Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

South Korean media company K Wave Media has exited its Bitcoin treasury position after once setting an ambitious target of accumulating 10,000 BTC, marking another reversal in the digital asset treasury trade as weaker market conditions pressure balance-sheet strategies.

The Nasdaq-listed company sold its remaining 88 BTC and used the proceeds to repay $6 million of debt obligations, according to a June 30 SEC filing cited by market coverage. The sale reduced K Wave’s Bitcoin holdings to zero, ending its status as a Bitcoin treasury company less than a year after it promoted plans to become a major corporate holder of the asset.

K Wave’s shift is striking because the company had previously positioned Bitcoin as a core part of its corporate strategy. In July 2025, it said it had secured up to $1 billion in total capital capacity through a $500 million convertible note agreement with Anson Funds and a $500 million standby equity purchase agreement with Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. At the time, the company said it had completed an initial purchase of 88 BTC and planned to scale holdings toward 10,000 BTC as quickly as possible.

The reversal shows how fragile some digital asset treasury models can become when they depend on external financing, investor enthusiasm and favorable market conditions. Instead of continuing to buy Bitcoin, K Wave has now halted its treasury strategy and redirected attention toward AI infrastructure, including data centers, GPU compute operations and potential acquisitions.

Bitcoin Treasury Strategy Breaks Under Debt Pressure K Wave’s exit underscores a key risk facing smaller digital asset treasury firms: the Bitcoin strategy can become difficult to sustain when debt obligations, equity-market pressure and weak crypto prices collide. Unlike Strategy, which has built a deep capital-markets machine around Bitcoin accumulation, smaller companies often have less financing flexibility and weaker investor support.

The company’s sale was tied to repayment of $6 million of Initial Notes under an amended securities purchase agreement. That makes the transaction less a discretionary portfolio rebalance and more a liquidity event. Selling the entire Bitcoin position to meet debt obligations suggests that balance-sheet management overtook the original treasury narrative.

The episode also raises questions about how investors should evaluate companies that announce large crypto accumulation targets before demonstrating durable funding capacity. A 10,000-BTC goal would require hundreds of millions of dollars even at depressed Bitcoin prices. K Wave’s actual position never moved beyond the initial 88 BTC purchase before the strategy was halted.

For shareholders, the shift creates uncertainty. The company is no longer primarily a Bitcoin treasury story, but its new AI infrastructure plan also requires capital, execution capability and market credibility.

DAT Sector Faces Wider Scrutiny K Wave’s reversal comes as the broader digital asset treasury sector faces greater scrutiny. The model became popular after Strategy’s long-running Bitcoin accumulation program created a template for public companies seeking crypto-linked investor demand. But the trade works best when companies can raise capital at favorable terms and when their shares trade at a premium to the value of their crypto holdings.

When that premium disappears, the model becomes harder. New equity issuance can become dilutive, debt can become expensive and crypto holdings may need to be sold to support operations or satisfy creditors. That dynamic is especially dangerous for smaller companies that adopted treasury strategies without a strong underlying business.

The market impact of K Wave’s Bitcoin sale is limited because 88 BTC is small relative to global liquidity. The symbolic impact is larger. It shows that not every company announcing a Bitcoin reserve strategy will become a long-term holder, and aggressive accumulation targets can quickly become irrelevant when corporate priorities change.

The pivot toward AI also reflects a broader rotation in public markets. Investors have rewarded AI infrastructure narratives more than crypto treasury stories in recent months, especially as Bitcoin has struggled and ETF flows have turned negative. K Wave’s move suggests management sees better financing or valuation opportunities in AI than in holding Bitcoin.

For the digital asset treasury sector, the lesson is clear. Bitcoin accumulation plans need durable funding, transparent governance and credible balance-sheet discipline. Without those, treasury companies risk becoming short-lived market narratives rather than long-term institutional holders.

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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Michael Saylor reiterated on X that Strategy’s corporate objective remains for STRC to trade between $99 and $100, as the preferred stock attempts to climb back from its all-time low set on June 26.

The comment came as STRC rebounded from that record low of $71.25 to around $87.46 off the back of a new capital framework announcement. Even so, the gap to par remains wide with Bitcoin’s price also languishing.

STRC Still Trades Below Saylor’s TargetSTRC, Strategy’s Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock, is not common stock. It is a preferred security designed to trade near a $100 face value. Strategy adjusts its dividend rate monthly to keep the price anchored, unlike common shares.

Bitcoin (BTC) had dropped below $60,000 in the same week STRC recorded its low, deepening a preferred stock crash that had already alarmed investors. STRC has since recovered but the stock is still about $13 short of the par value Saylor says remains the company’s goal.

STRC is mounting a recovery thanks to its new capital framework announcement, but it still has more to climb. Image Source: Trading ViewOn Monday, June 29, Strategy raised STRC’s dividend rate by 50 basis points to 12%. The increase takes effect for July record dates and is part of the capital management overhaul Strategy announced the same day.

Strategy reviews the rate using STRC’s trading level, Bitcoin’s price and volatility, and its own cash reserves. It will not raise the rate automatically just because the stock trades below par.

“As Strategy disclosed Monday: our corporate objective is for $STRC to trade over time at $99–$100.”

Saylor

The tweet repeats language from Monday’s press release without adding new detail. Its timing during STRC’s rebound suggests Strategy wants the market to read the recovery as validation of its plan.

The reiteration follows weeks of criticism from Ripple (XRP) CEO Brad Garlinghouse. He called STRC’s slide a damning indictment of Strategy’s financing model. Rosen Law Firm has also opened a securities investigation into the company’s disclosures.

Whether STRC can climb back to par depends largely on Bitcoin’s trajectory. Bitcoin remains the primary driver of Strategy’s capital structure and dividend coverage.

Jul 2, 2026, 6:20 a.m.

2 min read

Summary

XRP is showing signs of accumulation above the $1.00 support, with higher lows forming even as the price remains below key moving averages and major resistance near $1.10.Network and institutional signals are strengthening, with daily new wallet creations hitting a three-month high and June XRP ETF inflows topping $62 million for roughly $1.48 billion in cumulative net flows.Traders are watching the $1.0560–$1.0590 breakout zone and $1.0665 resistance, with a sustained move above $1.10 needed to signal a more convincing recovery rather than another range-bound bounce.XRP is starting to show signs of accumulation near $1, but the chart has not fully caught up. The token edged higher after a sharp intraday volume spike, while new wallet creation reached its strongest level in three months and whale activity diverged from cautious retail positioning. That puts the focus on whether buyers can turn support defense into a move back above $1.10.

News Background• XRP Ledger recorded 4,941 new wallet creations in a single day, the strongest daily growth in more than three months.

• CryptoQuant data showed the All CEX Whale vs Retail Spread at 50.9%, with Binance’s measure at 44.6%, pointing to stronger large-holder activity while retail participation remained cautious.

• XRP spot ETFs added $15.34 million in net inflows on June 29, with Bitwise accounting for $11.94 million of that total.

• June inflows across XRP ETFs surpassed $62 million, taking cumulative net flows to roughly $1.48 billion.

Price Action Summary• XRP rose 1.41% to $1.0613 during the 24-hour session ending July 2 at 04:16 UTC.

• The token underperformed the broader crypto market by 1.27%, showing that the move was still modest despite stronger network and whale activity.

• The main breakout came at 03:27 UTC, when XRP pushed through $1.0560 on volume of 5.34 million, a 1,433% jump from the preceding hourly average.

• Buying continued through the 03:27-03:53 UTC window, with total volume of 11.31 million as price reached a session high near $1.0665.

Technical Analysis• The key development is that XRP continues to build higher lows above the $1.00 support area, with $1.0318 and $1.0410 forming the base of the latest recovery attempt.

