A major decentralized finance transaction on the Ethereum network ended with an estimated $2 million loss after a large swap was routed through a low-liquidity pool. According to blockchain analytics group Lookonchain and security firm GoPlus Security, the user exchanged 1,126.44 ETH—worth about $2.01 million at the time—in a single transaction.
Price impact from pool route deepened lossesInstead of receiving assets close to the original amount, the trader ended up with just 5,776 LIT tokens, valued at around $14,200. GoPlus Security clarified that the loss was not caused by a hack or a standard front-running scenario. Rather, it resulted from a backrunning arbitrage mechanism operating within the same block, exploiting price inconsistencies caused by the trade. GoPlus Security is widely recognized for its work on blockchain and smart contract risk assessment.
GoPlus Security emphasized that this was not a security breach or typical front-running, but rather price manipulation from a backrunning arbitrage opportunity occurring within the same block.
The ill-fated swap was routed through the AVAIL/WETH pool on Uniswap V3. With extremely limited liquidity in this pool, the large ETH order instantly pushed the AVAIL token price far above its actual market value. This forced the trader to purchase the token at a dramatically inflated price, resulting in severe losses.
Backrunning arbitrage within the same block draws attentionThe transaction continued across additional trading routes. After the AVAIL tokens were swapped for USDC, the trader then bought LIT on Uniswap V4. However, due to unfavorable price execution along each step, almost the entire value of the original ETH was wiped out.
As explained by GoPlus Security, after the large swap disrupted prices in the AVAIL/WETH pool, a backrunning participant acquired AVAIL at or near the fair market value from another source. That trader then sold the tokens into the artificially inflated pool, extracting more than 1,072 WETH as profit.
Glossary: MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) refers to the extra profit gained from prioritizing and ordering transactions during block production. A “backrunner” is a participant who quickly moves in to profit from temporary price swings caused by a large order.
On-chain data showed that roughly 1,018 ETH was subsequently sent to Titan Builder as a block producer payment.
Low liquidity raises risk for large tradesBlockchain records reveal that about 1,018 ETH was later paid to Titan Builder as a block builder fee. This highlights how MEV participants can seize pricing imbalances during block production to generate significant revenue. Titan Builder stands out as a key transaction organizer within the Ethereum block-building ecosystem.
The incident has reignited debate about the risks associated with processing large orders through pools with limited liquidity. When a sizable transaction passes through such markets, even a single order can cause rapid and extreme price fluctuations. While arbitrageurs often restore price equilibrium after the fact, users may end up paying far above the true market value during these episodes.
Ultimately, this example underscores the need for smarter routing technologies in decentralized trading. Systems that avoid illiquid pools and better estimate transaction costs on a route-by-route basis could help prevent similar costly errors in the future.
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.
Influenced by news that Strategy sold Bitcoin to pay dividends, STRC rebounded to break above $90.
According to market data from BIT (bit.com), Strategy’s preferred stock STRC has rebounded above $90, trading at $90.125, with a 2.57% intraday gain. Earlier reports noted that Strategy sold 3,588 Bitcoin last week, generating $216 million in proceeds to pay dividends on its digital credit securities. As of July 5, the company’s Bitcoin reserves fell to 843,775 coins, alongside $2.55 billion in U.S. dollar reserves.
7 minutes ago
BlackRock Withdraws 7,546 ETH From Coinbase Prime, Worth Around $13.2 Million
According to monitoring by Onchain Lens, BlackRock just purchased and withdrew 7,546 ETH from Coinbase Prime, worth approximately $13.2 million.
7 minutes ago
Four wallets are holding 2x longs on $DEXE on @Aster_DEX, with a combined unrealized profit of ~$1.32M.
The $DEXE price keeps climbing today. Four wallets are holding 2x longs on $DEXE on @Aster_DEX, with a combined unrealized profit of ~$1.32M. The highest return has reached 104.57%.
According to monitoring by Onchain Lens, publicly listed Bitcoin mining firm Riot Platforms has deposited 500 BTC, valued at around $30.9 million, with NYDIG Custody, likely for sale.
7 minutes ago
Jiang Zhuoer: Strategy’s approved 20,000 BTC for sale will likely be fully sold.
Jiang Zhuoer, founder of BTC mining pool BTC.TOP, posted that U.S. crypto asset firm Strategy has sold 3,588 BTC for $216 million. This marks Strategy’s first large-scale BTC sell-off, carried out despite holding $2.55 billion in cash reserves — enough to cover 17.6 months of interest payments — and voluntarily selling more BTC than required to meet its interest obligations. This move signals the breakdown of Strategy’s long-held "never sell BTC" narrative. Jiang said he does not understand the reason behind Strategy’s current large-scale sell-off, noting that even if it lacks U.S. dollars, it could continue raising funds by issuing additional common stock. While this would reduce BTC holdings per share, he argues that preserving the "never sell" narrative and related beliefs is far more important than per-share BTC metrics. If Strategy fails to repurchase BTC at lower prices after the sell-off, it will also lead to a decline in per-share BTC holdings. Jiang added that Strategy’s willingness to bear this cost can only be interpreted as its preparation to conduct significant BTC swing trading. Jiang further stated that the 20,000 BTC already approved by Strategy’s board will almost certainly be sold in full. He believes that during the upcoming bull market phase, the market may witness a sell-off by an entity holding hundreds of thousands of BTC.
7 minutes ago
American Bitcoin adds 500 BTC to its holdings, bringing its total BTC holdings to 8,000.
Bitcoin mining firm American Bitcoin, backed by the Trump family, has increased its holdings by 500 BTC, bringing its total position to 8,000 BTC.
Bitmine (NYSE: BMNR) stock price is up by 4.28% today, July 6, to trade at $14.98 at the time of writing. These gains come after Bitmine announced that it bought an additional 42,197 ETH, with this purchase taking place during the same week that Strategy sold 3,588 BTC.
Bitmine’s Ethereum Holdings Reach 5.74 million ETH Bitmine has disclosed that it now holds 5,742,237 ETH after buying 42,197 coins between June 29 and July 3. The Ethereum treasury company now holds 4.8% of the entire Ethereum supply.
The recent purchase has also increased the amount of ETH that Bitmine has staked to 4,879,157 coins, with this staked amount being 85% of the Ethereum it holds. Bitmine notes that the staked ETH generates a yield of around $235 million every year.
Bitmine’s purchase has stirred gains for the BMNR stock because it moved from an opening price of $14.39 to $15.04 at the time of writing.
But while BMNR stock gained, Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) dropped by 1.17% after Strategy sold 3,588 BTC to buy back the STRC stock.
The divergence between the two crypto stocks suggests that investors could be betting on a HODL strategy by crypto treasury companies.
BMNR Stock Outlook as Bulls Target Key Resistance Level The price of BMNR stock is testing the resistance of $15 after its 4% gain. The last time that Bitmine shares traded above this obstacle of $15 was on June 23.
If BMNR closes above $15, the next obstacle lies at the 50-day EMA level of $15.88, with a move above this EMA set to suggest that the trend is shifting in favor of bulls.
The RSI reading of 53 also supports a bullish BMNR stock forecast. This RSI has moved from a reading of 31 on June 30 to 53 on July 6, suggesting that the momentum is now favoring bulls.
BMNR Stock Price If bulls weaken their grip and investors that want to book profits after the recent gains begin to sell, the crypto stock could move to the support level of $13.
Bitmine’s Chairman Tom Lee Flips Bullish on Stocks in July The gains seen with the BMNR stock price come as the chairman of Bitmine, Tom Lee, says that US stocks are going to rise in July 2026.
Lee was speaking in an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, where he opined that the companies that will report their Q3 earnings in July are going to surpass Wall Street expectations, and this could cause stock prices to rise.
He also added that the S&P 500 index could rise from the current 7,500 points and reach 8,000 points in 2026.
Bitmine will release its earnings for the period between April 2026 and June 2026 on July 29, and Wall Street expects the company’s revenue to reach $45 million.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has unveiled a multi-year roadmap that places native privacy, quantum resistance, and protocol simplification at the center of Ethereum’s next major upgrade, describing it as the network’s largest transformation since The Merge.
Summary
Vitalik Buterin has proposed Ethereum’s biggest protocol overhaul since The Merge with a multi-year roadmap. The plan prioritizes native privacy, quantum-resistant cryptography, and more efficient transaction verification. The roadmap remains a draft, with the Hegotá fork expected to be the final upgrade before the Lean Ethereum era. According to a roadmap published on Strawmap.org and shared by Buterin on X over July 6, the proposed changes are expected to be introduced over the next three to four years following discussions among Ethereum researchers in Berlin.
If we want to make the Lean Ethereum consensus chain aggressively more "lean", and add strong validator privacy (ZK-unlink deposit from staking activity from withdrawal, and re-anonymize stakers every day), here is a path:https://t.co/Gdee7tE53R
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) July 6, 2026 The document outlines coordinated upgrades spanning nearly every layer of the network and presents what Buterin describes as Ethereum’s third major evolution after its transition to proof-of-stake in 2022.
Native privacy becomes a core protocol feature Instead of leaving privacy to applications built on Ethereum, the roadmap proposes making it a built-in property of the protocol itself. The document evaluates key components, including Frames, the transaction mempool, and future state designs, according to whether they can support intermediary-free, quantum-safe privacy while keeping computational costs low.
Building on ideas first outlined in May 2026, Buterin’s latest proposal expands an earlier privacy roadmap into a network-wide redesign. What previously focused on incremental improvements has now developed into a long-term architectural plan covering the protocol’s core infrastructure.
Among the document’s strongest statements is Buterin’s observation that “quantum safety has shifted up a LOT in priority.” The roadmap identifies work on quantum-safe blob designs, which support Ethereum’s rollup-based scaling model, as an urgent priority.
According to the proposal, several cryptographic systems currently used by Ethereum, including BLS signatures, KZG commitments, and ECDSA, would eventually be replaced with post-quantum alternatives. The direction aligns with the post-quantum cryptography standards finalized by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology in 2024.
Protocol redesign targets faster verification and smaller overhead Alongside cryptographic upgrades, the roadmap introduces changes intended to simplify how Ethereum validates transactions. Rather than requiring every node to re-execute every transaction, the proposal recommends recursive STARK-based verification, where one prover performs the intensive computation while the rest of the network verifies a compact cryptographic proof.
The proposal also continues work first discussed by the Ethereum Foundation earlier this year. In February 2026, the Foundation released an initial strawmap examining quantum threats facing Ethereum, while Buterin separately detailed the network’s quantum security risks. The latest roadmap develops those earlier discussions into a more detailed implementation strategy.
Meanwhile, the technical proposal arrives as the Ethereum Foundation continues internal restructuring. The organization has reduced its workforce by roughly 20%, eliminating about 54 positions, while also cutting its budget by a targeted 40%. Recent departures have included protocol contributors Hsiao-Wei Wang, Tomasz Stańczak, Tim Beiko, and Barnabé Monnot.
Community discussion on X has largely focused on the roadmap’s technical detail rather than broad ambitions. Several participants noted that the draft identifies specific signature schemes, cryptographic replacements, and state-size objectives instead of relying on high-level goals.
For now, the roadmap remains a working draft rather than a finalized implementation schedule. According to the document, the upcoming Hegotá fork is expected to be the final major network upgrade before Ethereum enters what Buterin describes as the Lean Ethereum era, where privacy, scalability, and quantum resistance are treated as core protocol requirements rather than optional additions.
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.
According to new data published by Visa, the adjusted stablecoin transaction volume soared to $1.79 trillion in June. This marks a staggering 63 percent increase from May’s $1.1 trillion, not only surpassing the previous peak of $1.78 trillion in February but also representing a year-on-year surge of 125 percent. The numbers signal a dramatic growth in stablecoin activity across the sector.
A new all-time high in JuneThe data indicates that stablecoin adoption is expanding well beyond simple crypto trading. Use cases are widening to include payments, decentralized finance applications, and cross-border money transfers. Even as the broader crypto market shows signs of stagnation, the sustained increase in stablecoin transaction volume points to a new central role for these assets in the digital asset ecosystem.
Grayscale’s Head of Research, Zach Pandl, remarked that June 2026 became another record-setting month for stablecoin transaction volumes, surpassing even February’s highs.
Grayscale, a leading digital asset investment firm, frequently stands out with its in-depth institutional analysis. Its research division regularly provides evaluations on capital flows in crypto markets and updates on the evolving infrastructure landscape.
USDC dominates June transaction volumeDespite Tether’s USDT retaining its crown as the largest stablecoin by market capitalization, June’s transaction volume spotlighted Circle’s USDC. Visa’s data illustrates that USDC accounted for $1.21 trillion in transactions — around 67 percent of the total. By contrast, USDT saw $576 billion in volume, securing about 32 percent market share. PayPal’s PYUSD rounded out the top three with $2.42 billion in transactions.
These figures reveal a clear divergence between market capitalization and real-world usage. Which stablecoins are chosen for payments and on-chain liquidity flows provides fresh insight into evolving user preferences and trends within the broader crypto economy.
Base and Ethereum neck and neck for network activityIn June, most stablecoin operations took place on Coinbase’s Ethereum layer 2 network Base, which processed $565 billion — about 31.5 percent of the total volume. Ethereum’s mainnet closely followed at $562 billion, while Tron ranked third with $320 billion, accounting for roughly 18 percent of all transactions measured.
Mini glossary: A layer 2 network is a scaling solution built atop the main blockchain that aims to process transactions faster or more cost-effectively. Base is one such network operating on Ethereum.
Visa, working with Artemis, Allium Labs, and Castle Island Ventures, has refined its calculation methods to filter out high-frequency bot trades, exchange treasury rebalancing, and repetitive smart contract activity. The company emphasizes that this approach is designed to more accurately reflect genuine, organic stablecoin activity.
New launches and institutional interest intensifyingAs competition in the stablecoin market heats up, Open Standard announced the launch of Open USD (OUSD) on Tuesday. The project has reportedly secured backing from more than 140 organizations spanning payments, banking, technology, and crypto — including heavyweights Visa and Mastercard.
Nick Ruck, head of LVRG Research, commented that the record-breaking volume underscores how stablecoins are establishing themselves as foundational infrastructure for value transfer, liquidity provisioning, and decentralized finance — independent from price volatility.
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.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs traded in the United States recorded $526.64 million in net outflows between June 29 and July 2. With this latest development, the streak of withdrawals from these products has now reached its eighth consecutive week. This marks the longest continuous weekly outflow period seen since spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in the US.
