Japanese convenience store chain Lawson will begin a pilot program in August to test the use of yen-denominated stablecoins for payments at its Tokyo Takanawa Gateway City branch. The initiative will examine whether stablecoin transactions can be seamlessly integrated into typical convenience store checkout processes.
Lawson partners with HashPort and KDDI for pilotHashPort, a blockchain development company based in Japan, announced on Monday that it has entered into an agreement with Lawson and telecommunications giant KDDI to launch this pilot project. The collaboration aims to evaluate how stablecoin payments could be adopted within the country’s established retail infrastructure.
During the trial, customers will utilize HashPort’s non-custodial wallet to make payments. Meanwhile, Lawson will process these stablecoin transactions using its existing point-of-sale systems, removing the necessity for merchants or staff to operate or maintain crypto wallets directly.
This test environment is designed to shield store operators from many of the technological and operational complexities that are typically involved with digital asset acceptance in a retail context.
The partners intend to assess areas such as integration with current retail systems, payment processing speed, day-to-day checkout operations, and the overall usability of digital wallets before examining the potential for expansion to other locations or wider adoption.
Mini dictionary: HashPort is a Japanese blockchain company specializing in digital asset infrastructure and non-custodial wallet solutions for businesses and consumers in the country’s rapidly evolving crypto market.
Lawson’s partnership with HashPort and KDDI centers on making stablecoin payments accessible inside everyday retail settings, focusing on operational simplicity for merchants while using familiar checkout systems.
Netstars unveils Stablecoin Pay service for merchantsSeparately, Japanese payment service provider Netstars has announced the commercial launch of Stablecoin Pay, a new application allowing merchants to accept multiple stablecoins as payment options. The service, which became available on Monday, initially supports USDC, USDT, and the yen-backed JPYC cryptocurrencies across the Solana and Polygon blockchain networks. Users can complete transactions by connecting to the service via the MetaMask wallet.
Netstars confirmed that merchants can use their existing payment terminals in most scenarios, with product pricing, sales records, and settlements all managed in yen regardless of whether customers pay in yen-pegged or US dollar-pegged stablecoins such as USDC or USDT. The service sets the merchant transaction fee at 0.98% and plans to broaden access by incorporating additional wallets and supported blockchains in the future.
FeatureLawson PilotNetstars Stablecoin PayLocationsTakanawa Gateway City (Tokyo)Open to merchants nationwideSupported StablecoinsYen-denominated only (pilot)USDC, USDT, JPYCWallet SolutionHashPort non-custodial walletMetaMaskBlockchain NetworksNot disclosedSolana, PolygonMerchant FeeNot disclosed0.98%Netstars previously piloted stablecoin payments with USDC at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport from January to February and at a trading-card store in Himeji in April. The shift from limited pilot tests to the launch of a full commercial service demonstrates the growing trend among Japanese companies to offer consumers new options for using digital assets in daily transactions.
Regulatory landscape and recent developmentsJapan has been advancing its regulatory stance on stablecoins over the past year. On June 1, 2023, the country implemented amendments to the Payment Services Act and related regulations, introducing a dedicated legal framework for stablecoins. This legislation created specific categories for fiat-linked digital currencies and mandated that firms operating as intermediaries register with the Financial Services Agency (FSA), Japan’s primary financial regulator.
Following these reforms, Japan’s authorities approved the distribution of USDC in March 2025 and registered JPYC as a fund transfer service provider in August 2025, paving the way for the launch of the JPYC stablecoin in October of the same year.
Japanese regulators have taken steps to clarify rules around stablecoins and digital assets, promoting a regulated market that supports the growth of consumer-facing crypto payment solutions.
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.
In a significant development for the cryptocurrency sector, Circle has received final approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish a national trust bank, named Circle National Trust. This move positions Circle to bring its USDC stablecoin under federal oversight, potentially enhancing institutional confidence in digital currencies. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have called for hearings on former President Donald Trump’s substantial cryptocurrency earnings amid national security concerns. Additionally, a new law temporarily bans the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC), although private stablecoins remain unaffected. Lastly, a bug in Ethereum’s gossipsub protocol, discovered by AI agents, has been patched to prevent validator disruptions.
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Key Takeaways Circle’s approval to open a national trust bank appears to enhance market confidence, possibly impacting Bitcoin demand positively. The temporary ban on a Fed-issued CBDC, while leaving private stablecoins unaffected, suggests a complex regulatory landscape for digital currencies. The Ethereum bug patch indicates proactive measures in the blockchain space to ensure network stability and security. What to Watch Markets will likely monitor the impact of Circle’s new federal status on institutional interest in cryptocurrencies, which could influence Bitcoin’s market dynamics. Attention will also be on regulatory developments, particularly any changes in the stance of U.S. lawmakers towards digital currencies. The resolution of the Ethereum bug demonstrates the importance of ongoing technical vigilance, suggesting that further discoveries or patches could continue to affect sentiment within the crypto space.
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Term Structure
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h July 13 2026 99.9% — — View market → July 13 2026 99.2% — — View market → July 13 2026 93.2% — — View market → July 13 2026 0.1% — — View market → July 13 2026 0.1% — — View market → July 13 2026 0.1% — — View market → July 13 2026 6.6% — — View market → July 13 2026 0.1% — — View market → July 13 2026 99.9% — — View market → July 13 2026 99.9% — — View market →
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.
Stablecoin listings can look routine until you pay attention to the chain. Kraken adding USDT0 and USDC.e support on Arbitrum is really a story about where exchange infrastructure is moving: toward cheaper, faster settlement rails that users actually want to touch.
That is important because stablecoins are no longer just exchange quote assets. They are becoming the payment, collateral, and transfer layer for much of crypto.
For more details, visit the official Kraken platform.
TL;DR Kraken listed USDT0 and USDC.e stablecoin support tied to Arbitrum.The listings expand the exchange’s stablecoin options beyond mainnet-only flows.For users, cheaper deposit and transfer routes remain a practical reason to care about Layer-2 support. Why Arbitrum Support Matters Ethereum mainnet remains important, but transaction costs still shape user behaviour. Arbitrum gives exchanges a way to offer stablecoin access without forcing every user through the most expensive settlement environment.
For traders, that can mean lower friction around deposits, withdrawals, and movement between venues. For exchanges, it helps keep users inside their ecosystem instead of sending them to competing platforms with better network support.
Stablecoin Competition Is Infrastructure Competition The fight over stablecoin support is increasingly a fight over infrastructure. Users care about which tokens are accepted, but they also care about which networks make those tokens cheap and fast to move.
Kraken’s listing adds to that trend. The more venues support Layer-2 stablecoins, the more normal it becomes to treat L2s as production rails rather than optional side routes.
Why The Detail Matters Now The practical takeaway is that Kraken stories now have to be read through both market structure and product execution. A headline can create attention, but the more durable signal is whether the underlying source points to real activity, a real filing, a real integration, or a measurable change in how users and institutions behave.
That is why this development is worth separating from ordinary market noise. It gives readers a specific point to track over the next few sessions rather than a vague reason to be bullish or bearish. If follow-up data confirms the direction, the story can build. If not, it still gives the market a clearer snapshot of where attention is concentrating today.
The Market Read The cleaner way to read this story is not to force it into a simple bullish or bearish box. For Kraken readers, the useful part is the change in context. A new filing, integration, market signal, or regulatory step can alter how traders think about the next few sessions even when it does not instantly change price.
That is especially true after the last few volatile weeks, when crypto has been dealing with a mix of ETF flows, legal updates, exchange listings, protocol upgrades, and shifting liquidity. The market is no longer reacting to one dominant theme. It is weighing several smaller signals at once, and that makes source-backed developments more important than ordinary chatter.
Why Readers Should Keep This On The Radar For NewsBTC readers, the important question is what this changes from here. If follow-up data, filings, governance updates, or wallet movement confirm the direction, the story can develop into a larger market theme. If the next update is weak, delayed, or contradicted by new data, the market may quickly move on.
That is why the scope matters. This article is not treating the development as a guaranteed price trigger. It is treating it as a fresh signal inside a market that is trying to sort durable activity from short-term noise. The distinction is important because crypto narratives can move faster than the facts behind them.
The next thing to watch is whether this becomes part of a wider pattern. In some cases that means more institutional flows. In others it means stronger developer adoption, cleaner regulatory access, deeper exchange liquidity, or a clearer technical roadmap. Either way, the story is strongest if it is followed by measurable execution rather than another round of speculative headlines.
This article is based on information from Kraken.
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
Trump and Iran deliver tough, tit-for-tat statements, with both sides refusing to back down on the Strait of Hormuz issue.
US President Donald Trump and an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader have successively made tough remarks on the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated that the US will become the "guardian" and "guardian angel" of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that the US has guarded the strait for free in the past and will recover its operational costs and compensate for the risks it has taken to maintain the strait’s security in the future. He also said that the US will control the Strait of Hormuz and "is very likely to dominate the strait" in the future, adding that every time Iran deploys drones, the US will strike back fiercely. In addition, Trump revealed that the US and Iran held 11-hour talks yesterday. The advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader responded that no Iranian believes Iran should give up the Strait of Hormuz. Iran defends the Strait of Hormuz to avoid being forced to pay "ransom" for the passage of its own ships in the future. He emphasized that the strategic, security and economic status of the Strait of Hormuz is irreplaceable, and Iran will never back down on the issue of the Strait of Hormuz.
1 minutes ago
HSK Chain launches Phase 3 of its HSK Staking campaign, upgrading the ecosystem's long-term incentive mechanism.
According to official announcements, HSK Chain’s Phase 3 staking campaign officially launched on July 13. This phase sets a maximum total staking cap and adopts a diversified incentive model, with participants eligible for corresponding expected ecosystem incentives per on-chain rules. Additionally, users who took part in previous staking phases and consistently supported ecosystem development will receive extra ecosystem subsidies based on their historical locked contributions, comprehensively enhancing on-chain participation benefits. It is understood that this staking campaign, while rewarding HSK holders and past participants, will further drive the long-term steady growth of the HSK Chain ecosystem. As on-chain developers, high-quality projects, and institutional-grade assets continue to onboard, this upgrade to the long-term incentive mechanism will serve as a core initiative for the ecosystem’s long-term development.
1 minutes ago
BBC investigation finds Instagram still hosts ads for child sexual abuse content, Meta’s AI moderation mechanism faces renewed scrutiny
Despite Meta’s ongoing heavy investment in AI infrastructure, a new BBC investigation has found that Instagram is still serving users in India with advertisements containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and some of these ads are still deemed by the platform’s moderation system as “not violating community guidelines” even after being reported. The report states that a test account created by the BBC received around 30 CSAM-related ads within a week, without any prior searches for such content, and these ads directed users to Telegram channels to purchase the illegal material. The Indian government has ordered Meta to remove the relevant ads and explain within seven days why its moderation mechanism failed. The report notes that Meta’s 2025 ad revenue reached $201 billion, accounting for approximately 97% of its total revenue, while its AI infrastructure investment in the same period hit $72.2 billion. The company plans to raise its capital expenditure to between $125 billion and $145 billion in 2026. The article points out that Meta’s current controversies stem more from platform governance and commercial incentives rather than a lack of AI technical capabilities.
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Institutions: The crypto market continued deleveraging in Q2, with spot trading volume hitting its lowest level since Q3 2023.
According to FalconX’s latest market analysis, the crypto market sustained its deleveraging trend in the second quarter of 2026. Spot trading volume on major platforms fell to $1.6 trillion, down 25% quarter-over-quarter and 42% year-over-year, hitting its lowest level since the third quarter of 2023. Futures trading volume dropped to $9 trillion, a 12% quarter-over-quarter and 31% year-over-year decline. The report shows that by the end of Q2, the total open interest (OI) of futures across the market fell to $53.2 billion, a sharp pullback from the peak of $122.2 billion in October 2025, while trading turnover ratio decreased to 1.6x, reflecting a shift in the market from high-frequency speculation to long-term holding. On the capital flow front, Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded a net outflow of $4.9 billion in Q2, expanding the year-to-date cumulative net outflow to $5.4 billion. Total stablecoin supply shrank by $7.4 billion to $313.8 billion, marking the first contraction in recent quarters. FalconX notes that the current market deleveraging process is largely complete, with open interest stabilizing and trading volume showing signs of recovery in June. Looking ahead to the third quarter, the progress of the U.S. CLARITY Act legislation and ETF capital flows will be key catalysts shaping market trends.
1 minutes ago
Intel will invest 5 billion euros to expand its factory in Ireland.
Intel (INTC.O) will invest 50 billion euros (approximately $57 billion) to expand its factory in Ireland, aiming to recapture its leading position in manufacturing amid the artificial intelligence boom. In a statement, Intel said the investment will boost production capacity at its Leixlip campus outside Dublin, as part of the company’s plan to increase output of data center processors. The expansion will enhance manufacturing capabilities for products including its flagship Xeon server processors, while advancing research and development activities. Intel Executive Vice President Naga Chandrasekaran noted in a statement that the move is also part of the company’s plan to improve delivery capacity for its foundry business. Intel’s foundry arm, which manufactures chips for other tech companies, is a core component of its revitalization strategy, designed to strengthen its competitiveness against rivals such as TSMC.
1 minutes ago
Trump: The United States may take charge of managing the Strait of Hormuz in the future.
US President Trump posted that he may "operate" the Strait of Hormuz in the future, stating that if the US takes the lead in managing the Strait of Hormuz, the US will receive compensation. "We will become the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz."
Zcash cryptocurrency can be expected to fall further to the next round support level 500.00 (former resistance from the start of July).
Zcash reversed from resistance area Likely to fall to support level 500.00 Zcash cryptocurrency recently reversed down from the resistance area located between the pivotal resistance level 540.00 (which stopped the previous correction a in the middle of June, as can be seen from the daily Zcash chart below), upper daily Bollinger Band and the 61.8% Fibonacci correction of the sharp downward impulse 1 from the middle of May. The downward reversal from this resistance area stopped the previous minor impulse wave c of the ABC correction 2 from the start of June.
Given the strength of the resistance level 540.00 and the bearish sentiment seen across the crypto markets today, Zcash cryptocurrency can be expected to fall further to the next round support level 500.00 (former resistance from the start of July).
The subject matter and the content of this article are solely the views of the author. FinanceFeeds does not bear any legal responsibility for the content of this article and they do not reflect the viewpoint of FinanceFeeds or its editorial staff.
The information does not constitute advice or a recommendation on any course of action and does not take into account your personal circumstances, financial situation, or individual needs. We strongly recommend you seek independent professional advice or conduct your own independent research before acting upon any information contained in this article.
About the Author: Karthik Subramanian
Karthik Subramanian is a founder, writer, and technology consultant with nine years in the crypto ecosystem. He covers token economics, L1/L2 infrastructure, DeFi protocols, wallets/custody, and the bridge between crypto and forex—broker technology, liquidity, and macro drivers. Karthik’s writing focuses on clear, practical frameworks that help professionals evaluate new products and on-chain innovation alongside FX market realities.
Iran’s IRGC on Monday said it struck US bases in the Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, in retaliation for US strikes. Oil prices climbs 5% as Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and escalated the US-Iran war, causing gold, stocks and Bitcoin to tumble significantly.
US-Iran War Escalates, Oil Prices Climbs 5% U.S. Central Command reported on July 13 that US forces struck dozens of Iranian military targets, including air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats.
“The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor for global trade. Iran does not control it,” CENTCOM stated.
The US launched multiple strikes in the last few days to reduce Iran’s ability to continue attacking international shipping flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.
In retaliation, Iran’s IRGC launched multiple missiles and drones towards US bases across the Middle East, including Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
IRGC claimed it has destroyed fuel and ammunition depots at Prince Hassan Airbase, Jordan, facilities at US 5th Fleet HQ & Sheikh Issa Airbase, Bahrain. Iran forces also destroyed fuel tanks, Patriot air defense systems, and radar at the Ali Salem & Ahmad Al‑Jaber bases in Kuwait, as per Sputnik.
As a result, crude oil prices jumped 5% on Monday amid the Strait of Hormuz’s closure declared by Iran.