• The breakout above $1.0560 improved the short-term structure, but the move still needs follow-through above $1.0665 to avoid turning into another range-bound bounce.

• Volume was strong during the breakout window, but 24-hour activity was only 5.95% above the seven-day average, which keeps the broader move from looking like a full trend shift.

• XRP remains below major moving averages, with the 20-day EMA near $1.11, the 50-day near $1.20, the 100-day near $1.31 and the 200-day near $1.52.

• Momentum has improved from oversold levels, but RSI near 33 and negative Chaikin Money Flow show that buyers still have not fully regained control.

What traders should watch• $1.0560-$1.0590 is the immediate breakout zone bulls need to defend.

• $1.0665 is the first resistance level after capping the latest advance.

• $1.10-$1.11 remains the key test, where the 20-day EMA and Bollinger midline sit.

• A reclaim of $1.10 would shift attention toward $1.20, while failure to hold $1.04 would put the $1.00 support area back in focus.

• Until XRP clears $1.10, the market remains a support-base trade with improving network data and whale activity, not a confirmed recovery.

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Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness

Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness

Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.

Jun 30, 2026

Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.

Why it matters:

Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.

Danger Builds for XRP as Holder Buying Sinks 11% Despite Price Rise

Democratic State Representative Manny Rutinel has clinched victory in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District primary. The progressive candidate pulled in an impressive 60.9% of the vote, overtaking former state representative Shannon Bird, who was known for her more moderate stance.

Crypto-backed campaign shakeupRutinel’s campaign received a major boost from the world of cryptocurrency, with notable financial support pouring in from a political action group tied to the industry. The Super PAC “You Can Push Back,” founded by Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, contributed $1 million to Rutinel’s war chest. Chris Larsen, a key name in the Ripple ecosystem, has a long history of making headlines with his donations at the intersection of tech and politics.

Quick Reference: In US politics, a Super PAC is a political action committee that can spend unlimited amounts independently to support or oppose candidates but cannot directly coordinate with them. They focus mainly on advertising and campaign communication rather than direct donations.

Chris Larsen, Ripple’s co-founder, steered the Super PAC “You Can Push Back” to provide $1 million in support for Manny Rutinel’s campaign.

The substantial financial backing underscores just how closely watched this district has become on the national stage. Colorado’s 8th Congressional District is considered one of the country’s most hotly contested battlegrounds this election cycle.

A fierce November showdown awaitsWith the primary over, Rutinel now advances to face Republican Congressman Gabe Evans this November. Given the district’s evenly divided political landscape, analysts expect a fiercely competitive general election.

Rutinel, whose progressive credentials took center stage in the campaign, benefitted from demographic strengths—especially robust support from Latino voters, who make up about 40% of the district’s population.

GOP angles for advantageOn the Republican side, strategists see Rutinel as a more favorable opponent than Bird. The calculation: a progressive candidate may struggle more than a moderate in winning over swing voters in this pivotal district.

Rutinel secured 60.9% of the vote in the primary, handily defeating Shannon Bird to become the Democratic nominee.

Republican operatives have already started circulating images of Rutinel alongside left-wing figures, building a strategy aimed at persuading centrist voters that he is too progressive for the district.

Policy pivots and election strategyMeanwhile, in the run-up to November, Rutinel appears to be softening some policy positions. Having previously called for universal healthcare and voiced opposition to fracking, he is now adopting a more moderate tone on these issues.

Whether these shifts will sway voters remains uncertain, especially among party members anxious about ideological direction. The effectiveness of this recalibration will be closely watched as November approaches, with internal Democratic debates adding new layers to a high-stakes race.

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.

XRP, once a fixture in market debates, is now increasingly evaluated based on its on-chain activity and real-world use cases. The XRP Ledger boasts transaction finality in just 3 to 5 seconds while keeping fees low, an advantage that drives its adoption in Ripple’s cross-border payment solutions and bolsters XRP’s role as a functional digital asset.

Key data on network activityOn June 16, 2026, the XRP Ledger processed 769,646 transactions within a 24-hour span. During peak periods, successful payment transactions can exceed 2.7 million in a single day. These figures show that XRP network activity extends well beyond trading alone, with payment and transfer operations occupying a significant share of the network’s capacity.

The XRP Ledger is not limited to value transfer. It also supports native automated market maker functionality and oracle integrations, effectively incorporating core decentralized finance infrastructure directly into the network.

Mini glossary: Oracles bring off-chain data to on-chain applications, while automated market makers (AMMs) enable trading via liquidity pools rather than traditional order books.

Supply structure under scrutinyAccording to CoinGecko, approximately 62 billion XRP are currently in circulation, out of a near-100 billion total supply. Meanwhile, some 33–34 billion XRP remain locked in escrow accounts.

Ripple operates a schedule allowing up to 1 billion XRP to be released each month from escrow. Unused tokens are returned to these accounts. While this mechanism provides a level of transparency, the substantial reserves held in escrow continue to temper narratives about XRP’s scarcity.

The core question for long-term outlooks centers on how much Ripple’s commercial growth actually translates into direct demand for XRP.

RLUSD’s rise and shifts in demandRipple now lets customers complete payment transactions either using XRP or its own stablecoin, RLUSD. This creates uncertainty over whether an expanding client base will lead directly to equal growth in XRP demand.

As of August 2025, RLUSD’s market capitalization surpassed $611 million, and it continued to grow in subsequent periods. This trend illustrates RLUSD’s emerging visibility as an alternative settlement asset within the Ripple ecosystem.

Ripple remains recognized as a financial technology firm specializing in blockchain-based payment solutions, with XRP as the open-market native asset underpinning these platforms.

Regulatory clarity and the evolving networkIn 2025, Ripple’s legal dispute with the US Securities and Exchange Commission ended in a $125 million settlement. The court ruled that programmatic XRP sales on public crypto exchanges did not constitute securities offerings. However, certain institutional sales by Ripple were deemed to have breached securities regulations.

This decision has given XRP a clearer regulatory status in the US than many other altcoins. In terms of governance, the network also exhibits a more decentralized structure: Ripple operates just one of the 35 validators on its default trusted list, while the XRPL Foundation now plays a more prominent role in network administration.

With a current market capitalization of around $65.9 billion, XRP ranks among the largest crypto assets. This scale suggests that many of the network’s current strengths may already be factored into its price.

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.

Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

It's getting harder for bulls to defend XRP's chart. The asset continues to print lower highs and lower lows following months of continuous selling pressure, maintaining the overall downtrend. Is a significant reversal even feasible at this point? The most recent move below the crucial support zone around $1.30 has only strengthened pessimism. 

XRP just finished breaking down from a descending triangle formation that had been forming since March, according to the daily chart. These patterns usually indicate that the market will continue to decline, and it has done so nearly flawlessly. XRP lost another significant support cluster after the breakdown, and it is currently trading close to $1.05, one of its lowest points of the year. The moving averages show a similar pessimistic outlook. 

XRP/USDT Chart by TradingViewXRP is still below the downward-sloping 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving averages. This alignment indicates that sellers maintain control over both near-term and long-term periods. The 200-day moving average, which is currently close to $1.51, is particularly significant because it indicates the level that XRP must recover before any meaningful conversation about a trend reversal can start.

HOT Stories

Not much encouragement has come from volume either. Buying activity has been comparatively muted, despite sporadic spikes during selloffs. This implies that market participants are still reluctant to make aggressive purchases, despite the significant drop from earlier highs. 

The Relative Strength Index is the only positive indicator for bulls. The RSI is getting close to oversold territory at 35. Such readings have historically preceded short-term relief rallies, especially if sentiment in the cryptocurrency market as a whole improves. However, oversold conditions alone rarely reverse a significant trend. 