Outflows continue in Bitcoin and Ethereum fundsThe cautious approach from institutional investors, combined with weaker momentum in Bitcoin, was clearly reflected in ETF data. According to SoSoValue, the total net assets of US spot Bitcoin ETFs fell to around $74.37 billion. In the same period, Bitcoin traded near $61,500. During June alone, outflows from these products totaled approximately $4.5 billion, underlining the sustained pressure in the market.
Wu Blockchain reported that US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw nearly $527 million in net outflows over the period from June 29 to July 2, bringing the outflow streak to eight consecutive weeks.
Spot Ethereum ETFs mirrored this trend. In the same timeframe, Ethereum ETFs experienced $13.67 million in net redemptions, also marking their eighth straight week of outflows. The simultaneous withdrawals from funds tied to the two largest digital assets signal that investor appetite for risk remains subdued across the sector.
Diverging trends in altcoin ETFsWhile Bitcoin and Ethereum products continued to lose assets, certain altcoin ETFs bucked the trend by attracting fresh capital. Spot Solana ETFs posted $5.75 million in net inflows for the week. XRP ETFs stood out with $17.19 million in new investments, representing the strongest performance in the altcoin ETF category. Hyperliquid ETFs also saw positive flows, gaining $4.32 million in net inflows despite a noticeable slowdown compared to previous weeks.
Glossary: SoSoValue is a data platform commonly used to track ETF flows and market metrics in digital asset markets. Net inflow refers to the difference between money entering and exiting a fund.
This divergence suggests that, rather than exiting the crypto ETF market entirely, some investors are reallocating capital toward alternative digital assets. Although Bitcoin remains the predominant option among institutional vehicles, select interest in altcoin-based products appears to be holding steady.
Brief signs of recovery prove short-livedDespite a weak weekly outlook, there were limited signs of recovery at the period’s close. On July 2, US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted over $221 million in daily net inflows, breaking a 10-day outflow streak. However, this single-day shift was not deemed sufficient to reverse the broader eight-week trend.
Market observers attribute the prolonged outflows to macroeconomic uncertainty, rising interest rate expectations, and diminished risk appetite. With pressure persisting on Bitcoin, it appears institutional investors continue to scale back their exposure by redeeming ETF shares.
In the period ahead, ETF flows are expected to serve as a key gauge of institutional sentiment. Sustained net inflows could suggest renewed confidence in Bitcoin, while ongoing outflows may indicate demand will remain muted until broader market conditions improve.
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.
Key Takeaways Blockchain security company Coinspect has identified a critical security weakness dubbed “Ill Bloom” that impacts cryptocurrency wallets on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, Tron, Solana, and additional networks The security issue originates from inadequate random number generation used when creating wallet recovery phrases in specific mobile wallet applications Hackers have successfully stolen a minimum of $5 million starting May 27, including one coordinated assault that emptied 431 wallets totaling $3.1 million The vulnerability has existed since 2018, meaning wallets created years ago could still be compromised Users can verify their wallet’s safety using a complimentary verification tool provided by Coinspect Coinspect, a prominent blockchain security organization, has revealed a critical security flaw named “Ill Bloom” that threatens thousands of cryptocurrency wallets worldwide.
The security weakness is rooted in insufficient randomness during the seed phrase generation process used by certain software wallets. When wallet applications employ inadequate random number generators during the creation phase, the resulting mnemonic phrases become susceptible to prediction and exploitation by malicious actors.
Multiple blockchain networks are impacted, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, Rootstock, Tron, and Solana.
According to Coinspect’s investigation, this security flaw has existed for at least six years, dating back to 2018. Alarmingly, vulnerable wallets were still being created as recently as several weeks ago, putting both longtime users and newcomers at serious risk.
Timeline of the Exploitation Campaign The first major coordinated attack occurred on May 27, when cybercriminals targeted 431 wallets from a pool of 2,114 identified vulnerable addresses, successfully draining $3.1 million worth of digital assets.
A second wave of attacks struck over the weekend, with approximately $2 million extracted from compromised wallets. Current estimates place total losses at a minimum of $5 million, though Coinspect suggests the actual figure may be considerably higher when accounting for losses across all affected blockchain networks.
To prevent further exploitation, Coinspect has deliberately withheld complete technical specifications of the vulnerability, limiting the information available to potential attackers.
According to the security firm, hardware wallet owners remain unaffected by this particular vulnerability. Most popular software wallet providers are also considered secure. The primary risk group consists of individuals who generated their recovery phrases using obscure or lesser-known mobile wallet applications.
Historical Precedents of Seed Generation Vulnerabilities The Ill Bloom vulnerability is not an isolated incident in the cryptocurrency security landscape.
During 2023, Ledger’s cybersecurity division discovered that the browser extension version of Trust Wallet contained a seed generation weakness that significantly reduced randomness. This flaw reduced potential phrase combinations to approximately four billion possibilities, making it feasible for attackers to crack wallets within 24 hours using modest GPU computing power. Trust Wallet addressed the vulnerability before any user funds were compromised.
Similarly in 2023, a security weakness in the Libbitcoin Explorer wallet software resulted in $900,000 being stolen through systematic private key brute-force attacks.
What makes the Ill Bloom vulnerability particularly concerning is that it doesn’t originate from a single wallet provider, making remediation efforts more complex and widespread.
SlowMist, a respected security monitoring organization, has confirmed it is actively tracking the ongoing situation. Coinspect is calling on wallet developers to implement weak mnemonic detection capabilities directly into their applications.
Concerned users can access Coinspect’s specialized verification tool to determine whether their wallet addresses are vulnerable. If unauthorized transactions have occurred from your wallet, the Ill Bloom vulnerability may be responsible.
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.
Deribit by Coinbase, via its broker-dealer DRB Panama Inc., and SignalPlus, a leading provider of software and infrastructure solutions for crypto derivatives, today announced the launch of The Island, their fifth trading competition and biggest edition to date.
Running for 35 days, the competition features up to $600,000 USDC in prizes across solo and team competition, daily and weekly reward rounds, Mystery Box deposit mechanics, short-dated options challenges, and a Private Island jackpot.
Registration for The Island opens on June 29 at 08:00 UTC, with the competition running from July 6 at 08:00 UTC through August 10 at 23:59 UTC. To participate, users must trade through SignalPlus on Deribit. Competition standings will be based on eligible options and futures trading volume only, with options weighted 1.0 and futures weighted 0.5.
The campaign is designed around eleven core arenas spanning weekly volume competition, daily reward loops, team participation, referral-driven expansion, whale and block-trade incentives, and dynamic ecosystem progression in one connected experience. New mechanics in this edition include the Mystery Box deposit experience, a weekly P&L leaderboard, short-dated options reward multipliers, and the Flash Arena, where higher short-dated options volume unlocks more jackpot shots and reward opportunities.
Key Details
Total Prize Pool: Up to $600,000 USDC Registration Period: June 29, 2026, 08:00 UTC – August 10, 2026, 23:59 UTC Competition Period: July 6, 2026, 08:00 UTC – August 10, 2026, 23:59 UTC Eligibility: Open to eligible retail traders on Deribit via SignalPlus Registration Link: https://t.signalplus.com/deribitislandcompetition This campaign is run by DRB Panama Inc and is not targeted at or intended for residents of Dubai, UAE. T&Cs apply. Virtual Assets are subject to extreme market volatility, involve a high degree of risk, and can lose value, in part or in full.
Early Bird Incentives
Users who register by July 7th will receive 3 free Deribit options. Team captains who invite five or more friends to register by July 7th will have a chance to win a Cressi Velvet Wetsuit valued at 300 USDC. Among the first 10 participants to reach 200M in trading volume by July 12, one randomly selected winner will receive two RIMOWA suitcases valued at 5,000 USDC in total. “The Island brings together everything we want this competition to be: bigger scale, stronger participation loops, and a structure that rewards how active options traders actually engage,” said Luuk Strijers, Senior Director from Deribit by Coinbase. “With solo and team competition, short-dated options mechanics and aspirational rewards led by the Private Island jackpot, this is our most ambitious retail trading campaign yet.”“We are excited to partner with Deribit by Coinbase once again on the latest edition of the competition,” said Chris Yu, CEO and Co-Founder from SignalPlus. “The Island is designed to make participation more dynamic and more rewarding, whether traders are competing on volume, teaming up with their network, or engaging through short-dated options and daily missions. Together, we are creating a more immersive experience for sophisticated retail traders.”
Competition Highlights include:
Core Arena: Weekly solo and team trading leaderboards designed to reward notional trading activity across individual and squad-based competition. Mystery Box Deposit Round: Users who register and maintain deposits for seven days unlock Mystery Box draw chances tied to guaranteed USDC prizes and premium rewards. Daily Reward Ecosystem: Daily individual and team missions encourage repeat engagement, with volume-based rewards and team milestone unlocks. Flash Arena: Short-dated options trading powers daily reward multipliers and jackpot-style shooting mechanics, including access to the Private Island reward opportunity. Block Arena: High-balance and block-trade participants can unlock fee rebates and luxury reward opportunities. Expansion Arena: Referral mechanics reward both community growth and successful invitations of higher-value traders. In addition to the Private Island headline reward, this year’s prize pool includes a range of premium rewards such as a Rolex Watch, Apple Vision Pro, NVIDIA Stock, Luxury Turkey Trip, Ledger Stax, Gentle Monster Sunglasses, Razer Keyboard, SOL spot rewards, trading fee coupons, and daily USDC prize pools.
The Island invites participants into a dynamic retail trading competition that combines strategic trading with team-based participation and a tiered reward structure. With every trade, participants move closer to exclusive rewards, from daily USDC prizes to the Private Island headline jackpot. The event begins today.
About Deribit
Deribit by Coinbase is a centralized, institutional-grade provider of crypto derivatives ecosystem, specializing in Bitcoin and Ethereum options and futures. With state-of-the-art infrastructure, Deribit offers instantaneous price discovery, low-latency execution, advanced risk mitigation tools, and deep liquidity through a network of top-tier market makers. Deribit facilitates the majority of global crypto options volume and upholds rigorous proof-of-reserves practices to maintain the highest standards of integrity and transparency.
About SignalPlus
Signalplus provides trading software and infrastructure for crypto derivatives, helping professional and sophisticated retail traders access options, futures, and spot markets with advanced execution and analytics tools. SignalPlus delivers a comprehensive options trading suite tailored for crypto derivatives traders.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has published a sweeping multi-year overhaul of the protocol. He named native privacy a “first-class goal” alongside quantum resistance and massive scalability upgrades, a shift he says is comparable in scale to The Merge.
Vitalik Buterin Privacy and Quantum Resistance Move to the Front of the Queue Vitalik Buterin shared the plan via X on July 4–5, 2026, days after Ethereum researchers gathered in Berlin to refine the network’s long-term direction.
If we want to make the Lean Ethereum consensus chain aggressively more "lean", and add strong validator privacy (ZK-unlink deposit from staking activity from withdrawal, and re-anonymize stakers every day), here is a path:https://t.co/Gdee7tE53R
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) July 6, 2026
The document, published on strawmap.org, outlines coordinated protocol changes expected to roll out across three to four years. Also it aims to touch nearly every layer of the Ethereum stack. Buterin described the effort as Ethereum’s third major transformation. The first being the shift to proof-of-stake in 2022, known as The Merge.
The announcement builds directly on momentum from May 2026, when Buterin outlined a shorter-term privacy roadmap for Ethereum. This signaled that what began as incremental thinking had evolved into a full architectural commitment.
Now, rather than treating privacy as an application-layer add-on, the new Lean Ethereum roadmap evaluates every core protocol component, Frames, the mempool, and future state structures by whether they can support intermediary-free, quantum-safe privacy with low overhead.
Under the Lean Ethereum roadmap, Buterin writes that “quantum safety has shifted up a LOT in priority.” Work on quantum-safe blob designs, the data structures that underpin Ethereum’s rollup scaling, is already underway and described as urgent.
The plan calls for replacing quantum-vulnerable components (BLS signatures, KZG commitments, and ECDSA) with post-quantum cryptography, a direction that mirrors the NIST post-quantum encryption standards finalized in 2024.
On scalability, the strawmap proposes replacing direct transaction re-execution across all nodes with recursive STARK-based verification, a cryptographic method where one prover does the heavy computation and all other nodes verify a compact proof.
Earlier coverage on the broader quantum threat to Ethereum revealed that Buterin mapped out Ethereum’s quantum risks. It was revealed when the Foundation first unveiled its strawmap in February 2026, a thread that now reads as groundwork for today’s more urgent posture.
A Leaner Foundation Behind a Leaner Protocol The technical overhaul arrives as the Ethereum Foundation undergoes its own restructuring. The organization cut approximately 20% of its staff, around 54 roles, and reduced its budget by a targeted 40%. Recent departures include protocol contributors Hsiao-Wei Wang, Tomasz Stańczak, Tim Beiko, and Barnabé Monnot.
The Ethereum community reaction on X has been broadly positive on technical direction, and the Ethereum price forecast has also strengthened, with observers noting that the plan is more specific than typical. This is because long-range crypto promises, naming actual signature schemes and state-size targets.
The strawmap remains a living draft, not a confirmed schedule. The Hegotá fork is described as likely the last before the Lean era begins.
For context on how Ethereum’s speed and scalability narrative has been framed in prior months, Vitalik Buterin explained what faster Ethereum would cost in March 2026, making this Lean Ethereum roadmap the clearest answer yet to that earlier question.
Trade derivatives without intermediaries on a leading Perp DEX.
Lighter (LIT) surged more than 20% on Monday to $2.6, its highest level since January, after the perpetuals exchange unveiled a tokenomics overhaul that adds permanent burns and a revamped staking model.
The move made LIT the top gainer among the 100 largest cryptocurrencies. It extended a rally that has lifted the token roughly 40% over the past week, far outpacing the broader market.
Lighter (LIT) Token Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto MarketsFollow us on X to get the latest news as it happens
Lighter Introduces Tokenomics UpdateLighter has bought back LIT with exchange revenue after its token launch. The exchange said it has repurchased about 15.5 million LIT, or roughly 6.3% of the circulating supply. Lighter said it plans to use the buybacks to permanently reduce the LIT supply through burns.
