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Every major AI added memory in the first half of 2026. OpenAI's Dreaming. Claude Chat Memory. Gemini Personal Intelligence. Grok Skills. Microsoft's M365 Copilot Memory rollout. Five launches, five more walled gardens.

Each one is a retention feature. Your context lives on their servers, serves their product, and stops at their wall. If you move to a different AI tomorrow, or use two at once, you start from zero.

Until now. Vana was built to give you an exit from walled gardens so that your data belongs to you. Today, the Vana App Upgrade is live in Beta. And the memory layer inside it is now something you own.

What is the Vana App upgrade? The Vana App upgrade gives you a personal data server, on your device, that you control.

Connect your data sources once. Your Spotify listening history, your Oura sleep and recovery data, your calendar, your conversations across platforms. That data lives locally, not on any platform's servers. It's yours.

From there, you decide what it serves and to whom. Grant a permission, revoke it anytime. No platform intermediary, no asking anyone for access to your own context. Your data becomes self-sovereign.

You can permission your data to any app built on Vana's Data Portability API, or port your memory using MCP.

Portable Memory MCP Vana has acquired the team behind Memory Protocol to lead these important upgrades. Jack Spallone has joined the Vana team and brought his deep know-how and expertise on portable memory into the Vana stack.

The Vana App upgrade ships an MCP endpoint for your personal server. That means Claude can read from it. ChatGPT can read from it. Any MCP-compliant tool can read from it. Your memory and context are now portable, from one source you own, across every AI or app you use.

This is what we mean by open data infrastructure for human-grounded AI. Portability as a protocol.

For builders Vana's Data Portability API now makes it possible to ship apps that read from a user's Vana personal server with their permission.

Your users bring their own context to your app. You don't need to build memory infrastructure from scratch. You don't need to ask a third-party platform for access to user data. You can ask the user directly.

Start building, or add personal data portability to your app today. The docs are at docs.vana.org. We will be holding Builder Workshops and Office Hours in Vana's Discord throughout the week, so be sure to tune in.

How to try it Try the Beta version of the Vana App Upgrade at app.vana.org.

Those who try it out and offer feedback will be given priority slots for the Full Release.

Interested in building on it? Visit docs.vana.org. For workshops and questions, join our Discord.

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.

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Bitcoin has shed over half its value since its October 2025 peak, drifting to roughly $63,000 at press time. Presently, it has largely held a tight range between $58,000 and $63,000.

The decline stems mostly from mounting geopolitical tension that built after the peak—the U.S.-China tariff war and the unresolved West Asia conflict—which pulled capital out of Bitcoin.

Sentiment has since settled on the geopolitical front, but moves by major holders cast doubt on whether a sustainable rally is coming. Michael Saylor’s Strategy recently sold $216 million worth of Bitcoin to fund a dividend payment, sharpening that uncertainty. On-chain data offers a cleaner answer.

Bitcoin’s apparent demand signals quiet accumulation Despite the outflows, Bitcoin’s apparent demand on a 30-day basis points to a silent, growing accumulation of the asset.

Since June 3, buyers have scooped up roughly 200,000 Bitcoin, lifting apparent demand from -275,000 to -75,000 Bitcoin. The metric measures the gap between newly issued Bitcoin and the supply that has stayed inactive.

Source: CryptoQuant The rise reflects a degree of accumulation, though it stops short of confirming a bullish market.

Apparent demand still sits in negative territory on the chart. A material run looks unlikely until the metric flips positive, particularly while the upward push toward the positive end stays weak. For now, the trend warrants caution rather than a bullish read, and the market has yet to confirm otherwise.

Structure hints at limited downside Structurally, the king cryptocurrency shows signs that further downside from this level carries a lower probability.

Bitcoin has found a base at the lower band (green line) of the Bollinger Bands, a level that has often played a critical support role once price trades there for a stretch.

The Bollinger Bands have repeatedly flagged rebound points on the chart. Each of the last five instances, circled in red, typically carried price to the blue or upper red line—levels that currently sit at $69,928 and $82,544.

The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) indicator, on the other hand, suggests a rally may not materialize soon, with Bitcoin more likely to tick slightly lower or consolidate further within its present range.

The MACD blue line crossing the orange line—while holding a narrow gap—implies Bitcoin keeps trading in the direction it currently sits, between $58,000 and $63,000, before any surge materializes. It also suggests the odds of an extreme plunge remain slim.

Bitcoin season index and exchange reserves stay calm The market has not entered a Bitcoin season, the euphoric stretch where the asset prints fresh local highs and potentially tests an all-time high.

The index tracking this currently reads 52, lending modest support to the view that select altcoins are drawing renewed capital flow.

Source: CryptoQuant Bitcoin is likely to meet lighter selling pressure as it stands, given the overall decline in supply held on exchange reserves. That availability has dropped from 2.715 million Bitcoin to roughly 2.707 million on the chart.

For now, capital movement points to settled sentiment, and Bitcoin looks set to stay calm as the gradual decline tendency holds steady.

Final Summary Bitcoin remains range-bound, with on-chain data pointing to accumulation but not a confirmed bullish reversal. Apparent demand is improving as buyers accumulate BTC, though the metric remains negative, warranting caution.

Michael Saylor spotlighted Strategy’s BTC Breakeven ARR on Tuesday, July 7. He argued Bitcoin (BTC) only needs 3.3% yearly growth to fund the firm’s preferred dividends from capital gains indefinitely.

The metric divides annual preferred dividend obligations, now roughly $1.76 billion by company figures, by the value of the corporate Bitcoin reserve. Saylor called it one of the most misunderstood numbers attached to Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy).

What BTC Breakeven ARR Means for MicroStrategyStrategy reports holding 843,775 BTC, worth roughly $53.8 billion with Bitcoin trading near $63,603, and the stack keeps growing. The company disclosed 818,334 BTC in its May earnings release, meaning it added over 25,000 coins through a drawdown.

Saylor, the company’s founder and executive chairman, made the case in a Tuesday post on X (Twitter).

“One of the most misunderstood $MSTR metrics is BTC Breakeven ARR. If BTC appreciates faster than 3.3% over time, BTC capital gains can fund $STRC dividends indefinitely.”

