Bitcoin's price continued its fight towards the $60,000 level, with certain chart signs suggesting a possible comeback.
According to TradingView, hourly charts show a series of high swing lows, with positive signals from the relative strength index (RSI) indicator.
A bullish divergence was noted on the four-hour chart, as the RSI formed lower lows while the price formed higher lows. Because of this, market players became interested in the possibility of a Bitcoin price reversal. unknown component
Crypto trader known only as "Rod" uploaded a chart that he said showed a striking resemblance between the present market downturn and the one in 2022.
— Rod (@Crypto_R0D) June 26, 2026 The market eventually found support when BTCUSD hit its bear-market low of $15,600, coinciding with the appearance of a weekly RSI positive divergence.
In early June, the four-hour RSI hit a record low of 11.4—a level never before seen.
Source: TradingViewFriday saw the addition of daily time periods to the mix of RSI bull indications by crypto expert Lukasz Wydra.
On the Bitcoin chart, the bullish RSI divergence is now formally established. While it may yet go further, he assured X fans that Binance's defence of the price was unwavering.
According to Wydra, the RSI indications are a positive indicator.
Some traders remained committed to their current forecasts, anticipating that additional downward pressure would emerge sooner or later.
Niels Klaver, cofounder of the crypto platform STABL Agency, reiterated the need for a rise to $55,000 “before any significant shift” can occur to alter the current landscape.
What Other Technical Readings Show
TradingView's Bitcoin technical analysis overview for the week ahead, based on key data from moving averages, oscillators, and pivots, showed a sell signal.
Source: TradingViewBoth short- and long-term gauges pointed to a sell stance.
Source: TradingViewSeparately, InvestTech's Algorithmic Overall Analysis and one to six weeks' recommendation gave a negative score.
"Bitcoin shows weak development in a falling trend channel in the short term. Falling trends indicate that the currency experiences negative development and falling buying interest among investors. The currency has broken through support at $61,000. This predicts a further decline."
Source: InvestTechInvestTech added, "In case of positive reactions, there will now be resistance at $61,000. The RSI curve shows a falling trend, which supports the negative trend. The currency is overall assessed as technically negative for the short term."
Strive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASST) filed an 8-K with the SEC on June 29, 2026, disclosing its latest balance sheet snapshot: 19,864 in Bitcoin, $141.7 million in cash, and a $37.7 million fair-value position in Strategy’s Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (STRC). The company made no Bitcoin purchases in the most recent reporting week.
The filing, signed by CEO Matthew Cole, covers the period ending June 26, 2026. Cash declined $2.8 million from $144.5 million on June 18, while the STRC position shed $7.1 million in fair value despite the share count holding at 505,000.
Bitcoin held remained flat at 19,864 BTC — the seventh-largest corporate Bitcoin holding in the world, a position Strive built from zero in under a year.
On X, Cole described the balance sheet as “built to move aggressively or wait patiently with deep reserves, no debt, no margin & no encumbered Bitcoin.” That structure, patient accumulation without leverage, has defined the company’s approach since it completed its merger with Semler Scientific in January 2026.
The most recent purchase came the week prior: 759 BTC acquired between June 15 and June 21 at an average cost of $65,850 per coin. That transaction, disclosed in a separate 8-K, cost $50 million.
Strive sits on a paper bitcoin loss With Bitcoin trading near $59,000 today, the position sits below that acquisition price by about $6,000 per coin — a paper loss that Strive’s cash-heavy, debt-free structure is designed to absorb.
Cole has built the company around a single thesis: Bitcoin should serve as the hurdle rate for all capital allocation. Every investment Strive makes is benchmarked against Bitcoin’s performance. The company reported a Q1 2026 Bitcoin yield — a metric tracking per-share growth in BTC holdings — of over 15%, a figure that reflects the pace of its acquisition campaign.
Strive’s preferred stock instrument, SATA, began paying cash dividends on each business day starting June 16, 2026. The company bills it as the first listed security in U.S. capital markets history to distribute cash on every trading day.
To backstop that obligation through a potential downturn, Strive has extended its cash reserve runway to 18 months — calibrated against the depth of the 2022–2023 Bitcoin bear market.
The pause in accumulation this week leaves the treasury at 19,864 BTC. At current prices, that stack carries a market value near $1.19 billion. With $141.7 million in unencumbered cash and no margin exposure, the company sits in a position to scale or hold — both outcomes built into the structure from the start.
Micah Zimmerman
Micah first discovered Bitcoin in 2018 but remained a skeptic on the sidelines for too long. Since 2021, he has covered crypto and business and now works as a news reporter for Bitcoin Magazine, based in North Carolina.
Japanese Bitcoin treasury firm Metaplanet has announced its plan to expand its Bitcoin ambitions, with Director of Bitcoin Strategy Dylan LeClair revealing that the company intends to acquire an additional 170,000 BTC as part of its long-term goal of controlling 1% of Bitcoin’s total supply.
The strategy would increase Metaplanet’s holdings to 210,000 BTC by the end of 2027, making it one of the world’s largest Bitcoin treasuries. At Bitcoin’s fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins, the target represents approximately 1% of all Bitcoins that will ever exist. Such a milestone would place the Tokyo-listed company alongside Strategy among the most influential institutional owners of the digital asset.
5/5 Proposals Approved at the @Metaplanet Extraordinary Shareholder Meeting
1) Approve shift of capital stock and capital reserve to capital surplus to increase capacity for preferred share dividends & potential share buybacks. ✅
2) Increase the total number of authorized…
— Dylan LeClair (@DylanLeClair) December 22, 2025
Metaplanet Is Doubling Down on Its Bitcoin Treasury Strategy The latest target follows board approval of Metaplanet’s revised Bitcoin accumulation plan, which significantly expands the company’s original objective.
Rather than stopping at 40,000 BTC, the company now plans to acquire a total of 210,000 BTC by the end of 2027. Since the company already holds roughly 40,000 BTC, the updated strategy implies purchases of approximately 170,000 additional Bitcoin over the next 18 months.
LeClair described the goal in straightforward terms.
“Our target is 1% of the Bitcoin supply.” The executive has consistently argued that Metaplanet measures success not through fiat-denominated returns but by increasing Bitcoin per share, a philosophy that mirrors Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor’s long-standing approach to corporate treasury management.
To finance the expansion, the company plans to continue using equity issuance, preferred shares, warrants, and other capital market instruments rather than relying solely on cash generated from operations.
Earlier this year, Metaplanet announced a major equity financing initiative designed specifically to accelerate Bitcoin accumulation. The company has repeatedly emphasized that the objective is to raise capital efficiently while minimizing shareholder dilution.
Corporate Competition for Bitcoin Is Intensifying Metaplanet’s announcement highlights how competition among corporate Bitcoin treasury companies is escalating.
Over the years, Strategy has dominated the corporate Bitcoin accumulation narrative. However, more recently, treasury companies like Metaplanet, Twenty One Capital and MARA Holdings have created an institutional race to accumulate scarce Bitcoin supply.
Top Bitcoin treasury companies. Source: Bitcointreasuries.net
If Metaplanet succeeds, its holdings would account for one out of every hundred Bitcoin that will ever exist. That concentration could have broader implications for market liquidity.
Unlike exchange-traded funds, which purchase Bitcoin on behalf of investors, treasury companies typically accumulate BTC as long-term balance sheet assets. Those coins are rarely sold, effectively reducing the liquid supply available to the market.
The strategy also reflects growing confidence among Bitcoin-focused corporates that long-term appreciation will outweigh short-term volatility.
LeClair has repeatedly argued that Bitcoin should be viewed as a superior treasury reserve asset capable of protecting corporate purchasing power over time, particularly in an environment of persistent fiat currency debasement.
Whether investors continue supporting those financings will depend largely on Bitcoin’s long-term performance and Metaplanet’s ability to generate value on a per-share basis.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Strategy, the company formerly known as MicroStrategy, has officially broken its own cardinal rule. The company can now sell Bitcoin to buy back stock, repurchase debt, and pay preferred dividends.
Strategy already sold 32 BTC for approximately $2.5 million at the end of May 2026, marking the first Bitcoin sale in the company’s treasury history. The company still holds roughly 843,738 BTC.
The new framework, explained On June 29, 2026, Strategy formally introduced what it calls the Digital Credit Capital Framework, a set of rules that lets the company treat Bitcoin as a flexible treasury asset.
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The framework authorizes up to $2 billion in stock repurchases. It also includes a Bitcoin monetization program allowing for up to $1.25 billion in sales to shore up the company’s USD reserves and overall liquidity.
Back on May 15, 2026, Strategy announced plans to repurchase $1.5 billion of its 0% convertible senior notes due 2029 at a discount. The proposed funding sources for that buyback included cash reserves and Bitcoin sales.
CEO Phong Le stated the firm would sell Bitcoin “when advantageous,” marking a shift from passive accumulation to active balance-sheet management. The same framework update also raised the dividend on STRC preferred shares to 12%.
What this means for investors For Strategy shareholders, stock buybacks funded by Bitcoin sales could boost per-share value in the near term. The $2 billion buyback authorization suggests management sees its own equity as undervalued. The 12% dividend on STRC preferred shares also gives income-oriented investors a concrete reason to stick around.
The risk is that this new framework erodes the very premium that made Strategy stock attractive in the first place. Many investors bought shares precisely because they believed the company would hold Bitcoin indefinitely, acting as leveraged long exposure to the asset. If that conviction trade unwinds, the stock could lose its appeal as a Bitcoin proxy, forcing it to be valued more on its software fundamentals.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
In BlackRock Bitcoin news today, iShares Bitcoin Trust, better known as IBIT, shed $1.3Bn in net redemptions during the week of June 22–26, according to Farside Investors flow data.