The burns will run by sending LIT to a burn address on the Ethereum (ETH) mainnet. Lighter plans its first burn in the weeks after the second quarter closes. It noted it may burn undistributed LIT rather than the exact repurchased tokens.
“This is economically equivalent for LIT holders and allows Lighter to manage treasury operations efficiently and avoid unnecessary costs,” the exchange said.
Staking Rewards Shift to ReserveLighter also changed how it funds staking rewards. Since launching its staking program in January, it has distributed about 3.72 million LIT using pre-TGE revenue, including roughly 170,000 LIT through its fee credits program.
That approach is ending. The exchange will now fund staking rewards using its remaining ecosystem tokens, which total 250 million LIT.
The protocol is targeting a 6% annualized staking yield. With about 125 million LIT currently staked, that would distribute roughly 7.5 million LIT per year.
LIT still trades well below its $7.86 record set in December. Whether the new model sustains demand may hinge on trading revenue holding up in the months ahead.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch leaders and journalists provide expert insights
Coinbase faced sharp criticism this weekend after an AI-generated alert on its prediction markets reportedly declared a false World Cup result, saying Norway had beaten Brazil before the match was played.
The notification claimed Norway won 3-2, with striker Erling Haaland scoring twice, and framed the fabricated outcome as breaking news. Users flagged the alert on social media, where critics called it dangerous and irresponsible.
Coinbase AI Alert Draws Backlash Over Fake World Cup ResultUsers accuse Coinbase of hallucinating results for a game that had not started, delivering factually incorrect alerts to millions of customers.
this is what happens when a crypto company uses AI to generate sports prediction markets @coinbase is hallucinating results
for a World Cup game that hasn’t even been played yet and sending factually incorrect notifications to its millions of users as “breaking news”… pic.twitter.com/coD8xY2O0S
— jay (@jay_drainjr) July 5, 2026 The knockout-stage fixture was set for Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Coinbase’s own market page listed the match under a weather delay, so no result existed when the alert went out.
Coinbase Chief Executive Brian Armstrong responded within hours, acknowledging the reports publicly.
“Taking a look with the team – thx for reporting it,” Armstrong responded in his first public comment on the error.
Follow us on X to get the latest news as it happens
Incident Tests Coinbase’s Truth-Seeking PitchThe timing is awkward. Armstrong has promoted prediction markets as a reliable way to surface facts. He argues financial stakes produce better information than traditional media.
“Prediction markets are the ultimate form of truth seeking. When there’s skin in the game, the output is far more reliable,” Armstrong stated in January.
However, those words now sit beside an AI system that invented, or rather, “hallucinated” a result. Coinbase’s 2025 shareholder letter also calls being the “most trusted name in crypto” its core strategy.
That pitch has drawn scrutiny before. In late 2025, Armstrong read out words that traders had bet he would say on an earnings call. The move nudged a market tied to his own remarks.
“And I just want to add here the words Bitcoin, Ethereum, Blockchain, Staking, and Web3 to make sure we get those in before the end of the call,” Armstrong stated, blurting out the predicted words without any apparent context.
The mishap also lands as Coinbase leans hard into AI. Armstrong fired engineers in 2025 who refused to use new coding assistants.
He said in September that about 40% of daily code was AI-generated, with a target above 50%. The firm has since cut its AI costs while adding automated features.
~40% of daily code written at Coinbase is AI-generated. I want to get it to >50% by October.
Obviously it needs to be reviewed and understood, and not all areas of the business can use AI-generated code. But we should be using it responsibly as much as we possibly can. pic.twitter.com/Nmnsdxgosp
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) September 3, 2025 Coinbase rolled out prediction markets across the US as part of its Everything Exchange. Early market flow was powered by Kalshi, a partner in the prediction market race.
The exchange has also fielded betting promotion concerns in its consumer app. In March, Armstrong addressed a separate targeting bug that pushed unwanted alerts.
“Looks like there was a bug on targeting for these push notifications – getting fixed now…The alternative is for us to apply a heavy hand and dictate what customers should or should not trade and I don’t think people want that either – too paternalistic, and anti free market,” he said.
Meanwhile, the error revives questions about AI safeguards in financial products used by millions.
The company will likely disable automated match alerts until it can verify outcomes. Past fixes suggest a patch and an apology could follow. Repeated failures, however, point to deeper product strain.
Coinbase and Armstrong did not immediately respond to BeInCrypto’s request for comment.
BNY Mellon: Urgency for further Federal Reserve tightening has diminished.
Jeff, Senior Macro Strategist at the Bank of New York Mellon, pointed out that weak U.S. labor data and improved inflation metrics have reduced the urgency for the Federal Reserve to implement further monetary tightening. However, this does not resolve lingering questions about whether the growth slowdown is within a controllable range or whether policy expectations have been overly adjusted. He remarked, “The global narrative is growing less unified.” In the U.S., the key question is whether the Federal Reserve can maintain patience without inflation risks reemerging; in Europe, meanwhile, the focus of discussions has shifted from urgent inflation management to issues including economic growth, fiscal credibility, and defense financing.
1 seconds ago
Recently, only two whales on Hyperliquid have completed position building for MU, with the average entry price for long positions standing at $1,019.
According to Hyperinsight’s monitoring, following the U.S. stock market’s closure for Independence Day last Friday, U.S. stock trading volumes slowed sharply over the weekend, with MU’s 24-hour volume reaching just $99 million. Only one whale built and held a MU (Micron Technology) position on Hyperliquid over the weekend. This whale’s address (0x93c) was created three days ago and currently only engages in long MU trades on Hyperliquid. Approximately three hours ago, the address opened another long position of 1,319.5 MU with 7x leverage, worth roughly $1.33 million, at an average entry price of $1,002 and a liquidation price of $904. Separately, only one whale also opened a MU position during last Friday’s market closure and has held it since. This whale currently holds a long position valued at approximately $8.31 million, with an average entry price of $1,036, and is currently in a slight unrealized loss.
1 seconds ago
DeFi protocol Summer Finance hacked, $6 million in losses
According to Blockaid's monitoring, DeFi protocol Summer Finance is under ongoing attack, with approximately $6 million in assets stolen so far.
1 seconds ago
JPMorgan Chase maintains an "Overweight" rating on Tencent, with a target price of HK$690.
JPMorgan said in a report that uncertainties surrounding Tencent’s WeChat AI Agent include whether it can fully integrate into the WeChat platform, the extent of its transaction permissions, and whether Tencent can build a supply system accessible to AI Agents without relying on existing e-commerce platforms to open inventory. With Tencent launching the beta test for WeChat AI Agent in June, the bank has significantly boosted its confidence in the agent’s value creation framework. The Agent service is now sufficiently visible, enabling a clear distinction between its existing components and areas still under development. This has shifted WeChat AI Agent from an AI initiative with no clear timeline to a phased rollout project with observable milestones. The bank believes the initial impact of WeChat AI Agent’s launch on Tencent’s stock price will likely stem from a reduction in risk premium and higher valuation multiples, rather than short-term earnings per share growth. It assigned Tencent an "Overweight" rating, with a target price of HK$690.
1 seconds ago
South Korea is pushing forward civil enforcement rules for virtual assets, with plans to allow courts to seize and liquidate crypto assets.
South Korea’s Supreme Court has issued a legislative notice for the Partial Amendment to the Civil Execution Rules, which will for the first time bring virtual assets under the scope of civil compulsory enforcement. Following a public comment period, the amended rules are set to take effect on October 1, 2026. Key provisions include: Compulsory enforcement of claims for digital asset transfers (courts may launch enforcement via seizure orders, barring third-party debtors like trading platforms from transferring assets to the debtor, while restricting the debtor from disposing of such claims); Compulsory enforcement of digital assets themselves (courts may seize virtual assets held by the debtor, which will be taken over by enforcement officers, with the debtor prohibited from disposal); Liquidation methods: Seized digital assets can be monetized via transfer orders or auction orders. For assets with low liquidity, conversion into other digital assets prior to auction is allowed.
1 seconds ago
Garret Jin increases his short position on ZEC, with the position valued at $14.9 million.
According to monitoring by Onchain Lens, Garret Jin, agent of the "BTC OG Insider Whale", has increased his ZEC short position to 32,759.57 ZEC, worth $14.9 million. Garret still holds a 5x leveraged BTC long position valued at $80 million, currently with a loss exceeding $16.38 million.
BNY Mellon: Urgency for further Federal Reserve tightening has diminished.
Jeff, Senior Macro Strategist at the Bank of New York Mellon, pointed out that weak U.S. labor data and improved inflation metrics have reduced the urgency for the Federal Reserve to implement further monetary tightening. However, this does not resolve lingering questions about whether the growth slowdown is within a controllable range or whether policy expectations have been overly adjusted. He remarked, “The global narrative is growing less unified.” In the U.S., the key question is whether the Federal Reserve can maintain patience without inflation risks reemerging; in Europe, meanwhile, the focus of discussions has shifted from urgent inflation management to issues including economic growth, fiscal credibility, and defense financing.
1 seconds ago
Recently, only two whales on Hyperliquid have completed position building for MU, with the average entry price for long positions standing at $1,019.
According to Hyperinsight’s monitoring, following the U.S. stock market’s closure for Independence Day last Friday, U.S. stock trading volumes slowed sharply over the weekend, with MU’s 24-hour volume reaching just $99 million. Only one whale built and held a MU (Micron Technology) position on Hyperliquid over the weekend. This whale’s address (0x93c) was created three days ago and currently only engages in long MU trades on Hyperliquid. Approximately three hours ago, the address opened another long position of 1,319.5 MU with 7x leverage, worth roughly $1.33 million, at an average entry price of $1,002 and a liquidation price of $904. Separately, only one whale also opened a MU position during last Friday’s market closure and has held it since. This whale currently holds a long position valued at approximately $8.31 million, with an average entry price of $1,036, and is currently in a slight unrealized loss.
1 seconds ago
DeFi protocol Summer Finance hacked, $6 million in losses
According to Blockaid's monitoring, DeFi protocol Summer Finance is under ongoing attack, with approximately $6 million in assets stolen so far.
1 seconds ago
JPMorgan Chase maintains an "Overweight" rating on Tencent, with a target price of HK$690.
JPMorgan said in a report that uncertainties surrounding Tencent’s WeChat AI Agent include whether it can fully integrate into the WeChat platform, the extent of its transaction permissions, and whether Tencent can build a supply system accessible to AI Agents without relying on existing e-commerce platforms to open inventory. With Tencent launching the beta test for WeChat AI Agent in June, the bank has significantly boosted its confidence in the agent’s value creation framework. The Agent service is now sufficiently visible, enabling a clear distinction between its existing components and areas still under development. This has shifted WeChat AI Agent from an AI initiative with no clear timeline to a phased rollout project with observable milestones. The bank believes the initial impact of WeChat AI Agent’s launch on Tencent’s stock price will likely stem from a reduction in risk premium and higher valuation multiples, rather than short-term earnings per share growth. It assigned Tencent an "Overweight" rating, with a target price of HK$690.
1 seconds ago
South Korea is pushing forward civil enforcement rules for virtual assets, with plans to allow courts to seize and liquidate crypto assets.
South Korea’s Supreme Court has issued a legislative notice for the Partial Amendment to the Civil Execution Rules, which will for the first time bring virtual assets under the scope of civil compulsory enforcement. Following a public comment period, the amended rules are set to take effect on October 1, 2026. Key provisions include: Compulsory enforcement of claims for digital asset transfers (courts may launch enforcement via seizure orders, barring third-party debtors like trading platforms from transferring assets to the debtor, while restricting the debtor from disposing of such claims); Compulsory enforcement of digital assets themselves (courts may seize virtual assets held by the debtor, which will be taken over by enforcement officers, with the debtor prohibited from disposal); Liquidation methods: Seized digital assets can be monetized via transfer orders or auction orders. For assets with low liquidity, conversion into other digital assets prior to auction is allowed.
1 seconds ago
Garret Jin increases his short position on ZEC, with the position valued at $14.9 million.
According to monitoring by Onchain Lens, Garret Jin, agent of the "BTC OG Insider Whale", has increased his ZEC short position to 32,759.57 ZEC, worth $14.9 million. Garret still holds a 5x leveraged BTC long position valued at $80 million, currently with a loss exceeding $16.38 million.
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.
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 (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) began the week on a constructive note after surging over 6%, 13% and 10% in the previous week. BTC holds steady around $63,500, ETH approaches a key technical resistance at $1,800, while XRP has broken above the upper boundary of a falling channel, strengthening the bullish outlook.
Bitcoin could extend gains if it closes above the $64,000 resistance zoneBitcoin price trades at $63,500 on Monday after surging over 6% in the previous week. BTC is maintaining a capped bias as price remains below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), all of which sit well above spot.
The immediate ceiling is the horizontal level around $64,004, with the 50-day EMA near $65,763 adding to overhead supply further up, while the longer-term 100-day and 200-day EMAs near $69,469 and $75,427 respectively, reinforce a broader bearish structure despite a modestly positive Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 51 and a firmly positive Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD), which hint at improving but still constrained momentum.
On the topside, a break above the nearby horizontal resistance at $64,004 would open the door toward the 50-day EMA at $65,763, followed by the 100-period EMA at $69,469 and the 200-day EMA at $75,427, before the more distant horizontal barrier around $84,410 comes into focus.
On the downside, the absence of clearly defined nearby supports in the provided data suggests that any renewed selling below $63,554 would rely on emerging price action and lower historical lows to attract dip-buying interest rather than on pre-identified structural floors.
Ethereum nears the 50-day EMAEthereum price trades at $1,784 on Monday, up over 13% in the previous week. ETH maintains a bearish bias as it remains below a stack of key EMAs. Price is capped first by the 50-day EMA near $1,806, with the 100-day EMA around $1,972 and the 200-day EMA near $2,241 reinforcing the broader overhead supply zone.
Momentum, however, is improving, with the RSI hovering near 57 and the MACD firmly positive, suggesting upside attempts may continue but will likely struggle while these EMAs remain intact above spot.
On the topside, immediate resistance is seen at the 50-day EMA around $1,806, followed by the 100-day EMA near $1,972 and the horizontal barrier at $2,000, before the longer-term 200-day EMA up toward $2,242.
On the downside, the nearest meaningful structural support is the horizontal level around $1,385, where buyers previously emerged, with any decline toward that zone likely to test the resolve of the nascent recovery despite the currently constructive momentum backdrop.