A companion chart from Strategy illustrates the trade-off. At zero Bitcoin growth, the reserve plus a $2.55 billion cash buffer covers about 31 years of payments, per the company’s dashboard. The buffer alone funds roughly 17 months.

BTC capital gains fund STRC credit dividends. Source: MicroStrategyThe pitch leans on a real track record. MicroStrategy has paid 23 consecutive preferred distributions totaling over $693 million since early 2025, per its Q1 release.

Critics Question the Bitcoin Dividend MathThe model assumes obligations stop compounding, and so far, they have not. Preferred dividends hit $229.5 million in the first quarter of 2026, up from $10.6 million a year earlier. Preferred equity outstanding has swelled past $13.5 billion.

Skeptics also doubt the funding side. JPMorgan recently warned that Strategy’s Bitcoin sales policy could add up to $1.25 billion in sell pressure. On-chain data already pointed to a new Bitcoin sale of 491 BTC on July 1, which was later confirmed to be 7x bigger.

Meanwhile, STRC paid an 11.5% annualized rate in May yet trades below its $100 par target. Preferred holders still price in risk despite the low breakeven hurdle.

STRC Price. Source: StrategyWhether 3.3% proves a low bar depends on Bitcoin reclaiming its long-term trend, with the price down nearly 49% from its October peak.

However, coming payments may reveal how much of the burden falls on BTC sales rather than capital gains.

Bitcoin financial services platform Strike has launched a “volatility-proof” Bitcoin-backed loan that eliminates margin calls and forced liquidations amid the depths of a bear market, but only for those who can pay on time and handle a 14% interest rate.

In an announcement on Tuesday, Strike CEO Jack Mallers said the offering came in response to broad customer feedback on Strike’s first Bitcoin loan product, which launched in May 2025 and triggered many liquidations during a timeframe in which Bitcoin (BTC) dropped 54% from peak to trough.

“No margin calls. No price liquidations. No matter how far bitcoin falls, your bitcoin doesn't move,” Strike CEO Jack Mallers said of the new Bitcoin loan product. The trade-off is an expensive interest rate, a shorter six-month loan term, and an obligation to pay on time to avoid liquidation, Mallers said.

Strike’s Jack Mallers is presenting the new Bitcoin-backed loan product. Source: Jack Mallers

The Bitcoin industry has spent the better part of a decade racing to build financial products that expand Bitcoin's use case beyond a savings technology. A report in June from crypto lending platform Ledn, however, found that while 88% of surveyed crypto investors said they would consider a crypto-backed loan, only 14% use them.

Ledn said confidence in crypto-lending products and market volatility are among the main reasons for this 6-to-1 “crypto collateral gap” that has slowed adoption.

Volatility has been one of the biggest obstacles behind that push, with Bitcoin dropping 30% or more in 10 of the past 12 years, while also experiencing a 50% or more drawdown four times since 2014, Mallers noted.

Other crypto market participants offering Bitcoin-backed loans are Binance, Coinbase, Nexo and Xapo Bank.

Strike charges double-digit interestThe maximum initial loan-to-value ratio for the volatility-proof loans is 45%, meaning that a customer who puts up $100,000 in Bitcoin as collateral can borrow up to $45,000, while the annual percentage rate (APR) is also 2.95 percentage points higher than Strike’s standard loan product.

“The secret sauce is that we’re taking the extra charge that we’re giving you guys and we’re putting it on extra hedges in the market to protect all of us.”Strike’s standard Bitcoin loans charge an annual percentage rate between 7.75% and 11.25%, meaning the volatility-proof products could carry interest between 10.7% and 14.2%. 

"If you're OK with a slightly shorter term and a little bit higher of a fee, there is no price move that can liquidate you," Mallers said.

Over the past year, Bitcoin has fallen 54% from its all-time high of $126,080 in October to $58,190 on June 25.

Bitcoin investor Fred Krueger said the loan product "could eliminate one of Bitcoin's biggest structural problems: forced selling during market crashes." 

“Instead of volatility causing automatic liquidations, defaults would be driven by borrowers' inability to service debt rather than by temporary price swings," he said.

“Great product for those who need near-term liquidity and don’t want to risk liquidation,” added Vibes Capital Management executive chairman Rob Topping, though he also acknowledged the 14% APR was expensive. 

Customers must pay up or face consequencesIf a client misses a payment, they have 10 days to make the payment or contact Strike to explain their financial situation, Mallers said.

Failing to pay after that 10-day period may mean Strike starts liquidating their Bitcoin to cover the overdue amount, Mallers warned.

“If we don’t hear from you for a few weeks, then I may have no choice but to sell off some of the Bitcoin because it seems like you’re doing a hit-and-run.”“That’s why we call it ‘volatility-proof,’ not ‘liquidation-proof,’” Mallers added.

The Bitcoin loans are offered in most US states and can be taken out in both personal and business names. They can be used for new loans, refinancing or consolidating.

While the minimum loan amount varies from state to state, the minimum loan offered through personal loans is $10,000, while businesses in certain states can access loans as low as $5,000.

Features: Bitcoin miners are pivoting to AI, so why is the hashrate near ATHs?

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Prediction market platform Polymarket has announced support for instant, self-custodial deposits via the Bitcoin Lightning Network, with the new feature backed by the Spark Protocol. Compared to prior on-chain deposit methods that required waiting for 3 to 6 block confirmations and took 10 to 60 minutes, the new solution delivers near-instant settlement while lowering deposit barriers and transaction costs. According to details, Spark can conduct checks for double-spend risks, transaction fees, and Replace-by-Fee (RBF) at the time of transaction broadcast, enabling "zero-confirmation" posting. It also supports on-chain, Lightning Network, and stablecoin payment rails, removing the need for the platform to operate its own Lightning Network nodes. Polymarket noted that this step will further boost Bitcoin users' capital efficiency and strengthen its competitiveness against rival Kalshi.

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The Kuwaiti Army’s General Staff pushed public advisories through state news agency KUNA, urging civilians to follow safety protocols and stay alert for debris falling from intercepted projectiles. Debris from interceptions has fallen in residential zones, which is why the Kuwaiti government is not treating this as a background military matter.