That single fund accounted for 72.9% of the $1.79Bn that left the entire US spot Bitcoin ETF complex that week, the clearest sign yet that the vehicle Wall Street built to bring institutional money into Bitcoin can run just as efficiently in reverse.
Bitcoin ETF investors are underwater.
The average investor in BlackRock’s IBIT is now down roughly 40%, after sitting on a 30% gain as recently as mid-2025.
U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs just saw $1.79B in weekly net outflows, their second-largest on record. Friday marked a seventh… pic.twitter.com/JLvhVde0Gj
— Frank Chaparro (@fintechfrank) June 27, 2026
The tension at the center of this story is that the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF was the product that turned ‘institutional demand’ into a simple, repeatable narrative. Now, at the very moment Bitcoin needs external buyers, IBIT has become the market’s most prominent source of ETF sell pressure.
As ETF numbers dominate the headlines, BTC USD is trading at around $60,000, down roughly -1% on the day, with 24-hour trading volume at $20.7Bn.
One Fund, One Week, One Dominant Signal
(SOURCE: CoinGlass)
On June 26 alone, IBIT posted $444.5M in single-day outflows, every dollar of net redemption recorded across the entire ETF complex that day, per CoinGlass data. The week ended with IBIT’s seventh consecutive week of net outflows, the longest such streak since the fund launched in January 2024.
The macro backdrop driving those redemptions was not a single event but a convergence. A stronger-than-expected US non-farm payrolls print reduced near-term Federal Reserve rate-cut expectations, pushing Treasury yields higher and making fixed-income alternatives more attractive relative to non-yielding BTC.
Geopolitical risk-off sentiment, including heightened Iran-related tensions that rattled broader markets, compounded the move, pulling capital out of risk assets across digital assets, AI equities, and commodities.
As of June 29, IBIT’s net assets stood at around $45Bn with a benchmark price near $59,813, according to BlackRock’s iShares product page. The $1.3Bn weekly redemption is dominant within the ETF complex but still a relatively small proportion of its total AUM.
DISCOVER: Best Meme Coin ICOs to Invest in 2026
Why BlackRock Bitcoin IBIT’s Size Makes This Different Liam ‘Akiba’ Wright, writing for KuCoin’s TechFlow DeepChain, framed the structural problem precisely: “When IBIT attracts funds, its scale reinforces the narrative of Bitcoin institutional demand. When IBIT experiences outflows, its size makes those outflows impossible for other parts of the market to ignore.” Small funds can bleed quietly. IBIT cannot.
The mechanics matter here. In July 2025, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved in-kind creation and redemption mechanics for crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs), meaning authorized participants, the large financial institutions that create and redeem ETF shares in bulk, can now exchange ETF shares directly for underlying Bitcoin rather than going through a cash-only process.
That structural change means ETF flow pressure can transmit more directly into the spot market during risk-off periods, though Wright noted that “ETF outflows should be viewed as a transmission of risk, not as direct evidence that every dollar redeemed is automatically dumped into the spot market.”
Still, the concentration is hard to dismiss. Bitcoin ETF outflows and BlackRock’s $60K support test have become the same story, and only two small funds in the complex avoided net redemptions during the June 22–26 week.
EXCLUSIVE: Join 99Bitcoin’s $1000 USDT Airdrop on ByBit
Bull Case, Bear Case, and What Comes Next $BTC is creating interesting setups.
We're still in the same range, and liquidity is being built on both sides here.
Therefore my POI's for potential trades lay at the boundaries, not within the compression.
As of now, it still looks bearish: CVD showing weak buy pressure,… pic.twitter.com/whjLcq4moZ
— Lennaert Snyder (@LennaertSnyder) June 29, 2026
In other BlackRock Bitcoin news, the BTC/USD price is trading near $60,000 on June 29, with negative returns over both the 7-day and 30-day periods. The $58,000–$60,500 range has acted as a contested support zone, while the $61,000 band represents the first meaningful resistance ceiling above current levels. How Bitcoin holds critical $60K support in the sessions ahead will be the clearest signal of whether this was a flush or the start of something deeper.
Bull case: The heaviest redemptions have already cleared the system. Outflows slow, Bitcoin reclaims the $59,000–$62,000 range, and June’s data is later read as a crowded-trade cleanup rather than a structural break in institutional conviction. At $44.87 billion in net assets, IBIT remains the most liquid compliant Bitcoin wrapper in the world.
Bear case: IBIT continues posting large daily redemption numbers, Bitcoin fails to hold above $60,000, and spot buyers outside the ETF complex are left absorbing the supply on their own. Wright put it plainly: “Non-ETF spot buyers must hold the market on their own, without the support of the shell that once provided the simplest bullish narrative.”
The macro headwinds driving broader crypto market weakness, rate expectations, geopolitical uncertainty, and dollar strength have not materially shifted. Until they do, the crypto ETF flows data from CoinGlass carries more weight than usual.
Slowing Bitcoin ETF outflows would be the first sign that the selling pressure is easing. Another heavy week would make the sell-wall narrative structurally difficult to dismiss.
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The valuation of Strategy, known for its Bitcoin-focused financial strategy, has fallen below the value of its own Bitcoin reserves. This unexpected shift is being interpreted as a sign that investor confidence in the company’s aggressive accumulation model is weakening.
mNAV ratio dips below 1The company’s market net asset value (mNAV) ratio—an indicator comparing enterprise value to the total worth of its Bitcoin holdings—dropped to 0.99. This means that for the first time, the market has rated Strategy’s entire business at a value less than the sum of its Bitcoin treasury.
Currently, Strategy holds 847,363 Bitcoins in reserve, with a total value of approximately $50.4 billion based on the latest closing price. However, the company’s market capitalization recently stood at just $29.5 billion, according to the last session’s data.
The mNAV ratio’s slide to 0.99 clearly signals that investors are no longer giving Strategy the premium previously awarded purely for amassing huge Bitcoin reserves.
Pressure intensifies after recent saleThis downturn gained momentum after Strategy reported its first sale of Bitcoin since 2022—a shift that coincided with a sharp quarterly loss. The decline in Bitcoin’s price has slashed the company’s digital asset valuations and placed its financial results under mounting strain.
Formerly known as MicroStrategy, Strategy has made headlines in recent years as a software firm building a reputation for major corporate Bitcoin acquisitions. Yet, its shares have lost more than 45% of their value this year, causing market capitalization to plummet to less than half of the all-time high above $71 billion recorded earlier in 2024.
Bitcoin weakness weighs on crypto-treasury firmsBitcoin itself remains under pressure, recently trading around the $59,900 mark—a far cry from the record above $126,000 seen last October. This ongoing weakness is having a disproportionate effect on companies whose balance sheets are largely tied to Bitcoin’s fortunes.
In strong markets, investors often ascribed extra value to these companies beyond just their cryptocurrency reserves, but the latest figures suggest that confidence in this approach is eroding. The shift in sentiment marks a turning point in how the market values such Bitcoin-heavy business models.
A new era for companies with Bitcoin reservesRecent developments—including Strategy’s Bitcoin sale, outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs, and signs of slowing institutional interest—are prompting a much more cautious stance toward companies built on massive crypto treasuries. The changing environment could have ripple effects across other publicly traded firms that have adopted similar treasury strategies over the last two years.
If Bitcoin prices continue to languish, market watchers expect investors to focus more on the underlying business fundamentals rather than simply placing faith in companies’ crypto holdings. Such a scenario could make it increasingly difficult for firms stockpiling Bitcoin to command the high valuations they enjoyed during booming markets.
Analyses highlighted by Fortune have also renewed scrutiny on the financial obligations associated with Strategy’s aggressive growth plans. As a result, the company’s relentless policy of accumulating Bitcoin is now under greater market surveillance than ever before.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
On January 1, 2000, the world was supposed to end. As the date changed and the next millennium rolled in, computer systems programmed in the 1960s and 1970s were expected to crash. Storage space was very expensive back then. As a result, programmers often saved space by recording years with only two digits instead of four, omitting the century. Once the century changed, the logic would be lost, and systems would malfunction.
Massive IT projects were launched to fix the problem and prevent looming disasters, like nuclear power plants exploding. Alongside a booming tech industry, an even more booming survival industry emerged. Guidebooks were published on how to survive the impending catastrophe — hide under the table — while there was a healthy trade in bunkers and overpriced survival packs.
In a preemptive move, the U.S. Federal Reserve loosened monetary policy. The burgeoning internet and its early successes had brought technology to the masses. Together with loose financing conditions and growing public enthusiasm at the turn of the millennium, this ignited a unique boom on the stock markets, especially for tech and internet stocks.
The world did not come to an end. Instead, people started to wonder what would become of companies that had no chance of turning a profit and depended on continuous injections of investor funding. Doubts began to spread, share prices started to fall, and over the course of the year 2000, the dot-com bubble burst.
The final nail in the coffin of the 2000s bubble came on September 11, 2001. The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York made it seem as though the world really was ending. Air traffic shut down, war broke out, and a recession followed. Stock markets plunged, and they just kept falling.
Once again, the U.S. Federal Reserve stepped in to save the economy and the financial markets. Interest rates were slashed, credit became cheap, and with this, the economic downturn was slowed. Starting in early 2003, the stock markets began to recover. Slowly at first, then faster. The exceptionally low interest rates stimulated economic activity, albeit not as intended. The burst tech bubble was soon replaced by a gigantic housing bubble, especially in the United States.
The film The Big Short begins with a quote from Mark Twain:
“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
History provides us with many examples that show how stubbornly and for how long people, indeed entire societies, have clung to false beliefs. A good example is the geocentric worldview that many held in the Middle Ages: they believed that the universe revolved around the Earth. Galileo Galilei held an opposing belief and was threatened with death and excommunicated from the Church for it. The Church’s self-image and vested interests forbade such an inconvenient truth. But as it is with the truth, a point comes when it can no longer be denied.