XRP closes above the upper boundary of the falling channelXRP trades at $1.148 on Monday after rallying over 10% and breaking above the upper boundary of the falling channel in the previous week. However, XRP maintains a broadly bearish configuration, with price holding below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs, clustered between roughly $1.180 and $1.500, keeping the medium-term trend capped despite a modest rebound from recent lows.
Momentum is improving, with the RSI hovering just above the 50 line and the MACD in positive territory, suggesting a corrective recovery within a still-dominant downside structure.
On the topside, immediate resistance aligns with the 50-day EMA near $1.183, followed by the 100-day EMA around $1.286 and the horizontal barrier at $1.300, with the 200-day EMA near $1.495 and the prior resistance line around $1.900 reinforcing a broader supply zone higher up.
On the downside, initial support emerges at the lower parallel-channel region around $1.110, where a break would expose further weakness, while holding above this area would allow buyers to keep testing the nearby moving-average ceiling.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Cryptocurrency prices FAQs Token launches influence demand and adoption among market participants. Listings on crypto exchanges deepen the liquidity for an asset and add new participants to an asset’s network. This is typically bullish for a digital asset.
A hack is an event in which an attacker captures a large volume of the asset from a DeFi bridge or hot wallet of an exchange or any other crypto platform via exploits, bugs or other methods. The exploiter then transfers these tokens out of the exchange platforms to ultimately sell or swap the assets for other cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. Such events often involve an en masse panic triggering a sell-off in the affected assets.
Macroeconomic events like the US Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates influence crypto assets mainly through the direct impact they have on the US Dollar. An increase in interest rate typically negatively influences Bitcoin and altcoin prices, and vice versa. If the US Dollar index declines, risk assets and associated leverage for trading gets cheaper, in turn driving crypto prices higher.
Halvings are typically considered bullish events as they slash the block reward in half for miners, constricting the supply of the asset. At consistent demand if the supply reduces, the asset’s price climbs.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has published a long-term development plan he calls "Lean Ethereum," outlining a sweeping set of protocol upgrades expected to roll out over the next three to four years. The plan, shared publicly via a draft known as the strawmap, touches nearly every layer of the network.
Quantum Resistance and Privacy Take Center Stage Buterin was direct about the urgency of one issue in particular. "Quantum safety has shifted up a LOT in priority," he said, adding that finalizing a quantum-safe solution for blobs has "become urgent." He also confirmed that quantum resistance has moved significantly higher on Ethereum's development priorities, with work on quantum-safe blob designs already underway for several months.
Privacy has become a first-class goal, not an afterthought, extending Buterin's broader privacy push. Rather than treating privacy as an application-layer feature, Buterin said future protocol upgrades will be designed with privacy built into their architecture. To support both goals, the roadmap explores RISC-V or leanISA virtual machine designs to support programmable privacy while maintaining scalability.
The roadmap also proposes integrating recursive STARKs, cryptographic proofs designed to verify computations efficiently, as a native verification component within the Ethereum protocol. Buterin calls Lean Ethereum the network's third major evolution after the Merge, with upgrades spanning three to four years and touching nearly every core part of the protocol.
Foundation Restructuring Adds Pressure on Delivery The roadmap arrives against a backdrop of significant organisational change at the Ethereum Foundation. The Foundation laid off 54 employees and announced a roughly 40% budget reduction, executing one of the most sweeping structural overhauls in the organisation's history. Vitalik Buterin framed the cuts as part of a deliberate shift to an endowment model, targeting a long-term annual spending rate of 5% of treasury assets by 2030, down from roughly 15% before this year.
Tomasz Stańczak stepped down as co-executive director in February, followed by co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang, bringing total senior departures since January to nine. Protocol coordinators Tim Beiko and Barnabé Monnot also left in May.
Some in the community have pushed back on the timeline. Researcher Dankrad Feist argued the three-to-four-year window is too slow and suggested AI could help developers ship the upgrades within a year, while crypto analyst Ignas Fiodorovas praised the plan but cast doubt on the Foundation's ability to deliver within the stated schedule, citing its history of missing deadlines. The strawmap is still a draft, not a confirmed schedule, but it signals clearly where Ethereum's core development priorities are headed for the remainder of the decade.
Sources:
BeInCrypto: Vitalik's Lean Ethereum Roadmap Draws Pushback on Its Timeline
Unchained Crypto: Ethereum Foundation Cuts 20% of Staff and 40% of Budget
CoinDesk: Ethereum Foundation Cuts 20% of Staff Amid Leadership Exodus
TL;DR Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $526.64 million in net outflows last week, extending their losing streak to eight consecutive weeks. Spot Ethereum ETFs also posted net outflows of $13.67 million, marking an eighth straight week of withdrawals. In contrast, SOL, XRP, and HYPE ETFs attracted fresh capital, with XRP ETFs leading weekly inflows. Analysts say ETF flows remain a key indicator of institutional sentiment as investors monitor Bitcoin’s next market direction. U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continued to face heavy selling pressure last week, recording $526.64 million in net outflows between June 29 and July 2. The latest withdrawals mark the eighth consecutive week of net outflows, the longest weekly redemption streak since spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading in the United States.
The trend reflects continued caution among institutional investors as Bitcoin struggles to regain momentum. According to SoSoValue data, total net assets across U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have fallen to approximately $74.37 billion, while Bitcoin traded near $61,500 during the reporting period, as shown in the accompanying chart. The sustained redemptions come after June became the worst month on record for spot Bitcoin ETFs, with roughly $4.5 billion leaving the products.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs See $527M Net Outflows Last Week, Extending Outflow Streak to 8 Weeks
From June 29 to July 2 (ET), spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $527 million in net outflows, marking the eighth consecutive week of outflows. Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded $13.67 million in net outflows,… pic.twitter.com/mqujUflCEl
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 6, 2026
Spot Ethereum ETFs also remained under pressure, posting $13.67 million in net outflows over the same period. Like Bitcoin funds, Ethereum ETFs have now logged eight straight weeks of investor withdrawals, highlighting persistent risk-off sentiment across the two largest digital assets.
Altcoin ETFs Buck the Trend as SOL, XRP, and HYPE Attract Fresh Capital While Bitcoin and Ethereum products continued to lose assets, several newer crypto ETFs managed to attract fresh investment.
Spot Solana (SOL) ETFs recorded $5.75 million in weekly net inflows, while XRP ETFs brought in $17.19 million, making XRP the strongest performer among the major altcoin funds. Hyperliquid (HYPE) ETFs also remained in positive territory with $4.32 million in net inflows, although the figure represented a slowdown compared with previous weeks.
The divergence suggests that some investors are rotating capital into alternative digital assets rather than exiting the crypto ETF market entirely. Although Bitcoin remains the largest institutional investment vehicle in the sector, selective demand for altcoin-based products indicates that investors continue to seek exposure to projects they believe offer stronger upside potential.
Bitcoin ETFs Face Mounting Pressure Despite Brief Daily Recovery Despite the weak weekly performance, the reporting period ended with a small sign of stabilization. On July 2, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded more than $221 million in daily net inflows, breaking a 10-session outflow streak. However, analysts caution that a single positive trading day is unlikely to reverse the broader trend after eight consecutive weeks of withdrawals.
Market observers attribute the prolonged outflows to a combination of macroeconomic uncertainty, higher interest-rate expectations, and reduced appetite for risk assets. Bitcoin has remained under pressure alongside broader financial markets, while institutional investors continue trimming exposure through ETF redemptions.
Going forward, ETF flows are expected to remain a closely watched indicator of institutional sentiment. A sustained return to net inflows could signal renewed confidence in Bitcoin, while continued withdrawals may reinforce expectations of subdued demand until broader market conditions improve.
Bitcoin is trading at $63,169 with a modest 0.73% gain over the past 24 hours, holding above the $63,000 level that has proven sticky through the early week. Ethereum trails slightly at $1,774.75, up 0.60% on the day, as both assets mark time after last week's rally off June lows.
The continued consolidation reflects cautious positioning heading into what has historically been a volatile period for risk assets. Bitcoin's market cap stands at $1.27 trillion, with 24-hour trading volume at $20.3 billion — respectable levels but far from breakout intensity. Ethereum's volume of $11.3 billion suggests traders are managing exposure rather than chasing directional conviction.
Last week's bounce from late June's capitulation appears to be holding, but neither asset has generated the kind of follow-through volume that would suggest a sustained breakout is underway. The recovery from June's 20% drawdown for Bitcoin established a higher low, but we remain well below the $70,000 level that would signal a meaningful reversal of medium-term weakness.
Macro conditions remain mixed. Friday's weak jobs report initially supported risk appetite, but the bid has been inconsistent as traders weigh competing narratives around Fed policy and inflation trajectory. Without clear directional catalysts, crypto is tracking broader risk sentiment rather than generating its own momentum.
The week ahead matters more than the data point of the day. Institutional traders returning from weekends have already factored in the jobs data. What moves Bitcoin and Ethereum from here is whether equity markets hold the post-data bounce or if macro volatility returns.
PANews July 6 news, according to SoSoValue data, the overall crypto market showed an upward trend, with the CeFi sector performing strongly, up 2.74% in 24 hours. Among them, Binance Coin (BNB) rose 3.19%, and Bitget Token (BGB) rose 1.01%. At the same time, Bitcoin (BTC) rose 1.21%, breaking through $63,000; Ethereum (ETH) rose 1.26%, approaching $1,800.
In other sectors, the DeFi sector rose 2.41% in 24 hours, with Lighter (LIT) up 18.06%; the Layer 1 sector rose 2.15%, with Canton Network (CC) up 4.50%; the Meme sector rose 1.38%, with Pump.fun (PUMP) up 7.83%; the PayFi sector rose 1.12%, with Ultima (ULTIMA) up 11.19%; the Layer 2 sector rose 0.21%, with Starknet (STRK) up 1.94%.
In addition, the NFT sector fell 0.93%, with Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) down 2.81%.
JPMorgan Chase maintains an "Overweight" rating on Tencent, with a target price of HK$690.
JPMorgan said in a report that uncertainties surrounding Tencent’s WeChat AI Agent include whether it can fully integrate into the WeChat platform, the extent of its transaction permissions, and whether Tencent can build a supply system accessible to AI Agents without relying on existing e-commerce platforms to open inventory. With Tencent launching the beta test for WeChat AI Agent in June, the bank has significantly boosted its confidence in the agent’s value creation framework. The Agent service is now sufficiently visible, enabling a clear distinction between its existing components and areas still under development. This has shifted WeChat AI Agent from an AI initiative with no clear timeline to a phased rollout project with observable milestones. The bank believes the initial impact of WeChat AI Agent’s launch on Tencent’s stock price will likely stem from a reduction in risk premium and higher valuation multiples, rather than short-term earnings per share growth. It assigned Tencent an "Overweight" rating, with a target price of HK$690.
2 minutes ago
South Korea is pushing forward civil enforcement rules for virtual assets, with plans to allow courts to seize and liquidate crypto assets.
South Korea’s Supreme Court has issued a legislative notice for the Partial Amendment to the Civil Execution Rules, which will for the first time bring virtual assets under the scope of civil compulsory enforcement. Following a public comment period, the amended rules are set to take effect on October 1, 2026. Key provisions include: Compulsory enforcement of claims for digital asset transfers (courts may launch enforcement via seizure orders, barring third-party debtors like trading platforms from transferring assets to the debtor, while restricting the debtor from disposing of such claims); Compulsory enforcement of digital assets themselves (courts may seize virtual assets held by the debtor, which will be taken over by enforcement officers, with the debtor prohibited from disposal); Liquidation methods: Seized digital assets can be monetized via transfer orders or auction orders. For assets with low liquidity, conversion into other digital assets prior to auction is allowed.
2 minutes ago
Garret Jin increases his short position on ZEC, with the position valued at $14.9 million.
According to monitoring by Onchain Lens, Garret Jin, agent of the "BTC OG Insider Whale", has increased his ZEC short position to 32,759.57 ZEC, worth $14.9 million. Garret still holds a 5x leveraged BTC long position valued at $80 million, currently with a loss exceeding $16.38 million.
2 minutes ago
Analysis: Bitcoin rebounds, yet spot trading volume shrinks rapidly, with risks of long squeezes in derivatives accumulating.
Crypto analyst Murphy notes that as Bitcoin rebounded from $58,000 to nearly $64,000, its spot relative volume plummeted rapidly. A rebound unsupported by spot demand is unlikely to form the foundation of a trend reversal, often being merely a sentiment-driven recovery rally, so its sustainability demands close monitoring. On the positive front, the USDC/USDT exchange rate has retreated from 1.001 to 1.0006, signaling waning exit intentions and recovering trading activity. While major stablecoins on trading platforms still remain in net outflow, the outflow magnitude has continued to narrow, and this marginal improvement in funding conditions underpins the rebound’s continuation. However, the weakening of spot drivers means derivatives have gained relatively more weight. The 7-day average long premium for perpetual contracts has climbed steadily to $160,000 per hour, indicating taker buy orders have persistently pushed perpetual contract prices above spot levels. Open interest has declined somewhat but remains significantly higher than levels in February this year. The current long premium is still within a normal range, but as the rebound persists, the risk of a long squeeze will keep building. Once open interest rebounds again, fierce battles between bulls and bears will trigger faster and more violent volatility—a hidden risk that requires advance attention.
2 minutes ago
ANSEM posts a short-term rally of 25%, with its current market cap standing at $380 million.
According to GMGN monitoring, Solana ecosystem meme coin ANSEM surged 25% within one hour, with its market cap rebounding to around $380 million, posting a 30% 24-hour gain and trading volume exceeding $39.7 million over the same period. The rally is likely due to Ansem himself (X: blknoiz06) announcing the completion of a new round of airdrop distribution, totaling approximately $7 million. BlockBeats Note: Meme coin trading is highly volatile, largely dependent on market sentiment and concept hype, with no actual value or use cases; investors should exercise caution regarding risks.
2 minutes ago
HTX Genesis Hackathon Attracts Over 30 Teams from Top Universities at Home and Abroad
According to official social media announcements, the HTX Genesis Hackathon—hosted by HTX DAO and B.AI, and co-organized by OpenCSG, TinTinLand, and OpenCity—has entered the preliminary screening phase. More than 100 developer teams have registered for the event, with participants hailing from over 30 top universities across 22 global cities, including Tsinghua University, Fudan University, the National University of Singapore, and the University of Edinburgh. The hackathon offers a total prize pool of 20,000 USDT and over $100,000 in computing power support. Participating teams will innovate in areas such as $HTX use cases, B.AI ecosystem applications and computing power services, AI Agent finance, on-chain asset management, trading infrastructure, DAO tools, and smart financial operating systems. The HTX Genesis finals will be held offline on July 19 during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai.