BREAKING: US oil prices extend gains to nearly +5% on the day as Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz closed again. pic.twitter.com/5APWlLYsQg
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) July 13, 2026
Gold and Bitcoin Prices Fall Gold prices slipped 1.55% to $4,050 lows on Monday, remaining under pressure amid US-Iran war escalation. Silver also plunged almost 3% amid higher oil prices. Notably, Iran rejecting talks with the U.S. is keeping broader markets under pressure, despite President Trump’s claims that Iran wanted to resume talks.
As traditional precious metals react to geopolitical tensions, investors looking to hedge on-chain can learn how to buy tokenized commodities like gold and silver directly from their Web3 wallets.
The latest strikes also sparked jitters among investors as they await key US CPI inflation data due this week for further clues on the US Fed monetary policy outlook. Meanwhile, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is also scheduled to make his first appearance before the US Congress on Tuesday.
The US 10-year Treasury yields climbed to around 4.60% on Monday, hovering near 7-week highs. The US dollar index (DXY) climbed above 101, putting pressure on Bitcoin prices amid renewed missile strikes between the US and Iran.
Bitcoin price tanked more than 2% in the past few hours, with the price currently trading at $62,769. The 24-hour low and high were $62,806 and $64,340, respectively.
Furthermore, trading volume has increased by 22% in the last 24 hours as traders moved to buy the dip. US futures were also down nearly 2.50% in the past 24 hours.
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.
Intel will invest 5 billion euros to expand its factory in Ireland.
Intel (INTC.O) will invest 50 billion euros (approximately $57 billion) to expand its factory in Ireland, aiming to recapture its leading position in manufacturing amid the artificial intelligence boom. In a statement, Intel said the investment will boost production capacity at its Leixlip campus outside Dublin, as part of the company’s plan to increase output of data center processors. The expansion will enhance manufacturing capabilities for products including its flagship Xeon server processors, while advancing research and development activities. Intel Executive Vice President Naga Chandrasekaran noted in a statement that the move is also part of the company’s plan to improve delivery capacity for its foundry business. Intel’s foundry arm, which manufactures chips for other tech companies, is a core component of its revitalization strategy, designed to strengthen its competitiveness against rivals such as TSMC.
8 minutes ago
Trump: The United States may take charge of managing the Strait of Hormuz in the future.
US President Trump posted that he may "operate" the Strait of Hormuz in the future, stating that if the US takes the lead in managing the Strait of Hormuz, the US will receive compensation. "We will become the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz."
8 minutes ago
US media: Trump's so-called "standing retaliation order against Iran" cannot take effect automatically after his death.
According to the Associated Press, in response to recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump that he has ordered the U.S. military to launch large-scale strikes on Iran if he is assassinated by Tehran, there is no so-called "dead man’s switch" mechanism in U.S. law that automatically triggers military retaliation upon the president’s death. Under the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act, if the president dies, Vice President JD Vance will immediately assume the presidency and the role of commander-in-chief, with military command authority transferring simultaneously. The successor president will independently decide whether to execute, modify, or cancel the relevant orders of the predecessor. Experts note that while the U.S. has established government continuity and nuclear contingency plans, it has never allowed the military to automatically launch retaliatory actions based on preset orders after the president’s death.
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Bitmine increased its holdings of 27,801 ETH last week, pushing its total staked amount to 4.917 million ETH, with projected annual staking revenue of $242 million.
Bitmine announced it purchased an additional 27,801 ETH over the past week, and will maintain its steady accumulation pace that has been in place since 2026. The company expects to achieve its so-called "Alchemy of 5%" target this year. As of July 12, Bitmine holds a total of 5.77 million ETH, of which 4.917 million ETH (accounting for 85% of its holdings) has been staked. At an ETH price of $1,820, the total value of its ETH holdings is approximately $9 billion. Based on an annual staking yield of 2.70%, the company’s annual staking revenue is around $242 million; if all its ETH is staked, annual staking rewards would reach $284 million. Additionally, Bitmine said it launched MAVAN (Made in American Validator Network), an institutional-grade Ethereum staking platform, this year, which will be opened to institutional investors, custodian institutions, and ecosystem partners. Bitmine also noted that it is currently the world’s largest ETH reserve institution, and ranks second globally in terms of crypto asset reserve size, trailing only Strategy, which holds 843,775 BTC. The company further stated that the GENIUS Act and the U.S. SEC’s Project Crypto will drive transformation in digital asset financial infrastructure, an impact comparable to that of the end of the 1971 Bretton Woods system on Wall Street’s modernization.
8 minutes ago
Hyundai Motor completes enterprise-level USDT cross-border settlement pilot, with cross-border fund transfers finished in just 7 minutes.
Tether announced that Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Motor Mexico have completed an enterprise cross-border settlement proof of concept (POC) on the Avalanche network via Axiym, marking Tether’s first enterprise cross-border fund settlement pilot. During the pilot, Hyundai Motor America converted $20,000 into USDT, transferred the funds cross-border to Hyundai Motor Mexico, which then converted the amount back to USD. The entire cross-border transfer and verification process took an average of just 7 minutes, a notable acceleration compared to traditional bank cross-border remittances, which typically take 3 to 4 hours or longer. Tether noted that the pilot demonstrates stablecoins’ application potential in enterprise cross-border payments, fund management, and global fund allocation. In the next phase, the project will explore additional cross-border payment channels and local currency settlement scenarios, further evaluating stablecoins’ use in enterprise treasury management.
8 minutes ago
Trump: I am taking over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran got nothing at all.
US President Donald Trump said, “We are taking over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has nothing right now. Iran is not getting anything.”
Key Highlights Hayden Adams, Uniswap’s founder, announced the platform is collecting $5.2M in fees daily, with DefiLlama data showing $5.16M The newly launched Robinhood Chain contributes $4.38M to the total daily fee generation since its July 1 debut Trading volumes on Robinhood Chain’s decentralized exchanges jumped 20-fold within seven days, with Uniswap dominating market share Community governance proposal to implement fee-and-burn mechanics on v4 pools passed with 93% support The UNI token currently trades near $3.62, marking a ~35% recovery from the $2.70 level seen in early July Uniswap (UNI) has reached an impressive milestone of $5.2 million in daily fee generation, as disclosed by its founder Hayden Adams. Independent verification from DefiLlama places the 24-hour fee total at $5.16 million.
Uniswap (UNI) Price This remarkable performance stems primarily from Robinhood Chain, a recently deployed blockchain infrastructure that went live on July 1. The network utilizes Arbitrum’s underlying technology and featured Uniswap as its primary automated market maker protocol upon launch.
Breaking down the $5.16 million fee structure reveals Robinhood Chain’s dominance: $4.38 million originates from this single network. Meanwhile, Ethereum generates merely $296,000, with Base contributing approximately $288,000 to the total.
The Robinhood Chain ecosystem achieved $1 billion in aggregate trading volume within its first nine days of operation. Current metrics show the network serves over 220,000 daily active traders.
Decentralized exchange activity on Robinhood Chain experienced a dramatic 20-fold increase over just seven days, with Uniswap capturing the lion’s share of this expansion, based on analytics highlighted by Token Terminal.
Looking at weekly performance, Robinhood Chain generated $10.98 million of Uniswap’s $20.1 million total fee revenue across the seven-day measurement period.
Uniswap’s reach extends across 47 different blockchain networks, where it processed $2.112 billion in DEX volume over 24 hours. This volume exceeds the second-largest competitor, PancakeSwap, by more than five times.
Adams shared on X that the protocol’s earnings surpass every cryptocurrency project except for the entities issuing USDC and USDT stablecoins.
However, it’s crucial to understand that the $5.2 million fee figure differs from actual protocol revenue. DefiLlama data indicates Uniswap’s genuine 24-hour revenue stands at $73,454. The majority of collected fees are distributed to liquidity providers.
Community Governance Advances Fee Burn Proposal A community governance vote conducted through Snapshot ran between July 7 and July 12, addressing whether to implement the fee-and-burn system for v4 pool types. Preliminary tallies demonstrated overwhelming support exceeding 93%, with 13.9 million UNI tokens cast in favor.
🔥UNISWAP TO ACTIVATE BUYBACKS AND BURNS AS PROTOCOL FEES GO LIVE
Uniswap founder Hayden Adams confirmed that protocol fees have been activated and that $UNI buybacks and burnsare set to begin, with governance votes now underway for Robinhood Chain v2/v3 fees, v4 fees, and… pic.twitter.com/cRjQy1Wkz1
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) July 13, 2026
Should the measure succeed, formal on-chain voting procedures are anticipated during the week starting July 13. The initiative would trigger fee collection across three distinct v4 pool categories spanning 11 blockchain ecosystems, encompassing Ethereum, Arbitrum, and Polygon.
Last month, Uniswap established a benchmark by destroying 186,000 UNI tokens within a 24-hour window. Some liquidity providers have expressed concerns that v4 fee implementation might marginally diminish their earnings.
Token Performance and Market Analysis Market analyst UniChartz observed on X that UNI has retreated into its historical accumulation range, a price territory where purchasing interest has consistently emerged. The analyst emphasized that maintaining support at this level preserves favorable odds for price recovery, while recommending patience for clear confirmation signals before executing substantial positions.
$UNI has once again dropped into its long-term accumulation zone, where buyers have stepped in multiple times in the past. As long as this support holds, the probability of a recovery remains strong.
Patience is key, wait for confirmation before going aggressive.
DYOR, NFA#UNI… pic.twitter.com/f6PEwyP5AK
— UniChartz (@UniChartz) July 12, 2026
The UNI token presently changes hands around $3.62, representing approximately 35% appreciation from the $2.70 bottom established in early July. Despite recent gains, the token trades roughly 92% beneath its historic peak of $44.97, which was recorded in May 2021.
On July 12, Uniswap founder Hayden Adams posted a number that would have sounded like satire during the governance-token winter: the protocol is generating 5.2 million dollars in daily fees, more than any protocol in crypto other than the two giant stablecoins, and far more than the perpetuals and memecoin venues that dominated the fee leaderboard for the past two years.
Summary
Uniswap is generating more than 5 million dollars in daily fees, driven largely by Robinhood Chain activity. Robinhood Chain recorded 500 million dollars in daily Uniswap volume within eight days of launch. The UNIfication program burns UNI against protocol fees, turning fee capture into supply reduction. The key question is whether Robinhood Chain volume remains durable after gas subsidies expire. UNI’s repricing depends on fee-switch votes passing, sustained volume, visible burns, and regulatory stability around tokenized equities. DefiLlama’s independent count for the same 24 hours, 5.16 million dollars, backs him up. The source of the surge is the least crypto-native venue imaginable: Robinhood Chain, the brokerage’s new Ethereum layer 2, supplied roughly 4.38 million dollars of that daily total, dwarfing Ethereum mainnet at 296,000 dollars and Base at 288,000.
The volume statistics behind those fees arrived at a pace no layer 2 debut has matched. Within eight days of the July 1 launch, Robinhood Chain recorded 500 million dollars in daily Uniswap trading volume, a tenfold jump from the day before, making it the second largest network for Uniswap activity after Ethereum mainnet. Cumulative swap volume crossed 1 billion dollars by July 10. Across the first seven days, the chain generated 10.98 million of Uniswap’s 20.1 million dollars in total weekly fees. Daily active Uniswap traders surged to roughly 220,000, more than ten times the prior week. Adams described the network as the most active blockchain layer outside Ethereum mainnet itself.
And this is the part that turns a volume story into an investment thesis: for the first time in the protocol’s history, that fee firehose is being plumbed directly into the token. The UNIfication program, passed by the DAO in December 2025 with 125.34 million UNI in favor and a rounding error against, burns UNI against protocol fees on 11 chains. A snapshot vote that ran from July 7 to July 12 asked holders to extend the mechanism to v4 pools, with binding on-chain votes following the week of July 13. A parallel temperature check, running July 10 through 15, proposes switching on protocol fees for the Robinhood Chain deployment itself. If both pass, the loudest new fee source in DeFi connects to a supply-destruction machine, and UNI completes a conversion that the entire sector is attempting: from governance token to cash flow asset.
This feature examines the machine, the money, and the two serious objections, that the volume is subsidized and that the fee switch drives away the liquidity it taxes.
JUST IN: Uniswap activates protocol fees and plans $UNI buybacks and burns
Governance votes are now live for Robinhood Chain, v4 fees, and bridge cleanups, marking the first sustained burn mechanism in the protocol’s history pic.twitter.com/1fezeC74pc
— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) July 13, 2026 From governance token to burn machine: how UNIfication works For five years, UNI was the emblem of a category problem. The token governed a protocol that processed trillions in cumulative volume and captured none of it; every basis point of swap fees flowed to liquidity providers, and UNI’s value proposition reduced to voting rights over a treasury and the perpetual promise of a fee switch that governance never dared flip. The token traded at 3.23 dollars on July 7 against a 2021 peak of 44.97, a 93 percent drawdown that priced the promise at roughly nothing.
UNIfication changed the architecture. Under the system live since December, protocol fees collected on each chain flow into contracts called TokenJar. Anyone who wants to claim the accumulated assets, in practice arbitrage searchers, must first burn an equivalent value of UNI. The burned tokens are bridged back to Ethereum and sent to the dead address, permanently removing them from supply. The design is deliberately mechanical: no dividends, no staking claims, no legal distribution to holders that might attract securities analysis, just a standing market operation that converts fee revenue into supply reduction at whatever pace trading activity dictates. The program already runs on 11 networks: Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Celo, OP Mainnet, Soneium, X Layer, Worldchain, Zora, BNB Chain, and Polygon.
The July votes address the two gaps in coverage, and the v4 gap is the technically interesting one. Uniswap v2 and v3 pools carry fixed fee tiers, so collecting a protocol share is a matter of setting one rate per pool. v4 is built around hooks, smart contract plugins that let developers customize pool behavior, including fees that can change block by block. Taxing something that mutable required new machinery: the proposal introduces a V4FeePolicy contract that determines the protocol fee for any pool and a V4FeeAdapter that collects and routes it into the burn pipeline. More than 1,500 builders are working with v4 hooks, and institutional-scale flow has already arrived, with Spark, the liquidity arm of Sky, pushing 1.5 billion dollars in stablecoin volume through v4 in the past month. The Robinhood Chain temperature check would extend fees across the v2, v3, and v4 deployments there, using the expedited governance track that UNIfication authorized for fee-parameter updates.
The market has started doing the arithmetic. UNI rallied about 21 percent from its July 1 low of 2.70 dollars to 3.30 by July 8, touched moves of 14 percent on the volume headlines, and trades near 3.63 with resistance mapped at 3.73. A 2 billion dollar market capitalization against a protocol annualizing north of 1.8 billion dollars in gross fees, if the July run rate held, is the kind of ratio that makes traditional investors reach for spreadsheets, with the enormous caveat that only the protocol’s share of fees, not the LP share, feeds the burn: in the measured 24 hours, protocol earnings were about 73,454 dollars against the 5.2 million gross, because the switch is not yet flipped on the newest and largest sources.
The distribution deal of the cycle The reason the fee conversation suddenly matters is distribution, and the scale of what Robinhood connected deserves to be stated plainly.
Robinhood operates between 24 and 28 million funded accounts and posted record first-quarter revenue of 1.07 billion dollars. Its chain, built on Arbitrum’s stack with 100-millisecond blocks and full EVM compatibility, shipped with Uniswap v2, v3, v4, and UniswapX deployed from day one as the default liquidity layer. The flagship product is Stock Tokens: tokenized versions of more than 90 US equities and ETFs, tradable around the clock by eligible retail users in more than 120 countries, with Chainlink as the oracle layer, 1inch for routing, BitGo for custody, and Morpho powering a yield product on the USDG stablecoin. A trader in Manila can buy tokenized Nvidia exposure at 2 a.m. through Uniswap liquidity and settle instantly, no T+1, no market hours. Developers deployed more than 13,900 smart contracts in the first week. Ethena moved 50 million dollars into a Morpho vault in a single transaction, driving total value locked above 106 million dollars, up 159 percent in a day. Even the memecoin economy arrived on schedule, with Pump.fun integration and chain-native tokens amplifying volume, as crypto.news reported when the network crossed the 500 million dollar mark.