The same was true of the financial crisis of 2007–2009. Behind many financial products on offer were mortgage-backed securities of little or no value. This truth, too, eventually could not be denied. The markets for these securities and the financial products built on them collapsed, along with a lot of the banks and financial institutions that held them. In the end, the entire financial system imploded. Major, well-known banks went bankrupt, financial markets dried up, and even healthy companies were put at risk of failure.
The terrifying yet fascinating part was the reaction of governments and central banks — through bailouts. With the exception of Lehman Brothers and a few others, virtually all the major institutions were saved. At the time, Chancellor Angela Merkel guaranteed the German public that their bank deposits were safe — a promise she likely could not have kept if it had been called out.
The central element of the bailouts was and still is the printing of money. Governments generously rescued important, systemically relevant banks and companies with the input of fresh money. Central banks financed and continue to finance this by purchasing government bonds, cutting interest rates, and providing very favorable financing conditions to banks.
This point is very important. When a central bank buys an outstanding government bond, that means it is increasing the money supply or printing money. In the film Oeconomia, Peter Praet, at that time the chief economist of the ECB, says this quite explicitly: “It is not physical money, but electronic.”
Printing money means increasing the amount of money in circulation. And that results in all of our money getting watered down. Ultimately, this makes it worth less since there’s more money but the same amount of goods.
When new money is created — that is, when money is inflated and then spent, no matter what it’s spent on — prices will eventually rise, and the money everyone else holds becomes less valuable. Put another way, when new money is created, everyone who already holds money is slightly dispossessed.
Only those who receive the new money first benefit, which is usually the banks, shareholders, and companies as well as borrowers and thus the government. Also benefiting are those who hold the goods or assets that are first purchased with the newly created money. This primarily includes real estate, stocks, and tangible assets in general.
Such inflation must be distinguished from individual price increases. If the demand for city-center locations suddenly rises because people are moving from the country to the city, property prices in city centers will rise, while they fall in the countryside. With inflation, prices rise almost everywhere. Price increases caused by rising demand or falling supply, such as after a poor harvest, are limited and are offset by a drop in prices elsewhere.
Inflation acts like a tax, but it isn’t perceived as such. The government could just as well take a small amount of money from every business and citizen to cover its spending instead of creating new money by issuing a government bond. In practice, it would be the same thing, only it wouldn’t be so easy, and many people would complain and might vote those politicians out in the next election.
Inflation is vague, and in public perception it’s not the government’s fault but rather that of others who are creating shortages of goods and profiting from rising prices. Political and public scapegoats for rising prices can always be found.
The former ECB chief economist, Peter Praet, states quite clearly that the functioning of today’s financial and economic system depends on the creation of more and more money — in other words, on continuous inflation. If the last financial crises have shown us anything, it’s the automatic reaction of governments: printing money. And crises will always keep coming for a variety of reasons: the ongoing climate crisis, pandemics, wars, migration, demographics, etc. Justification and excuses for printing money can always be found.
What does this have to do with Bitcoin? A major and very valid criticism of a sound monetary system, in which money cannot be multiplied uncontrollably, is that it provides no way to intervene quickly by increasing the money supply in severe crises. That’s true. You would have to save beforehand, to set aside reserves.
And if there is one thing politicians cannot do, it’s save. There is always a good reason to spend money, whether it’s simply doing good, solving problems, winning over voters before an election, or even supporting a friendly entrepreneur in one’s own constituency.
The alternative would be to raise taxes in order to finance these unforeseen expenses. That would be politically and economically counterproductive. It would scare off voters and take away their purchasing power.
The crucial point is this: without the ability to print money at will, the boom that precedes a crisis wouldn’t arise in the first place, or at the very least would be much smaller. And the subsequent crises would also be a lot smaller. This is evident in the economic cycles of the 19th century, when a strict gold standard was in place.
Yes, there were numerous crises at the time. But they were short and less severe. And periods of falling prices certainly did not end in the dreaded deflationary spiral.
The ability to print unlimited amounts of money leads to correspondingly large misallocations, which then lead to correspondingly large corrections, and therefore, crises. These crises in turn trigger even more money-printing, and on it goes.
The greater the misallocations beforehand, the greater the corrections afterward. A healthy monetary system leads to sounder economic decisions, sustainable upturns, and brief downturns in which misallocations are corrected.
Money that cannot be arbitrarily multiplied limits misallocations during a boom, and accordingly, limits corrections during a downturn.
At the height of the financial crisis, on October 31, 2008, an anonymous person or group published the Bitcoin white paper — six weeks after Lehman Brothers, one of the largest banks in the U.S., filed for bankruptcy.
On January 3, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto launched the Bitcoin blockchain. The very first block was mined. This first block contains the following message:
“The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks”
This was an explicit reference to a headline in The Times on January 3, 2009 — the repeated bailout of a financial system still teetering on the brink of collapse.
Bitcoin was, and still is, the answer to a fragile financial system: to uncontrolled money printing, to willful denial of reality, but also to the unfair and socially unjust expropriation that accompanies money creation.
The cap of 21 million bitcoin and the lack of central control make a policy of inflation impossible. Someone who holds bitcoin cannot be dispossessed by the uncontrolled printing of even more bitcoin.
Nor can they be dispossessed by banks that go bankrupt or deny access to bitcoin, provided they hold their bitcoin in a self-hosted wallet and thereby manage their own access. No central authority can revoke that access.
The timing of Bitcoin’s launch was no coincidence. It was the reaction to a financial system that would have collapsed had money not been printed in a pretty much uncontrolled manner.
Bitcoin is sound money — a response to a broken financial system. It is a system that is not imposed from above. Participation is voluntary and open to anyone. No one with a computer or smartphone and an internet connection can be excluded from it. For many, it’s a lifeline out of the fiat money system that is not sustainably viable.
In contrast to an inflationary and opaque system, Bitcoin is decentralized, transparent, and fundamentally honest.
Discover more in Bitcoin: The Honest Money!
This excerpt is just the beginning. Dive deeper into how inflation devalues your money, your savings, and your time in Bitcoin: The Honest Money by Alex von Frankenberg, Ph.D. The paperback is available now.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Bitcoin is not having a great month. The leading crypto slipped from $60K to $59K on Monday morning, down 7.9% over the past seven days, as sellers continue to apply steady downward pressure with no obvious relief in sight.
The move lower is not just a price story. It is an ETF story, and that is what makes this moment worth paying attention to.
The ETF outflow problem is getting worse June’s spot Bitcoin ETF outflows have already eclipsed February 2025’s record of $3.6B, and the month still has time left on the clock.
Think of it like a bathtub with the drain open. New buyers would need to pour in water faster than it is draining to stabilize the price. Right now, the drain is winning.
When the spot Bitcoin ETFs launched, the dominant narrative was that institutional access would create a structural floor under Bitcoin’s price. Persistent, record-breaking outflows challenge that assumption in a meaningful way.
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It does not mean the ETFs were a failed experiment. It means institutions are also capable of selling, which should surprise no one but apparently needed a reminder.
Bitcoin’s 24-hour change sits at just -0.2%, so Monday’s session has been relatively contained. The weekly picture tells a different story: -7.9% is a meaningful drawdown for an asset that was trading above $60K not long ago.
Extreme fear, with Ethereum holding steady and Solana pushing higher The Crypto Fear and Greed Index currently reads 12, which falls squarely in “Extreme Fear” territory. Last week it sat at 20, also Extreme Fear, meaning sentiment has deteriorated further rather than stabilized.
A reading of 12 is the kind of number that historically makes contrarian investors lean forward in their chairs. Extreme fear tends to mark capitulation zones, where sellers who are going to sell have largely already sold. Whether that logic applies here depends entirely on whether ETF outflows have more room to run.
Ethereum, trading near $1,575, is essentially flat on both a daily and weekly basis. It is not recovering, but it is not accelerating lower either, which in this environment qualifies as a mild form of resilience.
Solana is the outlier. Up 3.0% over the past 24 hours and climbing toward $74, it is the one major asset bucking the broader trend today. DeFi is also the top-performing category over the seven-day period, though its net change sits at 0.0%, which technically makes it the best house on a street where every other house is on fire.
What this means for the market The confluence of record ETF outflows, a Fear and Greed reading of 12, and Bitcoin trading below $60K creates a setup that cuts both ways for investors trying to make sense of positioning right now.
On the bearish side: outflows at this scale suggest institutional holders are reducing exposure, not adding to it. That is a headwind that retail buying alone is unlikely to overcome in the short term. The $59K level is not a trivial one to lose, either. It represents a psychological threshold that, if it fails to hold, could invite the next wave of liquidations.
On the bullish side: extreme fear readings at these levels have historically preceded recoveries, even if the timing is never clean. Solana’s ability to post gains while Bitcoin bleeds is a signal worth monitoring. When risk appetite returns to crypto markets, assets that held up during the selloff tend to outperform on the way back up.
The honest answer for investors watching this is that the ETF outflow data is the most important variable to track right now. If June closes with outflows that materially exceed the February record, it suggests the institutional bid that drove Bitcoin’s earlier rally has softened in a structural way, not just a seasonal one. If outflows begin to slow or reverse before month-end, the $59K test may look like a buying opportunity in hindsight.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Strategy Inc., the company formerly known as MicroStrategy, just gave Peter Schiff exactly what he’s been waiting for: ammunition.
The company unveiled a Digital Credit Capital Framework on June 29 that includes something previously unthinkable for the firm that built its entire identity around accumulating Bitcoin. A Bitcoin Monetization Program authorizing the sale of up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin for specific corporate purposes.