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What’s actually happening in the Gulf Kuwait’s air defense network has been running hot since February 2026, when Iranian threats against Gulf states and US military assets began escalating into live fire. The IRGC has been the attributed source of the attacks, which have targeted both Kuwaiti infrastructure and American interests operating in the region. Some incidents reportedly involved dozens of projectiles detected in a single wave, making June 2 part of a sustained campaign rather than an isolated provocation.

Why crypto traders are watching the Gulf During a May 2026 escalation in the same regional conflict, Bitcoin dropped below $73,000. Liquidations tied to that move totaled $1 billion as traders caught on the wrong side of leveraged positions got wiped out in a compressed timeframe.

The June 2 interception event did not produce an immediate, documented move in crypto markets. But the pattern established over the prior months is clear: major escalation events in the Iran conflict have corresponded with Bitcoin price drops and significant liquidation cascades.

What investors should be watching Kuwait sits at the northern tip of the Persian Gulf, sharing a border with Iraq and positioned within range of Iranian ballistic missile systems. Its air defense network being actively engaged is a materially different signal than proxy skirmishes further from core Gulf infrastructure.

For crypto specifically, traders running leveraged long positions on Bitcoin or other major assets should be pricing in the possibility of additional sharp drawdowns if the conflict escalates further. The May liquidation event, totaling $1 billion, demonstrated how quickly an adverse geopolitical headline can cascade through a market where leverage is common and stop-loss clusters are tight.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Jam County in Bushehr Province, and crypto markets responded the way they always do when geopolitical risk spikes: violently and without mercy.

Bitcoin fell below $73,000 in the immediate aftermath, while roughly $1 billion in liquidations swept across cryptocurrency exchanges. The vast majority of those liquidations hit leveraged long positions, meaning traders betting on continued upside got caught flat-footed by a military escalation thousands of miles from any blockchain node.

What happened in Iranian airspace The IRGC confirmed the shootdown on June 9-10, citing what it called “precise intelligence monitoring” as the basis for engaging the American drone. The MQ-9 Reaper carries a price tag of approximately $32 million per unit.

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The incident fits into a broader pattern of aerial confrontations between the US and Iran throughout 2026, with multiple reported drone encounters this year alone. Iran has a history of intercepting American unmanned aircraft, most notably the downing of a US RQ-4 Global Hawk back in June 2019, an incident that nearly triggered a military response from the Trump administration at the time.

The IRGC went further in its public statements, referencing additional claimed actions against US air assets, including references to an RQ-4 drone and an F-35. The group also claimed to have attacked the US Fifth Fleet stationed in Bahrain, though the full scope and verification of these claims remain part of a rapidly evolving situation.

Why crypto markets care about a drone over Bushehr When Bitcoin moves against leveraged bets sharply enough, exchanges automatically close positions to prevent further losses. That forced selling creates a cascade effect, pushing prices down further, which triggers more liquidations, which pushes prices down further. The nearly $1 billion in liquidations tells you exactly how many market participants were positioned for calm seas when a storm rolled in.

Bitcoin’s slide below $73,000 represented a meaningful pullback. The asset had been trading well above that level prior to the incident, and the speed of the decline underscored just how thin the liquidity can become when fear enters the picture.

The bigger picture for investors The pattern is well-established. Iran shot down that RQ-4 Global Hawk in 2019, and markets wobbled then too. The difference now is that crypto markets are significantly larger and more interconnected with traditional finance, meaning the transmission mechanism from geopolitical shock to digital asset price action is faster and more severe than it was seven years ago.

The liquidation data itself is worth monitoring, because the $1 billion figure suggests significant leverage had built up in the system, and clearing that out could actually create a healthier market structure going forward if no further escalation occurs.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

New Hampshire is taking another big step toward using Bitcoin in public finance. On Wednesday, the state’s Governor and Executive Council will hold a public hearing . They will decide whether to approve a plan for up to $100 million in Bitcoin-backed bonds.

If approved, the plan would move forward as one of the first municipal bond projects in the US linked to Bitcoin.

What Is the Plan?The bonds would help finance private Bitcoin purchases through a company connected to Bitcoin miner CleanSpark. The state would not borrow the money itself. Instead, it would act as a middleman by issuing the bonds. Meanwhile, the private borrower is responsible for paying investors back.

State officials say this means taxpayer money is not at risk.

Governor Kelly Ayotte has called the idea a way to attract investment. Additionally, it would make New Hampshire a leader in digital finance without using public funds.

Granite Staters pay way too much for electricity, and it’s unacceptable that utilities would attempt to block relief after overcharging for more than a decade.

New Hampshire joined fellow New England states in calling for the return of $1.5 billion to ratepayers, including $150… pic.twitter.com/3DyjjlmiiN

— Governor Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) July 6, 2026 Why It MattersNew Hampshire has been one of the most crypto-friendly states in the US. In 2025, it became the first state to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve. This allows the government to invest a small portion of public funds in large digital assets like Bitcoin.

The new bond proposal is another move that could strengthen the state’s position in the crypto industry.

But There Are RisksNot everyone is convinced the idea is a good one.

Financial experts warn that Bitcoin’s price can change very quickly. If the value of the Bitcoin used as collateral drops too much, around 12.5% from the required level, the bonds could be forced into early liquidation.

Moody’s has also given the proposed bonds a Ba2 rating. This rating is considered speculative and carries higher credit risk than investment-grade bonds.

Finance professor David Krause said the project could be a useful experiment. However, it may not be practical as a long-term public financing tool because of Bitcoin’s volatility.

Looking AheadThe hearing is expected to be the final major government step before the bonds can be issued. While approval seems likely, the real challenge will come after launch. The project’s success will depend heavily on Bitcoin’s price and market conditions.

If the plan moves forward, New Hampshire could set an example for other US states. Other states are exploring new ways to use digital assets in public finance.

Story Ends Here

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New Hampshire is about to do something no state has ever done: put Bitcoin behind a municipal bond. The state’s lawmakers and Executive Council are set to review a $100 million Bitcoin-backed bond issuance at a public hearing on July 8, 2026, a move that could fundamentally reshape how governments interact with digital assets.

The hearing will take place before Governor Kelly Ayotte and the five-member Executive Council, representing the final approval hurdle after the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority board gave its endorsement back in November 2025. If this gets the green light, it becomes the world’s first Bitcoin-backed municipal bond.