Standard Chartered’s head of digital asset research, Geoff Kendrick, argued the market was underpricing the partnership, calling it a real strategic alliance rather than a listing announcement. The structural point underneath his claim: DeFi protocols have spent years competing for the same recycled on-chain capital, and Robinhood represents something the sector has never had, a mainstream brokerage routing its retail flow through a decentralized venue by default. For Uniswap specifically, it means the protocol’s addressable market expanded overnight from crypto natives to anyone with a Robinhood account and a tokenized equity order, and the fee data shows the expansion is not theoretical. One venue, eleven days old, is out-earning Ethereum mainnet fifteenfold.
The rotation context makes the timing sharper. In a market where everything outside Bitcoin and Ethereum lost roughly 23 percent in six months, capital has crowded toward the handful of assets with verifiable revenue: perpetuals venues, stablecoin issuers, and now, abruptly, the largest DEX. The same repricing logic runs through the stablecoin wars, where volume quality has become the scoreboard, a shift crypto.news examined in the USDC-Tether flippening, and through Ethereum itself, which is rebuilding its entire execution roadmap around being credible settlement infrastructure for exactly this kind of institutional flow, the project crypto.news detailed in the Lean rebuild. UNI’s real revenue moment is one instance of a sector-wide migration from narrative to cash flow.
The comparables: what a fee-earning DEX token is worth The rotation to cash flow gives UNI a peer group for the first time, and the comparisons cut in both directions.
The flattering comparison is to the fee leaders UNI just passed. Hyperliquid, Pump.fun, and the perpetuals venues built the template of the past two years: tokens with direct revenue linkage, aggressive buyback or burn mechanics, and valuations that survived the altcoin drawdown better than the governance-token cohort precisely because holders could point at income. Adams’ framing, more daily fees than anything except USDC and USDT, deliberately places Uniswap atop that leaderboard. On raw multiples, a 2 billion dollar capitalization against 20.1 million dollars in weekly gross fees puts the protocol at roughly two times annualized gross fees, a figure that looks absurd against any traditional exchange until the LP share is subtracted, at which point the multiple on actual protocol take becomes very large and entirely dependent on the pending votes. The valuation case is therefore not that UNI is cheap on current protocol revenue. It is that governance controls a dial connected to a gross fee stream of unprecedented size, and the July votes are the market’s first chance to watch the dial turn on the newest and largest sources.
The unflattering comparison is to the treasury-heavy tokens whose burns never outran their supply overhangs. UNI carries a circulating supply near 630 million against a total of 1 billion, with treasury and team allocations that dwarf any plausible near-term burn rate. At the current protocol take, the burn is symbolic; even at meaningfully higher fee capture, supply destruction measured in tens of millions of dollars annually meets a token with hundreds of millions of units yet to circulate. The burn thesis is a direction, not a floor, and direction gets repriced quickly when the underlying volume proves cyclical. The December UNIfication rally faded within weeks for exactly that reason: mechanics without volume are a press release. What is different now is that the volume arrived, from a source nobody’s model included, which is why the token’s 21 percent July move happened on the news of usage, not the news of tokenomics.
There is one more comparable worth naming because it frames the strategic stakes: the launch chain itself. Robinhood Chain’s opening fortnight has minted its own equity narrative, with HOOD shares up more than 40 percent in a month and insiders selling into the enthusiasm, and the network’s headline metrics, hundreds of millions in early volume against liquidity measured in the low tens of millions, drew immediate scrutiny about depth and durability. The tokenization trade rewards networks that convert launch attention into recurring activity, the pattern that has kept capital concentrated in venues with verifiable usage, as crypto.news observed when tokenized assets drove a rival network to record throughput. Uniswap is the venue where those questions get answered in public, block by hundred-millisecond block, because it is where the trades actually clear.
Objection one: subsidized volume is not revenue The skeptics’ first argument is about the quality of the 500 million dollars, and it is not hand-waving.
Robinhood is waiving gas fees on the chain for the first 90 days. Zero gas removes the single largest natural brake on wash trading, incentive farming, and volume inflation; when round trips cost nothing, volume statistics measure enthusiasm for free transactions as much as demand for the assets traded. Analysts made exactly this objection in the launch week, noting that enormous AMM volume does not automatically create value for UNI without activated fee capture, and that if a meaningful share of the headline number reflects farming, the late-September expiry of the gas subsidy becomes the first genuine stress test of the entire thesis. The launch-week TVL data reinforces the concentration worry: a single Ethena deposit produced most of the day’s growth, and liquidity that arrives in one transaction can leave in one.
The honest response is that swap fees, unlike gas, were never waived. Every dollar of the 4.38 million in daily Robinhood Chain fees was paid by traders to liquidity providers at market rates, which makes the fee number a harder signal than raw volume. Wash trading a pool with a 30 basis point fee costs 60 basis points per round trip; nobody launders volume at that price for long. But the composition question survives the rebuttal: how much of the activity is durable tokenized-equity demand from Robinhood’s international base, and how much is launch-window speculation in memecoins and farmed incentives? The September subsidy cliff will answer it empirically. Until then, annualizing an eleven-day-old fee run rate is exactly the kind of extrapolation that DeFi cycles exist to punish.
There is also a counterparty concentration risk that has no precedent in Uniswap’s history: the protocol’s second largest venue is controlled by a publicly traded brokerage with its own regulatory exposure, its own commercial incentives, and, eventually, its own ability to route order flow elsewhere or deploy a competing AMM. Uniswap earned its position on Robinhood Chain by being the best liquidity software available on day one. Nothing guarantees the position is permanent, and the SEC’s January guidance flagging tokenized equity products for scrutiny means the flagship use case operates under a regulatory question mark of its own.
Objection two: the fee switch taxes the people who make the venue work The second objection comes from inside the machine, and it is the oldest tension in the protocol’s design. Every dollar routed to the burn is a dollar that no longer goes to liquidity providers, the capital that actually fills the pools traders swap against.
Panoptic founder Guillaume Lambert put the LP case bluntly during the v4 vote, warning that applying the fee switch to v4 leaves providers with nowhere to migrate except competing AMMs or Uniswap forks, and that the proposal risks killing the protocol by favoring token holders over the capital that makes it function. The v4 version of the proposal sharpens his point, since reports around the vote indicated LP economics on affected pools could be reduced by as much as a third relative to the status quo. Liquidity is the most mercenary capital in crypto; it moved for 50 basis points of incentives throughout DeFi summer, and a protocol that taxes it while competitors do not is running a live experiment in how much brand and routing dominance are worth.
The bull rebuttal rests on what LPs actually get in exchange. Uniswap’s aggregated depth, its integration surface, the API now embedded in MetaMask, Zerion, and OKX routing across 18 plus chains with more than 3,000 developer keys issued, and now the Robinhood flow itself all mean an LP on Uniswap sees order flow that no fork can replicate. A fork with zero protocol fee but a fraction of the volume pays LPs less in absolute terms than Uniswap does after the tax. That was the empirical result of the vampire-attack era, and the UNIfication rollout across 11 chains has so far produced no measurable LP exodus. But v4 raises the stakes because hooks make pools programmable, and programmable pools are easier to replicate elsewhere; the fee controller architecture being voted on will tax precisely the segment of liquidity most capable of leaving. The vote closing July 12 and the on-chain sequence in the following week are, in effect, governance pricing that migration risk in real time.
The third mechanism: fee discount auctions Alongside the burn expansion, Uniswap quietly shipped a second monetization primitive in the same week, and it deserves attention because it answers the LP objection from an unexpected angle.
Protocol Fee Discount Auctions, rolled out for the first time in early July, let sophisticated participants bid for reduced protocol fees on specific flow. The design logic runs like this: the largest source of LP pain in an AMM is not the protocol fee but adverse selection, the losses providers take when arbitrageurs pick off stale prices faster than pools can update. Auctioning fee discounts to the searchers and market makers who generate that flow converts a pure extraction into a priced privilege, captures for the protocol some of the value that MEV bots previously kept entirely, and gives high-volume participants a reason to route through Uniswap even after the fee switch activates. It is, in effect, a mechanism for taxing the taxers.
The auctions matter to the cash flow thesis for two reasons. First, they diversify protocol revenue beyond the flat fee share, adding a component that scales with the competitiveness of order flow, not raw volume, which is more durable through volume downturns. Second, they are a structural answer to Lambert’s migration warning: if the auction design succeeds in reducing the toxic share of flow that LPs absorb, providers could end up better off under the taxed regime than the untaxed one, because their gross fee cut shrinks while their adverse selection losses shrink faster. That claim is unproven and the mechanism is days old, but it reframes the fee switch debate from a zero-sum split between holders and LPs into an engineering question about who pays for price discovery. The December governance package, the v4 fee architecture, and the auctions together read as a coherent program: convert every form of value the protocol creates, swap fees, flow priority, and MEV, into revenue, then convert revenue into supply reduction.
The program’s ambition invites one more skeptical note. Every additional mechanism is additional surface area for governance capture, parameter mistakes, and the slow bureaucratization that has damaged other DAOs. A protocol that once had a single immutable design now has fee policies, adapters, controllers, auctions, and an expedited voting track, each a dial someone can turn. The bet is that Uniswap Labs and the delegate ecosystem can operate a genuinely complicated fiscal machine better than competitors can copy a simple one. The early revenue data supports the bet. The history of DeFi governance urges keeping the champagne corked.
What the UNI repricing actually requires Assembling the pieces, the cash flow thesis for UNI needs four things to stay true simultaneously, and each has a visible checkpoint.
The votes must pass. The snapshot for v4 fees closed July 12; on-chain votes run the week of July 13; the Robinhood Chain temperature check closes July 15. The December UNIfication vote passed with near-unanimity, so the base case is passage, but the LP backlash around v4 is the loudest internal opposition the program has faced, and a diluted compromise on fee rates would proportionally dilute the burn.
The volume must survive September. The gas subsidy expires roughly 90 days after the July 1 launch. Fee revenue that persists through the cliff is real demand for tokenized equities and on-chain trading; fee revenue that evaporates was a marketing expense on Robinhood’s income statement. This is the single most informative scheduled event in the entire thesis.
The burn must be visible at scale. TokenJar mechanics mean supply reduction tracks protocol fee accrual with a lag. Watching claimed-and-burned totals over the coming quarter, rather than gross fee headlines, measures the machine’s actual throughput, and the gap between 5.2 million dollars gross and 73,454 dollars of current protocol take is the distance the switch still has to travel.
And the regulatory perimeter must hold. Tokenized equities traded by a global retail base through a brokerage’s chain sit at the intersection of securities law, the pending market structure bill, and the SEC’s tokenization scrutiny. The same institutional wave lifting fee revenue is also pulling DeFi into fights it has historically avoided, including the yield and revenue-sharing battles that banks are waging against crypto’s cash-flowing products, a conflict crypto.news has covered at the stablecoin layer. A token whose value accrues from fee capture is a token whose classification arguments get harder, not easier, which is presumably why the burn was engineered as supply destruction rather than distribution in the first place.
The remarkable thing about the past two weeks is not the volume record or even the fee record. It is that the oldest criticism of the largest DEX, that the token captures nothing, is being retired by governance vote in the same fortnight that the largest new fee source in DeFi history came online. Whether UNI at 3.63 dollars is cheap depends on September’s subsidy cliff, next week’s on-chain votes, and how much of a brokerage’s retail flow proves durable. Whether UNI is finally a claim on something is, for the first time since 2020, no longer the question.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) is swiftly proving that its blockchain ambitions go much beyond simply facilitating crypto trades.
Robinhood Chain, the brokerage’s Ethereum-compatible Layer-2 network, is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing ecosystems in decentralized finance just days after launching.
On-chain data shows the network has already accrued over $130 million in total value locked (TVL) in just the past week. The chain has handled about $560 million in 24-hour decentralized exchange (DEX) trading activity during its first week.
Unlike many of the recently created blockchains that rely on short-term token incentives, Robinhood Chain seems to be bringing in more enduring liquidity. Its TVL is almost 90% in lending vaults, indicating users are putting their wealth to work for yield, not only farming prizes.
That’s an important distinction, considering that Robinhood built the network on top of existing decentralized technology.
Notably, each new tokenized stock trade, each lending transaction, and each on-chain payment contribute to the activity of the protocols that run the ecosystem.
Robinhood’s expansion of its blockchain strategy seems to have the clearest structural exposures in Arbitrum (ARB), Uniswap (UNI), and Morpho (MORPHO). Here are the reasons.
Arbitrum: The Infrastructure Behind Robinhood’s ChainRobinhood Chain is built on Arbitrum Orbit, making it one of the highest-profile enterprise implementations of Arbitrum’s Layer-2 tech to date.
However, it’s more than just brand affinity.
For those who don’t know, Orbit chains return some of their sequencer revenue to the broader Arbitrum ecosystem. Consequently, the partnership has created a direct economic link between what happens on Robinhood’s network and the Arbitrum infrastructure.
Under the Orbit structure, a portion of net sequencer revenues goes to the Arbitrum DAO treasury, while another percentage is assigned to protocol development.
For Arbitrum, Robinhood is not just another blockchain launch. This is confirmation that more and more big financial institutions are building consumer-facing products on top of Ethereum’s layer-2 infrastructure instead of building their own segregated blockchain networks from scratch.
As Robinhood rolls out tokenized equities, stablecoin payments, and on-chain settlement, the transaction volume flowing through its Orbit chain might continue to underpin activity across the broader Arbitrum ecosystem.
Interestingly, ARB, the native token of the Arbitrum protocol, is beginning to confirm the improving fundamentals on the chart.
The token recently reclaimed the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement at $0.089. This happened after it bounced from a multi-month low near $0.070, while rising volume points to rising buyer interest. Momentum indicators also show bulls regaining control after several weeks of consolidation.
If buying pressure continues, ARB could target the 0.382 Fibonacci level at $0.10, followed by $0.12, where stronger resistance sits.
A break above those levels would pave the way for a move toward $0.15.
However, failure to hold above $0.089 would weaken the bullish setup and expose the token to another retest of the $0.070 support zone. Robinhood Chain adoption could serve as the catalyst needed to sustain the current breakout.
Uniswap May Witness Rising Trading ActivityRobinhood also added Uniswap as one of the major decentralized exchanges that the network has supported with liquidity from day one.
Besides offering automated market-making infrastructure for token swaps, the protocol routes trades across various Uniswap versions for better execution.
Early adoption has already generated liquidity in the tens of millions of dollars, but the bigger opportunity may be ahead.
Robinhood has launched Agentic Accounts, which are programmable accounts that let AI-powered software agents perform trades on their own.
If the applications take off with tokenized equities and stablecoin trading, they might provide a steady flow of on-chain transactions through Uniswap’s liquidity pools.
Robinhood’s retail brokerage operation provides a recurring source of customers that could support decentralized exchange activity over time, unlike speculative trading spikes that tend to disappear after fresh chain launches.
For Uniswap, Robinhood might be one of the biggest bridges from traditional finance into decentralized marketplaces.
Like ARB, UNI’s long-term chart is beginning to mirror its improving fundamental outlook.
As shown below, the altcoin has broken above a descending channel that has capped price action for months, suggesting bearish momentum is fading.
At the same time, both the MACD and Money Flow Index (MFI) are turning higher, indicating strengthening momentum alongside renewed capital inflows.
The first hurdle remains the $4 psychological level. A clearing could send UNI toward $6.30, aligning with the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement, before buyers potentially target $8.80.
The bullish outlook would lose momentum if UNI falls back below the former channel resistance and slips under $3.20.
Such a move would suggest the breakout was a false start and shift attention back toward the $2.30 support area.
Yield Strategy Powered by Morpho RobinhoodMorpho is perhaps the biggest direct benefit of the rise of the Robinhood Chain.
Morpho’s decentralized lending infrastructure powers Robinhood Earn, the platform’s on-chain yield offering, instead of centralized lending providers.
Lending is the main use case for Robinhood Chain, according to current on-chain data, with Morpho-powered vaults accounting for around $90 million of the network’s total value locked.
The concentration indicates that people see Robinhood Chain as a venue rather than a trading platform.
Instead, capital is pouring into lending markets where depositors can earn yield via decentralized credit markets.