Schiff, the gold evangelist who has spent years warning that Strategy’s leveraged Bitcoin strategy would eventually crack, wasted no time declaring the company a “Bitcoin seller.” And technically, he’s not wrong. But the full picture is, as usual, more complicated than a tweet suggests.
What Strategy actually announced The new framework doesn’t signal a fire sale. It authorizes discretionary Bitcoin sales for three narrowly defined purposes: funding a USD Reserve, covering preferred stock dividends, and supporting securities repurchases.
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Alongside the monetization program, Strategy’s board approved up to $2 billion in securities repurchases. It also bumped the dividend on its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock, known by the ticker STRC, to 12%.
Executive Chairman Michael Saylor framed the move as consistent with the company’s broader mission. While Strategy is now permitted to sell Bitcoin, Saylor emphasized that the company remains committed to its Bitcoin-first mentality.
Why Schiff is having a field day Peter Schiff has been calling Strategy’s Bitcoin strategy a house of cards for years. His argument has always been straightforward: a company that uses leverage to buy a volatile asset will eventually be forced to sell that asset to meet its obligations.
The Bitcoin Monetization Program doesn’t prove Schiff right in the catastrophic sense he’s long predicted. Strategy isn’t liquidating under duress. But it does validate his core thesis that perpetual accumulation without any sell mechanism is unsustainable when you’re also issuing preferred stock, convertible notes, and equity offerings to fund those purchases.
The leverage question that won’t go away The $1.25 billion authorization provides a pressure valve. Rather than being forced into emergency sales during a downturn, Strategy now has a pre-approved framework to sell Bitcoin in an orderly fashion when needed.
The $2 billion repurchase authorization adds another layer. Strategy could theoretically sell Bitcoin to fund buybacks of its own stock or preferred shares, essentially converting Bitcoin into equity management. That’s a far cry from the “never sell” ethos that made Saylor a folk hero in crypto circles.
Initial market reaction was muted. Pre-market trading showed some movement in MSTR stock, but nothing resembling panic.
What this means for investors For MSTR shareholders, the framework changes the risk profile in subtle but important ways. The stock has historically traded as a leveraged Bitcoin bet, often at significant premiums to its net asset value. A monetization program that could reduce the Bitcoin stack, even modestly, may compress that premium over time.
The 12% preferred dividend rate on STRC is worth monitoring closely. If Bitcoin enters an extended flat or bearish period, those dividend obligations could accelerate the pace of Bitcoin sales under the monetization program. The $1.25 billion ceiling sounds large, but relative to Strategy’s total Bitcoin holdings, it represents a defined and manageable portion.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Strategy is shifting strategies as the Bitcoin behemoth seeks to quell fears over its financial health. On Monday, the company announced that it may sell up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin to build its cash reserves, cover investor payouts, and fund stock buybacks to avoid issuing more equity.
The new policy is an about-face for Strategy, which has established itself as one of the biggest buyers of the world’s largest cryptocurrency. Michael Saylor, the firm’s executive chairman and a prominent Bitcoin bull, has repeatedly proclaimed that investors should never sell their holdings. “You do not sell your Bitcoin,” he said last October.
But Strategy’s stock has recently come under heavy pressure, shedding 44% over the past year. Meanwhile, STRC, a preferred share issued by Strategy that Saylor has said has “money-market-level stability,” has also tanked. Supposedly pegged to $100, STRC closed Friday at around $74.
Now, Saylor has begun to change his tune. In June, the company sold $2.5 million of Bitcoin. In addition to its plan to sell up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin, the company calls for changes to cash reserves, adjustments to the dividend policy, and up to $1 billion in authorized buybacks of its preferred share products.
“Strategy remains committed to Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset,” Saylor said in a statement.
On Monday morning, the company’s shares rose almost 3% to trade near $86, while STRC gained about 4% to approach $79. Bitcoin also briefly climbed to around $60,600 before pulling back.
Saylor cofounded Strategy, then known as MicroStrategy, in 1989. It operated as an enterprise software firm but, concerned about U.S. dollar devaluation, the company adopted Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset in 2020, starting with a $250 million purchase. Strategy now owns about 4% of the total supply of Bitcoin.
Over the past year, a swarm of Strategy imitators loaded public companies with cryptocurrencies to try to spark stock rallies, but that trade has since fallen out of favor. Solana‑hoarder Solmate has lost almost all its value, leaving backers nursing heavy paper losses, while Cantor Fitzgerald’s BSTR Bitcoin vehicle has scrambled to keep a SPAC deal alive amid waning investor appetite.
For more details, visit the official Decrypt platform.
TL;DR Strategy has approved a new Digital Credit Capital Framework for active capital management. Under the framework, the company could sell up to $1.25 billion worth of Bitcoin. The move does not mean Strategy is abandoning Bitcoin, but it does show a more flexible treasury model. Strategy Adds A New Layer To Its Bitcoin Playbook Strategy has approved a new Digital Credit Capital Framework that could allow the company to sell up to $1.25 billion worth of Bitcoin as part of a broader active capital management approach.
That sounds dramatic because Strategy has spent years being viewed as the public-market symbol of relentless Bitcoin accumulation. Investors are used to hearing about purchases, convertible notes, preferred stock, and balance-sheet expansion. A framework that allows Bitcoin sales naturally gets attention because it cuts against the simplest version of the story.
But the more useful read is a little more nuanced. This is not necessarily “Strategy turns bearish on Bitcoin.” It is closer to Strategy formalizing how it may manage liquidity, dividends, buybacks, and reserves while still operating around a Bitcoin-heavy balance sheet.
Why A Bitcoin Sale Authorization Matters The authorization matters because it changes how investors think about Strategy’s treasury model.
A company can be bullish on Bitcoin and still need a mechanism for capital management. That is especially true when the company has layered financing instruments around its balance sheet. Dividends, credit products, buybacks, cash reserves, and market volatility all create situations where flexibility may become valuable.
The risk is perception. Strategy’s brand is closely tied to Bitcoin conviction. Any suggestion that it could sell BTC, even for corporate finance reasons, may invite questions from investors who bought into the idea of continuous accumulation.
That does not mean the framework is negative by default. A rigid treasury strategy can become fragile if market conditions change. A flexible one can be stronger, provided investors trust the rules and understand when sales may happen.
The Bigger Question For Bitcoin Treasury Companies This development also speaks to the next phase of Bitcoin treasury adoption. The first phase was simple: buy BTC and hold it. The next phase may be more complicated: manage Bitcoin-backed capital structures in public markets.
That is where the story gets more interesting. If Strategy can use its Bitcoin position to support credit products, dividends, reserves, or buybacks, then it is no longer just a holder. It becomes a capital manager built around Bitcoin as the core reserve asset.
For Bitcoin, the immediate market impact depends on whether any sales actually occur and how they are executed. A maximum authorization is not the same thing as a completed sale. Still, traders will watch closely because Strategy remains one of the most closely followed corporate BTC holders.
The takeaway is simple: Strategy’s Bitcoin story is maturing. The company is not just stacking BTC; it is building rules around how that stack can support a wider financial structure. That may make the model more durable, but it also makes it more complex.
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This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
Due to a stock split, Binance will adjust the contract size of CRWD U-margined perpetual contracts.
According to an official announcement, the underlying asset of the CRWDUSDT perpetual contract will implement a 1-for-4 stock split of its issued Class A shares via a dividend distribution. Consequently, Binance will adjust the contract size of its CRWDUSDT U.S. dollar-margined perpetual contract at 08:00 (UTC+8) on July 2, 2026. The adjustment is projected to be completed by 21:30 (UTC+8) the same day. Post-adjustment, the contract will enter a 5-minute cancel-only phase.
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Bitcoin (BTC) is showing renewed signs of recovery, approaching the $60,000 mark at the time of writing on Monday. Among altcoins, Ethereum (ETH) is positioned for a potential breakout above $1,600, while Ripple (XRP) continues to face bearish pressure, holding just above the key $1.00 psychological support.
US and Iran halt attacks, agree to renew peace negotiationsThe United States (US) and Iran exchanged fire near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported strikes against US military installations in neighboring countries, such as Kuwait and Bahrain, in response to recent US attacks on Iranian targets.
Iran has doubled down on its demand for a full withdrawal of Israeli Forces from Lebanon as part of the final Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US.
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Ongoing technical discussions related to the MoU are expected to continue, with both parties scheduled to meet in Doha on Tuesday for further negotiations, according to Axios.
Sentiment in the broader crypto market has deteriorated further despite easing tensions between the US and Iran.
The crypto Fear & Greed Index is stuck in Extreme Fear territory at 12 on Monday, down from 18 the day before. This decline indicates that appetite for risk assets continues to diminish, weighed down by macro and geopolitical uncertainty.
Crypto Fear & Greed Index | Source: AlternativePrice analysis: Bitcoin builds momentumBitcoin trades at $59,888, rising slightly after last week's persistent sell-off. The Crypto King eyes a short-term breakout above the next hurdle at $60,000.
Meanwhile, the upside remains limited as BTC holds below the Bollinger middle band at $62,838, the 50-day, 100-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), which collectively reinforce the downside bias.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram is marginally negative on the daily chart, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 32 hovers just above oversold territory, hinting that bearish momentum is dominant but may be nearing exhaustion rather than showing fresh selling pressure.
BTC/USDT daily chartOn the downside, immediate support aligns with the Bollinger lower band near $58,633, where sellers could pause before attempting deeper extension. Conversely, Bitcoin faces immediate resistance at the Bollinger middle band near $62,838, with additional hurdles at the 50-day EMA ($66,963) and the Bollinger upper band at $67,043. Should these levels be surpassed, further resistance is seen at the 100-day EMA ($70,587), the descending trendline at $75,625, and the 200-day EMA at $76,539, which marks a critical threshold for reversing the broader bearish trend.