How the bond actually works The bonds will be secured by $160 million worth of Bitcoin collateral, creating a 160% over-collateralization ratio. The bond includes a mandatory liquidation clause: if the Bitcoin coverage ratio drops below 140%, the collateral gets liquidated automatically.

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The proceeds from the bond will finance Bitcoin acquisitions by CleanSpark, a publicly traded Bitcoin mining company. BitGo, one of the largest digital asset custodians in the industry, will handle custody of the collateral. The bond carries a 2029 maturity date.

Moody’s has assigned a provisional Ba2 rating to the bond. That’s below investment grade, sitting in the upper range of what’s commonly called “junk” territory. The rating agency’s caution reflects Bitcoin’s price swings, which could trigger that liquidation mechanism during a downturn.

The players and the politics The deal involves a handful of key partners beyond CleanSpark and BitGo. Wave Digital Assets and Rosemawr Management are facilitating the transaction, with law firm Orrick providing legal counsel. The New Hampshire BFA itself earns fees from the arrangement, which will flow into a newly created Bitcoin Economic Development Fund.

Governor Ayotte has positioned the initiative as a way to put New Hampshire at the forefront of digital finance innovation, emphasizing that the structure eliminates taxpayer exposure. The July 8 hearing is a public proceeding, meaning residents and stakeholders can weigh in before the Executive Council makes its decision. The BFA board’s November 2025 approval was a necessary prerequisite, but the Executive Council holds final authority over whether the bonds actually get issued.

What this means for investors and the broader market Moody’s Ba2 rating signals that the credit markets aren’t ready to treat these bonds like traditional munis. Institutional investors who are restricted to investment-grade holdings won’t be able to touch them, limiting the buyer pool to funds and individuals comfortable with speculative-grade debt.

The over-collateralization structure and automatic liquidation trigger at 140% address the most direct objection to crypto-backed debt: what happens when the collateral crashes. The mandatory nature of the liquidation removes human judgment from the equation during periods of market stress. Municipal bonds represent a $4 trillion market in the US, making even a $100 million issuance a symbolic entry point.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Litecoin has begun to show signs of recovery after experiencing persistent selling pressure in recent weeks. Improvements in technical indicators, a steady increase in open interest on futures markets, and robust activity on the network are fueling optimism that buyers may be regaining control in the market.

Technical indicators point to potential trend reversalFollowing its recent decline, Litecoin’s price first reclaimed support at $42.05 and subsequently moved back above the $44.05 level. This zone now stands out as the primary support area in the short term. If the price manages to remain above $44.05, it could provide a firmer foundation for further upward moves.

On the momentum front, data also signal a positive shift. The MACD indicator has produced a bullish crossover, and the widening positive histogram highlights strengthening buying momentum. Moreover, the On Balance Volume (OBV) indicator is trending upwards, indicating that the recent price recovery is being supported by rising trading volumes.

Glossary: The MACD is a momentum indicator used to measure the strength and direction of price trends. On Balance Volume (OBV) combines price movement with trading volumes to help determine which side, buyers or sellers, is dominating the market.

As long as Litecoin’s price holds above $44.05, buyers in the market are expected to target resistance at $47, followed by the key psychological threshold at $50.

Rising open interest and network activity support recoveryAccording to data from CoinGlass, open interest in Litecoin futures rose from around $200 million in mid-June to roughly $300 million at the start of July. This simultaneous increase in both price and open interest points to accelerating capital inflows and suggests that investors are developing greater conviction in market direction.

IndicatorPrevious levelCurrent levelOpen interestAround $200 millionAround $300 millionSupport level$42.05$44.05Resistance targets$47$50On-chain data reinforce this positive outlook. Throughout June, the Litecoin network consistently maintained over 200,000 daily active addresses, closing the month with roughly 228,000. This indicates steady user interest on the network, even amid broader market fluctuations.

The Litecoin Foundation has also highlighted this surge in activity. As an organization supporting the development of the Litecoin ecosystem, the Foundation has maintained strong community engagement through initiatives such as its recent campaign with Stack Wallet. The Foundation has emphasized that activity on the network continues to be vibrant.

Maintaining daily active addresses above 200,000 throughout June demonstrates stable user participation on the Litecoin network.

Key levels to watchAs long as LTC holds above $44.05, the next resistance level of $47 comes into focus. If this barrier is surpassed, the $50 mark could become the next significant target. Conversely, if the price slips below $44, selling pressure may intensify and the $42 support zone could be retested.

At last check, Litecoin was trading at $44.86, marking a modest 0.04% increase over the past 24 hours.

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.

Japanese companies are quietly reshaping how they manage corporate cash. With the yen continuing to slide, more firms are turning to $BTC and $XRP as an alternative store of value, according to SBI VC Trade, the crypto arm of Tokyo-based financial group SBI Holdings.

The company said use of its corporate service, SBIVC for Prime, has grown as the weak yen drives firms to spread reserves beyond cash, with added demand from companies that hand out Bitcoin or $XRP through shareholder-perk programs. In other words, some Japanese businesses are not just holding crypto on the balance sheet, they are distributing it directly to investors as a form of shareholder reward.

Account milestone masks the full pictureSBI VC Trade said registered accounts across its VCTRADE and BITPOINT services have surpassed 2 million, roughly doubling since 2025 and aided by its April 2026 merger with BitPoint Japan. That headline figure deserves some context. The 2 million figure combines its VCTRADE and BITPOINT services and follows SBI VC Trade's April 2026 merger with sister firm BitPoint Japan. The company plans to fully integrate the two brands around the end of December, which it said should cut costs and unify service levels. So a meaningful portion of the account growth reflects consolidation rather than purely organic demand.

The milestone tracks a broader pickup in regulated crypto access in Japan, where a strict licensing regime has kept the market smaller than in the US or South Korea, but is steadily drawing retail and corporate users as stablecoins and treasury strategies take hold.

Stablecoins add another layerCorporate treasury adoption is not the only growth driver. SBI VC Trade listed USDC in March 2025 in what it called Japan's first dollar-stablecoin listing, and in June 2026 added Ripple's dollar-backed RLUSD alongside JPYSC, a yen-pegged token it described as the country's first trust-based yen stablecoin, and began offering lending against stablecoins.