Bitcoin makes a moveThe recent price movement of Bitcoin indicates that the market is still having difficulty finding a stable bottom. Following its inability to sustain momentum above important moving averages in May, Bitcoin started a new downward trend that has moved it closer to the lower end of its current trading range. A move toward $52,000 cannot be ruled out based on the technical structure seen on the daily chart. 

BTC/USDT Chart by TradingViewFor bulls, the total loss of trend support is the most alarming development. The 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day moving averages of Bitcoin are currently below $63,000, $68,000, and $76,000, respectively. This alignment supports a very pessimistic market structure. Over the past few months, every attempt at recovery has failed to reach the longer-term trend indicators. 

Upon closer examination, it can be seen that BTC recently broke down from a rising channel that had formed between April and May. What at first appeared to be a recovery phase turned out to be a typical bear-market rally. Sellers swiftly regained control and accelerated the decline after the channel's support failed. 

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The bearish narrative is further supported by volume behavior. The biggest spikes in recent weeks have coincided with selloffs rather than recoveries, suggesting that sellers are more confident than buyers. After Bitcoin briefly touched the low $60,000 region, there was some dip-buying activity, but demand was insufficient to buck the trend. The next significant support zone is located between $57,000 and $58,000. 

At the moment, Bitcoin is testing that level. If it breaks decisively, the market may start aiming for the $52,000 area, which is the next significant historical support level and a place where buyers have previously intervened forcefully. One factor prevents a scenario of complete collapse. 

With a reading of about 35, the Relative Strength Index is still close to oversold territory. Such conditions frequently result in temporary relief rallies. However, oversold readings during established downtrends usually lead to brief bounces rather than long-lasting reversals.

Ethereum stays relevantEthereum is far from being forgotten by the market, even after months of disappointing price movement and increasing competition from other networks. Although ETH has substantially underperformed relative to its historical benchmarks, the chart indicates that investors are still closely monitoring the asset, even as it remains caught in a broader bearish trend.

ETH/USDT Chart by TradingViewAfter yet another unsuccessful attempt at recovery, Ethereum is currently trading close to $1,600. According to the daily chart, the asset recently broke down from a descending wedge-like formation that developed between April and May. The pattern resolved to the downside rather than initiating a sustained breakout, pushing ETH back toward local lows and bolstering sellers' dominance. 

The technical picture remains challenging. Ethereum is currently trading below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day major moving averages. While the 100-day and 200-day averages at $1,850 and $2,280, respectively, continue to be significantly above current price levels, the 50-day moving average at $1,690 has served as immediate resistance. The overall trend remains negative until ETH begins reclaiming these levels. 

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However, market behavior refutes the notion that Ethereum has completely lost relevance. Every significant drop attracts buyers who are prepared to step in near support areas, and volume remains relatively steady. The market isn't actively accumulating ETH, but it isn't abandoning it either. The Relative Strength Index is another factor that supports that view. 

The RSI is close to 38, which indicates weakness but not total capitulation. Major bottoms in the past frequently occurred when traders became far more pessimistic than current conditions suggest. Put another way, despite the prolonged correction, there is still active participation in the asset. 

Reclaiming the $1,690 area is Ethereum's primary goal from a technical standpoint. The 100-day moving average around $1,850 would come back into focus if that level were breached. If buyers are able to overcome both obstacles, sentiment may improve significantly. Ethereum remains under pressure, but it is still a major player in the market. 

Over the past several months, selling pressure on XRP has intensified, with the chart showing a series of lower highs and lower lows. After failing to hold the crucial $1.30 support level, XRP slid to around $1.05, approaching some of the lowest levels seen this year. Technical signals indicate that sellers remain firmly in control in both the short and long term.

XRP’s downward trend remains unbrokenOn the daily chart, the breakdown of a descending triangle pattern that has formed since March has further weighed on XRP. Typically, such patterns signal a continuation of the prevailing downtrend, and the breakout resulted in yet another support cluster being lost. The fact that the price remains below the 50, 100, and 200 day moving averages only strengthens the bearish outlook for XRP.

In particular, the 200 day moving average stands at about $1.51. For any meaningful technical recovery, XRP would first need to reclaim levels above this point. Trading volume analysis shows buyer activity remains weak; selling waves have brought volume spikes, but rebound attempts have been very limited.

Losing the $1.30 support in XRP and falling back to the $1.05 range highlight that the overall downward trend is still intact.

One of the few promising technical signals for XRP has come from the Relative Strength Index (RSI). With the RSI approaching 35, XRP is nearing oversold conditions. While these levels can sometimes trigger short lived price bounces, a single indicator is not considered sufficient for calling a lasting trend reversal.

Glossary: RSI is a technical indicator that measures the speed and strength of price movements. Values approaching 30 generally indicate oversold conditions, while values nearing 70 suggest overbought territory.

Bitcoin tests a vital support zoneBitcoin also failed to hold above key moving averages in May, resulting in a fresh wave of declines. Daily charts reveal that the rising channel seen from April to May has broken downward. Though this downturn initially resembled a temporary correction, sellers quickly regained control, leaving the rebound short lived.

Currently, Bitcoin’s 50, 100, and 200 day moving averages remain below $63,000, $68,000, and $76,000 respectively—a structure that underlines persistent market weakness. Notably, stronger volume spikes have occurred on selling days compared to rallies, suggesting sellers are now acting with greater conviction.

AssetCurrent Price RangeKey ResistanceKey SupportXRP$1.05$1.51Below $1.30Bitcoin$57,000 to $58,000$63,000 and higher averages$52,000Ethereum$1,600$1,690 and $1,850local bottom regionRight now, the $57,000 to $58,000 range is drawing attention in the market. Should Bitcoin break clearly below this zone, the next historically significant support could come into play at $52,000. While the RSI near 35 keeps the door open for a potential short term bounce, these types of signals tend to have limited impact in an established downtrend.

If Bitcoin fails to hold the $57,000 to $58,000 region, technical analysis signals a renewed pullback toward $52,000 could be on the horizon.

Ethereum remains under pressure but investor interest persistsDespite its recent weak price performance, Ethereum continues to attract close scrutiny from the market. After a failed rebound attempt, ETH has settled near $1,600, breaking below a descending wedge pattern formed between April and May. This move has reinforced bearish momentum and pushed ETH back toward its local lows.

ETH trading below its 50, 100, and 200 day moving averages leaves its technical prospects clouded. The 50 day moving average at around $1,690 now marks the first key resistance, with longer term averages at $1,850 and $2,280 providing additional upside hurdles. That said, buyers have shown some engagement near support zones during sharp declines, and volume has not completely dried up.

The RSI for Ethereum is hovering near 38, indicating ongoing weakness but not yet signaling total market capitulation. Technically, recapturing the $1,690 level stands as the initial target for ETH; surpassing this could bring $1,850 back into focus as the next milestone.

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.

Robinhood has gone chain-native. The brokerage firm launched the public mainnet of Robinhood Chain on Wednesday, an Arbitrum-powered Ethereum layer-2 network that the company described as permissionless, AI-native, and purpose-built for real-world assets.

Robinhood Presents: The World is Flat https://t.co/klNh8iHFPd

— Robinhood (@RobinhoodApp) July 1, 2026 The announcement was made at an event held at the Old Royal Naval College in London, where CEO Vlad Tenev outlined a vision that bridges Robinhood's traditional brokerage offerings with an expanding suite of onchain financial products.

What the chain does

Robinhood Chain is designed to host tokenized real-world assets, beginning with Stock Tokens — on-chain representations of shares in companies including Nvidia and Apple. Eligible users in more than 120 countries can trade these tokens 24/7 directly within the Robinhood Wallet. The tokens can be deployed into lending pools or used as collateral across DeFi protocols, unlocking yield opportunities that traditional brokerage accounts do not permit.

