Bitcoin price jumped 2% after the US and Iran agreed to halt strikes over control of the Strait of Hormuz. However, top analysts such as Rekt Capital, 10x Research’s Markus Thielen, Benjamin Cowen, and Cheds Trading remain cautious about an immediate recovery in Bitcoin and the broader crypto market.
US-Iran Suspend Strikes Sparks Modest Bitcoin and US Stock Futures Gain Bitcoin and US stock futures are rising following reports that the US and Iran have agreed to halt attacks. This comes as peace talks resume in Qatar this week, Axios reported on June 29.
The conflict escalated after Iran targeted a container ship carrying Qatari oil. The US government revealed retaliatory strikes on Iran after the market closed on Friday. This caused Iran to strike US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, escalating Middle East tensions.
Market participants and experts noted that the announcement comes just one hour before US stock market futures are set to reopen. “Carbon copy headline every Sunday evening,” said zerohedge.
Bitcoin price jumped from a 24-hour low of $58,856 to $60,089. The price is currently trading at $59,856, with a 24% rise in trading volume.
Analysts Stay Cautious amid Technical Weakness Despite Bitcoin rebounding after the US and Iran agreed to suspend strikes, analysts have remained cautious over immediate recovery. Several factors such as geopolitical, macro, and technical are keeping analysts on edge.
Popular analysts Cheds Trading and Benjamin Cowen noted that Bitcoin saw its lowest daily close since 2024 and its first close below the 200-week moving average (200-WMA) since 2023. The US strikes came despite the U.S. Senate passed the War Powers Act.
Rekt Capital predicts $61K as the key resistance and Bitcoin price failed to surpass it for the fourth consecutive day. “With the new Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly candle closes all just around the corner, it would be wise to wait to observe those first confirmations for additional insight,” he said.
He recommends investors to wait for June’s monthly close as that would reveal levels where a potential July relief rally would start. Cheds Trading agreed with Rekt Capital on risks of further drop amid technical chart weakness.
Top analyst Markus Thielen revealed their Bitcoin trend model turned bearish on May 22, when Bitcoin traded at $75,600. It has remained bearish despite buy-the-dip sentiment.
Bitcoin Daily Price Chart. Source: Rekt Capital Navigate the fluctuations of the crypto market by following the trades of experienced traders with our recommendations for Best Crypto Copy Trading Platforms.
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Foreign investors pulled massive capital out of South Korea's stock market, with net sales of KOSPI stocks hitting a new single-day record on Monday.
Foreign investors net sold KOSPI stocks worth 7.7 trillion won (approximately $4.98 billion) on Monday, marking the largest single-day sell-off on record.
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The A-share semiconductor sector turned higher following South Korean stocks, with Huahai Qingke surging 19.01%.
On Monday morning, the A-share semiconductor sector briefly tracked a pullback in related South Korean stocks. The KOSDAQ index triggered a program trading circuit breaker during intraday trading, with a maximum drop of 3.8%. Chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix saw sharp opening dips, but the decline was soon halted by news of a new round of expansion in South Korea's storage chip chain. Earlier in the afternoon, the South Korean government released its latest industrial plan. President Lee Jae-myung stated that South Korea must push forward with the construction of chip production facilities as soon as possible, as existing industrial parks are approaching their carrying limits in terms of water resources and infrastructure. Going forward, the country will focus on expanding semiconductor supply capacity through investments in its southwestern region. Under the plan, South Korea plans to build four chip manufacturing plants in the southwestern region, with a total investment of about 800 trillion won, and will allocate at least 30 trillion won over the next 15 years to semiconductor sectors including next-generation memory, edge AI, and defense. In response to the news, South Korea's KOSPI index turned from decline to gain in the afternoon, while related A-share stocks rebounded in tandem. Among them, Huahong Qingke surged 19.01%, Microtech Corporation rose 8.58%, Anji Technology gained 9.46%, Shanghai Silicon Industry climbed 11.30%, Coremax increased 9.06%, and Huace Testing & Control advanced 10.21%.
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Japan and South Korea's stock markets closed higher.
According to Bitget market data, the Nikkei 225 index closed up 107.23 points on Monday, June 29, with a 0.15% gain, ending at 69,468.11 points, after earlier dropping more than 1%. South Korea’s KOSPI index rose 5.62 points on the same day, a 0.07% increase, closing at 8,416.83 points; the country’s KOSDAQ (its main tech-focused index) gained over 8% in the session. After Samsung and SK unveiled their investment plans, the KOSPI index erased a decline of up to 3.4% to turn positive intraday, while small-cap benchmark KOSDAQ also rebounded.
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Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister: Convening the First Meeting of the Iran-Oman Joint Commission on the Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister announced that the first meeting of the Iran-Oman Joint Commission on the Strait of Hormuz was held.
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Online reports indicate that South Korea’s previously expected aggressive investment of 2000 trillion won has materialized at 800 trillion won, easing market sentiment and triggering a minor rebound in the stock prices of Samsung and SK Hynix.
Hyperinsight’s monitoring shows that South Korea’s semiconductor sector rebounded in the afternoon. The previously-feared 2,000 trillion won investment plan was ultimately realized as a semiconductor project worth around 800 trillion won (approx. $518 billion). This is likely because capital expenditure pressure fell short of some market participants’ expectations, leading to eased risk aversion and narrowed losses. On Hyperliquid, SK Hynix (1H) rebounded by 4.5% at one point, currently quoted at $1,730; Samsung Electronics rose 2%, currently at $214. Currently, the average entry price of long positions for large holders of the two on-chain assets is $1,608 and $217.3 respectively, with Samsung Electronics trading below the moving average of long-position whales.
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Recently, over 550,000 Bitcoin have flowed into deposit addresses of Binance and OKX, marking a new high since the 2023 bear market.
Crypto Quant analyst Darkfost noted in a post that as Bitcoin recently dipped below $60,000 again, a large number of investors have transferred their Bitcoin to exchanges. Data shows more than 220,000 BTC flowed into deposit addresses linked to Binance’s hot wallet, and over 330,000 BTC entered OKX-related deposit addresses, totaling over 550,000 BTC—marking the largest such inflow this year and the highest level since the 2023 bear market. Typically, when users plan to sell Bitcoin, they first transfer funds to deposit addresses before aggregating them into the exchange’s operational wallet. As such, this massive inflow reflects panic among some investors after Bitcoin tested the $60,000 threshold, with increased potential selling pressure. However, the data does not mean all these BTC have been sold; it only signals a rise in exchanges’ selling willingness.