Robinhood’s addition of support for its USDG stablecoin and other tokenized assets could continue to attract liquidity to those lending pools and further cement Morpho’s position as the financial backbone of the ecosystem.
That’s a better long-term investment story for investors than many of the early launches of blockchain, where TVL has frequently been a result of transitory liquidity incentives.
Meanwhile, Morpho continues to trade within a well-defined ascending channel, reinforcing the broader uptrend despite recent profit-taking.
From the chart below, the cryptocurrency is currently pulling back after rejecting resistance at around $2.25. However, the Awesome Oscillator (AO) remains above the zero line, indicating bullish momentum is still intact.
Holding above the 0.618 Fibonacci level around $1.86 would keep buyers in control.
If that support holds, MORPHO could retest $2.25, followed by $2.41, with a breakout potentially extending toward the upper boundary of the rising channel near $2.70.
The bullish structure would be invalidated by a sustained break below $1.86, which could trigger a deeper correction toward $1.69 before buyers attempt to regain control.
Why the Robinhood Chain Matters for CryptoRobinhood’s approach looks less like a token-driven growth play and more like an attempt to build open financial infrastructure using proven DeFi components.
Instead of issuing a native chain token or locking users into a closed environment, Robinhood is leaning on Ethereum compatibility, established liquidity venues, and battle-tested lending primitives to turn familiar financial activities—trading, yield, and settlement—into on-chain workflows.
If stablecoins, tokenized equities, and AI-assisted execution continue moving into the mainstream, Robinhood Chain could act as a consumer-scale onramp to DeFi.
In that scenario, usage growth wouldn’t accrue to "Robinhood Chain" as a ticker. It could also benefit the protocols working underneath it.
For now, the first-week metrics suggest that Robinhood Chain is avoiding the "ghost chain" path that has haunted past corporate blockchain launches.
Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.
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Following a significant surge in market activity, NEAR Protocol is once again drawing interest from traders. The token itself stabilized between $1.90 and $1.92, but trading volume increased by more than 43% over the past day. Investors are now wondering if this surge in activity signals the start of a new rally or if it's just a brief spike in speculation.
Reaching the conversion pointTechnically speaking, NEAR's structure is still far stronger than it was at the beginning of the year. The asset eventually reached highs above $2.80 during the strong May breakout after bottoming around $0.95 in February and establishing a steady recovery trend. Even though the rally eventually subsided, NEAR has managed to avoid a total reversal and is still trading above its long-term support levels. Right now, the price is close to a crucial point where multiple moving averages converge.
NEAR/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe 50-day EMA near $2.11 continues to be the main resistance level that bulls must overcome, while the 100-day EMA around $1.85 and the 200-day EMA near $1.80 are offering support beneath the market. The overall recovery structure is unaffected as long as NEAR stays higher than the longer-term averages.
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The fact that the volume surge comes after several weeks of consolidation makes it especially intriguing. Larger directional moves are frequently preceded by rising volume, particularly when stable price action rather than panic selling is present. Despite numerous tests, buyers in NEAR's case seem prepared to defend the $1.85-$1.90 range.
Bullish positioning is in favorMajor exchanges' long-short ratios continue to favor bullish positioning, with traders typically preferring upside exposure. Additionally, spot inflows have turned positive, indicating that leveraged futures traders are not the only source of demand.
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But bulls still have work to do. Since the May peak, the token has been making lower highs; to break that pattern, a clear breakout above $2.10 would be required. Such a move would probably open the door to a retest of the $2.40–$2.50 area, where sellers had previously regained control.
For the time being, rather than confirming a complete trend reversal, the 43% increase in volume is an encouraging signal. Another rally attempt may materialize in the upcoming weeks if buying activity persists and NEAR manages to break through neighboring resistance levels. The asset's current configuration is among the best it has shown since its spring recovery began.
@PancakeSwap has officially integrated 95 tokenized assets natively issued on the @RobinhoodCrypto Chain, opening up a broad catalog of traditional equities to decentralized traders directly through the PancakeSwap interface. The listed assets span tech giants, semiconductor companies, space exploration firms, quantum computing plays, nuclear energy stocks, and conventional ETFs.
Robinhood Chain: The Infrastructure Behind the Listings The integration builds on Robinhood's broader push into on-chain finance. Robinhood launched the public mainnet of Robinhood Chain on July 1, 2026, an Arbitrum-based Ethereum Layer 2 with 24/7 tokenized stocks that plug into DeFi as collateral. Robinhood Chain is a permissionless, AI-native Layer 2 blockchain built for financial services and real-world assets. Robinhood Chain has adopted Chainlink as its official data and cross-chain oracle infrastructure, with Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), Data Streams, and Data Feeds live on mainnet from day one, delivering verifiable data for tokenized RWAs and unlocking secure interoperability across the multi-chain ecosystem.
With the new Stock Tokens, eligible individuals can unlock 24/7 trading directly on Robinhood Chain, including deploying tokens into lending pools and utilizing them as trading collateral across the broader DeFi ecosystem. Access runs through Robinhood Wallet in more than 120 countries, though availability varies by jurisdiction.
PancakeSwap's Growing RWA Ambitions The Robinhood Chain integration is consistent with PancakeSwap's broader real-world asset strategy. In April 2026, PancakeSwap added 60-plus new tokenized stocks and ETFs on BNB Chain, bringing the total to over 260 tradeable RWAs. The DEX has been one of the more active venues for tokenized equities in the DeFi space, having crossed $50 million in cumulative tokenized asset trading volume as of May 2026, growth triggered by a partnership with Ondo Finance in late October 2025 that brought tokenized US stocks and ETFs to the $BNB Chain ecosystem.
The broader market backdrop supports the push. The RWA tokenization market grew by 30 to 38 percent in a single quarter, from approximately $21 billion to nearly $29 billion excluding stablecoins during Q1 2026. By connecting on-chain liquidity to sectors that have historically been inaccessible through decentralized venues, the PancakeSwap and Robinhood Chain integration represents another step in the convergence of traditional finance and DeFi. For DeFi participants, the expansion of tokenized assets creates new yield and trading strategies, with liquidity providers now able to earn fees from pools that track real-world equities, blending traditional market exposure with DeFi mechanics.
Sources:
Robinhood: Robinhood Chain Mainnet and Stock Tokens Launch
Forbes: Robinhood Launches Its Own Blockchain
CryptoNews: PancakeSwap Hits $50M in Tokenized Assets Trading
BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, a tokenized money market fund launched in March 2024, has reached over $900 million in assets under management (AUM) on the Avalanche blockchain. This surge comes after the fund added $436 million on Avalanche in just seven days, reflecting a weekly increase of approximately 105%.
BUIDL’s rapid growth on AvalancheWu Blockchain cited data from RWA.xyz confirming BUIDL’s AUM on Avalanche reached the $900 million milestone. The strong weekly inflow more than doubled the value of the fund’s Avalanche-based holdings in one week, drawing renewed focus from institutional investors on the network’s growing role in the real-world asset (RWA) sector.
BUIDL experienced a $436 million increase on Avalanche within seven days, marking a significant weekly gain for this tokenized money market product and highlighting its accelerated adoption among institutional players.
BUIDL provides eligible investors with access to tokenized U.S. Treasury-linked assets and cash equivalents. Through this structure, traditional financial products are represented by blockchain-native tokens. Ownership and transfer of these assets occur on-chain within approved systems, offering new approaches for institutional exposure and operational efficiency.
Mini dictionary: RWA (Real-World Asset) — RWAs are traditional assets such as bonds, real estate, or commodities that are tokenized for use and transfer on blockchain platforms. These digital representations enable streamlined settlement, improved transparency, and broader access for institutional and retail investors.
The expanded on-chain presence demonstrates growing confidence from fund managers and asset holders in blockchain infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale, regulated financial products.
Total BUIDL AUM nears $2.87 billionSince its launch, BUIDL’s overall assets under management have climbed close to $2.87 billion, cementing the fund’s position among the largest tokenized U.S. Treasury products currently available. By distributing across multiple blockchain networks, BUIDL addresses institutional demand for alternative settlement and diversified custody solutions.
NetworkAUM ($)Weekly Increase ($)Weekly Growth RateAvalanche900 million436 million105%All Networks (Total)2.87 billionN/AN/AA tokenized money market fund leverages blockchain-based tokens to mirror traditional money market fund participation and payouts. Investors retain economic exposure to underlying assets such as U.S. Treasuries but interact using blockchain interfaces, improving settlement speed and transparency.
MSB Intel identified BUIDL as one of the largest institutional dollar-based products on public blockchain networks, citing its significant asset growth and the expanding attention from major issuers in the real-world asset market.
The recent inflows to Avalanche have positioned the network as a prominent destination for institutional capital in the expanding RWA landscape.
Avalanche’s role in institutional asset tokenizationAvalanche, developed by Ava Labs, offers a high-speed, scalable blockchain platform that has become a hub for tokenized real-world asset products. The network’s appeal to fund managers and custodians stems from its technical capabilities and growing ecosystem of compliant infrastructure.
Institutional products such as BUIDL must adhere to regulatory requirements for compliance, custody, and investor protections. These safeguards set them apart from open-access digital assets like meme tokens.
Analysts say continued inflows, regulatory clarity, and innovation in custody solutions will determine Avalanche’s ongoing role in the RWA sector. Market participants are closely monitoring whether BUIDL’s AUM on Avalanche maintains its position above $900 million following the sharp increase. Any further asset allocation or strategic deployment could reinforce the network’s place in institutional finance.
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.
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Progmat has completed the migration of its security-token platform from Corda 5 to a dedicated Avalanche Layer 1.
Summary
Progmat migrated every managed security-token project to Avalanche while preserving existing functions and institutional controls. Rights transfers run three to five times faster, according to Progmat’s internal tests and estimates. Crypto.news coverage shows Avalanche’s tokenized asset market expanding across funds, stocks, treasuries, and credit products. The company said every active project on the platform moved to the new network. Those projects represent more than ¥452 billion in underlying assets and issued securities. The migration makes the platform’s security tokens compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, or EVM. Progmat describes itself as Japan’s leading security-token platform by domestic market share.
The company carried out the work under Project Keystone. Progmat redesigned the system so its business functions no longer depend on one blockchain. It added a mediator layer between applications and the ledger. The structure allows the platform to connect with other chains later while keeping its existing issuance, ownership and transfer processes. A dedicated Avalanche L1 can also use rules tailored to regulated financial products.
Progmat, Japan's largest STO platform, is now live on @avax
"All ST projects (over 452 billion yen) are now EVM-compatible, achieving both financial institution-level requirements and the utilization of public chains.
Rights transfers are accelerated 3-5 times faster than… https://t.co/xeMVc8EM8e
— Justin Kim (@justinkim415) July 13, 2026 Rights transfers become faster Progmat said the new setup processes rights transfers three to five times faster than the earlier system. Avalanche transactions reach finality in less than two seconds, according to the company.
“Rights transfers are accelerated three to five times faster,” Progmat said.
The speed figure comes from Progmat’s internal testing and has not been independently verified. Finality records a completed network transaction, but it does not cover every banking or administrative step around a trade.
The company also moved its smart contracts from Java-based Corda code to Solidity-based EVM contracts. Progmat said it kept current functions and service requirements during the switch. It also said the migration caused minimal disruption for issuers. Existing users did not need to rebuild their products. EVM support gives developers access to Ethereum-based tools, but it does not make regulated securities freely available to public wallets.
AvaCloud supports institutional controls AvaCloud supplies the dedicated Avalanche network and operating services. Progmat said the setup meets SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II assurance standards. Progmat and Ava Labs also created a response system for outages during nights and holidays.
The firms aim to meet the control and availability standards used by regulated financial companies. The network remains application-specific rather than operating as an unrestricted retail trading venue.
AvaCloud chief executive Nick Mussallem called the transfer of more than ¥452 billion in regulated securities a test for institutional infrastructure. However, that assessment came from a company involved in the migration.
Progmat has not released public transaction data showing how the new network performs during peak demand or across a large investor base. The company also has not announced new trading volumes tied directly to the change.
Progmat prepares for cross-chain settlement The migration gives Progmat a base for planned links between security tokens, stablecoins and tokenized bank deposits. Datachain said in February that the partners plan cross-chain services for delivery-versus-payment and payment-versus-payment transactions.
These systems would exchange assets and payments across different networks in one coordinated process. Progmat said its revised design can support more than one chain when asset features or investor needs differ.
Elsrwhere, BlackRock’s BUIDL fund reached about $900 million on the network, while Avalanche’s distributed real-world assets stood near $2.10 billion.
As crypto.news reported, Progmat will support a Metaplanet and JPYC study into Bitcoin-backed digital credit. That project remains under review, with no issued product or fixed terms. Securitize also placed its listed shares on Avalanche and Solana in July.
Trump: The United States may take charge of managing the Strait of Hormuz in the future.
US President Trump posted that he may "operate" the Strait of Hormuz in the future, stating that if the US takes the lead in managing the Strait of Hormuz, the US will receive compensation. "We will become the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz."
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US media: Trump's so-called "standing retaliation order against Iran" cannot take effect automatically after his death.
According to the Associated Press, in response to recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump that he has ordered the U.S. military to launch large-scale strikes on Iran if he is assassinated by Tehran, there is no so-called "dead man’s switch" mechanism in U.S. law that automatically triggers military retaliation upon the president’s death. Under the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act, if the president dies, Vice President JD Vance will immediately assume the presidency and the role of commander-in-chief, with military command authority transferring simultaneously. The successor president will independently decide whether to execute, modify, or cancel the relevant orders of the predecessor. Experts note that while the U.S. has established government continuity and nuclear contingency plans, it has never allowed the military to automatically launch retaliatory actions based on preset orders after the president’s death.
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Bitmine increased its holdings of 27,801 ETH last week, pushing its total staked amount to 4.917 million ETH, with projected annual staking revenue of $242 million.
Bitmine announced it purchased an additional 27,801 ETH over the past week, and will maintain its steady accumulation pace that has been in place since 2026. The company expects to achieve its so-called "Alchemy of 5%" target this year. As of July 12, Bitmine holds a total of 5.77 million ETH, of which 4.917 million ETH (accounting for 85% of its holdings) has been staked. At an ETH price of $1,820, the total value of its ETH holdings is approximately $9 billion. Based on an annual staking yield of 2.70%, the company’s annual staking revenue is around $242 million; if all its ETH is staked, annual staking rewards would reach $284 million. Additionally, Bitmine said it launched MAVAN (Made in American Validator Network), an institutional-grade Ethereum staking platform, this year, which will be opened to institutional investors, custodian institutions, and ecosystem partners. Bitmine also noted that it is currently the world’s largest ETH reserve institution, and ranks second globally in terms of crypto asset reserve size, trailing only Strategy, which holds 843,775 BTC. The company further stated that the GENIUS Act and the U.S. SEC’s Project Crypto will drive transformation in digital asset financial infrastructure, an impact comparable to that of the end of the 1971 Bretton Woods system on Wall Street’s modernization.
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Trump: I am taking over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran got nothing at all.
US President Donald Trump said, “We are taking over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has nothing right now. Iran is not getting anything.”
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Iran's Strait Administration says resumption of transit will require waiting for the situation to stabilize.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Administration (PGSA) stated that passage through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not feasible due to recent hostile actions by the U.S. military. Once stability and calm are restored, all applications will be reviewed per the scheduled timeline, and the licensing process will resume. It emphasized that the only way to obtain passage permits is through its official website. (Jinshi)
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Trump’s ‘Portfolio Shift’? Over $1.4 Billion in Crypto Cashed Out, Traditional Stock and Bond Holdings Hit a Peak of $2.6 Billion
According to a recent disclosure from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE), former President Donald Trump earned over $1.4 billion last year from crypto projects led by his family, including World Liberty Financial and Trump-themed meme coins. Reuters analysis shows that by the end of 2025, Trump’s portfolio of traditional stocks and bonds had grown to a value of $703 million to $2.6 billion, a sharp increase from the $225 million to $608 million it held at the end of 2024. The report notes that proceeds from his crypto projects were subsequently allocated to traditional financial assets. Additionally, data indicates that as of April this year, retail investors participating in four crypto projects backed by Trump had suffered a total loss of approximately $2.3 billion. The White House responded that Trump’s related assets are managed under full discretionary authority by an independent third-party entity.