SBI's ambitions extend well beyond the current account count. SBI's planned acquisition of Bitbank, announced in June 2026, is projected to add approximately 960,000 accounts, which would bring the combined total to around 2.92 million. That would place it ahead of domestic rivals bitFlyer and Coincheck and cement its position as Japan's largest regulated crypto operator.

The broader trend points to a structural shift in how Japanese corporates view digital assets: less as a speculative trade and more as a practical tool for treasury management and shareholder engagement in an environment of persistent yen weakness.

Sources:
CoinDesk: Bitcoin, XRP draw Japanese firms as weak yen drives treasury diversification
Genfinity: SBI acquires Bitbank, cementing Japan's largest regulated crypto operator

Tue, 7/07/2026 - 20:30

Clearstream, the major European post-trade services provider and subsidiary of the Deutsche Börse Group, is doubling down on its digital asset strategy by expanding its institutional cryptocurrency custody offering.

Clearstream, the major European post-trade services provider and subsidiary of the Deutsche Börse Group, has expanded its cryptocurrency custody footprint. 

The firm has announced the addition of a roster of new cryptocurrencies, including the Ripple-linked XRP, Stellar (XLM), Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), Litecoin (LTC), and Avalanche (AVAX). These new digital assets join Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). 

According to the firm, this expansion caters to the growing demand for MiCA-compliant (Markets in Crypto-Assets) digital assets within institutional finance.

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Initial entry into crypto Clearstream is one of the world's largest settlement and custody firms. It provides infrastructure securities across 60 different markets.

In early 2025, the Deutsche Börse Group announced that Clearstream would begin offering crypto custody and settlement services to its institutional clients.

The launch, which officially went live in April 2025, was made possible via an internal partnership. Clearstream used Crypto Finance (another entity within the Deutsche Börse Group that had recently secured a highly coveted MiCAR license) as its sub-custodian. 

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This structure made it possible for Clearstream to rely on Crypto Finance's expertise while maintaining strict regulatory compliance across Europe.

As mentioned above, the original offering was strictly limited to the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization: Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Clients of Clearstream’s International Central Securities Depository (ICSD) were able to use their existing accounts in Clearstream Banking S.A. (Luxembourg) to access cryptocurrency custody and settlement.

The most recent additions show that the firm is doubling down on crypto. 

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Clearstream, the post-trade services arm of Deutsche Börse Group, has expanded its regulated crypto custody offering to include six new digital assets beyond Bitcoin and Ether: $XRP, $ADA, $SOL, $LTC, $XLM, and $AVAX.

Six Altcoins Enter Institutional-Grade CustodyThe expansion builds on Clearstream's fully regulated crypto custody service launched last year. The firm says the move broadens client choice in crypto asset integration within established custody infrastructure, bridging the gap between traditional finance and the digital asset world. All six additions are held under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation framework, via Crypto Finance, a MiCAR-regulated sub-custodian that is also part of Deutsche Börse Group.

Clearstream operates the German and Luxembourg central securities depositories and an international central securities depository for the Eurobonds market, with roughly €19 trillion in assets under custody, placing it among the world's largest settlement and custody firms for domestic and international securities. Putting altcoins on that shelf is not a symbolic gesture. It means regulated European institutions can now hold $XRP, $SOL, $ADA, $LTC, $XLM, and $AVAX through the same post-trade plumbing they use for equities and bonds.

MiCA Framework and the Crypto Finance ConnectionThe custody and settlement service is delivered through Crypto Finance, in which Deutsche Börse acquired a controlling stake for more than €100 million in 2021. Crypto Finance (Deutschland) GmbH is regulated by BaFin in Germany, while Crypto Finance AG is regulated by FINMA in Switzerland. The group secured its MiCAR license in January 2025, one of the first providers to do so in the EU.

Clients of Clearstream's International Central Securities Depository can access crypto custody and settlement through their existing Clearstream Banking S.A. accounts in Luxembourg, using established formats such as SWIFT. No additional contractual or technical relationship with separate crypto service providers is required. Clearstream says the expansion caters to the growing importance of MiCA-compliant crypto assets in institutional finance.

The infrastructure is now in place. Whether institutional capital follows in meaningful size remains the central question.

Sources:
Asset Servicing Times: Clearstream adds six new cryptocurrencies to custody offering
LeapRate: Clearstream expands crypto custody to 6 new digital assets
Clearstream official newsroom: Deutsche Börse Group provides institutional clients access to crypto assets

The XRP Ledger has moved closer to activating its xrpld v3.2.0 upgrade after more than 55% of trusted validators adopted the latest software version. According to XRP Ledger Explorer data, 84 trusted validators, or 55.63% of the validator set, are now running xrpld v3.2.0. By comparison, version 3.1.3 remains active on 58 validators, representing 38.41% of the validator set, and on 440 nodes, or 52.51% of the network.

What the v3.2.0 Upgrade Includes XRP Ledger version 3.2.0 includes infrastructure improvements, bug fixes, and developer enhancements throughout the network. One of the most significant changes is the official renaming of the main server software from rippled to xrpld, under the XLS-0095 proposal. The software identity rebrand explicitly reinforces the decoupling of the decentralized public ledger from Ripple Inc., while technical enhancements optimize backend architecture, dropping overall validator server memory consumption by 30 to 40 percent.

Alongside the software release, developers also introduced the fixCleanup3_2_0 amendment. According to the release documentation, the amendment contains security-related fixes covering Single Asset Vaults, the Lending Protocol, permissioned decentralized exchanges, Multi-Purpose Tokens (MPTs), and permissioned domains. In addition, the update allows developers and users to access XRP Ledger protocol information and server definitions without operating a full server, a change intended to simplify integrations for wallets, APIs, blockchain explorers, and other automated services.

What Still Needs to Happen Before Activation Under the network's governance rules, a protocol amendment requires support from more than 80% of trusted validators for two consecutive weeks before it can be activated. Based on the current figures, roughly another quarter of the validator set must migrate to v3.2.0 before the upgrade can move toward activation. Even as validator adoption of the software continues to climb, support for the attached fixCleanup3_2_0 amendment remains well below the activation threshold, with the amendment having secured roughly 40% support so far.