Bitcoin, the flagship cryptocurrency, is pacing through its most underperforming post-halving epoch to date.
The leading cryptocurrency is currently sitting below the $60,000 level, according to the CoinGecko data.
The significance of Bitcoin halvings The macroeconomic trajectory of Bitcoin has historically been dictated by its "halving" events. These events occur roughly every four years (or every 210,000 blocks).
They are perceived to be bullish because they reduce the issuance of new supply in half (less supply and more demand).
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Bitcoin's price performance is tracked by normalizing returns from Day 0 (the day of the halving) across a full 1,460-day (four-year) epoch.
Historically, each cycle passes through three psychological and technical phases. The "hype" period is traditionally dominated by supply-shock dynamics, intense speculation, and parabolic price appreciation leading to a cycle macro peak.
During the "disillusionment" phase, multi-month crypto winters are characterized by severe drawdowns, capitulation events, and sideways grinding.
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Finally, steady accumulation and recovery take place during the "enlightenment" phase, where the market builds a structural floor ahead of the next halving event.
Bitcoin used to experience massive returns during its post-halving cycles, and some bulls assumed that this would be the case this time around. During the previous cycle, BTC experienced diminishing marginal returns but remained profitable. It concluded its 1,460-day journey in April 2024 at a baseline price of $63,514.
However, during the current cycle, the flagship coin failed to record a traditional "Hype" phase rally. It had been grinding sideways before collapsing and moving to the"Disillusionment" phase.
The orange line has plummeted below the baseline. This means investors who acquired Bitcoin at the time of the 2024 halving are now sitting on net negative returns (which is quite unprecedented).
As reported by U.Today, Galaxy CEO Mike Novogratz recently opined that the cryptocurrency is suffering from the crisis surrounding the leading corporate BTC holder Strategy, as well as concerns about a potential interest rate hike.
A short but busy week lies ahead on the US economic calendar, while markets need to digest the re-escalation of military action in the Middle East.
Crypto markets remained flat over the weekend following a week of heavy losses that saw a further $140 billion leave the space. Military action in the Middle East resumed with the US conducting strikes on Iranian military targets at multiple locations in response to Iran’s drone attack on a commercial ship.
Meanwhile, the TradFi fear and greed index is now down to 24.8, the lowest since early April, reported the Kobeissi Letter. The week ahead is heavy with labor market data, which could further influence the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy.
Economic Events June 29 to July 3 Monday will see the market’s reaction to the resumption of military action, and crypto is already in the red as Bitcoin fails to hold $60,000.
The economic data begins on Tuesday with May JOLTs Job Openings data and June’s CB Consumer Confidence report. These are followed on Wednesday by June’s ISM Manufacturing PMI data, which provides insights into industrial sector health and business conditions.
The big report of the week is the June Jobs report, which comes out on Thursday and may shape the direction of rates and markets, possibly into September, as it is the only employment report the Fed receives before its July meeting.
Continued labor market weakness would validate stagflation concerns about supporting growth versus containing prices, reported BarChart.
A hot report would result in higher rates priced in, which makes conditions tougher for risk assets such as crypto. However, the market is priced for a soft number, so the bigger danger would be a surprise to the upside.
You may also like: Bitcoin and Gold Are Bleeding – So Where Is the Money Going? Ripple CEO Praises XRP, Questions Strategy’s Impact on Bitcoin and Crypto Prediction: Bitcoin Could Bottom Between $42K and $44K This Year Key Events This Week:
1. US Markets React to Strait of Hormuz Strikes – Today
2. May JOLTs Job Openings data – Tuesday
3. June CB Consumer Confidence data – Tuesday
4. June ISM Manufacturing PMI data – Wednesday
5. June Jobs Report – Thursday
6. US Markets Closed, Happy 4th…
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) June 28, 2026
Crypto Market Outlook The overall outlook is not good, with negative sentiment increasing in the depths of a crypto winter. Total capitalization has fallen to its lowest level since September 2024 at $2.13 trillion, with Bitcoin leading losses as capitulation continues.
BTC lost 1.5% on the day, falling back to $59,000 during the Monday morning trading session in Asia before recovering slightly. It is currently hovering at critical support; if lost, it could trigger a rapid drop to the realized price of around $53,000, a historical bear market bottom.
ETH is already at its multi-year bear market bottom, struggling to make any moves above $1,570 and weakening by the hour.
Crypto opened Monday flat. Bitcoin traded near $59,700, down 0.3% on the day and 6.8% on the week, as a de-escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict lifted equity futures but left digital assets unmoved, per CoinDesk data.
Ether edged up 0.3% to $1,572, Solana added 1.5%, while XRP and dogecoin continued to slide.
Axios reported Sunday that the U.S. and Iran agreed to fully halt strikes and meet this week in Qatar to resume talks over the Strait of Hormuz and a broader end to the conflict. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.5% as of Monday, but crypto did not follow.
The non-reaction fits the pattern of the past two weeks. Bitcoin jumped on the peace deal signing June 19, then gave it back as the hawkish Fed and ETF outflows reasserted. Traders have now been burned by enough geopolitical relief rallies that the Qatar meeting registers as a maybe rather than a catalyst.
South Korea announced plans to double DRAM production capacity in the Seoul metro area over five years, with Samsung and SK Hynix committing 800 trillion won, about $518 billion, to build four new fabrication plants.
Asian tech hardware shares slid on the rotation, even as eight of eleven MSCI Asia Pacific subgroups gained. The same AI chip trade that whipsawed markets last week remains the dominant cross-asset current.
The test for crypto this week is whether the Iran talks in Qatar produce anything durable, and whether Thursday's PCE print softens enough to shift the Fed narrative. Both need to land to give bitcoin a reason to move.
The crypto market is going through a new period of uncertainty and explanations are multiplying. For Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the former head of Binance, this correction is the result of a cocktail mixing geopolitical tensions, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), and the natural Bitcoin cycle. A relevant analysis… but not without limitations.
In brief Changpeng Zhao attributes the crypto decline to geopolitics, the rise of AI, and the Bitcoin cycle. The Bitcoin four-year cycle remains relevant, but it is no longer enough to explain the market. Crypto now depends as much on the macroeconomic context as on Bitcoin’s performance. CZ identifies three main causes for the decline in crypto For Changpeng Zhao, the current correction of the crypto market cannot be reduced to a simple market downturn. In a recent interview, CZ puts forward three explanations which, according to him, strengthen each other.