Day-one ecosystem partners include Uniswap (dedicated AMM for public liquidity) and Pleiades (proprietary AMM for prop trading). Infrastructure integrations cover Alchemy, BitGo, and Chainlink.

The Lighter integration

Perpetual futures are now available within the Robinhood Wallet via Lighter, a decentralized exchange. Eligible users in select jurisdictions can access perps through the integration, with Lighter committing $11 million worth of $LIT to the Robinhood community. Users earn 2x points when trading perpetuals through Robinhood Wallet versus Lighter's own app.

Robinhood Earn is also rolling out to eligible US users — lending USDG stablecoin at ~7% APY, insured through Lloyd's of London and RELM. Infrastructure is powered by Morpho.

AI-native positioning

The "AI-native" label is central to the pitch. Agentic Accounts for crypto trading are being prepared for eligible US traders, with Robinhood's Trading MCP allowing AI models to connect to Robinhood data and execute strategies within user-set parameters. At the London event, Robinhood set a Guinness World Record for the most items purchased by an AI agent in three minutes using a single credit card.

Geographic expansion

The launch is paired with Robinhood's broadest geographic push to date. Canadian residents gained access on Canada Day, following the WonderFi acquisition, with zero trading fees until end of September. Singapore's MAS has awarded Robinhood Singapore a CMS licence. The firm is also planning a UK crypto launch.

Robinhood serves nearly 28 million customers across 38 countries. HOOD closed up more than 8% on Wednesday at $108.65 — nearly 20% gains over the past month, though still more than 29% off its 52-week high.

Ethereum Execs Launch Non-Profit to Accelerate Institutional Adoption

Ethereum Institutional has launched as an independent non-profit focused on accelerating institutional adoption of Ethereum, its Layer 2 networks, applications, and wider ecosystem. 

Summary

Ethereum Institutional launched as an independent non-profit focused on finance firms adopting Ethereum and Layer 2s. BitMine, SharpLink, Joe Lubin, and other contributors are anchoring funding for the new organization. The group will focus on education, intelligence, marketing, standards, requirements, and events for institutions. The group says it will act as a neutral entry point for banks, asset managers, custodians, market infrastructure firms, fintechs, and sovereign institutions.

The organization is backed by BitMine Immersion Technologies, SharpLink, Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, and other individual and institutional contributors. It was formed after a year of institutional engagement work led by the Ethereum Foundation’s go-to-market team.

1/ Announcing Ethereum Institutional

An independent non-profit dedicated to accelerating the institutional adoption of Ethereum, its L2s, applications and overall ecosystem. pic.twitter.com/XUeViH6rrq

— Ethereum Institutional (@ethereuminsti) July 1, 2026 Ethereum Institutional said its launch comes as large financial firms study long-term platform choices for stablecoins, tokenization, and onchain market infrastructure. The group said Ethereum currently hosts about $180 billion in stablecoins on mainnet, about 60% of total stablecoin supply, and about two-thirds of tokenized real-world assets.

Ethereum Institutional sets five focus areas The Ethereum Institutional launch announcement said the group will work across five areas. These are institutional education and engagement, institutional intelligence, ETH and ecosystem marketing, industry discovery and requirements, and institutional events.

The organization said it has built more than 500 institutional relationships across banks, asset managers, sovereign institutions, custodians, and market infrastructure providers. It also pointed to its Institutional Ethereum Forum, which brought together more than 150 senior executives and digital asset leaders from institutions representing about $250 trillion in combined assets under management.

Ethereum Institutional plans to cover New York, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore from launch. It also plans to expand into Zurich, Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Abu Dhabi, with dedicated institutional leads in those markets.

BitMine, SharpLink and Lubin back the group Tom Lee, chairman of BitMine, said, “Financial institutions are making infrastructure decisions today that will shape capital markets for decades, and Ethereum is increasingly at the center of those conversations.” He said Ethereum Institutional gives firms a trusted place to engage with the ecosystem.

Joe Lubin said Ethereum has become infrastructure for “decentralized, verifiable, programmable trust.” He added that traditional finance is already moving onto Ethereum’s rails and that Ethereum Institutional will help institutions engage at scale.

“Ethereum’s credible neutrality is one of its greatest strengths, but neutrality without representation can often be seen as silence,” said David Walsh, executive director of Ethereum Institutional.

He said the group will give financial leaders a direct counterpart that can provide clear answers.

Launch follows Ethlabs formation The launch follows another Ethereum-focused non-profit announced last week. As previously reported, Ethereum recruited former Foundation researchers through Ethlabs, a research group backed by Joe Lubin, BitMine, SharpLink, and other ecosystem contributors. Ethlabs focuses on scaling, settlement, interoperability, and infrastructure for institutional use.

The two groups have different roles. Ethlabs focuses on research and protocol work, while Ethereum Institutional focuses on market engagement and institutional needs. Both groups arrive as Ethereum’s ecosystem shifts more work outside the Ethereum Foundation.

As crypto.news reported, the Ethereum Foundation laid off 20% of its workforce in June as part of a wider reorganization. The foundation said the changes were tied to its long-term roadmap and internal structure.

Institutional Ethereum activity keeps growing The new group arrives as Ethereum treasury firms continue to buy ETH despite weak market conditions. Previously,BitMine bought another $90 million in ETH, lifting its holdings close to 4.7% of Ethereum’s supply. BitMine has said it aims to reach 5% of total ETH supply.

SharpLink has also kept adding ETH. SharpLink bought another $62.4 million worth of Ether after ending an eight-month buying pause, as reported. The company has also backed Ethlabs alongside BitMine and Lubin.

Tokenized asset growth adds another reason institutions are watching Ethereum. Crypto.news reported thattokenized real-world assets reached about $34 billion, with Ethereum carrying about 60% of that value. Ethereum Institutional will now try to turn that market position into a clearer path for large financial firms building onchain.

Ethereum Institutional has launched publicly as an independent non-profit — the dedicated institutional front door for the Ethereum ecosystem. The organization consolidates a year of institutional engagement work previously run by the Ethereum Foundation's go-to-market team, now housed in an independent entity with a sharper commercial mission and long-term funding.

Bitmine (NYSE: BMNR), Sharplink (NASDAQ: SBET), and Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin are anchoring the funding. The board comprises Thomas Lee (Chairman, Bitmine), Joseph Chalom (CEO, Sharplink), and David Walsh (Executive Director, Ethereum Institutional).

The institutional moment

The launch is explicitly timed to the window in which financial institutions are making foundational platform decisions about tokenization, stablecoins, and onchain market infrastructure — decisions that participants argue will shape capital markets for decades.

"Ethereum's credible neutrality is one of its greatest strengths, but neutrality without representation can often be seen as silence," said David Walsh. "The Ethereum ecosystem needs a credible, independent counterpart institutions can engage with directly."

Ethereum currently hosts approximately $180 billion in stablecoins on mainnet — roughly 60% of total stablecoin supply — and around two-thirds of all tokenized real-world assets. Competing ecosystems have made institutional adoption their explicit commercial priority.

What the organization does

Five focus areas from day one: Institutional Education and Engagement, Institutional Intelligence, ETH and Ecosystem Marketing, Standards and Best Practices, and Institutional Events.

Geographic coverage expands from New York, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore into Zurich, Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Abu Dhabi, with dedicated institutional leads embedded in each region.

The organization is launching with claimed momentum: 500+ institutional relationships covering Tier-1 banks, top-tier asset managers, sovereign institutions, custodians, and market infrastructure providers. The Institutional Ethereum Forum has convened 150+ senior executives and Heads of Digital Assets from institutions representing roughly $250 trillion in combined AUM.