Key Highlights Stablecoin market capitalization declined approximately $10 billion from its May 2026 all-time high The month of June alone saw $7.7 billion in supply reduction, marking the steepest monthly contraction since TerraUSD’s implosion in May 2022 Tether’s USDT supply contracted from $190B to $184B; Circle’s USDC fell from $80B to $73B Transaction volumes reached unprecedented levels at $1.78 trillion in June, even as supply decreased Market observers characterize the downturn as temporary consolidation rather than a new bear market The aggregate stablecoin market has contracted by approximately $10 billion following its all-time high in May 2026. Current total supply stands at roughly $312 billion, representing a notable retreat from recent peaks.
Stablecoin Market Loses $10B Since May in Biggest Retreat Since the Terra Crash
According to CoinDesk, stablecoin market capitalization has fallen by roughly $10 billion from its May peak, including a $7.7 billion drop in June—the largest monthly decline in dollar terms since… pic.twitter.com/RafAPoaerJ
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 12, 2026
June 2026 marked the most significant monthly contraction for stablecoins measured in absolute dollars since the catastrophic Terra-Luna ecosystem failure in 2022. The market shed $7.7 billion throughout the month, translating to approximately 2.4% of total supply.
The market’s two dominant players accounted for the bulk of this contraction. Tether’s USDT circulating supply decreased from approximately $190 billion in May to roughly $184 billion. Circle’s USDC token declined from a March 2026 high of nearly $80 billion to approximately $73 billion.
These two stablecoins maintain overwhelming market dominance. USDT alone represents nearly 59% of all stablecoin supply currently in circulation.
Implications of Declining Stablecoin Supply Stablecoins function as the primary settlement mechanism throughout cryptocurrency trading platforms and decentralized finance protocols. Supply contractions typically signal that market participants are converting their holdings to fiat currency or withdrawing capital from digital asset markets entirely.
This withdrawal diminishes the available dollar-denominated liquidity for purchasing Bitcoin, Ethereum, and alternative cryptocurrencies, creating headwinds for price appreciation across the sector.
The supply decrease coincided with broader weakness in cryptocurrency markets. U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds experienced over $4 billion in net outflows during June, representing their worst monthly performance since launching. These parallel trends indicate simultaneous weakening of both institutional investment channels and on-chain market participation.
Despite supply contraction, on-chain transaction activity remained robust. Adjusted stablecoin transaction volume climbed to an all-time high of $1.78 trillion throughout June. USDC facilitated approximately $1.21 trillion in transfers, while USDT processed $573 billion.
Divergence from 2022 Bear Market Dynamics Industry analysts maintain a measured perspective on the current downturn. Paul Howard, senior director at trading firm Wincent, characterized the decline as “a relatively small pullback in what we believe is a long-term growth market.”
The present contraction of roughly 3% pales in comparison to the devastating 26% supply collapse witnessed during 2022’s bear market, which followed multiple catastrophic failures including Terra-Luna, FTX’s bankruptcy, and the insolvencies of Celsius and BlockFi.
A comparable pattern emerged between December 2025 and February 2026, when stablecoin supply contracted by $9 billion before rebounding to establish new records.
Emerging competitors continue gaining market share. Global Dollar, a Paxos-issued stablecoin backed by a consortium including Robinhood, exceeded $3.2 billion in circulation. USDGO, issued by Anchorage Digital, nearly doubled its supply to $900 million.
The U.S. GENIUS Act established comprehensive federal regulation for payment stablecoins, attracting additional issuers and fundamentally restructuring market dynamics.
Tokenized real-world assets demonstrated inverse performance during this period. Their aggregate on-chain valuation surpassed $30 billion in 2026, with tokenized equity transaction volume surging 145% in June to reach a record $3.86 billion.
Market participants now await July supply data, ETF flows, and exchange metrics to determine whether capital is returning to the ecosystem or if the downturn will persist.
The total market capitalization of stablecoins has quietly shrunk by $10 billion since May, with $7.7 billion of that decline occurring in June alone, data highlighted by CoinDesk reveals. It marks the steepest monthly dollar outflow for the sector since the catastrophic Terra-Luna implosion in May 2022. For a market that has grown accustomed to ceaseless expansion, a contraction of this size raises immediate questions about the health of crypto liquidity channels. Yet one analyst suggests there is little reason to sound alarm bells, pointing to structural demand drivers that remain firmly in place.
The pullback is concentrated among the largest centralized stablecoins, not fringe algorithmic experiments. That detail alone explains why the mood among professional observers hasn’t turned sour. During Terra’s collapse, a $40 billion ecosystem evaporated in days, dragging leveraged DeFi protocols and centralised lenders into insolvency. Today, the drop reflects outflows from trading pairs on major exchanges, profit-taking after the first-half rally in digital assets, and perhaps a temporary rotation into higher-yielding tokenized treasury products. None of those forces imply systemic fragility.
June’s Record Outflow A $7.7 billion monthly decline is not trivial. Stablecoin supply acts as a rough gauge of on-chain purchasing power and trading appetite. When it contracts, spot volumes often follow, and that pattern has held in recent weeks. Exchange order books are thinner. DeFi lending pools on Ethereum and Solana have seen modest liquidity tightening. For traders who track stablecoin velocity as a leading indicator, the signal is worth watching.
Still, the composition of the decline is telling. Tether’s USDT shed about $5 billion over the period, while Circle’s USDC lost roughly $2 billion. The rest came from smaller issuers. In previous cycles, redemptions at this speed would have been accompanied by a credit event or a regulatory shock. That is absent. Issuers are maintaining their reserves and redemption mechanisms without a hitch, suggesting the flight is voluntary and orderly.
Why This Time Is Different The post-Terra regulatory and structural environment has fundamentally changed the stablecoin landscape. New legislative efforts, including a landmark US crypto bill that has faced fierce last-minute pushback from banking interests, are still moving toward a framework that could cement stablecoins as regulated payment instruments rather than shadow money. The legislative battle, covered in a recent update on banking opposition, demonstrates that the political class is finally engaging with the sector, not ignoring it. For institutional capital, that legislative clarity, even if still in flux, reduces tail risk.
Meanwhile, the expansion of tokenized real-world assets has created a new demand anchor for stablecoins. On-chain treasuries and private credit pools now routinely settle in USDC or USDT. A recent weekly tokenization roundup showed that real-world assets crossed $20 billion in on-chain value, with major institutions like JPMorgan running live settlement. Every tokenized trade requires a stablecoin leg, creating a structural bid that didn’t exist three years ago. A contraction of a few billion dollars does little to dismantle that infrastructure.
Liquidity Fears and the Bigger Picture The fear among traders is that shrinking stablecoin balances foreshadow a broader liquidity drain, forcing leveraged positions to unwind. That narrative has circulated during past supply dips, but the current data is more nuanced. Developer activity across the major blockchains remains robust, as evidenced by the latest rankings of blockchain developer activity. Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, and Solana continue to attract builders, and developer engagement is often a leading indicator of future user and capital inflows. If protocols keep shipping, they will need liquidity, and stablecoins will return.
What is less certain is the timeline. If US yields stay elevated and traditional fintech apps offer competitive interest on fiat balances, the opportunity cost of holding yield-free stablecoins remains high. A prolonged sideways period could keep a lid on the aggregate market cap. For exchanges, this means thinner fee revenue; for DeFi protocols, it pressures total value locked. Centralised exchanges may accelerate promotional campaigns for stablecoin staking or yield-bearing products to retain deposits. The next few months will reveal whether the outflow stabilizes or deepens.
What Comes Next The analyst cited in the CoinDesk report views the contraction as a pause, not a reversal of the long-term growth trend that has seen the stablecoin market rise from $120 billion in early 2023 to over $200 billion before the recent dip. The baseline assumption is that as regulatory rails firm up and real-world asset settlement expands, stablecoin demand will resume its upward march. The more cautious question is whether the market has become too dependent on centralized issuers whose growth is now being moderated by higher interest rates and compliance costs.
For the crypto ecosystem, the stablecoin outflow is a reminder that liquidity is never guaranteed. It encourages market participants to watch not just price charts, but the plumbing—the flow of capital on and off chain. While the panic is unwarranted, the vigilance is not.
AUTHOR
Mushumir Butt is a seasoned crypto journalist with over three years of experience reporting on the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency. At Blockchain Reporter, he delivers insightful news, in‐depth project reviews, and precise price analysis and predictions. With a strong background in SEO and digital marketing, Mushumir excels at breaking down complex trends into clear, accessible content, ensuring readers stay ahead in the fast‐paced crypto space.
SBI and Solana Foundation Join Forces on On-Chain FinanceJapanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings has announced a strategic partnership with the Solana Foundation to jointly develop an on-chain financial market in Japan. The collaboration will see the Solana Foundation join SBI R3 Japan, working alongside existing shareholders SBI Holdings and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) to pursue a new growth strategy.
As part of the agreement, the Solana Foundation will acquire a stake in SBI R3 Japan, and the company plans to change its name to SBI Solana Global Co., Ltd.
SBI highlighted the rapid global expansion of stablecoins and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, describing on-chain finance as the next generation of financial infrastructure, where the issuance, distribution, and settlement of financial assets all occur on the blockchain. The firm cited Solana's appeal directly: "Solana is regarded as one of the core infrastructures for on-chain finance, based on its high processing performance, low costs, and global ecosystem," adding that its goal is "to connect Japan's financial assets and institutional foundation with Solana's global network."
Scope of the Deal: Stablecoins, RWAs, and Cross-Border PaymentsThe partnership combines SBI's experience in operating permissioned networks through its R3 Corda platform with Solana's high-performance blockchain technology, with the main objective being to accelerate blockchain adoption among traditional financial institutions and facilitate the onboarding of tokenized real assets.
Specific focus areas include yen-backed stablecoins, the tokenization of bonds, funds, and real estate as real-world assets, cross-border payment infrastructure, and on-chain financial services for institutional investors. The two parties aim to expand products developed in Japan first across Asia, and then into global markets.
The announcement is the latest in a series of moves by SBI to deepen its presence in the digital asset space. SBI Holdings' subsidiary B2C2, a core market maker for firms including Robinhood, recently designated Solana as its primary network for routing and settling large-scale stablecoin transactions for institutional clients. SBI Holdings took a majority ownership position in B2C2 in 2020.
The deal also reflects Japan's broader push to position itself as a hub for on-chain finance in Asia, with government support playing a role. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has announced a policy to expand funding from the government and financial institutions for startups, including those in the Web3 sector, introducing a Total Support Package for Startups established in May 2025 at the WebX 2026 conference.
Sources:
CoinNess: SBI Holdings and Solana Foundation Strategic Partnership
The Block: SBI Holdings' B2C2 Designates Solana as Primary Stablecoin Network
In a notable development for the cryptocurrency industry, SBI Holdings, a major Japanese fintech conglomerate, has announced a partnership with the Solana Foundation to establish Japan’s first regulated crypto financial market. This initiative aims to utilize Solana’s high-speed, low-cost blockchain network to support a range of financial services, including JPY stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, and cross-border payments. The collaboration marks a significant step in integrating traditional financial systems with blockchain technology in Japan, leveraging Solana’s infrastructure for enhanced throughput and reduced costs in institutional finance.
SBI Holdings, which is Ripple’s largest partner in Japan, is positioning itself as a leader in the digital asset space by actively participating in Solana’s ecosystem. This includes its subsidiary’s management of SOL treasury and its arm designating Solana as the primary stablecoin network for institutional clients. The regulatory environment in Japan is conducive to such innovation, given the country’s mature framework for real-world asset tokenization.
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Market reactions to this partnership suggest increased confidence in Solana’s potential, with market participants pricing in a higher probability of Solana reaching significant price targets. The implications for Solana’s market position in Japan and globally are likely to be profound, given the scale of SBI Holdings’ involvement and Japan’s regulatory support for digital asset integration.
Key Takeaways The partnership between SBI Holdings and Solana appears to enhance Solana’s market position in Japan, suggesting a supportive environment for blockchain integration in traditional finance. Market pricing suggests participants view Solana’s potential for adoption and institutional use as strengthened by this collaboration. The initiative is consistent with scenarios where Solana’s infrastructure supports increased financial service offerings in Japan. What to Watch Observers should monitor how this partnership influences Solana’s adoption in institutional finance, particularly regarding JPY stablecoins and tokenized assets. Additionally, regulatory developments in Japan and the operational rollout of services under this partnership will be key indicators of its success. Any significant changes in Solana’s market pricing or increased activity in related financial products could indicate market confidence in this venture’s potential impact.
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Term Structure
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h August 1 2026 20% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.9% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.8% — — View market → August 1 2026 4.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.7% — — View market → August 1 2026 11.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.7% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 46% — — View market →
SBI Holdings and the Solana Foundation have formed a strategic partnership to develop an onchain financial market based in Japan.
Summary
SBI and Solana target stablecoins, tokenized assets, payments and institutional services across Japan and Asia. Solana Foundation will join SBI R3 Japan, which plans to become SBI Solana Global soon. The venture aims to connect Japan’s regulated financial system with global blockchain liquidity and markets. Under the agreement, the foundation will join SBI R3 Japan alongside SBI and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, one of Japan’s major banking groups. The company plans to change its name to SBI Solana Global, subject to the required corporate process. The partners announced the arrangement on July 13.
The venture will use Solana as its main blockchain infrastructure. SBI said the project will connect Japan’s financial assets, regulated institutions and legal framework with international blockchain markets.
The group said it aims to make Japan “a core hub for onchain finance in Asia.” That remains a business target. The announcement did not provide revenue forecasts, launch volumes or client commitments. It also did not say whether the renamed company will end any existing Corda-related work.
Stablecoins and tokenized assets lead the plan SBI Solana Global plans to support the issuance and distribution of yen stablecoins, including JPYSC. It will also work on tokenized corporate bonds, commercial paper, investment funds and real estate.
The company aims to provide one system for issuance, distribution and settlement rather than offering blockchain technology alone. This structure could allow issuers to manage an asset through its full onchain life cycle.
JUST IN: Japanese Financial Giant SBI Teams Up With Solana to Expand Onchain Finance
Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings and Solana Foundation announced a strategic partnership to develop Japan-originated onchain financial markets. As part of the initiative, Solana… pic.twitter.com/GNNxVQleT1
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 13, 2026 The partners also listed cross-border payments, institutional onchain services and payment systems for AI agents among their planned business areas. The statement did not give launch dates for each product. It also did not explain which services will require separate approval from Japanese regulators. Any live offering will need to follow local rules for stablecoins, securities, custody and financial market operations.
SBI expands its regulated digital asset network The Solana deal adds to SBI’s wider digital asset program. As crypto.news reported, SBI and Startale developed a regulated yen stablecoin for payments, tokenized assets and onchain settlement. SBI also worked with Ripple to launch the dollar-backed RLUSD stablecoin in Japan through SBI VC Trade after regulatory approval.
SBI is also moving to acquire Bitbank, one of Japan’s established crypto exchanges. As previously reported, the planned ¥46.7 billion transaction would add trading, custody and lending services to SBI’s existing network. The Solana partnership creates another route for SBI to connect stablecoins and tokenized securities with institutional markets. However, the companies have not announced whether Bitbank or SBI VC Trade will distribute SBI Solana Global products.
Solana gains another institutional finance partner The partnership arrives as tokenized asset activity grows on Solana. As previously reported, the network recorded $5.77 billion in tokenized-asset spot volume during a record quarter and processed more than one billion weekly non-vote transactions. Solana has also attracted stablecoin settlement, tokenized equities and institutional trading projects, though activity levels can change with market conditions.
SBI and the Solana Foundation said they want to extend Japan-originated products into Asian and global markets. A “Japan-originated digital financial asset market” is the stated direction, but the partners have not named overseas markets, banking partners or settlement corridors.
They also did not disclose the size of the Solana Foundation’s investment. Their next steps will center on the company rename, product development and regulatory work needed to move stablecoins, tokenized assets and payments into live use.