The first concerns geopolitical tensions. In a more unstable international context, investors favor assets considered safer and reduce their exposure to the most volatile markets, including crypto. The second factor is more original. Changpeng Zhao believes that artificial intelligence today attracts a significant share of speculative capital. For two years, AI-related companies have concentrated much of investors’ interest, to the detriment of crypto. Finally, the former Binance leader recalls that Bitcoin historically follows a four-year cycle, marked by a strong rise after each halving followed by sometimes sharp correction. However, this reading deserves nuance. Indeed, Bitcoin ETFs, the rise of institutional investors, and an unprecedented macroeconomic environment make the market more complex than before. The cycle probably still exists, but it no longer explains everything alone.
Does the Bitcoin rhythm still dominate the crypto market? For more than a decade, Bitcoin has imposed its tempo on the entire crypto market. When it rose, altcoins followed. When it fell, the whole ecosystem plunged. This correlation remains strong, but it is no longer as mechanical as before. Today, the market is influenced by many external factors. Central bank decisions, flows to Bitcoin ETFs, geopolitical tensions, and the performance of the AI sector deeply change investors’ behaviors… As observed by Changpeng Zhao.
However, Bitcoin remains the main sentiment indicator, even if it is no longer the sole engine of crypto. Furthermore, institutional investors prioritize macroeconomic data over patterns observed during previous halvings. In other words, BTC retains a central role, but its influence is now embedded in a much broader environment. The real question is no longer whether the market follows Bitcoin, but to what extent it still can dictate the trend.
Changpeng Zhao’s analysis sheds interesting light on the current weakness of the crypto market, without answering all questions. Bitcoin remains an essential reference, but its influence evolves with the maturation of the sector. Are we witnessing the end of the famous four-year BTC cycle or simply its adaptation?
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Eddy S.
The world is evolving and adaptation is the best weapon to survive in this undulating universe. Originally a crypto community manager, I am interested in anything that is directly or indirectly related to blockchain and its derivatives. To share my experience and promote a field that I am passionate about, nothing is better than writing informative and relaxed articles.
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Foreign investors pulled massive capital out of South Korea's stock market, with net sales of KOSPI stocks hitting a new single-day record on Monday.
Foreign investors net sold KOSPI stocks worth 7.7 trillion won (approximately $4.98 billion) on Monday, marking the largest single-day sell-off on record.
1 seconds ago
The A-share semiconductor sector turned higher following South Korean stocks, with Huahai Qingke surging 19.01%.
On Monday morning, the A-share semiconductor sector briefly tracked a pullback in related South Korean stocks. The KOSDAQ index triggered a program trading circuit breaker during intraday trading, with a maximum drop of 3.8%. Chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix saw sharp opening dips, but the decline was soon halted by news of a new round of expansion in South Korea's storage chip chain. Earlier in the afternoon, the South Korean government released its latest industrial plan. President Lee Jae-myung stated that South Korea must push forward with the construction of chip production facilities as soon as possible, as existing industrial parks are approaching their carrying limits in terms of water resources and infrastructure. Going forward, the country will focus on expanding semiconductor supply capacity through investments in its southwestern region. Under the plan, South Korea plans to build four chip manufacturing plants in the southwestern region, with a total investment of about 800 trillion won, and will allocate at least 30 trillion won over the next 15 years to semiconductor sectors including next-generation memory, edge AI, and defense. In response to the news, South Korea's KOSPI index turned from decline to gain in the afternoon, while related A-share stocks rebounded in tandem. Among them, Huahong Qingke surged 19.01%, Microtech Corporation rose 8.58%, Anji Technology gained 9.46%, Shanghai Silicon Industry climbed 11.30%, Coremax increased 9.06%, and Huace Testing & Control advanced 10.21%.
1 seconds ago
Japan and South Korea's stock markets closed higher.
According to Bitget market data, the Nikkei 225 index closed up 107.23 points on Monday, June 29, with a 0.15% gain, ending at 69,468.11 points, after earlier dropping more than 1%. South Korea’s KOSPI index rose 5.62 points on the same day, a 0.07% increase, closing at 8,416.83 points; the country’s KOSDAQ (its main tech-focused index) gained over 8% in the session. After Samsung and SK unveiled their investment plans, the KOSPI index erased a decline of up to 3.4% to turn positive intraday, while small-cap benchmark KOSDAQ also rebounded.
1 seconds ago
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister: Convening the First Meeting of the Iran-Oman Joint Commission on the Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister announced that the first meeting of the Iran-Oman Joint Commission on the Strait of Hormuz was held.
1 seconds ago
Online reports indicate that South Korea’s previously expected aggressive investment of 2000 trillion won has materialized at 800 trillion won, easing market sentiment and triggering a minor rebound in the stock prices of Samsung and SK Hynix.
Hyperinsight’s monitoring shows that South Korea’s semiconductor sector rebounded in the afternoon. The previously-feared 2,000 trillion won investment plan was ultimately realized as a semiconductor project worth around 800 trillion won (approx. $518 billion). This is likely because capital expenditure pressure fell short of some market participants’ expectations, leading to eased risk aversion and narrowed losses. On Hyperliquid, SK Hynix (1H) rebounded by 4.5% at one point, currently quoted at $1,730; Samsung Electronics rose 2%, currently at $214. Currently, the average entry price of long positions for large holders of the two on-chain assets is $1,608 and $217.3 respectively, with Samsung Electronics trading below the moving average of long-position whales.
1 seconds ago
SK Group Chairman: Memory shortage will persist
SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won: Even if SK Hynix speeds up its factory construction, memory shortages will persist. (Jinshi)
Bitcoin is currently experiencing one of its weakest periods following the 2024 halving, with the top cryptocurrency trading below $60,000 according to CoinGecko data. This development stands out in the market, as previous post-halving periods have historically been marked by strong price performances.
The typical halving cycle has broken downThe Bitcoin halving event, which occurs every four years or every 210,000 blocks, is designed to halve the rate at which new coins are created, typically serving as a supportive mechanism for price growth. In previous cycles, market participants observed this supply shock resulting in significant upward momentum and strong returns.
Price performance is tracked over a full 1,460-day cycle, starting from each halving event. Historically, these cycles unfolded in three phases. The first phase generally saw rapid gains driven by the supply shock and heightened speculation. This was followed by sharp sell-offs, extended periods of sideways trading, and a final recovery in the approach to the next halving.
Investors who bought Bitcoin during the 2024 halving now face clear negative returns in the current cycle.
Weaker results compared to previous cyclesIn previous cycles, the period following the halving delivered exceptionally high returns for Bitcoin investors. While the latest cycle saw a slowdown in gains, it still ended profitably, with the 1,460-day timeframe closing in April 2024 at a base price of $63,514.