Leading cryptocurrencies gained alongside stock futures on Sunday as investors braced for the release of the Federal Reserve’s June meeting minutes.
Crypto Market LiftsBitcoin spiked late evening, nearly breaking $64,000, as trading volume increased marginally. Ethereum broke through $1,800, with a 41% jumpe in 24-hour volume, while XRP and Dogecoin inched higher.
Over $160 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with $108 million in bearish short positions, according to Coinglass data.
Bitcoin’s open interest rose 1.21% over the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, retail and whale derivatives traders remained net long on the apex cryptocurrency.
"Extreme Fear" sentiment prevailed in the market, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.
Top Gainers (24 Hours)
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.13 trillion, representing a 2.39% increase over the last 24 hours.
Stocks Futures RiseStock futures edged higher overnight on Sunday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures rose 82 points, or 0.15%, as of 8:45 p.m. EDT. Futures tied to the S&P 500 spiked 0.54%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures rallied 1.36%.
Eyes will be on the Federal Reserve this week as traders await the minutes of the June meeting, the first chaired by new Chairman Kevin Warsh, which are due on Wednesday. The central bank kept the federal funds rate steady in a target range of 3.50% to 3.75%
Macro Pullback Phase?“Stablecoin contraction historically reflects a macro pullback phase, as active capital is redeemed for fiat or sidelined during broad market corrections,” the analyst stated.
Michaël van de Poppe, another popular cryptocurrency commentator, expressed optimism for a “shallow” BTC correction followed by a swift rebound, viewing it as the catalyst to reclaim the 200-week moving average, around approximately $62,500-$62,600, and exit the bearish price action.
Photo: KateStock / Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
CoinGecko, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency data aggregators, lists the top 10 Layer 1 (L1) coins by Market Cap. These top projects include Bitcoin ($BTC), Ethereum ($ETH), Tether ($USDT), BNB ($BNB), USDC ($USDC), XRP ($XRP), Solana ($SOL), TRON ($TRX), Hyperliquid ($HYPE), and Dogecoin ($DOGE).
Layer 1 (L1) serves as the basic, autonomous chain on which transactions are directly executed and confirmed, and provides the necessary infrastructure for the blockchain network. Here are the top Layer 1 coins by market cap. These Layer 1 coins hold a collective market cap of $1.79 trillion with a change of 0.3% in the last 24 hours. CoinGecko has shared this news through its official social media X account.
Bitcoin Maintains L1 Dominance While Ethereum Surges Double Digits Bitcoin ($BTC) is in the leading position in the entire list of top (L1) coins in terms of market cap, and with a new price. Bitcoin ($BTC) is trading at $62823.69 with a positive change of 0.6% in price over the last 24 hours. Bitcoin ($BTC) holds a market cap of $1259903710228.
Ethereum ($ETH) is the runner-up in this race with a market cap of $213089130330, along with a positive change in price of 11.8% throughout the week. ETH/USDT is currently changing hands at $1765.36. Tether ($USDT) and BNB ($BNB) come at the 3rd and 4th positions with $0.9992 and $575.98 of current prices, respectively. Tether ($USDT) has a market cap of $184136854405 with stability in price over 24h and 7D.
BNB ($BNB) has a market cap of $77645950317 with a positive change of 0.5% over the last 24h. USDC ($USDC) is appearing with a new price of $0.9995 along with the market cap of $72914007626. USDC ($USDC) is also showing no change in price over the last 24h or 7D.
Solana and Hyperliquid Lead Weekly Gains Across Major Layer-1 Cryptocurrencies As per CoinGecko data, XRP ($XRP) comes at the 6th position in the list with a market cap of $70744944422 with the current price of $1.14. This L1 coin shows a negative response in terms of price over the last hour of 0.2%, but it shows 7.7% positive growth in price change over the whole week. These values are observed at the time of writing this article. In which different top Layer 1 coins show their dominance in terms of market caps and prices.
Next to these are Solana ($SOL) and TRON ($TRX), which show positive change of 11.9% and 1.0% over the last week and hold market caps of $46706073293 and $30800068747. Solana ($SOL) and TRON ($TRX) come at the 7th and 8th positions, respectively, in the given list of top Layer 1 coins.
Furthermore, Hyperliquid ($HYPE) trades at $68.69, along with a 0.4% change in price over the last hour and 9.2% in the last week. Hyperliquid ($HYPE) holds a market cap of $15279949960. Last but not least, Dogecoin ($DOGE) trades at $0.07592, along with a market cap of $11763415911. Dogecoin ($DOGE) faces 2.7% change in price last week.
AUTHOR
Crypto journalist with years of experience providing in-depth analysis and news on blockchain and decentralized finance. With a keen eye for detail, Shahzaib delivers insightful articles that explore the latest trends, market movements, and innovations within the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. His work focuses on educating readers while offering expert commentary on the evolving landscape of digital assets, DeFi protocols, and the broader impact of blockchain technology.
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.
Meme coin dominance has slipped to 3.7% of the altcoin market, its lowest level since February 2024, according to CryptoQuant. Analyst Darkfost says the number of meme coin holders now sits at a three-year low.
The reading marks a steep retreat from November 2024, when a post-election trading frenzy pushed meme tokens above 10% of the altcoin market. Capital has since flowed elsewhere.
Meme coin holders are becoming increasingly rare. Source: CryptoQuant Capital Rotates Toward Utility TokensThe dominance ratio weighs the combined value of meme tokens against the wider altcoin market. A falling reading shows the group losing ground to its rivals.
“Meme coin holders are becoming increasingly rare,” Darkfrost highlighted.
The rotation shows up in raw market value. Meme tokens are worth roughly $28 billion combined. Real-world asset (RWA) tokens, a sector now drawing capital, top $64 billion, more than double that, per CoinGecko data.
Analysts tracking the current altcoin narratives point to artificial intelligence (AI), RWA, and decentralized finance (DeFi) as the main draw.
Dogecoin (DOGE) remains the biggest meme coin, worth about $12.1 billion. That is close to half the entire sector’s value.
Long-Term Holders Feel the SqueezeFew cases show the shift better than Murad Mahmudov. On the Token2049 stage in 2024, he pitched a meme coin supercycle, arguing culture-driven tokens would outrun Bitcoin and Ethereum.
He has held that meme coin portfolio for more than two years. On-chain data tracked by Arkham shows he has not sold a single token. The portfolio has still fallen about 81% from its peak.
MURAD HAS BEEN HOLDING MEMECOINS FOR 2 YEARS
Murad has been holding his memecoin portfolio for over 2 years now. He’s down 81% from his portfolio all-time-high – but he’s still holding.
He never sold anything. Will Murad make it after all? pic.twitter.com/85VxzfwmPq
— Arkham (@arkham) July 3, 2026 SPX6900 (SPX) leads that book. The token trades near $0.40 and is down roughly 67% over the past year, well below its July 2025 high.
SPX6900 (SPX) Price Performance. Source: CoingeckoPolitical meme coins have fared worse. Official Trump (TRUMP), launched days before the January 2025 inauguration, spiked near $73 before collapsing. It now changes hands around $1.71, down about 98%, and most of its buyers sit underwater.
Perhaps the most blatant example of corruption in the history of American politics. pic.twitter.com/SlNdRmWFvg
— Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) July 1, 2026 The pattern has precedent. The last time meme dominance sat this low, in early 2024, a sharp rally followed within months. Whether that repeats depends on retail traders returning, and for now a fresh meme coin season looks distant while money favors tokens with real-world uses.
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.
The Ethereum network’s next epoch came into sharper focus on Sunday as co-founder Vitalik Buterin detailed a multi-year technical blueprint aimed at tackling gas costs, quantum-era cryptography, and state growth simultaneously. According to the original report, the plan—dubbed “Lean Ethereum”—represents the blockchain’s third major evolutionary phase, with rollouts expected over the next three to four years.
Ethereum has long battled fee volatility and state bloat while facing a slow-burning cryptographic challenge from advancing quantum computing. Buterin’s outline, therefore, attempts to bundle several deep architectural changes into one sequential push, rather than address them in isolation. Developer activity remains high across the ecosystem, as evidenced by Ethereum’s consistent top ranking in recent blockchain developer metrics.
The STARK and Quantum Resistance Overhaul One of the most consequential pieces of the Lean roadmap is making recursive STARKs a native verification mechanism within Ethereum. STARKs—scalable transparent arguments of knowledge—already underpin several layer-2 validity proofs, but embedding them directly into the protocol could reduce verification costs and improve L2 composability. Recursive STARKs, in particular, allow a single proof to verify many others, a technique increasingly studied for data compression and throughput at scale.
Simultaneously, Buterin signaled that remaining quantum-vulnerable cryptography would be swapped for post-quantum alternatives. This addresses a structural risk that often gets deprioritized in the near term: if a fault-tolerant quantum computer emerges sooner than expected, signature schemes based on ECDSA could be broken, exposing billions in user funds. By baking quantum resistance into the Lean upgrades, Ethereum aims to remove that tail risk before it materializes, a move that may pressure other layer-1 chains to accelerate their own post-quantum planning.
A Scalable State Layer for Token Efficiency The roadmap introduces a “scalable state” architecture capable of reaching 100 terabytes by 2030, a dramatic shift from today’s state size, which has been a persistent concern for node operators. The new state type is designed to slash transaction costs for certain tokens by more than 10x, a figure that points to a structural refactoring of how data is stored and accessed.
This matters most for high-volume ERC-20 tokens and stablecoins, where every small fee reduction compounds into real liquidity advantages. If the scalable state works as described, it could fundamentally alter the economics of on-chain trading, lending, and payments, pulling activity away from centralized exchanges and back onto the mainnet or its rollup layers. But the 2030 target date for the full 100 TB vision underscores that this is a long-range infrastructure play, not an immediate fix for users frustrated by current congestion.
Near-Term Gas Limit Relief and New Virtual Machines Before the deeper Lean upgrades, the upcoming Glasterdam upgrade is expected to significantly boost Ethereum’s gas limit. Gas limit increases expand block capacity in the near term, offering immediate relief for rollup batch posting and complex contract interactions. Historically, such adjustments have been contentious among validators, as larger blocks can increase latency and centralization pressure. Buterin’s public endorsement of the increase suggests that sufficient tooling and client optimizations are now in place to handle the bump without degrading network stability.
Separately, the roadmap explores RISC-V or leanISA virtual machines as a way to introduce programmable privacy. By moving away from the current EVM model toward a more flexible execution environment, Ethereum could enable confidential transactions and shielded smart contracts without relying on external privacy layers. The concept remains exploratory, but it signals that privacy—often relegated to niche chains—is being considered as a native feature of the protocol’s long-term design.
What’s Clear and What’s Conditional The Lean Ethereum roadmap is ambitious by any standard, and the industry has seen grand protocol visions stall or mutate under real-world constraints. The three-to-four-year rollout window inevitably overlaps with other critical milestones, including further L2 fragmentation, regulatory shifts, and competitive pressure from modular ecosystems. Whether developers can ship recursive STARKs and post-quantum cryptography in a coordinated fashion without introducing new attack surfaces remains an open question.
Still, the outline gives the Ethereum ecosystem something it has occasionally lacked: a unified design thesis that ties together scaling, security, and cost reduction. For protocols, rollup teams, and institutional users mapping multi-year migration plans, the Lean roadmap provides a reference point that reduces guesswork. The market’s reaction will likely be muted in the short term—these are slow-moving infrastructure bets—but the direction is now unambiguous.
AUTHOR
Max delves deep into the cryptocurrency realm, with a passion for altcoins and NFTs. Convinced of crypto's transformative potential, he envisions a decentralized financial future. Max's background in the financial sector grants him unique insights into global monetary systems. In his leisure, Max embraces the thrill of adventures and is an avid sports enthusiast, finding balance and rejuvenation away from work.
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, has introduced a new roadmap titled “Lean Ethereum,” emphasizing advancements in quantum resistance, privacy, and scalability. The initiative, developed with researcher Justin Drake, aims to simplify Ethereum’s layer-1 protocol and integrate post-quantum signatures, streamlined validator operations, and reduced complexity. The roadmap targets full post-quantum infrastructure by 2029, with early proof points already confirming viability. This strategic direction seeks to future-proof Ethereum against quantum threats while maintaining decentralization and user freedom.
Advertisement
Key Takeaways The new roadmap appears to align with Ethereum’s long-term vision, aiming for significant infrastructure improvements by 2029. Market pricing suggests increased interest in Ethereum’s future potential, with slight increases in YES pricing for Ethereum reaching $10,000 by the end of 2026. The development may indicate a proactive shift by Ethereum to enhance its cryptographic foundations against emerging threats. What to Watch Market participants will closely watch for subsequent developments and potential announcements related to the “Lean Ethereum” roadmap. Key indicators include any major network upgrades, regulatory responses, or significant shifts in institutional investment patterns. Observers will be attuned to any further details from Vitalik Buterin or the Ethereum Foundation that could influence market pricing and sentiment. The market’s reaction to these developments will help gauge confidence in Ethereum’s trajectory towards its scalability and security goals.
Get prediction market intelligence as a structured API feed. Early access waitlist.
What Price Will Ethereum Hit Before 2027
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h December 31, 2026 1.4% — — View market → December 31, 2026 2.6% — — View market → December 31, 2026 3.1% — — View market → December 31, 2026 4.2% — — View market → December 31, 2026 5.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 11.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 15.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 2.1% — — View market → January 1 2027 2.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 4.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 4.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 7.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 67.9% — — View market → January 1 2027 11.5% — — View market → January 1 2027 3.9% — — View market → January 1 2027 26.5% — — View market → Ethereum All Time High
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h September 30, 2026 1.3% — — View market → December 31, 2026 5% — — View market →
Ethereum traded near $1,764.43 on July 5, according to crypto.news market data. The token was up 0.2% over 24 hours and 11.58% over seven days. Its market cap stood near $212.91 billion, while 24-hour volume was about $11.16 billion.