Relationship to Ethlabs

This is the second major independent Ethereum steward organization unveiled in a week, alongside Ethlabs — the R&D lab also founded by former Ethereum Foundation leaders. The two are positioned as complementary: Ethlabs advancing protocol-layer innovation, Ethereum Institutional serving as the institutional-facing counterpart from evaluation through deployment at scale.

Key Highlights Ethereum Institutional debuted Wednesday with backing from Joe Lubin, BitMine, and SharpLink to strengthen ties with traditional financial institutions Standard Chartered views the initiative as solving a critical communication barrier between Ethereum and Wall Street Ethereum commands nearly 58% of tokenized real-world assets and approximately half of the $311 billion stablecoin sector The Ethereum Foundation reduced its staff by 20% this year following leadership changes and governance scrutiny Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick reaffirmed his $4,000 ETH forecast for late 2026 A freshly established nonprofit organization named Ethereum Institutional made its debut Wednesday, receiving support from Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin alongside ETH treasury entities BitMine Immersion Technologies and SharpLink.

LATEST: ⚡️ Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, BitMine and SharpLink have launched Ethereum Institutional, a nonprofit aimed at accelerating the blockchain's adoption among banks and asset managers. pic.twitter.com/89blgTc2LI

— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) July 1, 2026

The entity aims to function as a bridge connecting the Ethereum network with global financial powerhouses including banks, asset management firms, and portfolio managers.

According to its official announcement, the organization identified that Ethereum has been missing “a credible, independent front door” for meaningful institutional engagement. Operations will span major financial centers including New York, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

LATEST: ⚡️ The Ethereum Foundation published a policy guide arguing Ethereum's decentralized design makes it fit for government use cases like digital identity, public records, and asset tokenization. pic.twitter.com/Q8Ujl7HNPG

— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) July 2, 2026

Standard Chartered expressed strong support for the initiative, characterizing it as a solution to the longstanding communication disconnect between Ethereum and prominent financial institutions.

“The aim is to ensure Ethereum is well represented in institutional conversations,” a bank representative told CoinDesk.

Geoff Kendrick, an analyst at Standard Chartered, noted that this launch, combined with the previous introduction of Ethlabs, carries “direct positive implications” for Ethereum’s infrastructure, including layer 1, layer 2 solutions, and DeFi protocols.

Kendrick maintained his forecast of $4,000 for ETH by the conclusion of 2026 and $40,000 by the end of 2030.

The Strategic Timing Behind This Move Ethereum presently commands nearly 58% of the tokenized real-world asset marketplace, based on Token Terminal data. The network also represents approximately half of the $311 billion stablecoin ecosystem, according to DeFiLlama figures.

Even with this market leadership, competing blockchain platforms are intensifying their campaigns to secure institutional participants. Ethereum Institutional emerges as a strategic counter to this competitive landscape.

ETH was changing hands near $1,620 on Wednesday, representing a significant decline from levels above $4,000 observed as recently as October 27. Both BitMine and SharpLink are currently experiencing unrealized losses on their ETH positions.

Ethereum Foundation Changes Provide Broader Picture This development arrives amid a transitional phase for the Ethereum Foundation. The organization eliminated approximately 20% of its staff this year while experiencing around 19 departures, including co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang.

The foundation has encountered scrutiny regarding transparency practices, governance structures, and Ether’s market trajectory.

In reaction, independent entities have emerged to fill gaps. Ethlabs, a nonprofit dedicated to Ethereum scalability research, debuted in June with backing from the same supporters behind Ethereum Institutional.

Aztec Labs CEO Joe Andrews noted the ecosystem now benefits from three nonprofit organizations championing Ethereum adoption. He characterized the institutional emphasis as a logical progression for what he termed “the only credible option” for worldwide settlement.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan praised the development on X, writing: “It’s kind of awesome to watch a decentralized system heal itself.”

Vivek Raman from Etherealize interpreted it as validation of Ethereum’s decentralized framework, emphasizing the network is “built by independent nodes” rather than dependent on any singular organization.

According to 21shares analysis, present ETH valuations have not yet incorporated the expanding institutional interest.

Solana has quietly become one of the more serious institutional blockchain platforms on the market, and the numbers are starting to reflect that. The total value of real-world assets tokenized on Solana reached approximately $3.3 billion by early July 2026, up from around $2.5 billion in April and $2.8 billion in May. That kind of consistent monthly climb does not happen by accident.

Alongside that RWA growth, the stablecoin supply on Solana crossed $16 billion, driven primarily by Circle’s USDC and Tether’s USDT.

Big names are choosing Solana for real financial infrastructure The first half of 2026 brought a wave of institutional partnerships that would have seemed ambitious to predict even twelve months earlier. B2C2, one of the larger crypto market makers operating in institutional circles, designated Solana as its primary network for stablecoin settlements.

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SoFi, the US-based financial services company, launched enterprise banking services built on the Solana blockchain during the same period.

Shinhan Card, one of South Korea’s largest card issuers, also signed a memorandum of understanding focused on developing stablecoin payment solutions on Solana.

Solana captured 97% of tokenized equity trading volume Perhaps the single most striking data point from this period: Solana captured 97% of cumulative on-chain tokenized equities spot trading volume by May 2026.

The Solana Foundation also rolled out new security infrastructure during this period, including the STRIDE initiative, which focuses on strengthening the network’s defenses against systemic risks. STRIDE, alongside improved cross-network DeFi recovery tools, signals that Solana is building the compliance and risk management layer that regulated financial entities require before committing serious capital.

What this means for investors watching the RWA space Solana’s $3.3 billion in RWA value by July 2026 positions it as a top-tier venue in that market, competing directly with Ethereum and BNB Chain for institutional flows.

For investors, the stablecoin supply figure is arguably the more actionable signal. A $16 billion stablecoin supply on Solana means there is substantial liquidity available for DeFi protocols, institutional desks, and payment rails operating on the chain.

Market analysts urge caution, suggesting that current metrics should be understood as peaks rather than a stable status quo. Ethereum remains the default institutional blockchain for many legacy finance entrants, and BNB Chain is aggressively courting similar RWA and payment partnerships in Asian markets.

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

Leading cryptocurrencies ticked higher on Wednesday, while stocks retreated, as Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh called inflation “too high.”

Crypto Market LiftsBitcoin broke past $61,000 in the evening, only to get rejected and drop back to $59,000. With trading volume spiking 11% over the past day, the struggle between bulls and bears continued.

Ethereum progressed to the mid-$1,600s before a pullback, while XRP and Dogecoin were also among the gainers.

Over $450 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with $279 million in short positions wiped out, according to Coinglass data.

Bitcoin’s open interest spiked 1.80% over the last 24 hours. BTC’s taker buy volume exceeded the sell volume over the last 24 hours, indicating a bullish sentiment in the market.

Retail and whale derivatives traders on Binance also remained bullish on the apex cryptocurrency.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.07 trillion, following an increase of 2.78% over the last 24 hours.

Stock Market Cools DownStocks eased on Wednesday after a recent surge in gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 13.96 points, or 0.03%, to close at 52,305.24. The S&P 500 fell 0.22% to end at 7,483.23, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slid 0.66% to close at 26,040.03.

Fed Chair Warsh said at an international conference that "prices are too high," but declined to comment on the central bank’s likely move in the July meeting.

The CME Group’s FedWatch tool showed markets pricing a 71% likelihood of the Fed keeping the rates unchanged in July, but nearly a 50% chance of a rate hike in September.

Seller Fatigue Setting In?Ali Martinez, a widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader, declared that the cryptocurrency market has reached its bottom, citing “buy” signals on the TD Sequential indicator for Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana.