However, this current cycle has not repeated the pattern of post-halving rallies. After a period of sideways movement, Bitcoin turned lower, disappointing those who anticipated a strong surge on the heels of the halving.
IndicatorPrevious cycleCurrent cycleInitial post-halving outlookPositive returnsNegative returnsPrice actionRally phase observedSideways, then declineCycle closing level$63,514Below $60,000Macroeconomic pressures dominate the marketChart analysis indicates the line representing the current cycle has dipped below its initial starting point, suggesting that investors who bought during the 2024 halving are now in loss territory. Experts note that this pattern is unusual compared to previous post-halving trends.
Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz attributes the pressure on Bitcoin to ongoing anxieties around industry strategies and concerns over potential interest rate hikes. Galaxy Digital, headquartered in the US, is a major player specializing in digital asset investment and blockchain technology.
Mike Novogratz explained that the stress on Bitcoin stems from both the crisis of confidence around industry strategies and fears of further rate hikes.
As the market looks ahead, the primary question is whether Bitcoin can rebuild a structural base in the later stages of the current post-halving cycle. For now, data suggest the typical robust recovery seen in previous cycles is notably absent this time around.
Despite hopes for a repeat of historical patterns, the current environment has proven less resilient, forcing investors to reconsider their expectations in the aftermath of the 2024 halving.
With macroeconomic uncertainty clouding the outlook and hallmark technical patterns failing to deliver, analysts remain watchful for signals of a potential turnaround or further market weakness in the months ahead.
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 is trading at $1.04, down 1.38% over the past 24 hours, with price action remaining flat as the market waits for the US stock market to reopen.
On the weekly timeframe, the longer-term trend remains technically bearish. No confirmed bottom or reversal signal has emerged yet from the larger bearish structure. However, XRP has a well-established support zone between $0.90 and $1.00, and the recent bounce came from almost exactly $1, which is an encouraging sign for bulls. On the upside, strong resistance is expected around $1.13, a level traders will be watching closely if any recovery attempt develops.
Daily Chart Shows Exhaustion, Not Reversal
On the daily chart, the past two days have produced extremely small candle bodies, reflecting very little directional conviction in either direction. This kind of flat price action is actually one of the most common outcomes following a bullish divergence, which is the technical signal currently present on XRP’s chart.
A bullish divergence does not mean a big rally is coming. What it does mean is that the sellers are losing momentum and running out of energy. The bearish pressure that dominated recent weeks is showing signs of fatigue, producing sideways movement rather than continued sharp drops.
What to Watch Next
The bullish divergence has not yet been confirmed with a strong green candle, meaning it could still be invalidated. One scenario to watch is another dip in the RSI that still holds above the early June low, which would reconfirm the divergence signal and keep the setup intact.
Until the US stock market opens and provides directional cues, XRP is expected to remain in neutral territory with little movement in either direction.
Story Ends Here
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About 60% of World Cup bettors on Polymarket are first-time crypto usersAbout 60% of users who placed their first World Cup bets on Polymarket had never interacted with blockchain protocols before, suggesting prediction markets are becoming an entry point into crypto. The finding is based on a 90-day Bitget Wallet study that tracked the onchain activity of 857,000 active Polymarket users.
Alvin Kan, chief operating officer at Bitget Wallet, told Cointelegraph that earlier crypto onboarding efforts largely focused on making blockchain technology easier to understand through simpler wallets and better user interfaces, but users were still expected to learn how crypto worked before they could participate.
“Prediction markets shifted that dynamic. Users show up because they have a view on something happening in the world,” Kan said.
Trump cancels signing of housing bill with CBDC banUS President Donald Trump canceled the signing ceremony for a housing bill containing a ban on a central bank digital currency (CBDC) as he looked for Republicans in Congress to prioritize a controversial voting bill.
In a Wednesday morning Truth Social post, Trump said that the signing for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, passed by the US Senate and House of Representatives, would be canceled “until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE America Act.”
The housing bill, passed by the House on Tuesday, included a provision barring the US Federal Reserve from issuing or creating a CBDC “or any digital asset that is substantially similar” until the end of 2030.
Many had expected Trump to sign the bill, aimed at tackling housing affordability, into law on Wednesday without issues. However, the president said in March that he would “not sign other bills” until the SAVE America Act was passed. The legislation would require voters to provide proof of US citizenship in person to register, with critics saying the measure would disenfranchise citizens already eligible to vote.
Trump on housing billBitmine, Sharplink and Joe Lubin back Ethereum R&D nonprofitFormer Ethereum Foundation contributors and Ether treasury firms Bitmine and Sharplink have backed a new research and development nonprofit that aims to make Ethereum ready for institutional use.
Sharplink said on Monday that the organization, Ethlabs, was formed to “ready Ethereum for the next phase of institutional adoption,” with the company pitching in with Bitmine, Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin and other Ethereum contributors on its funding effort.
“As stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, funds and autonomous AI commerce move on-chain, they are converging on Ethereum as the neutral, credibly permissionless settlement layer for the global economy,” Sharplink said. “Ethlabs exists to ensure the network is ready to absorb that demand at scale.”
The launch comes days after former Ethereum Foundation contributor Trenton Van Epps warned that Ethereum is facing a core development funding crisis and amid an ongoing wave of departures from the Foundation, most recently co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang, who left last week.
Vitalik ButerinCryptoQuant warns on Strategy's dividend coverage as cash reserve falls 38%After Strategy's dividend coverage fell to 14 months from seven years, CryptoQuant said the company led by Michael Saylor should pause Bitcoin purchases and focus on replenishing its cash reserve, which is down 38% year-to-date.
Strategy's dividend obligations have nearly quadrupled to $1.2 billion, as the company issued substantial new STRC preferred stock, which carries an 11.5% yield.
“They should pause Bitcoin purchases, rebuild cash reserves, and adopt a systematic framework for purchase timing,” wrote the market data analytics provider's CEO Ki Young Ju in a Wednesday X post, adding that the biggest public Bitcoin treasury holder should also create a “disciplined selling framework” for the next bull market.
Strategy's cash reserve fell 38% after the company repurchased $1.5 billion of its 2029 senior notes at a discount, Cointelegraph reported on May 26. Those coffers have since recovered to $1.4 billion after it sold $335.5 million in MSTR shares, which added $300 million to its US dollar reserve on Monday, although it is near a record-low of 14 months' of funds available to pay dividends.
Catholic leaders, US authorities challenge CLARITY Act over illicit activityA group of law enforcement organizations and a coalition of Catholic organizations have become the latest two groups urging caution over the US CLARITY Act, which is heading for a key hearing in July.