Circle, the issuer of USD Coin (USDC), has minted $250 million worth of USDC on the Solana blockchain, as reported by social media account @Crypto_Crib_. This significant injection of liquidity adds over 10% to the existing USDC supply on Solana in a single transaction. This development is part of a broader trend where nearly $1 billion of USDC has been introduced to the Solana network over the past week, indicating a potential increase in institutional demand for stable assets on the platform. The move underscores Solana’s growing role as a settlement layer for stablecoin transactions, with USDC now comprising a substantial portion of Solana’s total stablecoin market.
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Key Takeaways Circle’s minting of $250 million USDC on Solana suggests increased liquidity and institutional interest in the network. The new USDC supply on Solana reflects a 10% increase, consistent with a positive outlook for the platform’s role in stablecoin transactions. Market pricing appears to be supportive of scenarios where Solana’s liquidity boost could impact its price positively. What to Watch Observers may focus on how this liquidity boost impacts Solana’s market price, particularly in the context of the platform’s overall growth and adoption. Market participants are currently evaluating whether Solana will reach $90 by the end of July, with active discussions about the implications of new liquidity. Future developments, such as additional USDC inflows or strategic partnerships, could further influence market sentiment and pricing scenarios related to Solana’s performance.
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Term Structure
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h August 1 2026 20% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.9% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.8% — — View market → August 1 2026 4.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.7% — — View market → August 1 2026 11.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.7% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 46% — — View market →
A substantial transfer of 191,806,130 USDT, equivalent to approximately $191.7 million, was made from an unidentified wallet to the Bybit cryptocurrency exchange, as reported by Whale Alert on July 13, 2026. This transfer comes amid Bybit’s ongoing Global Assets Fest, which offers a prize pool of $202,000 USDT and is expected to run until July 16, 2026. The transfer’s purpose remains unconfirmed, but such large movements typically suggest institutional activities like over-the-counter trade settlements or exchange wallet consolidations. Meanwhile, the exchange’s significant role as the world’s second-largest by volume adds further interest to this transaction.
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The transaction has garnered attention within the cryptocurrency markets, particularly those related to Solana. The large inflow of USDT to Bybit could indicate increased exchange activity, which may influence Solana’s price movements. The current market sentiment reflects a 20% probability that Solana will reach $90 by the end of July, as market participants assess potential impacts from increased activity.
Key Takeaways The transfer of 191.8 million USDT to Bybit appears to suggest potential institutional activity or wallet consolidations. Pricing suggests increased exchange activity could impact Solana’s price, with current odds indicating a 20% chance of reaching $90 in July. The event coincides with Bybit’s Global Assets Fest, potentially amplifying market activity and interest. What to Watch Market participants will be observing any further large transactions or announcements from Bybit that could shed light on this significant transfer. Additionally, any on-chain analysis revealing the transaction’s purpose could provide more clarity. The ongoing Global Assets Fest may continue to drive heightened activity and volatility in related markets, influencing sentiment around Solana’s price targets for July.
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Term Structure
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h August 1 2026 20% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.9% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.8% — — View market → August 1 2026 4.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.7% — — View market → August 1 2026 11.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.7% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 46.5% — — View market →
Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings and the Solana Foundation have entered into a strategic partnership to develop on-chain financial markets based in Japan.
Under the partnership announced today, the Solana Foundation will join SBI R3 Japan, a company in which SBI Holdings and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), one of Japan’s three largest banking groups, are shareholders. The company is planned to be restructured under the name “SBI Solana Global” in the future.
The collaboration will focus on Japanese yen-backed stablecoins, tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) such as bonds, funds, and real estate, cross-border payment infrastructures, and on-chain financial services for institutional investors.
The parties aim to bring RWA and stablecoin products developed in Japan first to Asia, and then to global markets. SBI stated that the initiative will connect Japan’s regulated traditional financial markets with global blockchain liquidity.
Through this partnership, SBI Holdings, SMFG, and the Solana Foundation aim to develop new growth strategies and transform Japan into one of Asia’s leading on-chain financial centers.
SBI Holdings Chairman Yoshitaka Kitao stated that blockchain technology is playing an increasingly important role in the digitalization of financial markets. Solana Foundation President Lily Liu added that Japan’s strong financial infrastructure and regulatory structure offer significant opportunities for the development of corporate on-chain finance applications.
*This is not investment advice.
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Major crypto exchange OKX has sent out a notice to users of USDC on the Solana blockchain, announcing a temporary suspension of deposit and withdrawal services due to scheduled wallet maintenance.
OKX said the temporary pause is due to wallet maintenance and will take place in the next 24 hours, on July 14.
— OKX中文 (@okxchinese) July 13, 2026 Due to wallet maintenance, OKX said it will suspend USDC deposit and withdrawal services on the Solana network on July 14 at 14:30 (UTC+8), and resume them after the maintenance is completed.
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The exchange added that trading services will continue to operate normally as trading of related tokens will not be affected. Users are, however, urged to refrain from performing USDC deposits or withdrawals during the wallet maintenance period to avoid potential fund losses.
USDC on Solana is native to the Solana blockchain and can be swapped across chains. Circle has just issued an additional 250 million USDC on the Solana network.
Solana newsIn a recent milestone, Solana has crossed epoch 1,000, marking the finalization of 432,000 slots on Solana and highlighting over 5.5 years of Solana.
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1,000 epochs also marked 120.5 billion total non-vote transactions, $4.3 trillion traded on Solana DEXes, $193.5 trillion in stablecoins transferred on Solana rails, 2 years and 154 days of 100% availability, multiple unicorns building on Solana, 78,000 unique developers, and over 7.4 million commits on Git repos.
As reported by Wu Blockchain, Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings and the Solana Foundation have announced a strategic partnership to develop Japan-originated onchain financial markets.
As part of the initiative, the Solana Foundation will join SBI R3 Japan, which is set to be renamed SBI Solana Global, alongside SBI and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), one of Japan's three megabanks.
The partnership will focus on JPY stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) including bonds, funds, and real estate, cross-border payment infrastructure, and institutional onchain financial services. SBI said the initiative aims to connect Japan's regulated financial markets with global blockchain liquidity and position Japan as a hub for onchain finance in Asia.
OKX will temporarily suspend USDC deposits and withdrawals on the Solana network on July 14 while it completes scheduled wallet maintenance.
Summary
OKX will pause Solana USDC deposits and withdrawals while keeping related trading services fully operational. The suspension begins July 14 at 14:30 UTC+8 and resumes after maintenance without separate announcement. Solana remains a major USDC settlement network despite this short exchange-level maintenance window for users. The pause will begin at 14:30 UTC+8, equal to 06:30 UTC and 09:30 East Africa Time. OKX published the notice on July 13 and did not provide a fixed completion time. The exchange said it will restore the two services after the work ends.
The change applies only to deposits and withdrawals of USDC through Solana. OKX said users who already hold the token in their accounts do not need to take action. Trading for related assets will continue during the maintenance period. Other supported USDC networks were not included in the notice, so the announcement does not describe a platform-wide USDC suspension.
— OKX中文 (@okxchinese) July 13, 2026 OKX also advised traders to consider risks in margin and derivatives markets and add margin early where needed. That guidance matters for users who move USDC through Solana to fund positions. The notice does not promise that deposit networks will remain available in every region, so customers should rely on the options shown in their accounts.
Users should avoid transfers during the pause OKX asked customers not to send or withdraw Solana-based USDC after the maintenance window opens. The exchange warned that transfers made during the pause could create a risk of lost funds. Users should check the selected network before confirming any transaction, because USDC exists on several blockchains and each network uses a different deposit route.
Users should allow time for blockchain confirmations before the cutoff, since a transfer initiated earlier may arrive after the suspension begins.
The company described the work only as “wallet maintenance.” It did not report a hack, a Solana network outage, or a problem with USDC. OKX also said “trading will not be affected,” although that statement covers exchange trading rather than external transfers. The exchange did not explain whether pending transactions submitted before the cutoff could face delays.
Solana remains a major USDC settlement network USDC on Solana is a native version of Circle’s dollar-backed stablecoin rather than a wrapped token issued by another bridge provider. Circle lists Solana among the networks where it directly issues USDC. Its cross-chain tools can also burn native USDC on one supported network and mint the same amount on another, without using wrapped copies or outside liquidity pools.
As crypto.news reported earlier in 2026, Circle minted more than $10.5 billion in USDC on Solana within roughly one month. The same coverage cited about $650 billion in Solana stablecoin settlement volume during February. Those figures show the network’s large role in dollar-denominated transfers, but they do not indicate that OKX’s maintenance pause resulted from higher usage.
Exchange notice does not signal a Solana shutdown Solana has also attracted more payment and financial infrastructure. As previously reported, the Solana Foundation launched an institutional developer platform with Mastercard, Western Union and Worldpay as early users. The tools cover stablecoin issuance, payments and trading services. That expansion increases the need for exchanges and custodians to maintain reliable wallet systems as transaction routes grow.
The OKX notice remains an exchange-level service update, not a suspension of USDC on the Solana blockchain. Users can still trade supported assets inside OKX, but they should avoid Solana USDC deposits and withdrawals until the exchange restores access.
OKX said it may resume the services without another announcement, making the platform’s deposit page and status tools the main places to check before sending funds.
SBI Holdings is teaming up with the Solana Foundation to create Japan’s first on-chain financial market, with plans to bring Japan-developed stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets to Asian and global markets, according to a Monday statement.
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Under the agreement, the Solana Foundation will become a shareholder in SBI R3 Japan, which will be renamed SBI Solana Global, joining SBI Holdings and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group.
SBI Solana Global will support the issuance and distribution of stablecoins including JPYSC, tokenize assets such as corporate bonds, commercial paper, funds and real estate, build a cross-border payment infrastructure, deliver on-chain financial services for institutions, and develop AI-ready payment systems.
The collaboration seeks to combine Japan’s financial ecosystem and regulatory advantages with Solana’s blockchain network to establish Japan as a regional center for on-chain finance.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Vivian Nguyen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
While volatility continues in the leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin and altcoins, it remains unclear whether the bottom has been reached.
While some analysts argue that the bottom has been reached and the country has entered a consolidation phase, others suggest that further declines are possible.
At this point, the founder of Multicoin Capital, an investment company prominent in the crypto market, claims that the cryptocurrency market has bottomed out. He also expressed optimism regarding Solana Hyperliquid and ZCash.
Speaking on a recent podcast, Tushar Jain stated that the market has reached a significant turning point with its bottom and has entered a recovery phase.
Jain noted that investor sentiment has largely stabilized, but despite increased adoption within the blockchain ecosystem, cryptocurrency prices are lagging behind fundamental indicators.
According to the experienced analyst, this situation is one of the important signs that the market may be preparing for a new bull cycle.
Jain argued that many of the factors necessary for a bull market to begin have simultaneously materialized, describing the current situation as a “perfect storm.” He maintained that this environment could support a strong uptrend in the crypto market in the coming period.
However, Jain also shared the projects he sees as having the most potential in the long term. In this context, he pointed to Solana (SOL), Hyperliquid (HYPE), and Zcash (ZEC), expressing optimism about the long-term growth potential of these altcoins.
Jain stated that Solana is one of the most suitable infrastructures for spot trading and security tokenization, while Hyperliquid has become the clear leader in the on-chain derivatives market, and he expects the platform to continue its growth.
Jain also made noteworthy assessments about Zcash, stating that the project is one of the cryptocurrencies that best represents the “cypherpunk” spirit and arguing that it has the potential to enter the top five cryptocurrencies by market capitalization in the long term.
*This is not investment advice.
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Solana price has remained below the $80 psychological barrier after renewed macro pressure and weakening risk appetite pushed buyers into a wait-and-see mode despite an emerging bullish chart pattern.
Summary
Solana price remains below $80 as a falling wedge keeps the possibility of a bullish breakout intact. Liquidation clusters near $80-$81 could accelerate gains if buyers reclaim the psychological resistance. Macro headwinds and weak institutional flows continue to threaten the bullish setup despite resilient on-chain activity. According to data from crypto.news, Solana (SOL) price traded near $76.3 on July 13 after slipping almost 1% over the previous 24 hours. The token has spent the past several sessions consolidating as rising U.S. Treasury yields and persistent expectations that interest rates could stay higher for longer continued to pressure high-beta crypto assets.
Bitcoin held close to $64,000 during the same period, but institutional demand remained concentrated in larger-cap assets, limiting Solana’s ability to reclaim the $80 level.
Network activity has nevertheless remained resilient. Active addresses have stayed near yearly highs while transaction throughput continues to benefit from speculative meme coin trading and recent network upgrades. Yet those on-chain gains have not translated into sustained price appreciation as capital has largely circulated within the ecosystem instead of attracting fresh external inflows.
Combined with softer institutional appetite following a difficult second quarter for digital asset investment products, the imbalance has left SOL struggling to establish a fresh uptrend.
Commenting on the latest price structure, analyst Eliz argued that the recent pullback should not necessarily be viewed as bearish.
“$SOL is showing an orderly bearish consolidation following the rally. This type of price action is often a positive sign: the market is shaking off excesses without compromising the bullish structure.”
The analyst added that, “As long as the outlook remains unchanged, I continue to expect the upward trend to continue.”
Falling wedge keeps breakout hopes alive despite weakening momentum The 4-hour chart shows Solana carving out a falling wedge after rejecting the early July high above $83. The pattern has compressed price action between descending trendlines, with support holding near the Fibonacci 100% retracement around $75.4 while resistance has gradually fallen toward $78.5.
Solana price has formed a falling wedge pattern on the 4-hour chart — July 13 | Source: crypto.news A decisive move above the upper boundary would expose the 61.8% Fibonacci level near $78.6, followed by $79.6, before bringing the key $80 psychological barrier back into focus. A successful breakout could then open the path toward $81.8 and the recent swing high near $83.7.
Momentum indicators, however, remain mixed. The 4-hour RSI sits just below the neutral 50 level at around 40, leaving buyers without clear momentum. Meanwhile, the MACD remains below its signal line with only a modest improvement in histogram bars, suggesting bearish momentum has slowed but has not yet reversed.
The daily chart presents a similar picture. SOL continues to trade above the major Murrey Math support level at $75 while Chaikin Money Flow has recovered into positive territory near 0.10, showing that capital has continued to enter the asset despite the recent consolidation.
Solana daily price chart — July 13 | Source: crypto.news Still, the market has repeatedly rejected advances toward the 5/8 Murrey resistance near $81.25, reinforcing the importance of the $80-$81 region.
Derivatives positioning also identifies nearby trigger zones. CoinGlass liquidation data shows one of the largest short liquidation clusters sitting around $79.5-$80, with another concentration extending above $81.
Solana liquidation heatmap | Source: CoinGlass A strong breakout through those levels could force leveraged short positions to close, adding fuel to an upside move. On the downside, notable long liquidation pockets have accumulated around $75 and just below $74.5, making those areas important support if selling pressure intensifies.
Macro headwinds continue to threaten the bullish setup Any bullish breakout remains dependent on improving macro conditions. Rising Treasury yields have increased the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets, prompting institutions to reduce exposure to more volatile layer-1 tokens such as Solana. Upcoming U.S. inflation data and Federal Reserve policy expectations are therefore likely to remain major catalysts for the crypto market over the coming weeks.
The bullish wedge thesis would weaken if SOL closes decisively below the $75 support zone, as that would invalidate the current pattern and expose the Murrey support near $68.75. A deeper correction could then bring the $62.5 pivot region back into play.
Conversely, sustained buying above $80 would break both the falling wedge and a multi-session resistance zone, increasing the probability of a move toward $83-$84 where the next significant supply cluster awaits.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Sanctum (@sanctumso), a Solana-native liquid staking protocol, has demonstrated notable resilience amid the ongoing bear market by achieving a 10% increase in its Total Value Locked (TVL) over the past month. This growth, reported by @SolanaFloor, positions Sanctum as the strongest performer among Solana’s top five protocols in terms of TVL. The protocol now ranks second on Solana by TVL, contributing over 20% of the chain’s total decentralized finance (DeFi) TVL. This development appears to reflect strong capital retention and increased demand for liquid staking tokens (LSTs) within Solana’s DeFi ecosystem.