Altcoins technical outlook: Ethereum rebounds as XRP seeks supportEthereum trades at $1,574, edging slightly higher from previous week's dominant sell-off. Despite the mild gains, ETH holds below all major moving averages, which define a broader bearish trend.
Meanwhile, ETH sits below the Bollinger middle band at $1,673, highlighting ongoing downside pressure inside the volatility envelope, while the lower band at $1,528 offers the nearest cushion.
The MACD histogram holds in negative territory on the daily chart, hinting at weak bearish momentum rather than an impulsive selloff, as the RSI hovers around 30, flirting with oversold conditions that could slow the slide but not yet reverse the trend.
ETH/USDT daily chartInitial resistance emerges at the Bollinger middle band near $1,673, followed by the upper band at $1,818 and the 50-day EMA at $1,833, which collectively cap any recovery attempts. Above these hurdles, a downward-sloping resistance trendline comes into play around the break price at $1,963, before the 100-day EMA at $2,010 and the 200-day EMA at $2,291 reinforce a heavier supply zone.
Looking down, immediate support lies at the Bollinger lower band around $1,528. A daily close below this floor would open the door to fresh lows, while holding above it would keep Ethereum in a weak, but stabilizing, consolidation within the lower half of its recent range.
XRP, on the other hand, trades at $1.04, extending its slide well below major moving averages, which are keeping the near-term bias firmly bearish. The remittance token is also trading beneath the Bollinger Bands’ middle boundary at $1.12 and the upper band near $1.24.
At the same time, the MACD indicator remains slightly negative on the daily chart, hinting that downside momentum persists even as the RSI near 32 approaches oversold territory.
XRP/USDT daily chartOn the downside, immediate support lies around the Bollinger Bands’ lower boundary at $1.01, with the current level at $1.04 acting as a fragile pivot above that zone. On the topside, initial resistance is seen at the Bollinger middle band at $1.12, ahead of the upper band and the descending trendline break region clustered around $1.24. Further up, the 50-day EMA at $1.21, the 100-day EMA at $1.31 and the 200-day EMA at $1.53 define successive overhead barriers that would need to be reclaimed to ease the prevailing bearish pressure.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Bitcoin, altcoins, stablecoins FAQs Bitcoin is the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, a virtual currency designed to serve as money. This form of payment cannot be controlled by any one person, group, or entity, which eliminates the need for third-party participation during financial transactions.
Altcoins are any cryptocurrency apart from Bitcoin, but some also regard Ethereum as a non-altcoin because it is from these two cryptocurrencies that forking happens. If this is true, then Litecoin is the first altcoin, forked from the Bitcoin protocol and, therefore, an “improved” version of it.
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to have a stable price, with their value backed by a reserve of the asset it represents. To achieve this, the value of any one stablecoin is pegged to a commodity or financial instrument, such as the US Dollar (USD), with its supply regulated by an algorithm or demand. The main goal of stablecoins is to provide an on/off-ramp for investors willing to trade and invest in cryptocurrencies. Stablecoins also allow investors to store value since cryptocurrencies, in general, are subject to volatility.
Bitcoin dominance is the ratio of Bitcoin's market capitalization to the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies combined. It provides a clear picture of Bitcoin’s interest among investors. A high BTC dominance typically happens before and during a bull run, in which investors resort to investing in relatively stable and high market capitalization cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. A drop in BTC dominance usually means that investors are moving their capital and/or profits to altcoins in a quest for higher returns, which usually triggers an explosion of altcoin rallies.
In a CNBC interview on June 27, Garlinghouse said Strategy’s first Bitcoin sale in a while "definitely started something."
Its leveraged structure amplified excitement on the way up and is now compounding weakness on the way down, Garlinghouse concluded.
He pointed to Strategy’s preferred stock STRC (NASDAQ:STRC) trading roughly 25% below par as a "damning indictment," saying the situation has not helped market sentiment.
"Financial engineering does not drive long-term value," Garlinghouse noted, adding that digital assets must solve real problems at scale for customers to build liquidity, demand and trust.
Garlinghouse added that he remains bullish on Bitcoin but argued that Strategy’s approach was "not focused on the right stuff."
Critics have argued that Strategy’s ability to continuously fund Bitcoin purchases through equity issuance is effectively paused until the stock regains a premium valuation.
BTC – Store-Of-Value AssetWhile Bitcoin remains the dominant store-of-value asset, Ripple is positioning XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), stablecoins and institutional payments infrastructure as part of a broader shift toward tokenized finance.
Despite that, he said he is bullish on Bitcoin, calling the current pullback a time to "be greedy when others are fearful," while reiterating that Bitcoin’s long-term value lies in its role as digital gold and XRP’s utility remains focused in bringing traditional finance onto blockchain.
The interview also highlighted on the convergence of artificial intelligence, stablecoins and tokenization, explaining how blockchain rails could become financial infrastructure for machines, autonomous agents and tokenized assets.
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TL;DR
XRP ETF inflows jumped 115% to $23M in the week of June 22–26, pushing total U.S. XRP ETF AUM to $934M — just as Q3 begins, the historically strongest quarter for XRP with a median return of +27.1% over 13 yearsA dormant SHIB wallet from 2024's bull run moved 598 billion tokens (~$2.7M) through a ForwarderV4 smart contract — the same method used by other reactivated whale wallets last week, pointing to a single centralized institution liquidating old reservesMichael Saylor officially approved a Bitcoin sell program at Strategy, raising STRC preferred share yield to 12% and setting a $1.25B BTC sales cap — the company says it has 25.9 months of runway secured between fiat reserves and the new sell limitBitcoin is trading at ~$59,860, below its 200-day EMA of $68,960, with no significant ETF inflows for 55 days — but July historically averages +8.2% for BTC, and seasonal patterns could trigger a Q3 reversalBinance exited the EU on July 1 under MiCA rules, sending a wave of European users to Coinbase and OKX — the latter reported an all-time registration record from EuropeXRP ETFs soar 115% ahead of a historically strong quarter for the coinWhile Bitcoin and Ethereum are recording billion-dollar outflows, during the week from June 22 to June 26, net inflows into XRP funds jumped by 115.7% to $22.99 million, compared with $10.66 million a week earlier, according to SoSoValue.
Large players are clearly buying at the local bottom, right before the start of Q3 2026, which has historically been the most stable period of the year for XRP. Taking the latest inflows into account, U.S. XRP ETFs now have $934.26 million under management, which equals 1.44% of the coin's total market capitalization.
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The token's price, meanwhile, is trapped around $1.05. In this context, June turned out to be brutal, with a 21% decline, but for XRP this is a classic scenario: a strong early-summer sell-off has often become a springboard for a powerful Q3.
Total XRP Spot ETF Net Inflow in Q2 2026, Source: SoSoValueStatistics from the past 13 years show that Q3 is a unique period for XRP:
Median Q3 returns stand at +27.1%, while the average return is +18.2%. Since 2020, XRP has closed this quarter exclusively in the green — a streak that has already lasted six years.In addition, Q3 has a history of breaking bear markets. In 2018, after a prolonged decline, it delivered a +24.4% gain, and in 2022, after a disastrous second quarter, XRP rebounded by +44.5%. Growth inside the quarter usually starts in July, with a median gain of +10.8%, takes a pause for consolidation in August, and ends with a final push in September, where the average result stands at +13.7%.
If the seasonal pattern repeats this time, the historical median of +27.1% would put XRP on course for a confident exit from its prolonged decline and a test of new local highs by the end of September.
A sleeping Shiba Inu coin pool activates 598 billion tokensLarge players in the Shiba Inu ecosystem are returning to the game, and blockchain data from Arkham has recorded the sudden awakening of a wallet that had been inactive since 2024 — the period of the token's last major price surge. In just one day, two giant transactions passed through the address: 178.16 billion SHIB worth $795,000 and 419.97 billion SHIB worth $1.87 million.
The main intrigue, however, lies in the technical trail. These 598 billion tokens were withdrawn through the ForwarderV4 smart contract — the same method previously used to move funds by other awakened giants from that period last week.
2024 Shiba Inu (SHIB) whale '0x624C09' transfers, Source: ArkhamThis repeating pattern leads to a clear conclusion: these are not individual retail investors, but a single centralized pool. The use of a single ForwarderV4 gateway proves that behind the chain of different addresses stands a large organization — a custodian, market maker, or OTC desk that has been managing institutional liquidity since the year before last.
For the market, such maneuvers are always a cause for concern. The activation of old billion-token reserves often signals preparation for profit-taking, which could locally pressure the SHIB price.
Strategy raises STRC rate to 12% and prepares Bitcoin for saleStrategy Inc. chairman Michael Saylor has presented a plan to shore up the company's securities, called the Digital Credit Capital Framework. In recent weeks, investors and Wall Street analysts have harshly criticized Saylor and demanded that he sell at least $3 billion worth of BTC to cover debts and secure liquid cash.
The situation was also extremely tense because at the end of May, the company had already quietly carried out a test sale of 32 BTC, which seriously rattled the market.
To calm the panic and restore trust, Saylor is raising the annual yield on Strife preferred shares, or STRC, to 12% starting in July. The company will now revise this rate every month, while Saylor's main goal is to lift the fallen market price of these securities back to their $100 par value.