Summary
Ethereum remains trapped between $1,700 support and $1,800 resistance as liquidation clusters frame price action. Vitalik Buterin’s Lean Ethereum roadmap focuses on STARKs, quantum resistance, privacy and future scalability. ETH’s MACD shows improving momentum, but weak volume keeps a confirmed bullish reversal out of reach. The latest daily range showed ETH moving between $1,751.18 and $1,801.59. That placed the token close to the $1,800 resistance area after a recovery from the June low near $1,500.
ETH/USDT remains in a broader downtrend from the May highs. Still, the short-term chart has improved after buyers defended the $1,500 region and pushed price back above $1,700.
Liquidation clusters keep ETH boxed in Traders are watching two large liquidity zones around Ethereum. One sits above price near $1,800 to $1,830, while another sits below around $1,700. This keeps ETH inside a narrow range where quick moves can reverse fast.
One trader said, “As long as Ethereum stays in this range, I’d expect chop and fakeouts.” The same view points to a bigger move only after one side of the liquidity zone gets cleared.
Crypto.news previously reported that Ethereum liquidation heatmap data showed large leverage clusters near $1,700 to $1,760 and another major zone near $1,800. Those levels remain close to the current price range.
Professor Crypto also said ETH has started to build momentum after defending the $1,500 area. He said bulls need to reclaim and hold $1,800 before the market can target $1,900 to $2,000.
$ETH is slowly starting to build some momentum after defending the $1.5K region.
The recent move back above $1.7K is encouraging, but the real test is whether bulls can reclaim and hold the $1.8K resistance.
A clean break above that level could open the door for a move toward… pic.twitter.com/xUwNKs5pCU
— Professor Crypto (@profcryptotalks) July 5, 2026 Momentum improves, but confirmation is limited The daily chart shows ETH struggling to extend above $1,780 to $1,800. The latest candle opened near $1,780.64, reached $1,780.75, and dipped to $1,748.79 before stabilizing.
Nearby support sits around $1,700. A loss of that level could return focus to $1,600 and then $1,550. A clean break above $1,800 may bring $1,830 to $1,850 into focus.
The MACD continues to improve. The histogram is positive near 30.20, while the MACD line stays above the signal line. That shows short-term bullish momentum.
Still, the MACD line remains below zero. This means ETH is in a recovery phase, not a confirmed trend reversal. Volume near 315,730 ETH also remains moderate, so buyers still need stronger activity to confirm continuation.
Source: TradingView
Crypto.news reported that Ethereum recently targeted $1,800 after a rare TD buy signal. The report also said failure to hold $1,700 could return focus to $1,650 and the lower support area near $1,500.
Vitalik’s Lean Ethereum roadmap adds long-term focus Ethereum’s price action also came as Vitalik Buterin shared a new long-term roadmap called Lean Ethereum. The plan focuses on faster verification, stronger security and better scalability over the next several years.
The roadmap includes native recursive STARKs, post-quantum cryptography, new virtual machine designs and a larger state architecture. Reports also said the upcoming Glasterdam upgrade may raise Ethereum’s gas limit.
The plan does not guarantee short-term price gains. It does, however, shift part of the discussion away from daily ETH moves and toward Ethereum’s technical future.
For now, ETH traders remain focused on the same near-term levels. Ethereum needs to hold $1,700, break $1,800, and attract stronger volume before the recovery can target the $1,900 to $2,000 zone.
Ethereum’s development has entered a new phase as researchers introduced ‘Lean Ethereum,’ a multi-year overhaul targeting the network’s long-term evolution. Rather than a single upgrade, the plan aims to replace the cores of the Ethereum [ETH] protocol over the course of approximately 3-4 years.
The plan introduces recursive STARKs, quantum-safe cryptography, multidimensional gas, and redesigned state architecture to improve scalability and security. Furthermore, developers expect H-star to become Ethereum’s final pre-Lean fork before broader changes accelerate.
Source: X The roadmap also anticipates increasing the gas limits on the network. This includes using more scalable state architectures to improve finality speed and lower transaction costs.
Successful implementation of the Lean roadmap may allow it to scale the efficiency of the Ethereum network. Moreover, it will be maintaining backward compatibility, thereby allowing for continued growth throughout the next decade.
The infrastructure behind Lean Ethereum Building on the Lean Ethereum roadmap, developers are now translating long-term goals into practical protocol upgrades. Currently, development is focused on post-quantum secure protocols as well as scalable state management.
These are two of the most significant long-term technical threats facing Ethereum. Rather than waiting for quantum computing to mature, developers have already launched PQ Devnets 0-4. These will test networks and evaluate quantum-resistant cryptography while preserving compatibility with existing wallets.
More importantly, Glamsterdam has laid down the technological groundwork for this future-proofing of Ethereum through ePBS, protocol simplification, and increasing gas limits above 200 million.
Source: Galaxy Research In addition to building the infrastructure needed to provide fast and secure transactions, developers are reworking how state is managed using Verkle trees, state expiration models, and scalable storage models. This involves reducing the cost of validation and shortening the time it takes for nodes to sync, while keeping decentralized functionality intact.
These are logical next steps since the underlying technology needs to mature before Ethereum can safely exapnd its scalability and decrease its costs over the next decade.
Together, both initiatives strengthen Ethereum’s long-term resilience while limiting disruption for existing applications.
Final Summary Ethereum is rebuilding its core protocol to deliver faster scaling, stronger security, and long-term network resilience. ETH aims to future-proof the network through quantum-safe upgrades and more efficient state management.
ETH just flashed a major signal that has historically led to massive gains (especially against BTC).
Ethereum could be on the verge of a massive price increase after its painful declines in late 2025 and early 2026 that brought it down toward $1,500.
July has already started on the right foot, with a double-digit increase in days. However, it follows two consecutive double-digit monthly declines.
Worst Is Over? Popular analyst Michaël van de Poppe noted on X in a post from this weekend that “the worst period for ETH is over.” He believes that the altcoin is breaking out upwards and building a higher low against the market leader, which means “that we’re back in an uptrend.”
This comes after ETH closed June in the red, marking its third consecutive quarter with major losses for the first time ever. Moreover, each of those was by more than 20% – 28.28% in Q4 2025, another 29.26% in Q1 2026, and 25.28% in Q2 this year. Given the significance and rarity of this moment, van de Poppe said: “The chances of having four in a row are statistically very low.”
He also outlined the highly anticipated but not certain Clarity Act, which is expected to be signed into law by the end of the year and to benefit Ethereum a lot more than other assets, including BTC. He believes the potential approval will “unlock more liquidity flowing into the ETH ecosystem.”
Triple-Digit Surge Against BTC Next? Merlijn The Trader shared a similar bullish opinion on ETH, especially against BTC. This is because ETH dipped to 0.026 against the market leader, which is a historically important level that has launched a major rally in the past.
He noted that the last time this signal appeared, the largest altcoin outperformed BTC by over 230%. ETH peaked at over 0.043 against bitcoin in August last year when it charted its ATH against the greenback, but it has been mostly downhill since then.
You may also like: Bitcoin (BTC) Dips Below $62K, Ethereum (ETH) Plunges 6% Daily: Market Watch 5 Reasons Why Bitcoin Just Crashed Below $63K as Liquidations Top $500M Bitmine Buys 52K ETH as Tom Lee Believes the Best Years for Crypto Are Still Ahead It indeed dipped to and below 0.026 in the past few weeks, but has managed to bounce and now sits at over 0.028. If it’s to mimic its past 230% surge, it could rocket past 0.08, a level not seen in four years.
The last time this signal fired, Ethereum crushed Bitcoin by 233%.
It fired at 0.026.
ETH/BTC today: 0.026.
Same level.
New golden cross forming.
Five years of pain, just to return to the launchpad.
The market forgot. The chart didn’t. pic.twitter.com/nNAG1HJ4r6
— Merlijn The Trader (@MerlijnTrader) July 4, 2026
Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.
The main technological intrigue of recent weeks around Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has received an unexpected continuation. For those who missed the essence of the dispute, on June 22 Buterin challenged neural networks to test the popular thesis about the complete loss of privacy on the internet.
He admitted that during the current decade he had published several Ethereum documents under someone else's name and invited AI to identify them by his individual writing style.
13 days.
So far no one has found it.
My only hint is that I would encourage people to somewhat broaden their search; I've seen quite a few searches and AI scripts that fail to include categories of documents that really should be included. https://t.co/ClBx2SEvhP
HOT Stories
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) July 5, 2026 Thirteen days later, Buterin summarized the interim results of the experiment. Neither any researcher nor any advanced AI script managed to find the text. The failure of modern deanonymization algorithms prompted Buterin, 13 days after launching the quest, to release a key hint and point to a systemic error made by the search bots.
What's hidden in Ethereum documents, and where did AI stumble?Since the material in question is of importance for the Ethereum ecosystem, the hidden text could be a technical proposal for improving the network, an analysis of cryptographic protocols, a mathematical study, or a scaling concept. According to Buterin's own estimate, there are between 200 and 2,000 documents of similar scale online, which significantly narrowed the sample for analysis.
However, automation lost to humans because of the banal limitations of its settings. According to the Ethereum co-founder, AI scripts stumbled over their own rigid filters.
You Might Also Like
In his latest statement, Buterin recommended that researchers expand the search area. He noted that he had seen many search attempts and AI scripts that simply ignored entire categories of documents, even though they should be taken into account.
Neural networks became hostages of standard templates, scanning only official blogs or technical specifications while completely missing other layers of publications.
This experiment clearly confirms why Buterin consistently maintains his AGI skepticism and points to the vulnerability of modern AI models when facing non-standard tasks. The failure of AI in the first round proves that the creation of an all-powerful superintelligence is still far away, while human secrecy remains stronger than algorithms.
CZ’s like on the donation tweet for meme coin TCC pushes the token’s market cap to briefly top $72 million.
Crypto community user ddotaek posted that he has shifted from the Solana-based MEME coin market, which he described as "constantly being rugged", to BNB Chain, noting that the BNB ecosystem "truly supports builders and long-term projects". He cited advantages including no rug pulls, no bot-driven wash trading, and clean launches (he personally verified front-running cases). He also mentioned that project team @TCryptochicks donated 10 million TCC tokens to GiggleAcademy, an educational charity founded by CZ. CZ later liked the tweet, lifting market sentiment, and TCC’s market cap briefly surged past $72 million before retreating to around $54 million. Previously, the "Giggle" token gained CZ’s public like and retweet in September 2025 via a donation to GiggleAcademy, with its market cap once soaring to over $100 million. CZ once stated "this completely changed my view on MEME coins", but later clarified multiple times that the related tokens were not officially issued by GiggleAcademy, and reminded holders to watch for subsequent selling pressure. BlockBeats reminds users: Most MEME coins have no practical use cases and are highly volatile. Please protect your assets and do not FOMO.
2 hours ago
AI capital expenditure is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2027, potentially surpassing U.S. defense spending for the first time.
The Kobeissi Letter stated in a post that the AI spending boom is reshaping the U.S. economy. AI capital expenditures by Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle are projected to rise to roughly 3.2% of U.S. GDP by 2027. If the forecast holds, annual AI capital spending will for the first time exceed U.S. defense outlays, which are expected to account for around 2.7% of GDP next year. For this year alone, the group’s AI capital spending is forecast to jump from 1.5% of GDP in 2025 to roughly 2.5%, nearly matching the 2.7% share of GDP allocated to defense spending. The five firms’ combined AI capital expenditures are projected to top $800 billion in 2026, then climb to a record $1.1 trillion in 2027. These figures are "staggering".
2 hours ago
US and South Korean stocks Monday price preview: Micron Technology is forecast to rise more than 6% in pre-market trading, while Samsung Electronics is expected to open 4% higher.
Due to the U.S. Independence Day holiday (July 3), U.S. stock markets were closed last Friday, paired with the regular weekend closure. "On-chain Nasdaq" Trade.xyz enables continuous trading and real-time price discovery unavailable in traditional finance via perpetual contracts, pricing in advance for Monday’s U.S. and South Korean stock sessions. Top U.S. stock tickers on Trade.xyz showed mixed moves compared to Thursday’s after-hours trading, and are expected to consolidate with minor fluctuations ahead of Monday’s pre-market. Weekend performance details: Micron (MU) is currently at $1038.71, versus $976.63 in U.S. Thursday after-hours trading; SanDisk (SNDK) at $1856.65, versus $1762.011 Thursday after-hours; NVIDIA at $197.83, versus $194.44 Thursday after-hours; Intel at $124.2, versus $121 Thursday after-hours; Google at $360.06, versus $359.91 Thursday after-hours; AMD at $537.34, versus $519.5 Thursday after-hours; SpaceX at $161.27, versus $160.95 Thursday after-hours. For top South Korean stock tickers on Trade.xyz, their weekend performance is as follows: Samsung Electronics is currently at $210.49, versus $202.35 at Friday’s close; SK Hynix is at $1623.16, versus $1585 at Friday’s close.
2 hours ago
SK Hynix seeks to attract more AI investors via its US listing.
SK Hynix’s upcoming $29 billion U.S. stock market listing could be the largest initial public offering (IPO) by a foreign company in history, but the move is not just about raising capital. More importantly, the firm aims to compete in the hottest segment of global stock markets right now: memory chips for AI computing. Daniel Morgan, senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust (which holds Micron stock), said the market is in a period of extreme hype for chip stocks, and now is a good time to bring U.S. investors on board for its shares. Zhou Di, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment Management (which holds SK Hynix stock), noted that the offering targets investors who currently cannot access South Korea’s stock market. SK Hynix’s Nasdaq listing gives investors direct, frictionless access to one of the most attractive pure-play assets in the AI memory cycle. (Jin Shi)
2 hours ago
Ming-Chi Kuo: Foldable iPhone may repeat the iPhone X playbook, launching later and facing supply constraints through the end of the year.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated in a note that the foldable iPhone could repeat the iPhone X playbook: it will be unveiled alongside other models, but pre-orders and official launch will be delayed, and supply shortages may persist through the end of 2026. Based on third-quarter 2026 production volumes, the foldable iPhone is likely to mirror the 2017 iPhone X. That year, the iPhone X was unveiled alongside the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus on September 12, but due to insufficient stock, pre-orders were pushed back to October 27 and official sales to November 3. Given the foldable iPhone’s limited third-quarter shipments, it may also open pre-orders and official sales only in the fourth quarter of 2026. After discussions with telecom operators, sales channels, and resellers/parallel import agents, Kuo concluded that even if the foldable iPhone is priced at roughly $2,300 to $2,500, demand will remain strong at least through the end of 2026. This means the device could sell out rapidly once pre-orders open, with shipment wait times potentially jumping to 4 to 6 weeks or longer, extending into December. He added that the foldable iPhone’s initial limited supply, distinct design, and innovative user experience could drive up short-term resale prices, with resale prices 50% to 100% higher than the official retail price not being out of the question.