In letters sent Tuesday, four law enforcement organizations reached out to White House officials with concerns that the CLARITY Act could create oversight gaps when it comes to illicit activity.
“Regulatory certainty should not come at the expense of accountability, transparency, victim protection, or public safety,” they said. The Alliance to End Human Trafficking, founded by US Catholic Sisters, said these oversights could make it harder to crack down on human trafficking.
Senator Cynthia Lummis said this week, the final text for the bill would be released July 4, with the House Financial Service Committee scheduling a hearing into the Clarity Act on July 17.
Cynthia LummisWinners and LosersAt the end of the week, Bitcoin (BTC) is at $59,359 which represents a 6.8% decline, while Ether (ETH) is at $1,565, after falling 8.8% for the week. XRP (XRP) is at $1.04 and down 8% for the week. The total market cap is at $2.06 trillion according to CoinMarketCap.
Among the biggest 100 cryptocurrencies the top three altcoin gainers are Velvet (VELVET) at 290%, DeXe (DEXE) on 55% and Audiera (BEAT) which was up 49%.
The top three altcoin losers of the week are MemeCore (M), which lost 76%, WorldCoin (WLD), which lost 28%, and Mantle (MNT), which was down 20%.
Prediction of the weekBitcoin may fall lower but BTC power-law frames crash to $58K as ‘normal’Bitcoin’s drop to $58,000 lines up with the power-law model’s cycle lows, even though futures market data points to deeper lows for BTC price.
Giovanni's Bitcoin power-law model places the network's long-term trend price near $135,000, making the recent drop to $58,000 roughly 54% below the all-time high and 1.22 standard deviations beneath that trend.
According to the analyst, the key takeaway is straightforward: the previous cycle lows in 2012, 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2022 all fell within a similar statistical range. By that measure, the latest decline falls within a territory that has historically marked the deep bear-market lows rather than a break in Bitcoin's long-term growth path.
Top FUD of the weekBinance faces EU service limits as MiCA rules take effectBinance has notified European Union users that access to key services will be restricted after the exchange failed to secure Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) authorization from a member state before a July 1 deadline.
Those restrictions include halting the onboarding of new EU users and limiting certain services for EU-based accounts effective July 1, according to exchange notices shared by users on social media.
The notices said users will still be able to withdraw their assets after that date, stating that “all digital assets are still available for withdrawal,” in line with applicable regulatory requirements.
The move marks one of the first major transitions under the EU’s MiCA framework after Binance announced it withdrew its MiCA license application in Greece on Wednesday.
Binance recorded over $400 million in net outflows during the week beginning June 22.
Binance’s public messaging is that the company intends to continue pursuing a MiCA license, despite being on pace to miss the July 1 buzzer.
Iran-linked entities moved $3.8B through CoinEx, TRM saysWallets with identifiable links to sanctioned Iranian entities have moved over $3.84 billion through cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx since 2019, making it one of the main channels used to bypass US economic sanctions, according to blockchain analytics company TRM Labs.
About 60 Iranian platforms were tied to the funds, with $2.7 billion of this flowing between CoinEx and Nobitex, Iran’s largest domestic cryptocurrency exchange, at an average rate of about $1 million per day since 2018, wrote TRM Labs in a Wednesday report.
By 2024, CoinEx was Nobitex’s largest external counterpart, nearly nine times that of the next-largest exchange, a pattern that TRM Labs called “inconsistent with independent market behaviour.”
CoinEx denied having any commercial relationship with the Iranian government or domestic Iranian exchanges and disputed TRM Labs’ interpretation, saying onchain fund flows do not demonstrate a platform's knowledge of or participation in illicit activity.
Ethereum Foundation sacks 20% of workforce amid strategic restructuringThe Ethereum Foundation (EF) has laid off 54 employees, roughly 20% of its workforce, as part of a major organizational restructuring.
According to a blog post published Tuesday, the EF will reorganize around five specialized clusters covering protocol, access, user, community and institutional work. The Foundation said the changes are intended to concentrate resources on Ethereum's long-term technical priorities, including scaling, privacy, security and censorship resistance.
Under the new structure, separate teams will oversee Ethereum's core protocol, user access tools, community engagement and work with institutions, while management and operations functions remain organized independently.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said the Ethereum Foundation is reducing its budget by roughly 40% as it transitions toward a long-term, endowment-based organization. He said the foundation aims to lower annual spending from about 15% of its remaining funds to roughly 5% after 2030, a shift he said necessitated difficult staffing decisions.
Top feature stories of the weekDoes Botanix’s failure prove Bitcoiners don’t care about DeFi?The failure of Botanix suggests that Bitcoiners still prefer Ethereum DeFi to Bitcoin L2s. How can Bitcoin L2s change to win hodlers over?
Ethereum’s much-hated staking 'tax' may already be obsoleteEthereum’s latest “funding crisis” has triggered a fierce debate over whether to tax staking rewards or to pursue funding from large ETH holders for new organizations like EthLabs.
AI is banking the unbanked in Africa... faster than cryptoAI is widening access to banking for the unbanked across Africa. But used badly, it can simply automate financial exclusion at greater speed.
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Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) are showing early signs of stabilization on Monday after a correction of nearly 6%, 8% and 7%, respectively, over the previous week. BTC reclaims $60,000, ETH is holding firmly above the critical $1,500 support level, while XRP is also attempting to stabilize around the key $1.00 psychological level. The price action of these top three cryptocurrencies is raising hopes of a short-term recovery after massive corrections.
Bitcoin's mild recovery after a sharp correctionBitcoin price recovers slightly, trading above $60,000, after losing over 6% in the previous week. However, BTC is maintaining a bearish bias as price remains below the 50-, 100-, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at $66,971, $70,592, and $76,516, respectively.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator hovers near the zero line with a marginally negative reading, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 33 sits just above oversold territory, hinting at fading bearish momentum but not yet signaling a decisive recovery.
On the topside, initial resistance emerges at the horizontal barrier around $64,004, ahead of the 50-day EMA at $66,971 and the 100-day EMA at $70,591, which collectively cap the upside and reinforce the broader downbeat structure. Further up, the 200-day EMA at $76,516 and the prior horizontal level at $84,410 form a wider resistance band that would need to be cleared for the medium-term outlook to shift back to bullish. The absence of nearby defined support leaves the pair vulnerable to further downside probes if selling pressure resumes.