Strategy announces a Digital Credit Capital Framework designed to strengthen Digital Credit, enhance liquidity, preserve long-term Bitcoin exposure, and support long-term value creation. $MSTR $STRC https://t.co/AUoUCtem53
— Michael Saylor (@saylor) June 29, 2026 But the biggest shock for the crypto market was that Saylor officially approved a full-scale BTC Monetization Program. The company has officially set the rules under which it will systematically sell Bitcoin, and Saylor plans to do this in three specific cases:
To replenish the fiat reserve, with a strict sales limit of up to $1.25 billion.To pay dividends and interest if doing so is more beneficial than issuing new shares.To buy back the company's own securities during significant market drawdowns.Right now, the company has $2.55 billion in net fiat on its accounts, which will be used strictly to pay interest and dividends — enough cash for 17.4 months. If the $1.25 billion Bitcoin sales limit is added to this, the company's total safety cushion reaches $3.80 billion. This guarantees Strategy 25.9 months of stable operations without raising any new debt at all, says Saylor.
Additionally, Saylor allocated $1 billion each for buyback programs of MSTR shares and STRC securities in order to contain panic during market drawdowns.
Crypto market outlook: Regulatory storm in the EU and on-chain capitulation pressure BitcoinThe cryptocurrency market is going through a harsh phase of local cleansing due to a complete standstill in U.S. ETF inflows, a large-scale migration of European capital ahead of the strict MiCA deadline, and the sudden awakening of institutional whales from previous cycles, although Bitcoin's historically bullish July still leaves hope for an imminent seasonal reversal.
Key checkpoints:
BTC Price Review: Bitcoin is hovering at $59,859.95 (+0.63%), trading under heavy resistance at the 200-day EMA ($68,960) and risking a slide toward the strong $56,850 support zone if the current local bottom is lost.July's historical trigger: June is closing for BTC with a deep -18.7% decline, but historical statistics point to strong July seasonality, with an average gain of +8.24% and a median gain of +8.09%, which often turns the start of Q3 into a launch point for a powerful rebound.55-day drought in spot ETFs: U.S. regulated funds have completely deprived Bitcoin of fresh capital, recording no significant direct inflows since May 4, leaving the market without its main liquidity driver for almost two months.Regulatory exodus from the EU on July 1: Binance's official exit from the European market due to the entry into force of MiCA rules triggered a fierce battle for users between Coinbase and OKX, with the latter already reporting an all-time record in new registrations from Europe.RWA expansion and Ondo's dominance: The real-world asset tokenization sector is surging to new highs, with Ondo capturing 74.5% of the on-chain ETF market, while the Base network has overtaken Ethereum in USDC Morpho liquidity. You Might Also Like
New Capital Plan Raises STRC’s Payout to 12%Strategy unveiled a Digital Credit Capital Framework Monday, raising the annual dividend rate on its STRC preferred stock to 12%, effective for dividend periods starting July 1.
The company’s USD reserve now stands at roughly $2.55 billion, enough to cover about 17.4 months of preferred dividend and interest obligations.
The board authorized, but didn’t commit to, up to $1 billion in buybacks of Digital Credit Securities and another $1 billion in Class A common stock repurchases.
Both programs carry no fixed expiration date and depend entirely on market conditions and management’s read on whether buying back shares actually adds value.
Strategy also approved a Bitcoin Monetization Program, giving the company the option to sell BTC whenever management decides it makes sense.
Proceeds could rebuild the USD reserve, fund preferred dividends, or pay for share buybacks, though Strategy stressed the program creates no obligation to actually sell any Bitcoin.
Michael Saylor said the framework strengthens Strategy’s credit profile while keeping Bitcoin as the company’s primary treasury asset.
CEO Phong Le framed it as a shift from simply issuing capital to actively managing the balance sheet through both issuance and buybacks depending on conditions.
Saylor’s 113 Buys Since Inception, Mapped on One ChartSaylor shared a chart Sunday showing Strategy’s full purchase history: 847,363 Bitcoin worth $50.88 billion as of June 28, spread across 113 separate buy events at an average cost basis of $75,653 per coin.
The chart’s orange bubbles highlight aggressive accumulation through 2024 and 2025, with the average purchase price trending steadily upward.
“We’re gonna need more charts,” Saylor wrote, signaling he expects to keep adding Bitcoin going forward despite skipping purchases entirely last week.
MSTR Breaks a Support Level That Held Since Early 2025MSTR trades 53.5% below its 200-day moving average, with the October 2025 death cross still firmly in place.
The stock crashed through the $100 to $105 demand zone that had held since early 2025, a major structural breakdown, and is now testing a deeper zone between $65 and $80.
RSI sits at 27.85, putting MSTR firmly in oversold territory. Reclaiming the broken $100 zone targets $114.50 then $133.93. Losing $80 opens a path toward $65 to $70.
Image: Shutterstock
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Despite the declines that began in October, LD Capital founder Jack Yi, who had consistently expressed optimism about Ethereum until the beginning of February, had now lost hope in ETH.
Yi stated that he was one of those who felt the most pressure during the decline in early February, and admitted that it was a mistake to be overly optimistic about Ethereum.
Following these erroneous actions, Jack Yi, who is now approaching Ethereum and the market more cautiously, shared his new analysis from his X account.
According to JackYi, Bitcoin is currently in its final downtrend phase.
The expert noted that BTC is experiencing its third downturn since October of last year, and according to Elliott Wave and cycle theories, this decline could be the last major drop of the bear market. According to Elliott Wave theory, the third wave is usually the strongest and longest-lasting.
The Chinese founder added that the key variables in determining the bottom are the performance of the US stock market and the price of Strategy (MSTR). Yi believes that a sustained decline in stocks could drag Bitcoin further down, while a rebound in MSTR could signal a broader market bottom.
“We are currently experiencing the third wave of decline since 11:10, and according to ripple theory and cycle rules, this is the last major downward wave for Bitcoin.”
Furthermore, black swan events or sudden spikes often occur at the end of past bear markets, but this one hasn’t happened yet, so we need to watch it closely.”
What Levels Could Bitcoin Reach? Yi, who sets Bitcoin’s potential price targets based on its October all-time high of $126,000, suggested that a 60% drop from BTC’s recent ATH of $126,000 could bring it down to $51,000, and a 66% drop could bring it down to $43,000. According to Yi, these percentages represent significant declines from current prices and signal a deep bear market bottom.
Finally, JackYi predicted that July and August would constitute the final downturn of this cycle, offering the most valuable buying opportunity for the next three years.
“Finally, if we calculate based on BTC’s highest point of $126,000, a 60% drop would be $51,000, and a 66% drop would be $43,000. In any case, July-August should be the final period, the best time for a dip, and even the most valuable trading opportunity for the next three years.”
*This is not investment advice.
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CZ: I previously sent a message to Elon Musk to discuss cooperation based on X Money, and received a reply stating that X Money is currently not involved in cryptocurrency.
In an interview, CZ stated that when X Corp launched X Money, he sent a message to Elon Musk on X, inquiring whether Binance could become a partner. Musk responded that X Money is not currently venturing into the cryptocurrency space. CZ added that he hopes X will eventually evolve into a global payments platform, drawing a parallel between this opportunity and Starlink’s achievements in the internet access sector.
4 minutes ago
CZ comments on MicroStrategy: The company’s asset structure is overly complex, but he views Michael Saylor as a "steadfast Bitcoin supporter".
In an interview, CZ stated that Strategy’s preferred stock STRC structure is "too complicated", noting that "it took many attempts to understand STRC". The product relies on Bitcoin as underlying collateral, creating a structural contradiction: while Bitcoin’s long-term appreciation thesis may be valid, its volatility makes it a challenging base for leverage instruments. CZ also emphasized he is not commenting on founder Michael Saylor’s credibility, describing him as a "firm Bitcoin supporter".
4 minutes ago
CZ: Binance’s Greek MiCA license application was nearly approved, but was forced to withdraw due to external factors.
In an interview, CZ stated that Binance’s MiCA license application submitted in Greece was fully compliant with regulatory requirements and near approval before being withdrawn, but the process was interrupted by "external political intervention". He added that multiple EU countries had expressed interest in the license, leading to a degree of "competitive lobbying", yet non-regulatory factors ultimately derailed the application, forcing its withdrawal. Binance officially pulled the Greek application last week and said it will shift to other EU member states to pursue MiCA authorization. Responding to market rumors linking Binance to senior EU political figures, CZ noted he has not seen any verifiable documents, only similar claims online, and has not confirmed them. He also pointed out that the EU MiCA transition period will end on July 1, after which unlicensed platforms must cease related services, with national regulators making clear they will not extend the deadline. CZ called the outcome a "lose-lose situation" and cited Japan and Singapore’s regulatory paths as examples, emphasizing compliance processes often require longer timelines.
4 minutes ago
Kraken is set to list the Bittensor subnet Alpha token.
Barry Silbert, founder and CEO of Digital Currency Group (DCG), parent company of Grayscale, reposted on X to disclose that crypto exchange Kraken is set to list Alpha tokens from Bittensor subnets. According to leaked details, the first batch of tokens to be listed includes Chutes, Targon, Score, Ridges AI, Hippius, and others.
4 minutes ago
Trump: Will Take Immediate Action on Fed Governor Lisa Cook’s Eligibility for Her Position
US President Trump stated that in the lawsuit over the eligibility of Federal Reserve Governor Cook, the Supreme Court remanded the case to a lower court solely on procedural grounds. We will immediately take appropriate action to ensure that individuals who have engaged in misconduct do not continue to make decisions on major matters related to the well-being of the United States.
4 minutes ago
Castle Securities warns that the Federal Reserve’s policies will become more stringent.
Castle Securities stated that investors have underestimated Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s resolve to curb inflation, warning that higher interest rates could put pressure on risk assets. The firm also cautioned that the rally in the artificial intelligence market faces growing risks, including weak demand, declining returns, and intensified political and regulatory scrutiny.