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Key Takeaways Sanctum’s TVL growth appears consistent with increased demand for LST liquidity, despite broader market challenges. The protocol’s performance suggests a potential positive sentiment shift for Solana within the DeFi sector. The 10% TVL increase could indicate a favorable outlook for Solana’s ecosystem resilience and growth prospects. What to Watch Market participants may observe whether Sanctum’s growth influences broader confidence in Solana’s DeFi landscape. Key indicators to monitor include potential upgrades or innovations within Solana, such as the Alpenglow upgrade, and macroeconomic factors like ETF inflows and interest rate changes. Additionally, closely following Solana’s price movements and any regulatory developments could provide further context to Sanctum’s impact on the market.
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Term Structure
Contract Odds Δ since publish Volume 24h August 1 2026 18.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.9% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.8% — — View market → August 1 2026 4.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.7% — — View market → August 1 2026 11.5% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 1.6% — — View market → August 1 2026 0.1% — — View market → August 1 2026 46.5% — — View market →
SBI Holdings' blockchain initiative is turning to Solana for its stablecoin and RWA tokenization efforts.SBI Solana Global, previously SBI R3 Japan, aims to use the network to connect Japan's domestic market to global liquidity.SBI Holdings lists supporting the issuance and distribution of stablecoins, supporting the structuring and distribution of tokenized RWAs and developing payment infrastructure for AI agents among SBI Solana's functions. Japanese asset giant SBI Holdings' (8473) blockchain initiative is turning to Solana for its stablecoin and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization efforts.
SBI Solana Global, previously SBI R3 Japan, aims to use the network to connect Japan's domestic market to global liquidity, according to a Monday post on its website.
The SBI Solana Global joint venture, which also counts Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) among its shareholders, now includes the Solana Foundation, the Zug, Switzerland-based organization that oversees the layer-1 network.
"By creating a new market for Japan-originated digital assets, the collaboration aims to establish Japan as a core hub for onchain finance in Asia," SBI Holdings said in the statement.
SBI Holdings lists supporting the issuance and distribution of stablecoins, supporting the structuring and distribution of tokenized RWAs and developing payment infrastructure for AI agents among the venture's functions.
The blockchain initiative previously centered around Corda, the permissioned blockchain developed by R3.
SBI Holdings has been active in expanding its digital asset business in recent months, agreeing to buy Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Bitbank last month for around $289 million.
Trump: The United States may take charge of managing the Strait of Hormuz in the future.
US President Trump posted that he may "operate" the Strait of Hormuz in the future, stating that if the US takes the lead in managing the Strait of Hormuz, the US will receive compensation. "We will become the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz."
3 minutes ago
US media: Trump's so-called "standing retaliation order against Iran" cannot take effect automatically after his death.
According to the Associated Press, in response to recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump that he has ordered the U.S. military to launch large-scale strikes on Iran if he is assassinated by Tehran, there is no so-called "dead man’s switch" mechanism in U.S. law that automatically triggers military retaliation upon the president’s death. Under the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act, if the president dies, Vice President JD Vance will immediately assume the presidency and the role of commander-in-chief, with military command authority transferring simultaneously. The successor president will independently decide whether to execute, modify, or cancel the relevant orders of the predecessor. Experts note that while the U.S. has established government continuity and nuclear contingency plans, it has never allowed the military to automatically launch retaliatory actions based on preset orders after the president’s death.
3 minutes ago
Bitmine increased its holdings of 27,801 ETH last week, pushing its total staked amount to 4.917 million ETH, with projected annual staking revenue of $242 million.
Bitmine announced it purchased an additional 27,801 ETH over the past week, and will maintain its steady accumulation pace that has been in place since 2026. The company expects to achieve its so-called "Alchemy of 5%" target this year. As of July 12, Bitmine holds a total of 5.77 million ETH, of which 4.917 million ETH (accounting for 85% of its holdings) has been staked. At an ETH price of $1,820, the total value of its ETH holdings is approximately $9 billion. Based on an annual staking yield of 2.70%, the company’s annual staking revenue is around $242 million; if all its ETH is staked, annual staking rewards would reach $284 million. Additionally, Bitmine said it launched MAVAN (Made in American Validator Network), an institutional-grade Ethereum staking platform, this year, which will be opened to institutional investors, custodian institutions, and ecosystem partners. Bitmine also noted that it is currently the world’s largest ETH reserve institution, and ranks second globally in terms of crypto asset reserve size, trailing only Strategy, which holds 843,775 BTC. The company further stated that the GENIUS Act and the U.S. SEC’s Project Crypto will drive transformation in digital asset financial infrastructure, an impact comparable to that of the end of the 1971 Bretton Woods system on Wall Street’s modernization.
3 minutes ago
Hyundai Motor completes enterprise-level USDT cross-border settlement pilot, with cross-border fund transfers finished in just 7 minutes.
Tether announced that Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Motor Mexico have completed an enterprise cross-border settlement proof of concept (POC) on the Avalanche network via Axiym, marking Tether’s first enterprise cross-border fund settlement pilot. During the pilot, Hyundai Motor America converted $20,000 into USDT, transferred the funds cross-border to Hyundai Motor Mexico, which then converted the amount back to USD. The entire cross-border transfer and verification process took an average of just 7 minutes, a notable acceleration compared to traditional bank cross-border remittances, which typically take 3 to 4 hours or longer. Tether noted that the pilot demonstrates stablecoins’ application potential in enterprise cross-border payments, fund management, and global fund allocation. In the next phase, the project will explore additional cross-border payment channels and local currency settlement scenarios, further evaluating stablecoins’ use in enterprise treasury management.
3 minutes ago
Trump: I am taking over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran got nothing at all.
US President Donald Trump said, “We are taking over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has nothing right now. Iran is not getting anything.”
3 minutes ago
Iran's Strait Administration says resumption of transit will require waiting for the situation to stabilize.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Administration (PGSA) stated that passage through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not feasible due to recent hostile actions by the U.S. military. Once stability and calm are restored, all applications will be reviewed per the scheduled timeline, and the licensing process will resume. It emphasized that the only way to obtain passage permits is through its official website. (Jinshi)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, July 13th, 2026, Chainwire
Byreal, a decentralised exchange incubated by Bybit, today marked its first anniversary since launching on the Solana testnet on 30 June 2025. Over the past year, the platform has grown into a primary liquidity venue for tokenized real-world assets (RWA) and established itself as one of the first AI agent-native exchanges in DeFi.
Since launch, Byreal has recorded more than $3.7 billion in cumulative trading volume across 25.3 million total transactions. The platform has attracted close to half a million total users and paid out $2.8 million in fees to liquidity providers.
“One year ago, Byreal set out to prove that DeFi could match the liquidity and execution quality of a centralised operation while keeping our ecosystem authentic. Reaching $3.7 billion in total volume and becoming a leading venue for tokenized real-world assets on Solana validates that vision. This is only the foundation for what Byreal will build next,” said Emily Bao, Founder of Byreal.
Real-World Assets and Crypto Liquidity Hub
Byreal has established itself as a primary on-chain liquidity venue for tokenized equities and commodities. Partnerships with xStocksFi, Backpack, Tether Gold, and Sunrise have enabled more than 20 tokenized equities, including MU, SPCX, SNDK, NVDAx, and CRCLx, to trade with real depth on Solana.
Through deep integration with Bybit Alpha, Byreal became the top Day 1 trading volume venue on Solana for multiple new tokens, including BP, MON, ARX, SKR, and BRIB, bridging centralised exchange liquidity with on-chain markets from launch day.
Over the past year, Byreal has expanded its product suite across three verticals, now available on a single platform:
Real Farmer: the first copy-farming product on Solana Perps: offering up to 50x leverage trading for both equities and crypto, available 24/7 Predict: an on-chain market for trading real-world outcomes AI and Agent Infrastructure
Byreal positions itself as the most agent-native DEX on Solana, combining deep hybrid liquidity (CEX + on-chain), real-world asset support, and purpose-built tools for the next wave of AI-driven trading and DeFi activity. Incubated by Bybit and powered by Solana.
The platform has continued to build agent-native infrastructure over the past year, releasing tools that allow both human users and AI agents to participate in DeFi. Agent Skills is an open infrastructure layer that allows AI agents to swap, provide liquidity, trade perps, and participate in prediction markets. RealClaw is a personal AI agent that autonomously farms yield, trades spot, perps, and prediction markets, and manages positions on behalf of users.
Community Meme Contest
To mark its first anniversary, Byreal is hosting a community meme contest. Participants are invited to create and share memes celebrating the platform’s agent-native features, RWA integrations, and product innovations. Winners will receive prizes and recognition on official channels.
About Byreal
Byreal is a decentralised exchange (DEX) built on the Solana blockchain and incubated by Bybit. Byreal brings together trading, liquidity provision, and yield generation into one unified onchain platform, with execution quality and infrastructure designed to match the standards of a professional trading venue. Built from the ground up as an AI agent native DEX, Byreal enables both human users and AI agents to trade, swap, and provide liquidity programmatically.
For more information about Byreal, please visit: www.byreal.io
For updates, please follow Byreal’s social media: https://x.com/byreal_io
class=”ql-align-justify”>Byreal, a decentralised exchange incubated by Bybit, today marked its first anniversary since launching on the Solana testnet on 30 June 2025.
Over the past year, the platform has grown into a primary liquidity venue for tokenized real-world assets (RWA) and established itself as one of the first AI agent-native exchanges in DeFi.
Since launch, Byreal has recorded more than $3.7 billion in cumulative trading volume across 25.3 million total transactions. The platform has attracted close to half a million total users and paid out $2.8 million in fees to liquidity providers.
“One year ago, Byreal set out to prove that DeFi could match the liquidity and execution quality of a centralised operation while keeping our ecosystem authentic. Reaching $3.7 billion in total volume and becoming a leading venue for tokenized real-world assets on Solana validates that vision. This is only the foundation for what Byreal will build next,” said Emily Bao, Founder of Byreal.
Real-World Assets and Crypto Liquidity Hub
Byreal has established itself as a primary on-chain liquidity venue for tokenized equities and commodities. Partnerships with xStocksFi, Backpack, Tether Gold, and Sunrise have enabled more than 20 tokenized equities, including MU, SPCX, SNDK, NVDAx, and CRCLx, to trade with real depth on Solana.
Through deep integration with Bybit Alpha, Byreal became the top Day 1 trading volume venue on Solana for multiple new tokens, including BP, MON, ARX, SKR, and BRIB, bridging centralised exchange liquidity with on-chain markets from launch day.
Over the past year, Byreal has expanded its product suite across three verticals, now available on a single platform:
Real Farmer: the first copy-farming product on Solana Perps: offering up to 50x leverage trading for both equities and crypto, available 24/7 Predict: an on-chain market for trading real-world outcomes AI and Agent Infrastructure
Byreal positions itself as the most agent-native DEX on Solana, combining deep hybrid liquidity (CEX + on-chain), real-world asset support, and purpose-built tools for the next wave of AI-driven trading and DeFi activity. Incubated by Bybit and powered by Solana.
The platform has continued to build agent-native infrastructure over the past year, releasing tools that allow both human users and AI agents to participate in DeFi. Agent Skills is an open infrastructure layer that allows AI agents to swap, provide liquidity, trade perps, and participate in prediction markets. RealClaw is a personal AI agent that autonomously farms yield, trades spot, perps, and prediction markets, and manages positions on behalf of users.
Community Meme Contest
To mark its first anniversary, Byreal is hosting a community meme contest. Participants are invited to create and share memes celebrating the platform’s agent-native features, RWA integrations, and product innovations. Winners will receive prizes and recognition on official channels.
About Byreal
Byreal is a decentralised exchange (DEX) built on the Solana blockchain and incubated by Bybit. Byreal brings together trading, liquidity provision, and yield generation into one unified onchain platform, with execution quality and infrastructure designed to match the standards of a professional trading venue. Built from the ground up as an AI agent native DEX, Byreal enables both human users and AI agents to trade, swap, and provide liquidity programmatically.
For more information about Byreal, please visit: www.byreal.io
For updates, please follow Byreal’s social media: https://x.com/byreal_io
For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
SBI Holdings announced on July 13 that the Solana Foundation will acquire a stake in SBI R3 Japan, turning the entity into a new joint venture under the name SBI Solana Global. This move is set to support the migration of Japanese stablecoins, digital assets, and cross-border payments onto the Solana blockchain.
Strategic partnership strengthens digital finance expansionWith this strategic partnership, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), a major Japanese banking institution, will remain a shareholder alongside SBI Holdings and the Solana Foundation. The transition will see SBI R3 Japan rebranded as SBI Solana Global Co., Ltd., pending standard corporate procedures.
SBI Solana Global will develop five business lines based on the Solana network, including investments in stablecoins like the Japanese yen-pegged JPYSC. The company plans to launch tokenized Real-World Assets (RWAs) that may encompass corporate bonds, commercial paper, investment funds, and real estate.
In addition to these products, the joint venture aims to establish cross-border settlement infrastructure, on-chain institutional services, and payment systems designed for an anticipated era of AI-driven agents, SBI Holdings stated in the official press release.
SBI is aiming to create a unified platform managing issuance, distribution, and settlement, rather than focusing solely on blockchain provision for digital assets and payments.
Mini dictionary: Solana Foundation, a non-profit organization, supports development and adoption of the Solana blockchain, known for its high throughput and focus on decentralized finance applications.
Japan positioned as on-chain finance hubSBI Holdings outlined ambitions for Japan to become a central hub for on-chain financial services in Asia, with plans to expand business offerings to other Asian and global markets.
The company did not provide revenue forecasts, identify client commitments, or disclose financial terms regarding the Solana Foundation’s stake. No specific overseas markets or additional banking partners were mentioned in the statement.
SBI’s products must still receive regulatory clearance under Japan’s cryptocurrency and securities regulations before launch.
SBI’s broader move into digital assetsThe collaboration with Solana follows a series of digital asset initiatives by SBI Holdings. In March, SBI and blockchain developer Startale introduced a regulated yen stablecoin for payment and settlement services. Furthermore, SBI worked with Ripple to bring the dollar-pegged RLUSD stablecoin to Japan via its crypto subsidiary, SBI VC Trade, after obtaining relevant regulatory permissions. SBI continues to be Ripple’s largest domestic partner.
SBI Holdings is also in the process of acquiring Bitbank, a prominent Japanese cryptocurrency exchange, in a deal valued at 46.7 billion yen. Whether Bitbank or SBI VC Trade will offer SBI Solana Global’s new products has not been addressed.
Mini dictionary: Bitbank is a licensed Japanese cryptocurrency exchange, recognized for its large trading volumes and compliance with Japanese financial regulations.
Solana’s network momentum attracts institutional partnersBy partnering with SBI, the Solana Foundation gains access to institutional finance within Japan’s expanding blockchain ecosystem. Solana’s network has recently reported $5.77 billion in tokenized asset spot volume and surpassed one billion transactions in a single week.
At the time of the announcement, Solana’s SOL token traded at approximately $76.35.
Token / NetworkLatest Trading PriceRecent VolumeRecent Transactions/WeekSOL (Solana)$76.35$5.77 billion1 billion+Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
The FIFA World Cup Winner markets on Polymarket and Kalshi have recorded $5 billion in total volumes, and with six days left before the FIFA Men’s World Cup ends on July 19, investors are now watching the best crypto coins that could benefit from this boom.
The three best crypto coins to watch amid this prediction market frenzy include Chainlink (LINK), Polygon (POL), and Chiliz (CHZ), with each of them being well-positioned in the prediction markets and sports space to gain ahead of the July 19 final.
Kalshi and PolyMarket FIFA World Cup Markets Hit $5B in Volumes Data from Polymarket shows that the World Cup Winner market that opened in July 2025 has $4.2 billion in volume.
The same market running on Kalshi has also seen $1.16 billion in volumes, bringing the total volumes on the top two leading prediction markets to $5 billion.
The two markets will resolve on July 19, after the World Cup final match occurs.
The rising volumes have not only moved investors to watch crypto coins but also prediction market stocks like Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) and Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD).
In June, analysts from Bernstein also forecast that prediction markets could see a $3 billion increase in volumes because of the FIFA World Cup, and this could supercharge the revenues of Coinbase and Robinhood.