Ethereum could rebound if the $1,500 support holdsEthereum price trades at $1,585 on Monday, finding support around the key $1,500 support zone. However, ETH is maintaining a bearish bias, with price remaining well below the 50-, 100-, and 200-day EMAs at $1,833, $2,010, and $2,290, respectively. ETH is attempting to stabilize after the recent slide, with the RSI ticking up to 33, just above oversold territory. At the same time, the MACD has turned marginally positive, hinting at fading downside momentum rather than a decisive bullish reversal.
On the topside, initial resistance emerges at the 50-day EMA near $1,833, ahead of the horizontal barrier at $2,000 and the 100-day EMA at $2,010, with the 200-day EMA at $2,290 reinforcing a broader cap on recovery attempts.
On the downside, the next meaningful support is seen at the $1,500 key psychological level, followed by the previously identified horizontal level around $1,385.00, where buyers could attempt to defend the medium-term floor if selling pressure resumes.
XRP steadies at key $1 markXRP price trades at $1.0542, maintaining a clear bearish bias as it sits well below the 50-, 100-, and 200-day EMAs at $1.2060, $1.3123, and $1.5231, respectively. Price also holds below the downward parallel channel reference at $1.1879 and the horizontal cap at $1.3000, reinforcing a technically capped structure. The RSI at 33 stays in weak territory just above oversold, while the MACD remains slightly negative, both indicators hinting that bearish momentum persists, albeit without a fresh acceleration.
On the topside, initial resistance is seen at the parallel channel level around $1.1879, followed by the nearby horizontal barrier at $1.3000 and the 50-day EMA at $1.2060. Additional supply is clustered higher at the 100-day EMA at $1.3123 and the 200-day EMA at $1.5231. A more distant structural ceiling emerges at the horizontal line near $1.9000.
On the downside, the next meaningful support is seen at the $1.000 key psychological level. Below this level, renewed selling could leave XRP vulnerable to further downside extension until new demand zones emerge on the chart.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Cryptocurrency prices FAQs Token launches influence demand and adoption among market participants. Listings on crypto exchanges deepen the liquidity for an asset and add new participants to an asset’s network. This is typically bullish for a digital asset.
A hack is an event in which an attacker captures a large volume of the asset from a DeFi bridge or hot wallet of an exchange or any other crypto platform via exploits, bugs or other methods. The exploiter then transfers these tokens out of the exchange platforms to ultimately sell or swap the assets for other cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. Such events often involve an en masse panic triggering a sell-off in the affected assets.
Macroeconomic events like the US Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates influence crypto assets mainly through the direct impact they have on the US Dollar. An increase in interest rate typically negatively influences Bitcoin and altcoin prices, and vice versa. If the US Dollar index declines, risk assets and associated leverage for trading gets cheaper, in turn driving crypto prices higher.
Halvings are typically considered bullish events as they slash the block reward in half for miners, constricting the supply of the asset. At consistent demand if the supply reduces, the asset’s price climbs.
Sharplink, a major digital asset treasury manager, made headlines last week as it resumed large-scale Ether purchases after an eight-month hiatus, amassing a total of $62.4 million worth of ETH since Thursday. On-chain data reveals the company spread out these purchases over three consecutive days, fueling speculation about its renewed market strategy.
Sharplink returns with aggressive Ether buyingAccording to data provided by Arkham, Sharplink purchased 5,000 ETH on Thursday, followed by another 5,000 ETH on Friday. The activity peaked on Saturday, when the company executed three over the counter (OTC) trades for a total of 29,196 ETH. This spree brought Sharplink’s three-day ETH tally to a striking 39,196 tokens.
Strategic moves amid institutional competitionKnown for holding digital assets on its balance sheet, Sharplink has been a front-runner in the race for the world’s largest ETH treasury, competing closely with Bitmine. The recent acquisitions signal a robust step to reignite its Ether accumulation strategy and reclaim dominance in the space.
Mini-Glossary: Over the counter (OTC) trading refers to direct transactions between buyer and seller or through an intermediary, conducted off major exchange screens. This approach is often used in large-volume crypto deals to minimize market price impact.
Day-by-day, Sharplink’s acquisition pattern unfolded as follows:
DayAmount of ETH PurchasedValueThursday5,000Not disclosedFriday5,000$7.9 millionSaturday29,196$46.7 millionTotal39,196$62.4 millionAfter initial outreach on Thursday, Sharplink declined to comment on the reasons or timing behind its sudden ETH purchases.
Fresh institutional focus: Ethlabs unveiledNotably, Sharplink’s buying spree coincided with the announcement of Ethlabs, a new nonprofit research and development venture aimed at advancing Ethereum’s enterprise adoption. Both Sharplink and Bitmine revealed their involvement with Ethlabs in the same week, signaling coordinated moves toward institutionalizing Ethereum’s utility.
Sharplink stated it would collaborate on this initiative with Bitmine, Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, and other noted contributors from across the ecosystem. Joe Lubin is well known for his pivotal role in founding Ethereum and the blockchain development firm Consensys.
According to Sharplink, as stablecoins, tokenized real world assets, funds, and autonomous AI trading migrate increasingly on-chain, demand is consolidating around Ethereum as a neutral, permissionless settlement layer for the global economy. Ethlabs has been established with the goal of scaling the network to meet this surging demand.
Accumulation amid ongoing market pressureSharplink’s renewed ETH purchasing comes during a period of significant downward pressure on Ether prices. Over the last month, the cryptocurrency has dropped by 22.8 percent and is now trading roughly 50 percent lower than at the start of the year. During this decline, Tether‘s USDt stablecoin briefly surpassed Ether in market capitalization last week.
At the same time, outflows from US spot Ether ETFs have persisted, with last week’s net outflows totaling $12.9 million. The largest impact was traced to major redemptions from BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust.
Sharplink’s three-day buying spree stands out against a backdrop of sharp Ether price drops and continued ETF outflows, highlighting the company’s renewed commitment to accumulation in the face of bearish sentiment.
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.
SharpLink just went on a shopping spree. The company scooped up nearly 40,000 ETH worth $62.4 million last week, breaking an eight-month silence that had some wondering whether the firm’s ambitious Ethereum treasury strategy had quietly died on the vine.
It hadn’t. The purchase, totaling 39,196 ETH, kicked off with an initial buy of 5,000 ETH for approximately $7.85 million on June 25-26, executed through FalconX. The rest followed shortly after, all while Ethereum was trading near its 2026 lows between $1,537 and $1,578 per token.
Buying the dip at industrial scale SharpLink now holds somewhere between 868,699 and 876,285 ETH, valued at roughly $1.3 billion to $1.37 billion at current prices. That makes the firm the second-largest public corporate Ethereum treasury holder.