In brief BitMine added another $43 million in Ethereum to its balance sheet last week, despite falling prices. The firm now holds more than 5.7 million ETH valued around $9 billion. As BitMine continued its consistent purchases, top Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy did not add to its holdings last week. Leading Ethereum treasury firm BitMine Immersion Technologies stayed consistent in the face of declining crypto prices last week, adding nearly $43 million in ETH to its stash even while top Bitcoin treasury company Strategy opted against accumulating BTC.
The firm now holds more than 5.7 million ETH, valued around $9 billion. It also holds around 206 Bitcoin, worth $12.3 million.
“This past week was a challenging one for crypto investors as ETH fell by 8%, even as Ethereum witnessed notable positive developments such as the creation of Ethlabs, and even the Bank of England softened its stance around stablecoins,” said BitMine Chairman Tom Lee in a statement. (Disclaimer: Lee is an investor in Decrypt parent company, Dastan).
Ethlabs, a new nonprofit research and development lab dedicated to championing the future of the Ethereum network and its native asset, is financially backed by BitMine and competing treasury firm Sharplink.
Lee maintained that crypto's future looks bright, and said the firm “remains focused on the longer-term horizon,” highlighting tailwinds like agentic payments and institutional adoption of crypto rails.
“We are nearing quarter-end for June, and it is not surprising to see 'window dressing' leading to investors reducing their holdings in assets which have fallen in the past three months,” he said.
The firm’s primary treasury asset, ETH, has now fallen 22% in the last month of trading, recently trading hands at $1,567. At that mark, ETH is now 68% off its all-time high of $4,946.
Bitcoin has performed marginally better, dipping 19% in the last month of trading and more than 52% from its all-time high of $126,080, changing hands on Monday at $59,324.
As its primary treasury vehicle slides, so too have shares in BitMine (BMNR). The firm’s stock has fallen nearly 17% in the last five trading days and more than 31% in the last month of trading, recently trading at $13.21—down about 2.6% so far Monday.
Shares are now down more than 91% from a 52-week high of $161 established shortly after the firm adopted its Ethereum treasury strategy last June.
That crypto-amassing model was pioneered by Bitcoin giant Strategy and its co-founder and Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, who started aggressively accumulating BTC in 2020. While the firm had aggressively and consistently added BTC on a nearly weekly basis in recent years, it did not add to its holdings last week amid scrutiny of its preferred equity offering, STRC, which fell to new lows on Friday.
Instead, the firm approved plans to sell up to $1.25 billion worth of Bitcoin to build up its cash reserves to fuel dividend payments.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
In brief BitMine added another $43 million in Ethereum to its balance sheet last week, despite falling prices. The firm now holds more than 5.7 million ETH valued around $9 billion. As BitMine continued its consistent purchases, top Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy did not add to its holdings last week. Leading Ethereum treasury firm BitMine Immersion Technologies stayed consistent in the face of declining crypto prices last week, adding nearly $43 million in ETH to its stash even while top Bitcoin treasury company Strategy opted against accumulating BTC.
The firm now holds more than 5.7 million ETH, valued around $9 billion. It also holds around 206 Bitcoin, worth $12.3 million.
“This past week was a challenging one for crypto investors as ETH fell by 8%, even as Ethereum witnessed notable positive developments such as the creation of Ethlabs, and even the Bank of England softened its stance around stablecoins,” said BitMine Chairman Tom Lee in a statement. (Disclaimer: Lee is an investor in Decrypt parent company, Dastan).
Ethlabs, a new nonprofit research and development lab dedicated to championing the future of the Ethereum network and its native asset, is financially backed by BitMine and competing treasury firm Sharplink.
Lee maintained that crypto's future looks bright, and said the firm “remains focused on the longer-term horizon,” highlighting tailwinds like agentic payments and institutional adoption of crypto rails.
“We are nearing quarter-end for June, and it is not surprising to see 'window dressing' leading to investors reducing their holdings in assets which have fallen in the past three months,” he said.
The firm’s primary treasury asset, ETH, has now fallen 22% in the last month of trading, recently trading hands at $1,567. At that mark, ETH is now 68% off its all-time high of $4,946.
Bitcoin has performed marginally better, dipping 19% in the last month of trading and more than 52% from its all-time high of $126,080, changing hands on Monday at $59,324.
As its primary treasury vehicle slides, so too have shares in BitMine (BMNR). The firm’s stock has fallen nearly 17% in the last five trading days and more than 31% in the last month of trading, recently trading at $13.21—down about 2.6% so far Monday.
Shares are now down more than 91% from a 52-week high of $161 established shortly after the firm adopted its Ethereum treasury strategy last June.
That crypto-amassing model was pioneered by Bitcoin giant Strategy and its co-founder and Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, who started aggressively accumulating BTC in 2020. While the firm had aggressively and consistently added BTC on a nearly weekly basis in recent years, it did not add to its holdings last week amid scrutiny of its preferred equity offering, STRC, which fell to new lows on Friday.
Instead, the firm approved plans to sell up to $1.25 billion worth of Bitcoin to build up its cash reserves to fuel dividend payments.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
As the leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTC) attempts to hold onto support around the $60,000 level, it continues to face a number of adverse factors, including large capital outflows from US spot ETFs, concerns about a potential Fed interest rate hike, a strong dollar, rising Treasury bond yields, and military conflicts in the Middle East.
Amid these negative developments, further declines for Bitcoin continue to be predicted, with $50,000 being the most frequently mentioned option.
At this point, the analytics firm QCP Capital predicts that Bitcoin could reach $55,000.
QCP Capital analysts noted increased demand in the options market for BTC put options with a price range of $55,000 to $58,000 for the end of July.
Analysts also added that risk reversal indicators largely favored put options.
Finally, QCP Capital identified $58,000 and $1,500 as key support levels for Bitcoin and Ethereum, respectively.
The First Bottom Signal for Bitcoin Has Arrived! Furthermore, CryptoQuant analyst MorenoDV argues that the first bottoming signals are emerging in Bitcoin’s on-chain indicators.
According to the analyst, the first on-chain signal of a potential Bitcoin bottom has been observed. At this point, the analyst noted that the Bitcoin UTXO block profit/loss ratio has fallen to a level that historically coincides with market lows.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean a bottom has been reached. According to the analyst, a stronger signal for a bottom in Bitcoin needs to emerge, and the 365-day moving average needs to show a much steeper decline. In other words, the current bear market may face further declines and market shocks before it completely ends.
“…The rate has fallen into a region that historically appears during bottom-forming phases. However, this doesn’t mean the bottom has been reached. Bitcoin may need to endure more pain before completely ending its bear market phase…”
*This is not investment advice.
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Bitcoin crossed back above $60,000 on June 29 as the final hours of the worst monthly candle of the 2026 correction cycle play out with an unexpected positive: the Fear & Greed Index dropped to 12 — a new absolute cycle low in sentiment — while price simultaneously pushed above the key $60,000 level. That divergence between deepening fear and recovering price is the most significant macro signal of the day. Total crypto market cap sits near $2.12 trillion. Volume is elevated across the board, with BTC up 52% and ETH up 29% on the prior session.
Key Takeaways BTC $60,190 (+0.16%), reclaiming $60,000 ahead of June 30 UTC midnight monthly close Fear & Greed Index at 12 (Extreme Fear) — new absolute cycle low; yesterday 18, last week 20, last month 23 Sentiment making new lows while BTC makes higher lows — textbook divergence signal SOL +1.26% leads large-cap recovery; XRP +0.32% first green day in four sessions ETH –0.01% flat, BNB –0.81%, TRX –0.38% — mixed picture DOGE –13.39% weekly — worst 7-day performer in top 10 by significant margin BTC 4H MA(7) $59,881 — price $309 above it; first time BTC has held above MA(7) since June breakdown June monthly close in hours: BTC needs to hold $60,000+ to shift the narrative into July Crypto Market Snapshot — June 29, 2026 AssetPrice1h24h7dMarket CapVolume (24h)Bitcoin (BTC)$60,350+0.68%+0.16%–6.71%$1.21T$22.24BEthereum (ETH)$1,579+0.34%–0.01%–10.55%$190.65B$8.02BTether (USDT)$0.9984+0.01%0.00%–0.05%$186.04B$50.15BBNB$551.67–0.25%–0.81%–7.67%$74.35B$1.01BUSDC$0.99950.00%0.00%–0.02%$73.72B$9.07BXRP$1.05+0.38%+0.32%–8.07%$65.61B$1.46BSolana (SOL)$72.67–0.47%+1.26%–1.87%$42.2B$2.52BTRON (TRX)$0.3219–0.35%–0.38%–2.80%$30.53B$560.11MHyperliquid (HYPE)$63.53+0.10%+0.65%–6.57%$16.07B$384.03MDogecoin (DOGE)$0.07291+0.15%–1.04%–13.39%$11.29B$514.23M Fear & Greed at 12: The Most Important Number of the Day The Fear & Greed Index printing 12 on June 29 is the single most important data point in today’s market — not because of what it tells you about current conditions, but because of what it has historically signalled about what comes next.
The trajectory over the past 30 days: last month 23, last week 20, yesterday 18, today 12. Every reading has been in Extreme Fear. The index has now been below 20 for multiple consecutive days — a condition that in prior cycles (2018 bottom, March 2020 COVID crash, November 2022 FTX bottom) preceded major recoveries within days to weeks. The 2022 bear market absolute bottom saw a reading of 6; today’s 12 is not that extreme, but the directional trend — rapidly falling sentiment while price is simultaneously recovering above $60,000 — is the divergence pattern that characterises exhaustion bottoms.
The divergence on June 29 is clean: Fear & Greed at a new cycle low of 12 while BTC trades at $60,190, above both the $59,130 May cycle low and the $58,115 June 26 intraday low. Price is making higher lows; sentiment is making lower lows. One of them is wrong. Historically, price leads sentiment out of cycle bottoms.