The monthly chart suggests a coordinated macro reversal setup,” the analyst added. “Historically, when multiple assets lock in concurrent monthly buy signals, it indicates seller fatigue and a high probability of a long-term market bottom.”

Rekt Capital, another popular chartist, noted that Bitcoin’s monthly close below the 50-month exponential moving average, currently around $63,000, aligns with patterns observed in prior cycles,

“Generally, prices tends to lose the 50-Month EMA and then turn it into new resistance before additional downside over time,” the analyst said.

Photo Courtesy: KateStock on Shutterstock.com

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Tether has frozen $USDT balances across all 131 TRON addresses linked to ISIS-K, acting on a sanctions update issued by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on July 1, 2026.

OFAC updated its ISIS-K designation on July 1, adding 134 crypto wallet identifiers, including 131 TRON addresses and three Monero addresses. Tether froze the USDT balances on all 131 of the TRON wallets named, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis.

What the Wallets ShowChainalysis said the 131 TRON addresses received more than $1.4 million since 2023, and the same wallets sent out more than $880,000 over that period. The blockchain analytics firm noted that several listed wallets had exposure to mainstream services and also sent funds to Syria-based crypto exchangers.

ISIS-K has leveraged crypto for fundraising through its media wing, al-Azaim Media Foundation, using digital assets as a way to move money across borders without touching traditional banking rails.

OFAC's designation covered 134 crypto wallet addresses in total: 131 on the TRON blockchain and three on the Monero network. The Monero addresses present a different problem entirely, since Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency with no central issuer capable of freezing funds. Adding those addresses to the sanctions list serves more as a compliance signal to exchanges: if funds from these addresses are detected, there is a legal obligation to block them.

A Pattern of EnforcementChainalysis said the July 1 actions require virtual asset service providers and financial institutions to update sanctions screening and transaction monitoring. The firm also labeled the relevant addresses in its products, giving compliance teams a way to detect exposure to the newly listed ISIS-K wallets and related networks.

The action fits a broader pattern of Tether working alongside regulators. Tether works with more than 340 law enforcement agencies across 65 countries, and that cooperation has supported more than 2,300 cases globally, leading to the freezing of more than $4.4 billion in assets.

The move is a clear illustration of how sanctions enforcement now operates in the crypto era: a government names on-chain addresses, and a stablecoin issuer can neutralize the funds on them almost instantly.

Sources:
Crypto.news: Tether freezes USDT in 131 ISIS-K-linked TRON wallets
Crypto Times: Tether Freezes 131 ISIS-K TRON Wallets Post US Sanctions
Tether.io: Tether's Law Enforcement Cooperation

Tether froze every dollar of USDT held across 131 TRON wallet addresses linked to ISIS-K on July 1, acting within hours of the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control adding those wallets to its sanctions blacklist. The move effectively turned those funds into digital paperweights, inaccessible and unmovable.

OFAC’s designation covered 134 crypto wallet addresses in total: 131 on the TRON blockchain and 3 on the Monero network. The Monero addresses present a different problem entirely, since Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency with no central issuer capable of freezing funds. But on the TRON side, Tether’s compliance machinery kicked in fast.

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Following the money According to analysis from Chainalysis, the 131 TRON wallets received over $1.4 million in funds since 2023. Outflows exceeded $880,000, with some of those transactions routed to exchanges based in Syria.

ISIS-K, formally known as ISIL Khorasan, has been designated as a terrorist organization by the US since September 2015. The group has leveraged crypto for fundraising through its media wing, al-Azaim Media Foundation, using digital assets as a way to move money across borders without touching traditional banking rails.

Tether’s expanding enforcement role This wasn’t Tether’s first rodeo with sanctions compliance. The company has collaborated with more than 340 law enforcement agencies globally to monitor and freeze sanctioned assets.

The July 1 action also included a separate OFAC designation targeting two Brazilian nationals and four companies connected to the PCC criminal group, which allegedly laundered over $30 million using cryptocurrency.

The inclusion of three Monero addresses in the designation is worth pausing on. Monero, by design, obscures transaction details and wallet balances. There is no centralized entity that can freeze Monero the way Tether can freeze USDT. Adding those addresses to the sanctions list serves more as a compliance signal to exchanges: if you see funds from these addresses, you are legally obligated to block them.

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

The price of TRON (TRX) is holding just above its closely-watched 200-day moving average as it retests a key demand zone, drawing attention to its medium- and long-term outlook. As of writing, TRX is trading at $0.3170, with a 24-hour trading volume of $536.68 million and a market capitalization of $30.08 billion.

Key technical threshold in focusCrypto analyst Crypto Spaces noted that TRON is seeking equilibrium in its crucial demand area and has managed to stay just above the 200-day moving average—a level seen as a decisive threshold for the direction of the long-term trend.

Recent price consolidation and swings have seen buyers defending this support. Analysts suggest that, if buying momentum continues, TRX could regain an upward trend, targeting the resistance area between $0.37 and $0.38.

Mini glossary: The 200-day moving average is a technical indicator showing an asset’s average price over the last 200 days. It’s widely used to gauge long-term trends; prices holding above this line are considered relatively strong, while a drop below may signal weakness.

Crypto Spaces observed that as TRON retests its critical demand zone, maintaining a position above the 200-day moving average could pave the way for a move toward the $0.37–$0.38 range.

Conversely, if the price slips below both this zone and the 200-day moving average, short-term momentum could shift in favor of sellers. In this scenario, the case for a bullish trend would weaken and market balance might shift downward.

IndicatorLevelCurrent price$0.3170Resistance zone$0.37–$0.3824-hour volume$536.68 millionMarket cap$30.08 billionInstitutional purchases draw attentionTron Inc., the main institutional entity linked to the TRON ecosystem, has continued to expand its digital asset reserves. The company recently acquired an additional 155,836 TRX at an average price of $0.3209 per token.

With this latest purchase, the total TRX holdings of Tron Inc. have surpassed 703.1 million, highlighting both the growth of its treasury and its commitment to a long-term reserve strategy.

Through its recent acquisition, Tron Inc. has increased its total TRX holdings above 703.1 million, reinforcing its focus on expanding reserves as a way to enhance shareholder value.

Tron Inc. is reportedly aiming to further build up its crypto reserves, a move designed to boost shareholder value. Ongoing institutional accumulation is seen by some as a sign of strengthened long-term confidence in the TRON network.

Short-term outlook remains neutralDespite a positive technical structure and notable institutional buying, TRON’s price has not seen a significant directional move over the past 24 hours. While the broader cryptocurrency market presents a modestly upbeat environment, TRX continues to trade within a neutral range in the short term.

Market assessments and price forecasts remain uncertain, especially given continued volatility in the crypto sector. Traders are advised to monitor not only support and resistance levels, but also wider market conditions amid ongoing fluctuations.

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.

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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Ripple (XRP) and Stellar (XLM) extend recovery on Thursday as improving market sentiment supports a rebound. XRP trades above $1.05 while XLM climbs past $0.199. Traders should remain cautious, as mixed on-chain and derivatives data indicate a modest bullish bias, and further upside may depend on sustained buying momentum.

Improving derivatives metricsDerivatives data shows a mixed outlook with a slightly bullish tilt. CoinGlass’ long-to-short ratio for XRP reads 1.12 on Thursday, the highest level in over a month, indicating a positive bias. During the same period, XLM's long-to-short ratio stands at 0.97, remaining marginally below the neutral zone but edging closer to bullish territory, suggesting bearish sentiment is gradually easing.

XRP long-to-short ratio chart. Source: Coinglass

XLM long-to-short ratio chart. Source: CoinglassHowever, XRP and XLM funding rates remain slightly negative at -0.002% and -0.0015%, respectively, on Thursday, indicating bearish sentiment still lingers despite improving price action.