But besides crypto stocks, three coins that are playing a crucial role around the FIFA World Cup and prediction markets are benefiting from this boom.
POL Crypto Coin Outperforms the Broader Market POL is one of the top crypto coins to watch as the FIFA World Cup final match draws near because the biggest prediction market, Polymarket, runs on Polygon.
Data from CoinMarketCap shows that the price of POL is up by 2.44% today, July 13, to trade at $0.081 at the time of writing. The gains come despite Bitcoin and Ethereum dropping by 1.4% and 0.7%, respectively.
This crypto coin has moved from $0.067 on July 1 to $0.081 on July 13 amid high buying pressure.
The RSI of 64 suggests that the momentum is favoring bulls. This could push POL price to the neckline resistance of $0.084.
If the price closes above this resistance of $0.084, a 24% rally could occur that will push the price to the May 2026 high of $0.10.
POL/USDT: 1-day Chart (Source: TradingView) The MACD line that has shifted positive also supports a bullish long-term POL price forecast that the crypto coin could reach $0.10.
CHZ Price Signals Bullish Reversal as Fan Tokens Surge The reason why Chiliz is one of the best crypto coins to watch ahead of the FIFA World Cup final match is because the fan tokens that are created on its Socios platform are booming.
One of these tokens is the Argentine Football Association Fan Token that has seen $1.27 million in trading volumes today, July 13.
These rising volumes for the fan tokens have pushed an increase in buying pressure for the Chiliz crypto coin.
The CMF indicator that has turned positive with a reading of 0.02 now suggests the buying pressure is more than the selling pressure.
If the buying pressure remains high, CHZ price could rise to the July 11 high of $0.018.
CHZ/USDT: 4-hour Chart (Source: TradingView) Closing above this obstacle at $0.018 could see this crypto coin target the psychological resistance of $0.20.
But if the uptrend fails, CHZ price could drop to the support level of $0.016.
Chainlink Crypto Coin Consolidates Within Symmetrical Triangle Chainlink is also another crypto coin to watch as FIFA World Cup markets boom because FIFA’s official prediction partner, ADI Predictstreet, uses Chainlink as its exclusive oracle infrastructure.
LINK price has moved from $0.01 on June 25 to $7.9 today, July 13. This gain has led to the creation of a symmetrical triangle.
The AO bars that are positive and growing in length also support a bullish long-term Chainlink price prediction.
LINK is currently testing the resistance of $8.06, and if it can close above this price for three straight days, the price could gain by 20%. This gain will be the same as the height of the symmetrical triangle.
LINK/USDT: 1-day Chart (Source: TradingView) But if LINK fails to close above $8.06 and moves below the lower boundary of the symmetrical triangle, the price could drop by 20%.
NextDecade Corporation (NEXT) has quietly recovered toward $8 while the market fixates on the Strait of Hormuz. The reason is a building gas supply shock, and this overlooked LNG stock sits directly in its path.
NEXT Share Price: Google FinanceMost investors are trading the crisis through oil tankers. That trade, however, is already crowded. The longer prize, by contrast, sits with American gas exporters.
What the Tanker Trade MissesThe tanker trade is simple. Investors buy the companies that own the ships hauling crude oil. When Hormuz turns dangerous, rerouting and war insurance push tanker rents higher, so those shares climb.
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That move, however, is late. Analysts at Evercore previously cut Frontline and DHT Holdings to hold, citing reversion risk. The easy money has likely gone. Even as the US-Iran standoff flares again, tanker rate spikes tend to fade fast.
The trade also misses the deeper wound. Iran’s strikes damaged close to 20% of Qatar’s liquefaction supply at Ras Laffan during early 2026. Unlike shipping delays, broken plants do not recover when a ceasefire holds.
A Qatari LNG tanker was struck while exiting the Strait of Hormuz 🇶🇦🚨
🚢 The laden ship (Al Rekayyat) was traversing the Omani route when it was hit by a projectile. The tanker was dark at the time
⚠️ This threatens Qatar's plans to rapidly revive LNG exports from Ras Laffan pic.twitter.com/sMMJEJoWGU
— Stephen Stapczynski (@SStapczynski) July 7, 2026 Indeed, Iran’s navy closed the strait again on July 12. Tanker crossings have plunged to near 33 a day, versus about 130 before the war.
Why LNG Is the Real PrizeLiquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is gas chilled into liquid form. That cooling shrinks its volume about 600 times, which lets tankers carry it across oceans.
Qatar is a top supplier, and about one fifth of the world’s LNG passes through Hormuz. As a result, buyers now scramble for supply from safer regions.
An armada of US LNG shipments are heading to Asia
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
The near-closure of Hormuz has forced Asian LNG importers to scramble for alternatives. US supply has largely filled the gap
West>East LNG flows via Cape of Good Hope is at a seasonal high (+80% from last year) pic.twitter.com/4JbdIDMYwS
— Stephen Stapczynski (@SStapczynski) July 6, 2026 The United States fits that need. It is the biggest LNG exporter and sits an ocean away from Iran. Meanwhile, Shell expects global LNG demand to rise about 65% by 2050.
NextDecade is building the Rio Grande LNG plant in Brownsville, Texas. The site holds about 48 million tonnes of yearly capacity under development, with first cargoes due in early 2027.
That timing lands just as the shortage bites. The firm could become a top-four US exporter early next decade. In July, XRG, the investment arm of Abu Dhabi’s state oil producer ADNOC, boosted its stake.
Wall Street, however, has barely moved. Citi set a Buy rating and an $11 target on May 13 and has not changed it since, showing how overlooked a stock NEXT is. That stale call predates the latest closure, so the case has strengthened while the number sat still.
Citi Called A Buy: TipRanksToday, the stock trades near $7.99, roughly 40% below that target.
What the Money Flow and Options SignalMoney flow is turning. The Chaikin Money Flow fell from a mid-May peak to a June 18 low, then recovered to near minus 0.03.
The last time it crossed above zero, on April 30, the stock rose about 7% into mid-May. Another cross would repeat that signal, and price has already recovered while flow lags.
NextDecade Chaikin Money Flow Near Zero: BeInCryptoOptions traders lean bullish too. Last week the put-call volume ratio sat near 0.27, with open interest near 0.21. Both low readings mean far more bets on gains than on losses.
Still, that can shift fast. NextDecade reports second-quarter results on July 30, which may confirm construction progress and new contracts.
NEXT Options Positioning: BarchartUltimately, the tanker trade priced the crisis in days, because shipping rates spike then fade. The LNG trade works on a longer clock. Qatar’s plants take years to rebuild, so buyers need new supply well into the decade.
That is why NextDecade matters. Its Texas plant starts shipping in 2027, just as that gap widens. Yet the market still values it like a pre-revenue project, which keeps this hidden LNG stock overlooked.
Key Takeaways Apple initiated legal action against OpenAI in California federal court, claiming trade secret misappropriation and contractual violations Tang Yew Tan, ex-hardware executive at Apple, is accused of transferring supplier information and instructing candidates to bring confidential Apple components to job interviews Chang Liu, a former Apple engineer, allegedly retained company equipment after departure and accessed sensitive files OpenAI reportedly demonstrated Apple’s exclusive metal-finishing process to a third-party manufacturer without authorization Industry experts suggest the litigation may hinder OpenAI’s consumer device roadmap and strain its collaborative ties with Apple The Cupertino-based tech giant launched legal proceedings against OpenAI this past Friday, alleging systematic theft of confidential information and violation of existing agreements. The complaint was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
$AAPL sued OpenAI in federal court, alleging trade secret theft tied to OpenAI’s consumer hardware push.
Apple named OpenAI hardware chief Tang Tan and former Apple engineer Chang Liu in the suit, alleging confidential hardware files and unreleased product materials were taken.… pic.twitter.com/qJKR7X6vDq
— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) July 11, 2026
The legal action marks a dramatic shift in relations between the two technology leaders, who established a collaborative arrangement in 2024 integrating ChatGPT functionality into iOS. This partnership has now devolved into courtroom confrontation.
The Allegations in Detail At the heart of Apple’s complaint stands Tang Yew Tan, who spent nearly a quarter-century at the iPhone maker working on design initiatives for flagship products including the iPhone and Apple Watch. Tan later established io Products, a hardware development firm that OpenAI purchased for approximately $6.5 billion last year.
According to the filing, Tan systematically transferred sensitive supplier data to his private email account during his final days at Apple. The lawsuit further claims he provided guidance to prospective OpenAI hires on circumventing Apple’s exit protocols and explicitly directed interview candidates to transport unreleased Apple components—such as battery systems, circuit boards, and integrated System-in-Package technology—to OpenAI facilities as demonstration materials.
The complaint also names Chang Liu, who served as a senior systems electrical engineer at Apple. The filing asserts Liu retained an Apple-issued computing device following his transition to OpenAI and subsequently utilized it to extract proprietary technical documentation.
A third accusation centers on manufacturing processes. Apple contends that OpenAI showcased a confidential metal surface treatment methodology to an external manufacturing collaborator while falsely implying Apple had granted permission for such disclosure.
OpenAI has categorically rejected these accusations. In an official response, the company stated: “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets.”
Implications for OpenAI’s Device Strategy The timing of this lawsuit is particularly significant for OpenAI’s broader ambitions. The artificial intelligence company has publicly acknowledged its intention to enter the consumer hardware market, with industry sources describing products including a screenless wearable device and an intelligent camera-enabled speaker system. Development timelines for certain products have reportedly shifted into early 2027.
The legal process will now grant Apple extensive access to OpenAI’s hardware development operations during a pivotal phase. Should Apple secure preliminary injunctive relief, it could effectively halt progress on OpenAI’s entire device initiative.
Industry analyst Paolo Pescatore commented to Reuters: “Even if the allegations are not proven, the lawsuit could delay OpenAI’s hardware ambitions and further weaken what is already becoming an increasingly fragile partnership.”
The legal battle also coincides with a major transition in Apple’s executive structure. Tim Cook is scheduled to assume the role of executive chairman on September 1, transferring CEO responsibilities to John Ternus, who currently oversees hardware engineering operations.
Apple’s legal filing requests judicial intervention to prevent OpenAI from retaining or utilizing any allegedly misappropriated materials and demands their immediate return.
Legal proceedings are anticipated to extend through multiple procedural phases in the coming months. Despite their current dispute, both organizations recognize a fundamental truth: the battle to define the next generation of consumer computing platforms is unfolding in real time.
WOO X Signs Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Payward Services
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – 11 JULY, 2026 – WOO X, a leading global centralized digital asset exchange, and Payward Services, the B2B infrastructure platform from Payward, the company behind global crypto platform Kraken, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the intent to bring crypto trading to WOO X's European users through Payward Services’ trading-as-a-service offering.
Under the agreement, the companies intend to enable spot crypto trading for WOO X’s EU users powered by Payward's regulated European infrastructure and licensing. WOO X would join a growing roster of financial institutions using Payward Services’ trading-as-a-service offering, including bunq, one of Europe's leading neobanks.
"We're excited to bring WOO X the power of fifteen years of Payward's regulated infrastructure, creating an easy path to meet customer demand with an expanded trading offering and the right licenses to unlock crypto trading across the EU. When partners work with Payward Services, they can launch crypto trading in a few weeks without building complex in-house infrastructure," said Mark Greenberg, Global Head of Payward Services.The MOU serves as a foundational framework for future cooperation. Both entities will share further details and operational updates as specific initiatives are finalized.
About WOO X
WOO X is a leading global centralized digital asset exchange built by traders, for traders. Engineered by a premier team of quantitative traders, engineers, and technologists originating from top-tier Web2 and Web3 projects, WOO X delivers a elite trading environment tailored for both retail and institutional investors. The platform is globally recognized for its superior trade execution, offering deep aggregated liquidity, ultra-tight spreads, and zero-slippage execution.Prioritizing user trust and platform integrity, WOO X features an industry-first, live-updating Proof of Reserves and Liabilities transparency dashboard. The exchange offers advanced trading architecture, fully customizable workspaces, and professional-grade infrastructure that supports flexible, professional withdrawal standards alongside top-tier asset custody solutions. Driven by a corporate culture of compliance, technical excellence, and relentless innovation, WOO X continues to pioneer transparent, high-performance trading environments for the global digital asset ecosystem.
For more information, visit https://www.wooxpro.com/; https://woox.io/
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This is a general announcement. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region. Fellow Binancians, Starting at approximately 2026-07-13 12:00 (UTC), Binance will suspend the deposits and withdrawals of token(s) on the Moonbeam (GLMR) network to support its network upgrade to ensure the best user experience. The network upgrade will take place at the block height of 16,427,124, or approximately at 2026-07-13 13:00 (UTC). Please note: The trading of token(s) on the aforementioned network will not be impacted.Binance will handle all technical requirements involved for all users.Deposits and withdrawals for token(s) on the aforementioned network will be reopened once the upgraded network is deemed to be stable. No further announcement will be posted.There may be discrepancies between this original content in English and any translated versions. Please refer to the original English version for the most accurate information, in case any discrepancies arise. For more information, please refer to the announcement from the project team. Thank you for your support! Binance Team 2026-07-13
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Van de Poppe is watching ARB, UNI, AAVE, ETHFI, NEAR, ZEC, SOL, and SUI closely, as these altcoins show interesting market movements.He credits the Robinhood Chain launch for pulling fresh liquidity into Ethereum.Arbitrum and Uniswap have been the two biggest winners from that shift, he said.He says NEAR and Zcash are benefiting most from a growing privacy narrative now.Altcoins are starting to shake off weeks of sluggish price action, and one closely watched analyst thinks it is more than a short blip. In an exclusive interview with Coinpedia, Michaël van de Poppe, CIO and founder of MN Fund, MN Capital, and New Era Finance, walked through the altcoins he is watching most closely right now. He said improving market narratives are pulling fresh liquidity back into important sectors of the market.
Van de Poppe is watching ARB, UNI, AAVE, ETHFI, NEAR, ZEC, SOL, and SUI closely. Each token, he said, is riding a different catalyst, from DeFi adoption to privacy demand to renewed strength in Layer-1 infrastructure.
Robinhood Chain is lifting EthereumPoppe pointed to one launch in particular as the spark behind the recent rally. He credits the Robinhood Chain launch for pulling fresh liquidity into Ethereum. “The first narrative is surrounding the launch of the Robinhood Chain,” he said. “This attracted liquidity and trading volume towards the Ether ecosystem.”
Arbitrum and Uniswap have been the two biggest winners from that shift, he said. “I don’t think that this will stall in the coming period,” he added. “Technically, they are looking great for more upside due to higher timeframe bullish divergences.”
DeFi and privacy tokens hold their groundRegulatory progress is also playing a role, according to Van de Poppe. He pointed to the CLARITY Act as a factor bringing renewed attention to decentralized finance. “Ethereum is doing well on itself, and also other DeFi protocols like AAVE and Ether.fi have been seeing spikes of interest,” he said.
He says NEAR and Zcash are benefiting most from a growing privacy narrative now. “The privacy narrative is an important one,” he said, explaining why trading activity around both tokens has continued to climb.
Layer-1s show early signs of lifeVan de Poppe said infrastructure tokens are quietly strengthening too. “Infrastructure layers are performing better and better, and that signals that the markets are on the edge of turning around,” he said.
He described Solana as “waking up,” while Sui is also showing early signs of recovery. “I expect other Layer-1s to be starting an uptrend,” he added.
What’s Next?The altcoin season index has climbed to 58, signalling a shift in momentum away from Bitcoin and toward alternative assets. Bitcoin dominance has slipped from 58.12% to 56.3%, a move that historically precedes broader capital rotation into altcoins.
ETF flows are reflecting that shift in real time. While Bitcoin funds are seeing outflows, money is moving into Ethereum, XRP and Solana ETF products, showing institutional interest is diversifying rather than retreating from crypto altogether.
The backdrop is not uniformly positive, however. Around 40% of altcoins are currently trading near their all-time lows, a figure that highlights just how uneven this market cycle has been. Most tokens have not recovered anywhere close to their previous peaks, even as a handful of larger assets begin to show renewed strength.
Story Ends Here
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