Bitcoin: Above $60,000 Into the Monthly Close Bitcoin reclaimed $60,000 in the afternoon session on June 29 and is currently trading at $60,190 — up 0.16% on the day and holding above the 4H MA(7) at $59,881 for the first time since the June breakdown. The 4H candle shows BTC opened at $59,956, hit a high of $60,202, dipped to $59,595, and recovered to close the 4H candle at $60,190 — a constructive structure with a higher low than the prior candle.
The June monthly close now looks like a Scenario 2 outcome: a close between $59,130 and $60,078 (MA(25)) that preserves the structural floor without confirming a recovery. If BTC can close the June 30 UTC midnight candle above $60,078, the monthly close would be the most bullish technical outcome possible given the June 26 capitulation — reclaiming the 4H MA(25) on a monthly closing basis. For daily BTC analysis, see our Bitcoin news today page.
Ethereum: Flat at $1,580, MA(7) and MA(25) Tight Again Ethereum is essentially flat at $1,580 on June 29 — down 0.01% — with the 4H MA(7) at $1,576 and MA(25) at $1,575 sitting within $1 of each other directly below price. Unlike the compression setups on June 27–28 that resolved lower, ETH is currently trading above both MAs — a marginal improvement. MA(99) at $1,680 remains $100 above current price, reflecting the full extent of the June selloff.
ETH’s 7-day loss of 10.55% is the worst among top-8 assets, making it the biggest relative underperformer of the correction week. The Glamsterdam upgrade targeting Q3 2026 mainnet, BitMine’s 5.67 million ETH embedded in Russell 1000 passive funds, and the Ethereum Foundation’s 40% spending cut remain the three structural support pillars heading into July.
Solana: Best Large-Cap Performer, Above All Three MAs Solana is the standout on June 29 — up 1.26% to $72.95 with the 4H chart showing price above MA(7) at $72.15, MA(25) at $70.98, and MA(99) at $70.99. SOL is the only large-cap asset with a bullish 4H MA alignment entering the June monthly close. The 7-day loss of just 1.87% confirms SOL’s relative resilience since the $64.04 cycle low on June 26 — it has recovered faster and held better than Bitcoin, Ethereum, or XRP.
SOL’s 100-billion lifetime transaction milestone crossed on June 26 and the Alpenglow upgrade targeting Q3 2026 mainnet — 150ms finality — remain the primary fundamental catalysts. The combination of bullish MA structure, above-average recovery speed from cycle lows, and strong fundamental pipeline makes SOL the highest-quality technical setup in the large-cap space entering July.
XRP: First Green 24H in Four Sessions XRP printed +0.32% on June 29 — the first positive 24-hour session since the June 25 pre-capitulation high. The 4H chart shows price at $1.057 above MA(7) at $1.0509 and MA(25) at $1.0491 — the same bullish MA reclaim pattern that appeared briefly on June 27 before fading. MA(99) at $1.1261 remains significant overhead resistance.
The June 29 green candle matters more symbolically than technically: XRP’s 7-day loss of 8.07% and monthly loss of roughly 18% reflect the scale of the correction, and a 0.32% recovery does not reverse that. What it does confirm is that the $1.0092 cycle low from June 26 has now held across four consecutive sessions — and that each session above $1.00 strengthens the psychological floor. The CLARITY Act remains at 48% on Polymarket; a Senate floor vote scheduling announcement remains the primary XRP catalyst for July.
BNB: Slipping Below $555 BNB is down 0.81% to $554.40 on June 29 — the weakest large-cap performer of the day alongside TRX. The 4H chart shows price below MA(7) at $552.73 but above MA(25) at $559.12 — wait, the current price of $554.40 is actually between MA(7) at $552.73 below and MA(25) at $559.12 above, confirming a compressed bearish structure. BNB’s 7-day loss of 7.67% places it in the middle of the correction pack. The $540.60 June 26 cycle low held, and the $552–$555 range is the near-term base.
TRON: Defensive Position Maintained TRX is down 0.38% to $0.3224 — a small loss on a day when several assets are recovering. The 4H chart shows all three MAs compressed within $0.001 of each other: MA(7) $0.3227, MA(25) $0.3221, MA(99) $0.3230 — an even tighter triple convergence than the double-MA setup seen on June 28. TRX’s 7-day loss of just 2.80% remains one of the best performances in the top 10, reflecting its utility-driven demand base from USDT settlement volume. MiCA enforcement began July 1 — the structural volume catalyst for TRON-based stablecoin flows from non-compliant European platforms.
Dogecoin: Worst Weekly Performer at –13.39% DOGE is down 13.39% over 7 days and 1.04% on the day to $0.07291 — the worst weekly performance in the top 10 by a significant margin, nearly double Ethereum’s –10.55% weekly loss. With no utility catalyst or fundamental development, DOGE is a pure sentiment indicator: at Fear & Greed 12, meme assets absorb the maximum sentiment discount. DOGE’s recovery, when it comes, will likely be the fastest in the top 10 — precisely because sentiment-driven assets move furthest in both directions.
Hyperliquid: Holding $63 Despite Market Pressure Hyperliquid (HYPE) at $63.53 — up 0.65% on the day — continues to demonstrate relative strength at #9 by market cap with $16.07 billion. The on-chain perpetuals exchange has maintained record volumes through the June correction, and the 7-day loss of 6.57% is better than most top-10 assets. HYPE above $60 on a day when Fear & Greed prints 12 is a meaningful signal about the depth of fundamental demand for the asset.
The June 30 Monthly Close: What July Inherits The monthly close arriving at UTC midnight tonight will set the technical framework for July positioning across every asset. Three scenarios remain in play:
For Bitcoin: a close above $60,000 into July is the most constructive possible outcome given the June 26 capitulation. Current price at $60,190 makes this the base case.
For Ethereum: a close above $1,575 (MA(7)) would confirm the double-MA compression resolved to the upside. Currently trading at $1,580 — marginally constructive.
For XRP: a close above $1.05 would be the first month-end close above that level since May. Currently at $1.057 — possible.
For Solana: a close above $72 with bullish MA alignment would make SOL the strongest technical setup entering July among all large-cap assets. Currently at $72.95.
The catalysts for July are clear: CLARITY Act Senate floor vote timing, Fed speaker commentary, and any development on the American Reserve Modernization Act. A Fear & Greed Index at 12 entering July means the positioning bar for a sentiment reversal is extremely low.
Today’s Market in One Paragraph June 29 closes with a contradiction that defines the current cycle: Fear & Greed at 12 — its lowest reading since the correction began — while Bitcoin trades at $60,190, Solana holds a bullish 4H MA alignment, and XRP prints its first green session in four days. Sentiment is maximally compressed; price is holding or recovering. The June 30 monthly close in hours will either confirm this divergence as a bottom signal or resolve it lower if selling resumes into the close. The week ahead brings the CLARITY Act’s most important legislative window of 2026 — the August recess deadline creates urgency that has not existed in any prior week of the correction.
Bitcoin infrastructure company Breez has added a feature to its developer toolkit that lets users send USDC (USDC) and USDt (USDT) across more than 30 blockchain networks directly from a Bitcoin balance, without first converting or holding stablecoins.
According to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph, the feature uses the Lightning Network alongside automated conversion to route payments from Bitcoin (BTC) to USDC or USDT before delivering funds to the recipient's preferred blockchain.
When a user enters a recipient's wallet address, the Breez SDK identifies the destination blockchain, calculates a conversion route and displays the amount, network and fees before the payment is confirmed. The transaction is then routed through liquidity providers, including Flashnet and Boltz, which convert the sender's Bitcoin into stablecoins and deliver it on the recipient's chosen blockchain.
Roy Sheinfeld, CEO of Breez, told Cointelegraph the feature does not require USDT or USDC to be issued on the Lightning Network. Instead, it relies on "interoperability" to let users spend from a Bitcoin balance while recipients receive stablecoins on supported blockchain networks.
Breez said users continue holding Bitcoin until they initiate a payment, while recipients receive stablecoins on their preferred blockchain without requiring the sender to manage separate stablecoin balances. The feature is non-custodial and initially supports only outbound stablecoin payments, with support for receiving stablecoins from external blockchain networks planned for a future release.
The feature is designed to allow developers to add stablecoin payments without integrating multiple blockchain networks or requiring users to manage separate Bitcoin and stablecoin balances.
Bitcoin payment infrastructure expandsThe launch comes as companies expand Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, a layer-2 payment network designed to make Bitcoin transactions faster and less expensive, into new financial and commercial applications.
In February, Secure Digital Markets, an institutional trading and lending desk, completed a $1 million Bitcoin payment to Kraken over the Lightning Network in less than half a second, demonstrating the protocol's potential for high-value institutional transfers. The transaction illustrated how Lightning is increasingly being tested for use cases beyond small retail payments.
That same month, Bitcoin infrastructure company Voltage introduced a US dollar-settled revolving credit line that embeds business credit into Lightning payment flows, allowing companies to settle repayments in either US dollars or Bitcoin. The product is intended to enable businesses to access working capital using Lightning for payments, without holding crypto on their balance sheets.
Event platform Satlantis also launched a Bitcoin-native ticketing platform with embedded Lightning wallets, allowing organizers to sell tickets and accept BTC alongside traditional payment methods.
In March, Tether-backed Bitcoin infrastructure startup Ark Labs in a $5.2 million funding round to develop technology supporting stablecoin issuance, transfers and settlement on Bitcoin.
Lightning adoption has continued to grow. A February report from River estimated the network surpassed $1 billion in monthly transaction volume in late 2025, up from around $12 million in 2021.
Lightning Network transaction volumes continue to grow. Source: River
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