XRP funding rates chart. Source: Coinglass

XLM funding rates chart. Source: CoinglassMixed on-chain outlookCryptoQuant’s summary data shows mixed sentiment. XRP’s spot and futures markets show large whales' orders with neutral conditions in other metrics, supporting a potential recovery. However, XLM shows overheating and selling-side dominance in both markets, with mixed retail activity, hinting at cautious sentiment among traders and capping any potential recovery.

XRP summary data. Source: CryptoQuant

XLM summary data. Source: CryptoQuantXRP technical outlook: Key $1 support holds strongXRP price trades at $1.059 on Thursday, extending recovery after holding above the key psychological level of $1.00. Despite this recovery, XRP maintains a bearish long-term bias, as it remains well below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at $1.188, $1.297, and $1.516, respectively. Price also sits beneath the upper boundary of the downward parallel channel near $1.141, keeping the pair confined within a broader corrective structure. 

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 36 remains weak but off oversold territory. At the same time, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) has turned marginally positive, hinting at fading downside momentum rather than a decisive bullish turnaround.

On the topside, initial resistance is located at the channel boundary around $1.141, followed by the 50-day EMA at $1.188, where sellers could re-emerge on any bounce. Above, the 100-day EMA at $1.297 aligns with the horizontal barrier at $1.3000, forming a dense cap.

With no clear support levels apart from the key psychological level at $1.00, XRP remains vulnerable to further downside below this level until new demand zones emerge on the chart or momentum improves more convincingly.

XLM technical outlook: Price action shows bullish biasStellar price trades at $0.199, holding a constructive near-term bias as price sits above the 50-, 100-day and 200-day EMAs, clustered between roughly $0.186 and $0.199. This EMA stack now underpins the rebound from the late-May lows. At the same time, the RSI at about 53 is modestly positive and the MACD, still marginally below zero but contracting, hints that bearish momentum is fading.

On the topside, initial resistance is located at the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the latest swing near $0.200, with further hurdles at the 50% retracement around $0.218, followed by $0.237 and $0.260, corresponding to the 38.2% and 23.6% Fibonacci retracement levels respectively. 

On the downside, immediate support is provided by the 200-day EMA near $0.198, ahead of the 50-day and 100-day EMAs at $0.189 and $0.185; a deeper pullback would expose horizontal support at $0.177, reinforced by the 78.6% Fibonacci level at $0.173, while $0.142 marks a more distant structural floor.

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

Robinhood Taps Chainlink for Official Oracle InfrastructureRobinhood has formally adopted Chainlink as the official data and cross-chain oracle infrastructure for Robinhood Chain, its newly launched Ethereum Layer 2 network. The integration covers Robinhood Chain and all Robinhood-issued assets, including Stock Tokens like NVDA, GOOG, and AAPL. The announcement came alongside the public mainnet launch of Robinhood Chain, an Ethereum Layer 2 network built using Arbitrum's technology stack.

Robinhood Chain is an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain built on Arbitrum technology, designed to support tokenized real-world assets and onchain financial services. The company described Robinhood Chain as permissionless, AI-native, and purpose-built for real-world assets, with day-one partners including Uniswap, Pleiades, Alchemy, BitGo, and Chainlink.

What Chainlink Brings to the NetworkChainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), Data Streams, and Data Feeds are now live on Robinhood Chain mainnet from day one, delivering verifiable data for tokenized real-world assets and unlocking secure interoperability across the multi-chain ecosystem. Chainlink provides data feeds, interoperability tools, and compliance standards needed for advanced tokenization use cases. Oracles connect smart contracts to external data sources, which is essential for applications like tokenized stocks that require real-time pricing data from traditional markets.

Robinhood also launched new Stock Tokens, enabling eligible users to trade 24/7 directly on Robinhood Chain, as well as deploy those assets into lending pools and use them as trading collateral across the broader DeFi ecosystem. With the mainnet now live, Robinhood Wallet users in more than 120 countries can trade Stock Tokens, though availability varies depending on local regulations.

Gaetan Thabot, Director of Product at Robinhood Crypto, said the company chose Chainlink because its institutional-grade security and reliability are already trusted by the world's largest financial institutions to scale onchain ecosystems.

Sources:
PR Newswire: Robinhood Chain Launches and Adopts Chainlink
The Block: Robinhood Chain Goes Live on Mainnet
FinanceFeeds: Robinhood Opens 24/7 Stock Token Trading on Its New Layer 2 Chain

When Melyn McKay worked in South Sudan, there was not a functioning ATM in the entire country. To move humanitarian funds, she would fly to Dubai, withdraw cash from her own bank account, and carry it back across the border in her trousers, hoping no one would stop her at a checkpoint manned by armed soldiers. For 15 years, across South Sudan, Lebanon, and Myanmar, she watched the same pattern repeat. The places where help is often the most needed are the places the global financial system has quietly abandoned.

“We’ve built financial infrastructure the same way the British built railroads,” Melyn said. “They were designed to extract wealth out of the country, not to connect the people inside it.” Growing up in the US, she said, she never had to think about how money worked, because money was designed to work for her. Most of the world does not have that luxury.

Melyn is the founder of Coala Pay, a payment platform built specifically for aid delivery and a member of the Circle Alliance Program. Coala Pay moves institutional funds into high-friction corridors in minutes, using USDC as the settlement rail so that more of every donor dollar reaches the frontlines.

Built by humanitarians for the toughest corridorsCoala Pay’s team is made up of aid-sector natives. Its leadership and program staff average more than 15 years in humanitarian work, have led billions of dollars in donor-funded programming, and built systems that deployed hundreds of millions for institutions including UNICEF and the World Bank.

Melyn started Coala Pay in response to a problem she kept hitting in the field. After the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, she said traditional banking channels became dangerous overnight. According to Melyn, the junta was monitoring transactions to track and control the flow of humanitarian funds. Aid is meant to reach people in need regardless of which government is in power, and through the banks on the ground that was suddenly impossible. Coala Pay was an attempt to solve for this.

And while the junta and the banking crackdown that followed is what sparked the creation of Coala Pay, the platform itself is designed to solve for a broad range of aid-related friction. Aid organizations move money to as many as 130 countries a year, across volatile exchange rates, while working to stay accountable for every dollar of public money. It can be challenging. Melyn pointed to a recent Ebola response, when she said a large UN agency’s transfer to West Africa was routed through an intermediary bank in East Africa. That bank held the money for months, earning interest for themselves while delaying the delivery of lifesaving aid.

One interface, settlement in minutesCoala Pay replaces the fragmented chain of correspondent banks with a single settlement layer. An organization connects its treasury and funds the Coala Pay platform with a standard fiat transfer. Coala Pay works with licensed partners who handle the conversion into USDC, routes the payment through a network of vetted local offramp providers, and settles to recipients in minutes, including in corridors where conventional rails stall for weeks.

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Step Stage Who acts What happens 1 Fund Funding aid organization (INGO, UN agency, or NGO) Connects its treasury and sends a standard fiat transfer to a dedicated static IBAN; capital releases only after HQ + country-office multi-signature approval. 2 Convert and route Coala Pay Converts the fiat to USDC and routes it through vetted local offramp providers, replacing the correspondent-bank chain with a single settlement layer. 3 Settle Smart contract → offramp provider → recipient Funds settle onchain to the recipient’s account in minutes; the offramp provider then converts USDC to local currency. FX rates, timestamps, and payouts log onchain. ‍

The design reflects how aid teams actually operate. Multi-signature approvals mirror the real reporting lines of a humanitarian agency, requiring sign-off from both headquarters and country offices before any capital moves. Every step is recorded onchain. Foreign exchange (FX) rates, timestamps, and payout confirmations are captured automatically, so donor reports are generated as the money moves rather than reconstructed from spreadsheets weeks later.