Ripple has publicly supported the amendment, helping strengthen confidence around the proposed changes. Security firm Halborn completed a third-party audit of both amendments before the protocol entered the mainnet validator voting stage, adding further reassurance for the lending-related fixes bundled into the update. Developers are also continuing to monitor validator migration issues flagged in the project's GitHub tracker, though none of the documented defects have triggered network-wide service disruptions.

Sources:
XRP Ledger edges closer to key upgrade as validator support surges (crypto.news)
XRP Ledger v3.2.0 Full Upgrade Inches Closer As Validator Adoption Hits 55% (CoinGape)
XRP Ledger Amendments documentation (xrpl.org)

Stablecoins are, undoubtedly, the main operating assets in digital finance. Visa’s stablecoin analytics dashboard showed more than $51 trillion in total transaction volume over the past 12 months.

Meanwhile, TRM Labs estimated stablecoins at 30% of all on-chain crypto transaction volume in 2025. This one asset category carried almost one-third of tracked crypto value movement, while Bitcoin and all other altcoins together accounted for the remaining share.

Almost every blockchain activity today runs through these dollar-pegged assets, whether it’s trading, treasury movement, or cross-border settlement. 

So, stablecoins are arguably the most explosive asset class in terms of growth. What’s the next phase? As with any financial product, its adoption. And that can only happen through local-currency settlement, regulated access, and payment use cases tied to national economies. 

In the UAE, this is already happening.  

Not enough people are paying attention to what just happened in the UAE.$DDSC – a regulated, dirham-backed stablecoin – is now live on ADI Chain, approved by the Central Bank of the UAE.

Every transaction on ADI Chain needs $ADI for gas.

Now think about the UAE processing… https://t.co/OOtC1sS7vJ

— Sjuul | AltCryptoGems (@AltCryptoGems) February 12, 2026 UAE’s Financial Future is Running on Stablecoins Chainalysis estimated more than $56 billion in crypto value received by the country during its 2024 to 2025 reporting window, up 33% year over year, with institutional transfers driving a large share of activity and merchant services expanding across smaller retail transaction sizes.

On July 3, 2026, DDSC, the UAE dirham-backed stablecoin developed by International Holding Company, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Sirius International Holding, received approval from the Central Bank of the UAE to partner with selected exchange platforms regulated by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. 

The approval gives DDSC a regulated route from institutional settlement into wider market access, allowing users to access, buy, and redeem a dirham-backed stablecoin through compliant exchange channels.

UAE Stablecoin Adoption Stats A Dirham Stablecoin for a Dollar-Dominated Market Most stablecoin liquidity today remains tied to the US dollar. This gives global crypto markets deep liquidity and a familiar settlement currency, while domestic payment use cases still depend on conversion, exchange access, and banking relationships.

DDSC brings a local-currency option into the UAE’s own monetary environment. Pegged 1:1 to the UAE dirham and settled on ADI Chain, the token gives users a digital asset denominated in AED instead of forcing local commerce into dollar units.

This distinction is important for payment adoption because UAE shoppers, merchants, suppliers, and treasury teams all price everyday obligations in dirhams.

A stable asset in AED can keep pricing and settlement aligned while adding blockchain settlement speed, programmable payments, and 24/7 availability.

The UAE has already built much of the regulatory base around this category: 

The Central Bank’s Payment Token Services Regulation created a framework for stablecoin-related services, including issuance, conversion, custody and transfer.  VARA maintains a public register of licensed Virtual Asset Service Providers in Dubai, including platforms authorized for exchange services. DDSC connects these two regulatory channels. Central Bank approval covers the payment-token side, while access through selected VARA-regulated platforms gives users a familiar exchange route into the asset.

From Treasury Flows to Everyday Payments DDSC entered the market with an institutional focus. Since launch, IHC says it has processed more than AED 150 million in transactions. In May 2026, IHC executed an AED 110 million DDSC transaction on ADI Chain, presented as one of the region’s largest disclosed stablecoin transactions.

DDSC is more than able to support high-value settlement. The new approval, therefore, adds distribution, giving individuals, merchants, and businesses a route to acquire and redeem the asset through regulated exchange platforms.

DDSC is left with a more complete adoption path. Large transactions can prove settlement capacity, while exchange availability can bring the asset into daily commercial use. The first phase demonstrated settlement readiness, and the next phase focuses on availability through licensed venues.

VARA-Regulated Platforms and Compliance Control The approval applies to selected exchange platforms regulated by VARA, giving DDSC a controlled rollout through licensed channels and keeping access aligned with the UAE’s compliance framework.

For context, VARA oversees virtual asset activity in and from Dubai, excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre. Its public register lists licensed Virtual Asset Service Providers and the activities each provider is authorized to offer, including exchange services, broker-dealer services, custody, lending and investment management.

Indeed, stablecoin payments touch redemption confidence, merchant settlement, AML controls, custody, user access, and financial institution requirements. Exchange access through regulated platforms helps combine these requirements within a market structure users already understand.

DDSC’s rollout also shows how the UAE is separating regulated payment tokens from general crypto assets. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and volatile tokens continue to serve trading and investment use cases, while stablecoins such as DDSC are designed around payment value, redemption, and settlement.

This gives businesses a more suitable instrument for pricing, invoices, supplier transfers and customer payments.

A View Toward Merchant and Business Payments IHC said the stablecoin can support everyday payments once available through selected regulated platforms, including shoppers paying merchants, businesses settling with suppliers and transfers between people.

Retail customers want fast payments, merchants want predictable settlement, and businesses want lower operational friction across invoices, treasury, and cross-border counterparties. There is no doubt that stablecoins can support these flows when they combine price stability, reliable redemption, and regulatory acceptance.

DDSC’s AED designation gives it a local advantage. A UAE merchant accepting a dollar stablecoin still faces accounting and FX conversion work. A dirham-backed token fits local pricing more naturally, while on-chain settlement can reduce delays linked to banking hours and intermediary processing.

A Local Currency Asset for the UAE Digital Economy The UAE has spent years building a regulated digital asset environment across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and federal authorities. DDSC adds a local-currency payment asset to this environment, backed by major UAE institutions and aligned with the Central Bank’s payment-token framework.

DDSC’s growth ultimately depends on platform availability, merchant acceptance, redemption experience and business integration. 

Even so, its Central Bank approval to partner with selected VARA-regulated exchange platforms brings the UAE dirham further into on-chain finance and gives the country’s digital asset market a regulated payment token built for domestic use and future regional settlement.