2 hours ago
Analysis: Powell’s tight-lipped approach makes the Fed’s June meeting minutes even more important.
George Goncalves, Head of US Macro Strategy at MUFG Securities Americas, noted that Waller’s concise communication style makes the June Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes carry more weight than usual, offering valuable insight into the differing stances among Fed officials. “The meeting minutes will become even more important because, up to now, we don’t know what the Fed is thinking,” Goncalves said. “It will be very instructive to see how they debate and what they prioritize.” He added that some investors have questioned Waller’s “hands-off” approach, with many calling for a return to greater transparency. Many market participants are unaccustomed to reduced information flow, and there remains considerable skepticism over how long the Fed can maintain this stance. For now, we can only read between the lines. (Source: Jinshi)
Bitcoin’s rebound has not removed the risk of another volatile move. CryptoQuant is warning that exchange deposit activity has picked up across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins, a pattern that often appears when traders are preparing to move risk around quickly.
That does not automatically mean a crash is coming. It does mean the market is becoming more sensitive.
For more details, visit the official Cryptoquant platform.
TL;DR CryptoQuant’s latest market read points to a jump in exchange deposits, including elevated Bitcoin inflows. Rising deposits can be a volatility signal because coins moving to exchanges are more likely to be sold, hedged, rotated, or used as collateral.
The important word is “can.” On-chain deposits are not a perfect sell signal. Sometimes coins move to exchanges for liquidity management, derivative margin, or market-making activity. But when deposits spike while price is already under pressure, traders tend to pay attention.
That is the situation Bitcoin is in now. BTC has stabilised, but the wider market still feels jumpy. ETF flows have been uneven, altcoins are fragile, and macro risk appetite is not giving crypto a clean tailwind.
Why Deposits Matter Here Exchange inflows matter because they change the available supply profile. Coins sitting in cold storage are usually less likely to hit the market quickly. Coins arriving on exchanges are more flexible. They can be sold, used to open positions, or shifted into other assets.
When a large number of coins arrives at once, the market starts asking why.
If the inflow is driven by whales preparing to sell, spot pressure can build. If it is linked to derivatives positioning, volatility can rise even if the coins are not immediately dumped. If it reflects market makers preparing for higher activity, price can swing both ways.
That is why the signal is more about volatility than direction. The market is being primed for movement.
Bitcoin Needs More Than A Bounce Bitcoin’s short-term recovery gives bulls room to argue that sellers are losing control. But on-chain deposit pressure complicates that argument.
A healthy rebound usually wants to see coins moving away from exchanges, not toward them. It wants accumulation, calmer leverage, and improving flows. If deposits keep rising, traders may stay defensive even while price holds above recent lows.
The next phase will depend on whether those deposited coins become sell pressure. If Bitcoin absorbs the inflows and holds its recovery, that would be a constructive sign. It would show that the market can handle supply without breaking.
If price rolls over while deposits remain elevated, the CryptoQuant warning will look more serious.
For now, this is not a panic signal. It is a caution flag. Bitcoin has bounced, but the market is still loaded with enough exchange-side activity to make the next move sharp.
This report is based on information from CryptoQuant.
The practical takeaway is that traders should avoid reading the current rebound in isolation. A market can look stable on the surface while exchange-side liquidity is preparing for a larger move. That is why deposit data belongs next to ETF flows, funding conditions, and spot support levels when assessing Bitcoin risk this week.
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
Gareth Soloway, chief market strategist at VerifiedInvesting.com, says the crypto market has entered a meaningful short-term recovery phase, but warns that the bigger bear market trend has not yet ended and further downside remains likely later in the year.
Bitcoin: $73,000 to $74,000 in Sight, But Sub-$50,000 Still Possible
Bitcoin rallied from around $57,800 back to approximately $62,700 and Soloway believes the move has further room to run. His near-term target sits at the $73,000 to $74,000 range, where a key downsloping trend line provides resistance. As long as Bitcoin holds above $58,000 on a confirmed closing basis, he is maintaining a bullish short-term bias.
However, Soloway was clear that this is a swing trade setup, not a reversal of the broader trend. He still expects Bitcoin to eventually break below $50,000 as part of the bear market’s final phase, which he describes as a bottoming process that typically takes the form of a rounded base or cup and handle structure. The trigger for that final flush, in his view, would be a broad risk-off event where capital exits everything, including crypto, gold, and biotech simultaneously.
Ethereum: Parallel Trend Line Breakout Targeting $2,000
Ethereum has broken out of an important trend line structure. He sees initial resistance around $1,800 but expects ETH to push through toward $2,000, where he would reassess. The breakout is notable because the trend lines on Ethereum are running parallel to Bitcoin’s structure, which he says signals order within the broader market chaos.
XRP: Wedge Break Could Mean More Upside
XRP broke out of a multi-month wedge pattern that stretched back to early 2025. The longer a wedge forms, Soloway argues, the larger the breakout move tends to be. XRP has already moved from around $1.02 to $1.17. He expects a pullback toward $1.10 to $1.15 before the next leg higher, targeting the $1.25 resistance zone as an exit point for his current trade.
Story Ends Here
Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.
Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.
Sponsored and Advertisements:Sponsored content and affiliate links may appear on our site. Advertisements are marked clearly, and our editorial content remains entirely independent from our ad partners.
Ethereum’s price has staged a notable recovery, buoyed by persistent demand between the $1,400 and $1,600 levels. After forming a double-bottom pattern near $1,500, ETH climbed as high as $1,767, suggesting that sellers are losing ground and buyers are regaining influence in the short term.
Critical technical barrier around $1,800The market’s focus has now shifted to the resistance at the neckline, located between $1,780 and $1,800. A daily close above this range could confirm a bullish reversal, potentially setting the stage for further gains. If buyers manage to propel ETH above this threshold, price targets at $1,900 and $2,000 become viable, with the formation’s measured objective pointing up to $2,160.
However, a rejection below $1,800 remains a real possibility and may trigger another pullback. In this alternative scenario, Ethereum could retrace first to $1,700 and possibly revisit the strong demand area at $1,600. Shoring up above this zone is considered crucial for maintaining the current constructive outlook.
Crypto analyst DON highlights that while momentum is building in Ethereum, further confirmation is needed before declaring a lasting uptrend.
Indicators favor the bullsTechnical indicators are reinforcing the recovery outlook. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has risen to 55.53, with its moving average at 40.53. Surpassing the neutral 50 mark after bouncing from oversold territory signals intensifying buying pressure. Importantly, the RSI is not yet overbought, suggesting there’s still room for Ethereum to climb.
The MACD picture also remains upbeat. The MACD line is at minus 22.84, comfortably above the signal line at minus 53.27. A histogram expansion to 30.43 reveals strengthening positive momentum. The widening gap between the lines signals that buyers are consolidating their control.
IndicatorLevelCommentRSI55.53Above the neutral 50 markRSI average40.53Supports the recovery trendMACD-22.84Above the signal lineSignal line-53.27Strengthens the bullish outlookHistogram30.43Positive momentum is buildingEthereum’s roadmap targets quantum resistanceBeyond the short-term price action, Ethereum has also unveiled a roadmap to futureproof its network against attacks from quantum computers. As one of the largest blockchains powering smart contracts and decentralized applications, Ethereum’s focus on quantum resistance signals a forward-thinking approach to network security.
Mini glossary: Quantum resistance refers to safeguarding cryptographic systems against the potential threat posed by powerful quantum computers. Such measures ensure the long-term security of digital wallets and blockchain infrastructure.
Progress in this area over the next three to four years could prove decisive for Ethereum’s security, scalability, and efficiency. Experts suggest that if the plan succeeds, it could slash application costs by over ten times and pave the way for broader adoption of the Ethereum network.
Ethereum’s quantum resistance strategy aims to boost network security, improve scalability, and cut application expenses by more than a factor of ten.
In the near term, sustaining the bullish momentum will require a breakout above resistance, underpinned by strong buying volume. Otherwise, Ethereum may continue to consolidate below this region before attempting another move upward.
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.
Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of Ethereum, has rolled out a detailed three to four year roadmap aimed at future proofing the network against that looming threat: quantum computing. Announced as a sweeping set of upgrades, the plan envisions infrastructure changes stretching to around 2029, seeking not only to bolster security but also to propel further gains in scalability and efficiency for the Ethereum ecosystem.
A new era in transaction verification and signature structureCentral to the proposed roadmap is a strategic shift from today’s transaction re-execution model towards native STARK verification. Ethereum’s distributed apps, under this new model, could see verification become far more efficient, with some calculations predicted to cost over ten times less than the current approach.
Mini dictionary: STARK is a cryptographic proof method based on zero knowledge proofs, designed to verify transactions without replaying their details and to significantly enhance efficiency.
With this verification leap, the Ethereum network is poised to better handle surging transaction volumes and ever more intricate decentralized apps. The roadmap also proposes replacing current ECDSA and BLS signature schemes with hash based alternatives that are quantum resistant, building a stronger defense for the future.
Vitalik Buterin’s roadmap aims to make Ethereum quantum resistant while slashing verification costs by over a factor of 10 on some applications.
These cryptographic upgrades are seen as pivotal for securing user assets, supporting validator operations and safeguarding the integrity of the Ethereum blockchain. Many analysts agree: advances in quantum technology could soon challenge today’s encryption methods, making these preparations critical.
Expanding storage and research horizonsEthereum is also setting its sights on a massive boost in storage: by 2030, the network aspires to handle around 100 terabytes of state data. This vast expansion is geared towards increasing scalability without sacrificing performance, opening doors for more robust DeFi protocols, tokenized assets, and enterprise grade blockchain uses.
The Ethereum Foundation is ramping up research too, having established a new team dedicated to post quantum security as of January 2026. This nonprofit supports core research and development vital to the entire Ethereum ecosystem.
Current initiatives include leanXMSS post quantum security signatures, leanVM (a zero knowledge virtual machine focused on signature compression), weekly interoperability tests involving over ten different client teams, and various projects on optimizing data availability infrastructure.
Shifting cryptographic infrastructure on a blockchain with global usage demands a long term phase in, involving multiple years of testing, coordination, and progressive deployment before full implementation is possible.
Notably, Ethereum’s new roadmap aligns with cryptography standards developed in 2024 by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. Meanwhile, EIP 8141 introduces local account abstraction, meaning users can adopt quantum resistant signatures without having to trigger a full network wide upgrade.
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.
Glamsterdam, @ethereum's next major hard fork, has reached its final devnet stage with ten Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) locked in. Core developers call it the most significant protocol change since The Merge.
Two EIPs Driving the UpgradeTwo proposals sit at the heart of the upgrade. Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS), defined in EIP-7732, integrates the block-building process directly into the Ethereum protocol. This removes the current 80 to 90 percent reliance on third-party relays like MEV-Boost, reducing centralization risks and ensuring a fairer, more transparent distribution of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV).
The second headliner is EIP-7928, Block-Level Access Lists (BALs). Block-level Access Lists let blocks declare the accounts and state they will touch, enabling faster parallel execution and raising the L1 transactions-per-second ceiling.
Beyond the two headliners, the package also contains EIP-7708 (ETH transfers and burns emit a log), EIP-7778 (block gas accounting without refunds), EIP-7843 (a SLOTNUM opcode), EIP-7954 (raising the maximum contract size from roughly 24 KiB to 32 KiB), EIP-7975 (eth/70 partial block receipt lists), EIP-8024 (backward-compatible SWAPN, DUPN and EXCHANGE opcodes), EIP-8037 (state-creation gas-cost increase), and EIP-8159 (eth/71 Block Access List Exchange).
Gas Limit and TimelineTogether, the two headline proposals clear a path toward a dramatically higher gas ceiling. The 200 million gas limit is the design target for what Glamsterdam unblocks, not a value the fork itself enforces. Validators set the limit via standard gas-vote signaling, which they currently coordinate around the 60 million range, and would step it up only as nodes prove they can handle the larger blocks without degraded propagation.
The final devnet is the last major engineering phase before client releases, security reviews, and public testnets. Holesky and Hoodi will fork before mainnet, and only after multi-client stability holds for several epochs across those networks. Past forks have run two to four months of public-testnet seasoning, putting a mainnet window broadly between September and December 2026.
Ethereum Foundation contributors note Glamsterdam is proving trickier and slower than Fusaka, so a slip remains possible. No firm mainnet activation slot has been set. What is clear is that $ETH's base layer, if the upgrade lands on schedule, will be materially more capable heading into 2027.
Sources:
The Defiant: Ethereum's Glamsterdam Upgrade Enters Final Devnet Phase
Datawallet: Ethereum Glamsterdam Upgrade and EIPs Explained
Kiln: Glamsterdam, Ethereum's Next Hard Fork Explained
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin published his takeaways from an updated version of the network's draft long-term roadmap, describing the multi-year "Lean Ethereum" effort as a near-total rebuild of how the network operates.
In an X post Saturday, Buterin wrote that Lean Ethereum "is not a single one-shot upgrade" but a series of improvements arriving over three or four years. Still, he called it "the third major iteration" of Ethereum, on par with the Merge, adding that "almost every major piece of the protocol will be replaced."
The post follows a meeting of Ethereum researchers in Berlin in late June, Buterin said. The revised plan is published at strawmap.org, the draft roadmap that Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake introduced in February, which outlines seven network upgrades through 2029.
The changes Buterin listed touch nearly everything: how the network confirms transactions are valid, the cryptography protecting it from future quantum computers, how quickly transactions become final, and how the chain stores its data. He said the transition can happen without breaking existing apps, writing, "We've done this before (the Merge), we can do it again."
Buterin also gave the effort a timeline marker, saying Hegota, currently slated as Ethereum's second upgrade of 2026, is probably the network's last thematically "pre-Lean" fork. In other words, nearly every upgrade after this year will be part of the rebuild.
A cheaper way to store data Buterin identified the storage changes as "probably the single most disruptive part of the plan." Today, Ethereum keeps all of its state data, from token balances to exchange contracts, in a single, expensive-to-maintain format; the plan would keep that system for the most complex applications while adding a new, cheaper tier for simpler ones.