The platform also adds a layer of programmability that traditional rails lack. Using an onchain oracle, Coala Pay can tie disbursements to external data, releasing funds automatically when thresholds like drought or flood levels are met. 

“Rather than waiting two weeks for funds to arrive in a community after an earthquake or a flood, we’re able to get those funds on the ground in less than 72 hours,” Melyn said. “In the aid sector, time saved is lives saved.”

Why Coala Pay chose USDC for aid deliveryFor Coala Pay, the choice of which stablecoin to use was a question of trust as much as technology. “We’re not in an industry where ‘move fast and break things’ works,” Melyn said. “We need to come to our clients with something that feels more secure than what they’re currently using, not less.”

In Melyn’s eyes, that ruled out most of the stablecoin market. “I can’t ask a UN agency to take a bet on a small token no one has ever heard of,” Melyn said. “They can’t act like VCs, deciding who is going to be around in the future.” 

Working with Circle and USDC, a regulated1 internet-native dollar, gives the treasurers she works with something they can verify rather than something they have to believe in. 

“Working with a public company that has been around a long time, that is MiCA compliant, those are the things that help a UN or INGO treasurer get comfortable with a new technology rather than taking a leap of faith,” Melyn said.

Every USDC is backed by cash and cash-equivalent reserves, with monthly attestations from a Big Four accounting firm, and it is the world’s largest regulated stablecoin1. For a treasurer moving public money into a fragile corridor to reach vulnerable populations, that combination of stability, transparency, regulatory standing, and 24/7 settlement is what makes the technology adoptable at all.

What changes on the ground when aid settles fasterIn late 2025, months ahead of the drought season, the Norwegian Refugee Council in Somalia committed $6,270 to each of its three local partners, writing the release conditions into smart contracts that drew on satellite drought data and ran against a wallet NRC controlled directly. Once the thresholds were crossed, each partner’s account was funded in about two minutes — not the minimum eight days for the quickest emergency channel NRC otherwise relies on. The early action reached 2,955 people across three districts with water trucking, hygiene kits, and cash assistance.

In Malawi, Save the Children's SHIFT initiative used Coala Pay to send a $2,000 milestone-based grant straight to a Lilongwe-based, youth-run climate group. That is exactly the kind of small, local organization that conventional grant pipelines turn away: vetting a $1,000 grant can cost more than the grant is worth. Because the funds sat in USDC until the moment of payout, the money reached the group with more of its value intact, even as the Malawian kwacha rapidly lost ground. The grant trained 160 students directly and reached more than 4,000 through peer cascade.

“In aid work, more money on the ground means more people helped,” Melyn said.

And in Kenya, the peacebuilding NGO Search for Common Ground paid 943 young survey respondents across all 47 counties with a 99.7% success rate, the slowest US payment still arriving in under two hours, and its finance team never entering a single transfer by hand. 

From last resort to first choiceCoala Pay built its reputation in corridors others shied away from — where conventional rails can stall for weeks and lifesaving money can sit in an intermediary bank earning interest while a community waits. Having proven that USDC can move value into those places in minutes instead of weeks, Melyn now sees the same rail reshaping the parts of aid finance everyone has simply accepted: the monthly FX rates and intermediary spreads that quietly erode every donor dollar long before it reaches the field.

That is the larger shift underway. The settlement layer that made early action possible in a drought — funds released automatically the moment satellite data crossed a threshold — is the same layer that can make ordinary disbursements faster, cheaper, and fully accountable across the as many as 130 countries aid flows to each year. With a regulated1, internet-native dollar as the foundation, programmability becomes the default: money that arrives in minutes, reports itself onchain as it moves, and holds its value relative to local currencies.

“For the first time, I’m coming to agencies I've worked with my whole career and saying, ‘here is a solution that will make your life easier,’” Melyn said. “If we can handle the really hard corridors, imagine how easy we can make the easy ones.”

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1 USDC is issued through regulated affiliates of Circle. A list of Circle’s regulatory authorizations can be found here.

Reference to any specific company, product, service, or website of any third party does not constitute an implied or express endorsement, recommendation, favoring or validation by Circle. The content presented is intended for informational purposes only. Reliance upon any content or information presented is at the sole discretion of the audience; Circle shall not be liable for any damage or loss relating to the use of or reliance upon any such content or information presented. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Circle.

Eligible institutional clients can access USDC through a single onboarding and service experience, without needing direct Circle accounts

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — July 2, 2026 —  Standard Chartered today announced the launch of its capability enabling institutional clients to access USDC minting and redemption, developed in partnership with Circle Internet Group, Inc. (Circle) (NYSE: CRCL), the issuer of USDC1 through its regulated entities.  

The launch makes Standard Chartered the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) licensed to offer institutional clients access to USDC minting and redemption through a  single onboarding and service experience, without requiring clients to hold direct accounts with Circle. 

The capability enables institutions to move value across traditional and digital financial ecosystems with greater speed and transparency by connecting fiat banking, digital asset infrastructure and public blockchain networks within a single, bank-led solution. It supports institutional use cases such as on-chain settlement, treasury, and liquidity management, while providing the infrastructure to support payment-related use cases in the future.

By embedding USDC access directly within Standard Chartered’s institutional offering, Standard Chartered will bring together banking, custody, and digital asset services within one integrated offering and that is delivered through the risk management, compliance and governance standards expected of a leading international financial institution.

Initially available to eligible clients through Standard Chartered’s DIFC operations, the capability reinforces the UAE’s position as a leading hub for regulated digital asset activity and represents the first phase of Standard Chartered’s broader global stablecoin proposition. The Bank intends to expand the capability into additional markets, subject to regulatory approvals and market readiness.

The announcement reflects growing demand from financial institutions and corporations for regulated stablecoin infrastructure that can support a range of financial activities, including payments, treasury management, settlement, liquidity management and participation in digital asset markets.

Roberto Hoornweg, Chief Executive Officer, Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Chartered said: “Digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of global financial infrastructure, and institutional clients are seeking the same levels of trust and governance that underpin traditional markets. With this launch, we are extending those standards into a rapidly evolving segment of the financial system. Ultimately, this is about enabling broader institutional participation in digital asset markets through the frameworks, controls and regulatory oversight that have long supported confidence in global financial markets.”

Kash Razzaghi, Chief Commercial Officer, Circle, said: “Financial institutions are increasingly looking for trusted ways to access stablecoins and participate in blockchain-enabled financial markets. By integrating Circle’s regulated stablecoin infrastructure into Standard Chartered’s global banking platform, we are helping institutions access new opportunities to use USDC across payments, settlement and treasury operations while maintaining the compliance, governance and risk management standards they expect.”

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‍For further information please contact:

Khaled Abdulla, CFA®
Head of Communications 
UAE, Middle East & Pakistan
Corporate and Investment Bank
Standard Chartered
M: +971 55  655 7553
T: +971 4 508 3155

About Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 54 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.
Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
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About Circle
Circle (NYSE: CRCL) is one of the world’s leading internet financial platform companies, building the foundation of a more open, global economy through programmable blockchain infrastructure, digital assets, and payment applications. Circle’s platform includes the world’s largest stablecoin network anchored by USDC, Circle Payments Network for global money movement, and Arc, an enterprise-grade blockchain designed to become the Economic OS for the internet. Enterprises, financial institutions, and developers use Circle to power trusted, internet-scale financial innovation. Learn more at circle.com.

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1 USDC is issued by regulated affiliates of Circle. See Circle’s list of regulatory authorizations at circle.com/legal/licenses.