Ethereum recovery is entering its first meaningful test as buyers face a concentration of both technical resistance and on-chain supply.

The altcoin rebounded from $1500 and is moving back towards the highlighted supply zone, where sellers who were earlier defending higher prices are still holding ground.

Source: ETH/USD on TradingView Sellers hesitate not just because of technical resistance.

According to CryptoQuant data, reserves at Binance have climbed to 3.893 million ETH.

More to that, OKX continues receiving fresh inflows, so there is more ETH immediately available for sale.

Moreover, Bitfinex reserves have fallen from 2.7 million to 2.2 million ETH. This shows that accumulation exists while remaining concentrated. The $1800 level overlaps one of Ethereum’s largest cost basis clusters.

As a result, many holders are near breakeven, and they sell into strength as investors want to exit positions.

Unless fresh demand absorbs this overhead supply and recaptures $2000, recovery risks slowing before profitability returns broadly.

Assessing Ethereum’s demand base Ethereum’s recovery increasingly depends on who is absorbing the growing supply returning to the market. Exchange inflows continue adding sell-side liquidity, yet institutional demand is preventing that pressure from fully dominating price action.

Meanwhile, according to Coinglass data, recent liquidations exceeding $130 million highlight how sensitive market positioning remains as buyers and sellers continue competing around key resistance levels.

Spot ETH ETFs have attracted just under $11 billion in net new capital.

Additionally, whales and corporations are buying in larger numbers. However, staking now locks up over 30% of all ETH currently in existence. This thereby eases the initial supply shock associated with distributing some of this newly unlocked ETH.

Source: Farside Nevertheless, the fact that both Coinbase Premium and Spot CVD remain muted suggests a lack of broad-based spot engagement.

Investor sentiment toward exiting has also been reinforced by recent SOPR readings, which have indicated that investors generally still exit at or slightly above break-even.

Therefore, for Ethereum to absorb additional overhead supply and support further gains, stronger, more coordinated investor demand must materialize.

Final Summary Ethereum [ETH] must overcome heavy overhead supply to confirm a sustained recovery above key resistance. Ethereum needs stronger spot demand to absorb exchange supply and support a breakout above $2,000.

According to OnchainLens monitoring, Cumberland transferred $4 million in USDC to Hyperliquid early this morning. The account currently holds total long and short positions worth $70.38 million: 86.37% of the position is allocated to shorting major cryptocurrencies including Ethereum, Bitcoin, and SOL, as well as key US equities, while 13.63% is used for long positions in indices such as the S&P 500. The account has accumulated a profit of $33.27 million.

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Tom Lee’s Ethereum conviction heading into Q3 is starting to look like a well-timed move.

For context, BitMine Immersion recently added another 42,197 ETH, taking its holdings to more than 5.74 million ETH.

On the other hand, Michael Saylor’s Strategy sold 3,588 BTC, setting up an interesting ETH vs. BTC treasury debate as Q3 gets underway.

Notably, this debate isn’t just playing out on social media. 

As the chart below shows, the ETH/BTC ratio has opened Q3 with a nearly 5% rally after three straight losing quarters. That suggests ETH is beginning to regain relative strength against BTC, supporting Tom Lee’s decision to keep accumulating Ethereum. 

Source: TradingView (ETH/BTC) However, Tom Lee’s conviction isn’t based on hope alone. 

In a recent post on X, BitMine said the improving odds of the CLARITY Act are the main reason behind its growing ETH position.

According to the company, prediction markets now put the odds of the CLARITY Act passing at around 50%, the highest level in two weeks. BitMine argues that regulatory clarity would be a major catalyst for Ethereum, as smart contract platforms become more integrated into everyday finance.

So, from BitMine’s perspective, the recent rise in the ETH/BTC ratio simply reflects the market assigning a higher probability to the CLARITY Act becoming law.

Naturally, the bigger question now is whether that repricing has further to run. Can ETH continue outperforming BTC through the rest of Q3, or is BMNR’s bullish Ethereum [ETH] thesis getting ahead of the fundamentals?

Can Ethereum stay ahead as Bitcoin regains momentum?  BitMine’s ETH accumulation is built around Ethereum’s long-term DeFi story. 

But the on-chain data suggests that the narrative hasn’t fully played out yet.

According to DeFiLlama, Ethereum’s DeFi activity remains well below previous highs. Total value locked (TVL) is still under $40 billion, compared with around $89-90 billion before the October correction.

At the same time, Ethereum has started Q3 with its stablecoin supply down by more than $5 billion from roughly $160 billion at the end of June.

In other words, the market is pricing in the CLARITY Act before Ethereum’s on-chain fundamentals have caught up.

Adding to the challenge, BlackRock has resumed buying Bitcoin, recording more than $209 million in net inflows after 11 straight days of selling. The move signals renewed confidence in BTC at a time when ETH’s on-chain fundamentals are still lagging.

Source: SoSoValue Against this backdrop, Tom Lee’s ETH thesis looks increasingly ambitious. 

Despite Strategy selling BTC, Bitcoin has continued to hold around $64k, suggesting BlackRock’s buying was enough to absorb the supply. That leaves the ETH vs. BTC treasury debate finely balanced, with Ethereum backed by policy optimism while Bitcoin continues to benefit from strong institutional demand. 

As a result, the edge still leans toward Bitcoin.

ETH/BTC has rallied on CLARITY “expectation”, but Ethereum’s on-chain activity hasn’t followed through. Bitcoin, meanwhile, is seeing fresh institutional inflows. Unless Ethereum’s DeFi metrics begin to recover, sustaining ETH/BTC’s early Q3 momentum could prove difficult.

Final Summary ETH/BTC is rallying on CLARITY Act optimism, but Ethereum’s DeFi activity hasn’t caught up yet. BlackRock is buying BTC again, giving Bitcoin stronger support and making it harder for ETH/BTC to keep outperforming in Q3.

Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.

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Leading cryptocurrencies and stocks fell on Tuesday after U.S. strikes on Iran and the revocation of the oil sanctions waiver rattled investors.

Crypto Rally StallsBitcoin briefly topped $64,000 in the afternoon before surrendering its gains, as trading volume dropped sharply over the past 24 hours

Ethereum followed a similar trajectory, spiking to $1,800 before facing a sharp rejection back to the mid-$1,770 region. XRP and Dogecoin also traded in the red.