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The company’s average acquisition cost sits at approximately $3,609 per ETH. With the token trading below $1,600, that translates to estimated unrealized losses of around $1.79 billion. In English: for every dollar SharpLink has spent accumulating Ethereum, it’s currently sitting on roughly 56 cents of value.
The people and the strategy behind the treasury SharpLink’s chairman is Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum itself and the founder of ConsenSys. Its CEO, Joseph Chalom, is a former BlackRock executive. When these two decided to pivot a sports-betting tech company into a corporate Ethereum accumulation vehicle, the market paid attention.
That pivot began in 2025 with a $425 million capital raise specifically designed to fund the treasury strategy. The playbook borrows heavily from what MicroStrategy, now called Strategy, did with Bitcoin: raise capital, buy the asset, hold it, repeat. The difference is that SharpLink has layered on a yield component that Bitcoin’s treasury holders can’t easily replicate.
The firm has approximately 22,102 ETH staked, generating on-chain yield that offsets some of the carrying cost of holding a massive position in a volatile asset. SharpLink has also backed Ethlabs, an initiative aimed at bolstering Ethereum’s institutional readiness.
What this means for investors On the noise side, SharpLink is staring at nearly $1.8 billion in unrealized losses. Adding $62 million to a position that’s already deeply underwater could be a case of good money chasing bad. The corporate Ethereum treasury thesis remains largely unproven compared to Bitcoin’s, where Strategy and others have at least demonstrated the model can work in a rising market.
The staking yield strategy does offer a meaningful differentiator. If Ethereum’s staking rewards remain consistent and the network continues to generate fee revenue, SharpLink can present its ETH holdings as a productive asset rather than a speculative bet.
At an average cost basis of $3,609, ETH would need to more than double from current levels just for SharpLink to break even. Staking yields help at the margins, but they won’t close a gap that wide anytime soon.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Historic bleed at Wall Street! According to Farside data, US spot Bitcoin ETFs just suffered a colossal loss of 1.79 billion dollars in net outflows in a single week. This is the second worst performance since their launch in January 2024. Between Grayscale’s (GBTC) capitulation and BlackRock’s slowdown, the institutional market seems to be faltering. Simple technical correction or major distress signal before a deeper decline? Here’s the full update.
In brief US spot Bitcoin ETFs lost 1.79 billion dollars in the week ending June 26, 2026. This is the second worst week in these funds’ history and their 7th consecutive week of net outflows. BlackRock IBIT accounts for about 73% of the week’s withdrawals, with an average unrealized loss of 40% for its investors. Ethereum ETFs confirm the same trend: marked slowdown in institutional demand. A historic week for Bitcoin ETFs Launched in January 2024, the spot Bitcoin ETFs were hailed as a revolution in the United States. Proof: they raised tens of billions of dollars within months. Enough to propel the BTC price to historic highs. But the week of June 26, 2026 marks a turning point.
With 1.79 billion dollars in net outflows over five trading days, these funds have recorded their second worst weekly performance since inception. The only worse week was at the end of February 2025, which saw 2.61 billion dollars evaporate in a few days.
What fundamentally distinguishes the current situation from the 2025 episode is its duration. In February 2025, the correction was sharp but short. Here, seven weeks have passed without a single week of positive flows from the spot Bitcoin ETFs. For analysts, this persistence is the most worrisome signal.
Bitcoin ETF flows (Source: Farside) According to Farside data, Thursday, June 25, 2026 alone saw 696.29 million dollars in net outflows in a single session. The weekly record! Moreover, almost all of the outflows on June 25 exclusively came from BlackRock IBIT. In one day, this fund saw nearly 7,440 BTC withdrawn. That represents about 691.7 million dollars.
The ETF negative flow crisis is not limited to Bitcoin The US spot Ethereum ETFs recorded 273.34 million dollars in net withdrawals during the same week. This also marks their seventh consecutive week of outflows. June 25 alone saw 82 million dollars in withdrawals from ETH ETFs, while the Ethereum price plunged around $1,510. This wiped out nearly 31 billion dollars in market capitalization.
This synchronization between Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF outflows is significant. It suggests a movement of reducing overall crypto asset exposure by institutional investors.
Chart showing Ethereum ETF flows over a 30-day period (Source: Glassnode) Beyond ETF flows, onchain data paints the same picture. The Coinbase Premium Index, which measures the price gap between Bitcoin on Coinbase and international exchanges, remains in negative territory. A negative premium indicates that US demand is weaker than global demand. This is a bearish signal for US institutional sentiment.
That’s not all! Onchain data also shows a net capital outflow from the Bitcoin network in the recent period, rather than an inflow.
ETF reserves have dropped by more than 63,000 BTC in the last month. The total assets under management of all US spot Bitcoin ETFs fell from a peak of about 170 billion dollars in 2025 to approximately 73 billion today. The current dynamics of Bitcoin ETFs highlight the crypto market’s current dependence on traditional capital flows from Wall Street. The next decisive indicator: the eighth week, and what the Fed will say by then.
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Ariela R.
My name is Ariela, and I am 31 years old. I have been working in the field of web writing for 7 years now. I only discovered trading and cryptocurrency a few years ago, but it is a universe that greatly interests me. The topics covered on the platform allow me to learn more. A singer in my spare time, I also cultivate a great passion for music and reading (and animals!)
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The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
Leading cryptocurrencies traded in the red overnight on Sunday as renewed U.S.–Iran confrontations threatened a fragile ceasefire.
Crypto Market In Deep SlumberBitcoin attempted a breakout above $60,000, only to encounter sharp selling pressure that drove it below $59,000. Ethereum meandered in the $1,500 region, while trading volume rose 10% over the last 24 hours. XRP and Dogecoin traded in the red.
Over $180 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, overwhelmingly from longs, according to Coinglass data
Bitcoin’s open interest fell 0.69% over the last 24 hours. Smart money sentiment remained "extremely bearish," but traders on Binance, both retail and whales, increased their long exposure.
"Extreme Fear" sentiment prevailed in the market, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.
Top Gainers (24 Hours)
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.02 trillion, following a decline of 3.38% over the last 24 hours.
Stocks Rally On Hopes Of De-escalationStock futures ticked higher overnight on Sunday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures jumped 147 points, or 0.29%, as of 8:45 p.m. EDT. Futures tied to the S&P 500 climbed 0.40%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures gained 0.19%.
Tensions escalated during the weekend after the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire following an alleged ceasefire violation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Later, a Trump administration official reportedly said that the two sides will “stand down for now” and let vessels move freely in the critical oil shipping point.