As an illustration, he described a possible Ethereum in 2030 where the new storage tier holds 50 times more data than the old one. The emphasis extends the case Buterin made in March for restructuring how Ethereum stores state.
Most tokens, NFTs, and DeFi apps could use the cheaper tier, Buterin said, while complex systems like Uniswap's exchange contracts would stay on the existing one. No app would be forced to move, but he said migrating would be "very cost-effective": a token redesigned for the new system could see transaction fees fall by more than 10x.
Quantum safety and privacy move up in priority Buterin said quantum safety has "shifted up a LOT in priority." The concern is that future quantum computers could break the cryptography securing today's blockchains, and the roadmap calls for replacing every vulnerable component before that becomes possible.
The most pressing piece, he said, is finding a quantum-safe design for blobs, the temporary data storage that Layer 2 networks rely on to keep their fees low. Buterin said that work has become urgent and has already been underway for months.
Privacy received similar billing. "Privacy is no longer an afterthought, it is a first class goal," Buterin wrote, saying new features are now designed from the start around the question of how private transactions would work through them. The stance extends a push he has led through efforts like the foundation's Kohaku wallet framework.
Both themes sit among the strawmap's five "north star" goals, which include a quantum-proof network secured for the long term and private ETH transfers built directly into the base layer, rather than left to third-party apps.
Replacing Ethereum's engine Buterin also revisited the long-term push to move past the Ethereum Virtual Machine, the software environment that runs every application on the network. He named RISC-V and leanISA, two alternative computing formats, as the most likely replacements, though he acknowledged that outcome is "still far away."
His stated ideal is a network that runs entirely on the new engine, with the current EVM kept around as a translation layer so that existing apps continue to work untouched. A more efficient engine would make it far cheaper to mathematically prove that transactions are valid, a core requirement of the Lean Ethereum design, and easier to build privacy features directly into apps, he said.
In March, Buterin sketched a gradual path to get there: introduce the new format for limited internal use first, then let developers write apps in it, and only retire the EVM at the end.
The idea has been contested since Buterin first proposed a RISC-V swap in April 2025. Researchers at Offchain Labs, the core developer behind Arbitrum, argued last November that WebAssembly is the better choice; it did not appear among the contenders Buterin listed Saturday.
Timeline pressure Buterin said Ethereum's capacity will keep rising steadily over roughly the next five years, with a large gas limit increase, meaning more room for transactions in each block, expected in the Glamsterdam upgrade. Glamsterdam, originally expected in the first half of 2026, has yet to activate, with Hegota scheduled to follow.
The post arrives about a week and a half after the Ethereum Foundation concluded a restructuring that cut 54 staff, roughly 20% of its workforce. Buterin closed by writing "Ethereum is CROPS," a reference to the censorship resistance, open source, privacy, and security properties he has said should define the foundation's narrowed focus.
Ether (ETH) was trading at roughly $1,780 as of Sunday afternoon Eastern Time, down about 1% over the past day, according to The Block's Ethereum Price page.
Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.
Vitalik Buterin just told the Ethereum community to buckle up for another multi-year construction project. The co-founder unveiled the “Lean Ethereum” roadmap on July 4-5, describing it as the most significant redesign the network has undergone since it ditched proof-of-work back in September 2022.
The full rebuild is expected to take three to four years.
What’s actually in the plan The roadmap, developed alongside Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, attacks three problems simultaneously: simplification, privacy, and quantum resistance. Full implementation of post-quantum cryptographic signatures is targeted for 2029.
On the technical side, the plan involves replacing quantum-vulnerable components with a recursive STARK-based verification mechanism. The roadmap also introduces a new multidimensional gas pricing system, which would let the network price different types of computational resources independently rather than lumping everything into a single fee.
Advertisement
By 2030, Ethereum is projected to handle roughly 2 TB of dynamic state and support a 100 TB state model. The expanded capacity is designed to better serve ERC-20 tokens, NFTs, and DeFi applications.
The roadmap includes considerations to move beyond the Ethereum Virtual Machine entirely. Alternatives like RISC-V or a custom architecture called leanISA are being explored.
Context: Ethereum’s third act This marks Ethereum’s third major iteration. The first was the original proof-of-work chain launched in 2015. The second was the Merge in September 2022, which transitioned the network to proof-of-stake and cut its energy consumption by over 99%. Now comes the simplification era.
The Ethereum Foundation recently underwent significant operational restructuring, cutting its budget by approximately 40% and reducing its workforce by about 20%, amounting to 54 jobs, in June 2026.
What this means for investors The Merge proved that Ethereum can execute massive upgrades without breaking everything. A three-to-four-year timeline with incremental milestones gives the market predictable checkpoints rather than a single high-stakes deadline.
The projected state capacity increases, 2 TB dynamic and 100 TB total by 2030, also have competitive implications. If Ethereum can handle dramatically more on-chain activity without sacrificing decentralization, it narrows the argument for alternative Layer 1s that pitch themselves primarily on throughput.
One risk worth watching: the potential EVM migration. Every smart contract on Ethereum today runs on the EVM. Transitioning to RISC-V or leanISA would require either backward compatibility layers or developer migration, both of which introduce friction.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Vitalik Buterin is mapping out Ethereum’s most ambitious multi-year overhaul yet, and quantum computing is the reason it’s moving faster than anyone expected. The Ethereum co-founder revealed that quantum safety has “shifted up a LOT in priority,” reshaping the network’s upgrade roadmap in ways that will define the next half-decade of development.
At the center of this plan sits the Hegota hard fork, targeted for the second half of 2026. Buterin indicated it will likely be the last upgrade before Ethereum enters what he calls its “Lean” phase, a streamlined era focused on simplification and resilience against threats that don’t fully exist yet but are getting uncomfortably close.
The Strawmap: seven forks in four years The broader transformation Buterin is describing goes by the name “Strawmap.” It’s essentially a sketch of approximately seven anticipated hard forks spanning from 2026 through 2030.
Advertisement
The three pillars of this plan are quantum resistance, statelessness through Verkle Trees, and operational simplification.
The Hegota fork, sometimes referred to as H-star, follows the earlier Glamsterdam upgrade and is expected to land around late Q3 or Q4 of 2026. Two key proposals are driving the conversation around what Hegota will include.
First is EIP-8141, which introduces “frame transactions” designed to support native post-quantum signatures. Second is EIP-7805, known as FOCIL (Forced Inclusion Lists). This one targets censorship resistance by creating enforced inclusion lists that make it harder for block builders to selectively exclude transactions.
The quantum clock is ticking, sort of Buterin places a 20% probability on a significant quantum breakthrough occurring before 2030. Most estimates for “Q-Day,” the hypothetical moment when quantum computers can break current cryptographic standards, land somewhere in the 2030s.
The Strawmap spreads the work across seven forks rather than attempting one massive overhaul, with Hegota laying the foundational groundwork through native post-quantum signature support.
What this means for investors The market has not shown any immediate reaction to the Strawmap or Hegota proposals. The Verkle Trees component of the Strawmap also deserves attention. Statelessness, the ability for nodes to validate blocks without storing the entire state history, would dramatically lower the hardware requirements for running a node.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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.
CZ’s like on the donation tweet for meme coin TCC pushes the token’s market cap to briefly top $72 million.
Crypto community user ddotaek posted that he has shifted from the Solana-based MEME coin market, which he described as "constantly being rugged", to BNB Chain, noting that the BNB ecosystem "truly supports builders and long-term projects". He cited advantages including no rug pulls, no bot-driven wash trading, and clean launches (he personally verified front-running cases). He also mentioned that project team @TCryptochicks donated 10 million TCC tokens to GiggleAcademy, an educational charity founded by CZ. CZ later liked the tweet, lifting market sentiment, and TCC’s market cap briefly surged past $72 million before retreating to around $54 million. Previously, the "Giggle" token gained CZ’s public like and retweet in September 2025 via a donation to GiggleAcademy, with its market cap once soaring to over $100 million. CZ once stated "this completely changed my view on MEME coins", but later clarified multiple times that the related tokens were not officially issued by GiggleAcademy, and reminded holders to watch for subsequent selling pressure. BlockBeats reminds users: Most MEME coins have no practical use cases and are highly volatile. Please protect your assets and do not FOMO.
2 hours ago
Ethereum’s net supply increased by 83,550 ETH over the past 30 days.
According to data from Ultrasound.money, Ethereum's net supply has increased by 83,550 ETH over the past 30 days, bringing its total supply to 121,838,278 ETH, with the current annual supply growth rate standing at 0.835%.
2 hours ago
AI capital expenditure is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2027, potentially surpassing U.S. defense spending for the first time.
The Kobeissi Letter stated in a post that the AI spending boom is reshaping the U.S. economy. AI capital expenditures by Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle are projected to rise to roughly 3.2% of U.S. GDP by 2027. If the forecast holds, annual AI capital spending will for the first time exceed U.S. defense outlays, which are expected to account for around 2.7% of GDP next year. For this year alone, the group’s AI capital spending is forecast to jump from 1.5% of GDP in 2025 to roughly 2.5%, nearly matching the 2.7% share of GDP allocated to defense spending. The five firms’ combined AI capital expenditures are projected to top $800 billion in 2026, then climb to a record $1.1 trillion in 2027. These figures are "staggering".
2 hours ago
US and South Korean stocks Monday price preview: Micron Technology is forecast to rise more than 6% in pre-market trading, while Samsung Electronics is expected to open 4% higher.
Due to the U.S. Independence Day holiday (July 3), U.S. stock markets were closed last Friday, paired with the regular weekend closure. "On-chain Nasdaq" Trade.xyz enables continuous trading and real-time price discovery unavailable in traditional finance via perpetual contracts, pricing in advance for Monday’s U.S. and South Korean stock sessions. Top U.S. stock tickers on Trade.xyz showed mixed moves compared to Thursday’s after-hours trading, and are expected to consolidate with minor fluctuations ahead of Monday’s pre-market. Weekend performance details: Micron (MU) is currently at $1038.71, versus $976.63 in U.S. Thursday after-hours trading; SanDisk (SNDK) at $1856.65, versus $1762.011 Thursday after-hours; NVIDIA at $197.83, versus $194.44 Thursday after-hours; Intel at $124.2, versus $121 Thursday after-hours; Google at $360.06, versus $359.91 Thursday after-hours; AMD at $537.34, versus $519.5 Thursday after-hours; SpaceX at $161.27, versus $160.95 Thursday after-hours. For top South Korean stock tickers on Trade.xyz, their weekend performance is as follows: Samsung Electronics is currently at $210.49, versus $202.35 at Friday’s close; SK Hynix is at $1623.16, versus $1585 at Friday’s close.
2 hours ago
SK Hynix seeks to attract more AI investors via its US listing.
SK Hynix’s upcoming $29 billion U.S. stock market listing could be the largest initial public offering (IPO) by a foreign company in history, but the move is not just about raising capital. More importantly, the firm aims to compete in the hottest segment of global stock markets right now: memory chips for AI computing. Daniel Morgan, senior portfolio manager at Synovus Trust (which holds Micron stock), said the market is in a period of extreme hype for chip stocks, and now is a good time to bring U.S. investors on board for its shares. Zhou Di, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment Management (which holds SK Hynix stock), noted that the offering targets investors who currently cannot access South Korea’s stock market. SK Hynix’s Nasdaq listing gives investors direct, frictionless access to one of the most attractive pure-play assets in the AI memory cycle. (Jin Shi)
2 hours ago
Ming-Chi Kuo: Foldable iPhone may repeat the iPhone X playbook, launching later and facing supply constraints through the end of the year.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated in a note that the foldable iPhone could repeat the iPhone X playbook: it will be unveiled alongside other models, but pre-orders and official launch will be delayed, and supply shortages may persist through the end of 2026. Based on third-quarter 2026 production volumes, the foldable iPhone is likely to mirror the 2017 iPhone X. That year, the iPhone X was unveiled alongside the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus on September 12, but due to insufficient stock, pre-orders were pushed back to October 27 and official sales to November 3. Given the foldable iPhone’s limited third-quarter shipments, it may also open pre-orders and official sales only in the fourth quarter of 2026. After discussions with telecom operators, sales channels, and resellers/parallel import agents, Kuo concluded that even if the foldable iPhone is priced at roughly $2,300 to $2,500, demand will remain strong at least through the end of 2026. This means the device could sell out rapidly once pre-orders open, with shipment wait times potentially jumping to 4 to 6 weeks or longer, extending into December. He added that the foldable iPhone’s initial limited supply, distinct design, and innovative user experience could drive up short-term resale prices, with resale prices 50% to 100% higher than the official retail price not being out of the question.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has named quantum resistance, scalability and privacy as three of Ethereum's top priorities under a new "Lean Ethereum" strawmap, which lays out the network's technical direction for the remainder of the decade.
In a post to X on Saturday, Buterin said the collection of upgrades will roll out over the next three to four years, touching nearly every layer of Ethereum in a transformation he compared in scale to the September 2022 Merge, which shifted the network away from energy-intensive mining.
“Quantum safety has shifted up a LOT in priority,” he said, adding that finalizing a quantum-safe solution for blobs has “become urgent.” Enhancing privacy is another priority, Buterin said, stating that it has become a “first class goal.”
The “Lean Ethereum” strawmap timeline from 2026 through to 2029. Source: Strawmap.org
The change in roadmap comes amid a series of changes at the Ethereum Foundation, which laid off roughly 20% of its staff last month in a bid to become leaner and reduce its budget by 40%.
The leaner structure comes on top of several executive departures in recent months, including Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz Stańczak, while protocol contributors Tim Beiko and Barnabé Monnot also left in May.
Buterin is also pushing for the development of a new virtual machine like leanISA or RISC-V to support programmable privacy and better scalability.
Questions remain over Buterin’s timelineDankrad Feist, a researcher behind the payments-focused layer-1 Tempo blockchain, praised the new plan but argued the 3-4 year timeline is too slow, stating that AI could help developers ship the upgrades within a year.
Crypto analyst Ignas Fiodorovas was also in favor of the plan but cast doubt on the Ethereum Foundation's ability to deliver the upgrades within the stated timeline, citing the organization's history of missing deadlines.
Fiodorovas said the only key feature missing from the roadmap was improved tokenomics for Ether (ETH), which has continued to slide in price amid a broader market downturn.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