Nearly $300 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, predominantly in bullish long positions, according to Coinglass data

Bitcoin’s open interest fell 2.90% over the last 24 hours. Binance derivatives traders, including both retail and whale investors, bought the dip, increasing their long exposure to the apex cryptocurrency.

The market slipped back into “Extreme Fear,” according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.2 trillion, with a slight 0.24% increase over the last 24 hours.

Stocks Retrace On Geopolitical TensionsStocks pulled back on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 130.76 points, or 0.25%, to close at 52,925.15. The S&P 500 slid 0.45% to end at 7,503.85, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined 1.16% to settle at 25,818.69.

The slide followed the U.S. military launching a wave of strikes against Iran following attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The Treasury Department also revoked the sanctions waiver on Iranian oil exports, deeming Iran’s action “wholly unacceptable.”

On-Chain ‘Pain’ Pointing To Accumulation OpportunityOn-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant highlighted Bitcoin’s on-chain indicators at mid-year, noting that supply in loss exceeded 10 million, long-term holders were selling BTC at a loss and realized capitalization stood at $1.06 trillion.

“This level of on-chain pain is rarely observed and could suggest a potential medium- to long-term DCA [dollar-cost averaging] accumulation opportunity,” the research firm added.

Leading cryptocurrency analyst Ali Martinez said that Ethereum reclaiming $1,800 as an important support could clear the path for a move toward the next resistances at $1,980 and $2,079.

“Be aware that if sellers can protect this wall and force a rejection, the volume profile will thin significantly, leaving the next support baseline for ETH at $1,237,” the analyst cautioned.

Photo: KateStock / Shutterstock

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Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) face renewed selling on Wednesday, extending their corrective move so far this week. BTC faced rejection at $64,000, and ETH failed to break above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA). Meanwhile, XRP is extending its pullback for a fourth consecutive day. The top three cryptocurrencies signal risk of extending their ongoing corrections if critical support levels fail to hold.

Bitcoin extends correction after rejection at $64,000Bitcoin price trades at $62,898 on Wednesday, maintaining a bearish near-term bias as it holds below the 50-day, 100-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at $65,578, $69,226 and $75,229, respectively. 

The dense overhead EMA stack suggests rallies remain capped for now, even as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers near a neutral 48 and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) stays positive with the line above zero, and recent gains hint at improving but constrained upside momentum.

On the topside, initial resistance appears at the horizontal barrier around $64,004, followed by the 50-day EMA at $65,578, which reinforces a nearby supply zone. Higher up, the 100-day EMA at $69,226 and the 200-day EMA at $75,229 mark successive caps ahead of the more distant structural ceiling at $84,410, leaving the pair vulnerable to renewed selling while price trades beneath this layered resistance structure.

Ethereum faces rejection from the 50-day EMA at $1,803Ethereum price trades at $1,753 on Wednesday, maintaining a bearish near-term bias as it remains below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs at $1,803, $1,964, and $2,234, respectively. 

Despite price being capped by this stacked EMA cluster, momentum has improved, with the RSI hovering near a neutral 52 and the MACD remaining in positive territory, with a firm reading around 27.75, hinting at ongoing recovery attempts within a broader downtrend.

On the topside, immediate resistance is located at the 50-day EMA near $1,803, followed by the 100-day EMA at $1,964 and the psychological barrier at $2,000, while the longer-term 200-day EMA at $2,234 marks a stronger cap on any extended rally.

On the downside, the next notable support sits much lower at the horizontal level around $1,385, where buyers are likely to defend the prior structural floor if the current rebound fails.

XRP shows signs of weaknessXRP price trades at $1.097 on Wednesday, holding below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs at $1.177, $1.279, and $1.493, respectively, which keeps the broader bias bearish. Price is also tracking within a downward parallel channel, with the upper boundary around $1.098 just above the market, while momentum looks mixed: the RSI at 44 remains below the midline, and the MACD prints modest positive readings, hinting at only a mild recovery attempt within a capped structure.

On the topside, initial resistance is located at the channel boundary near $1.098, followed by the 50-day EMA at $1.177 and the 100-day EMA at $1.279. Higher up, the horizontal level at $1.300 acts as a more significant barrier ahead of the long-term 200-day EMA at $1.493 and the major resistance zone around $1.900. 

With no clear underlying support levels immediately below the current price in this dataset, any decisive rejection at the nearby $1.098 area would likely expose XRP to further downside within the prevailing bearish channel until new demand emerges.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)

Cryptocurrency prices FAQs Token launches influence demand and adoption among market participants. Listings on crypto exchanges deepen the liquidity for an asset and add new participants to an asset’s network. This is typically bullish for a digital asset.

A hack is an event in which an attacker captures a large volume of the asset from a DeFi bridge or hot wallet of an exchange or any other crypto platform via exploits, bugs or other methods. The exploiter then transfers these tokens out of the exchange platforms to ultimately sell or swap the assets for other cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. Such events often involve an en masse panic triggering a sell-off in the affected assets.

Macroeconomic events like the US Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates influence crypto assets mainly through the direct impact they have on the US Dollar. An increase in interest rate typically negatively influences Bitcoin and altcoin prices, and vice versa. If the US Dollar index declines, risk assets and associated leverage for trading gets cheaper, in turn driving crypto prices higher.

Halvings are typically considered bullish events as they slash the block reward in half for miners, constricting the supply of the asset. At consistent demand if the supply reduces, the asset’s price climbs.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) sued Trevor Vernon and his company Argent Capital Management, accusing them of operating a commodity pool involving stock index futures, options, and crypto assets from March 2022 to February 2026. They raised approximately $14.8 million from at least 60 investors while falsely advertising investment performance, allegedly committing investment fraud. The CFTC stated that the related trades caused investors to lose over $8.6 million. Vernon not only concealed the losses but is also suspected of misappropriating around $3 million to pay returns to investors, with the operation being "similar to a Ponzi scheme", and embezzled $136,000 for private air travel. The regulator also noted that the trades involved commodities such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, and requested the court to order them to cease relevant trading and registration activities, as well as recover illegal proceeds, impose civil penalties, and compensate investors.

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