‘Pretty Interesting Signal’Popular cryptocurrency commentator Michaël van de Poppe speculated on Bitcoin’s moves once it breaks back above $61,000.
“It would strengthen the thesis of the bullish divergence, and the markets can target the $65,000 resistance [and old support of the range] as the next target zone,” the analyst said. “The fact that the markets aren’t falling deeper with all the panic and fear combined is actually a pretty interesting signal.”
Ali Martinez, a widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader, said that heavy selling by whales, roughly $880 million over the past week, pushed Ethereum below its key support at $1,633
“If this distribution trend continues into next week, the next high-volume demand targets for ETH sit much lower at $1,237 and $1,089,” Martinez said.
Photo Courtesy: vinnstock on Shutterstock.com
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Cardano (ADA) is stabilizing around $0.145 at the time of writing on Monday after suffering a sharp 21% decline over the previous two weeks. Derivatives metrics continue to reflect cautious market sentiment; however, fading bearish momentum suggests ADA could recover in the coming days.
Derivatives data shows cautious market sentimentOn the derivatives side, Cardano data continues to show bearish bias. CoinGlass’ long-to-short ratio for ADA reads 0.72 on Monday, the lowest level in over a month. This ratio, being below 1, reflects bearish sentiment in the market, as more traders are betting the asset’s price will fall.
ADA long-to-short ratio chart. Source: CoinglassIn addition, the funding rates flipped negative on Saturday and read -0.0055% on Monday, indicating that shorts are paying longs and projecting a bearish outlook.
Cardano funding rates chart. Source: CoinglassSome signs of optimismCryptoQuant’s summary data shows mild bullish sentiment. Cardano’s spot markets show large whale orders amid neutral conditions across other metrics, supporting a potential recovery.
Cardano Price Forecast: ADA could rebound if $0.140 holds strongCardano price trades at $0.145 on Monday, finding support around the key $0.140 psychological support over the weekend. ADA has corrected by over 21% in the last two weeks and continues to maintain its bearish bias, holding well below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at $0.1904, $0.2248, and $0.3006, respectively.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 29 flirts with oversold territory. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator has turned marginally positive. However, with prices still suppressed across all major EMAs, this suggests only tentative stabilization rather than a clear recovery.
On the downside, a daily close back under $0.1451 would expose the horizontal support at $0.1400 ahead of the structural low around $0.1382.
On the topside, initial resistance is clustered in the $0.1726–$0.1737 area where the broken descending trendline and the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement converge, followed by the 50-day EMA near $0.1904 and the 38.2% retracement at $0.1957. Higher up, the mid-range barrier at $0.2134 and the 100-day EMA at $0.2248 precede a dense supply band between $0.2312 and $0.2565, while more substantial resistance waits at the horizontal levels of $0.2991 and the 200-day EMA around $0.3006.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Recovery on Track After $2.4 Million DrainCardano wallet platform SecondFi says it remains on schedule to return user assets within two weeks following a $2.4 million exploit that targeted its wallet generation software. Engineers are currently testing multiple recovery approaches in parallel to identify the safest path forward for affected users.
The exploit drained roughly 16 million $ADA, about $2.4 million, from 374 addresses between June 21 and 23 through a flaw in SecondFi's own wallet generation software. The vulnerability was traced to a deterministic nonce derivation error in the platform's software signer, which allowed attackers to reconstruct private keys from publicly available on-chain data.
EMURGO CEO Phillip Pon said the company had completed a forensic review, checked wallet balances and found a "clear recovery solution." The company expects one week to build the recovery system and another week to test it before returns begin. A tool that will let users check whether their wallet was affected is expected early next week.
SecondFi moved about 129 million ADA to an independent third-party custodian as an emergency measure to keep more assets away from attackers, and an external accounting firm has been engaged to verify those holdings. Blockchain security firm SlowMist has estimated that total losses could exceed $20 million when accounting for the full range of compromised wallets and tokens, a figure that remains unconfirmed pending an independent audit.
Scam Warning and Key Guidance for UsersSecondFi warned that no recovery step requiring user action has started. Users are told to leave wallets untouched until official instructions arrive. The company said it will never ask for private keys, seed phrases, wallet credentials, or asset transfers.
Fake accounts and impersonators have been actively targeting affected users in the wake of the exploit. Users should rely only on official channels and treat any unsolicited outreach asking for wallet credentials as fraudulent.
Compromised wallets carry risk at the address and private key level, so simply moving a seed phrase to a different wallet app will not fix the underlying problem. Users are advised not to attempt independent fund transfers or wallet migrations until SecondFi issues its official recovery steps.
SecondFi, formerly known as Yoroi, is developed by EMURGO, one of Cardano's three founding organizations. EMURGO has committed to full reimbursement for all affected users.
Sources:
The Block: SecondFi maps recovery path after $2.4 million Cardano wallet exploit
Crypto.news: SecondFi keeps two-week recovery plan after $2.4M Cardano wallet exploit
CoinDesk: SecondFi loses $2.4 million in Cardano wallet exploit, up to $20 million at risk
As crypto markets slowly recover, one analyst is warning investors to stay away from several popular crypto assets and sectors. According to him, many projects are still trading on old narratives despite weak fundamentals and limited value for token holders.
Here are the Top Seven Altcoins he won’t buy.
Cardano (ADA)The analyst remains bearish on Cardano despite its loyal community and long history.
According to him, Cardano’s biggest problem is the gap between its valuation and actual on-chain activity. He pointed out that the network generates relatively low DeFi activity and app revenue compared to competing blockchains.
When compared with rivals like Solana, Cardano trails in stablecoin adoption, trading volume, and ecosystem growth. The analyst said ADA is still trading largely on narrative rather than real economic usage.
Governance TokensThe second category on the avoid list is governance tokens.
The analyst argues that many governance tokens offer holders very little beyond voting rights. In most cases, founding teams and venture capital investors still control the majority of governance decisions, limiting the influence of retail investors.
Without fee sharing, buybacks, or revenue distribution, according to him, these tokens rely purely on speculation rather than fundamentals.
Layer-2 TokensClosely related to governance tokens are many layer-2 tokens.
Projects such as Arbitrum and Optimism were specifically chosen.
The analyst noted that while layer-2 networks themselves may be valuable, their native tokens often fail to capture the value generated by the ecosystem. In his view, many L2 tokens have underperformed because token holders receive little direct economic benefit.
Dogecoin and PepeMeme coins also made the list.
Although the analyst acknowledged that some traders have made life-changing gains, he warned that the vast majority of meme coins eventually collapse.
Projects such as Dogecoin and Pepe may survive due to strong community support, but he said most new meme coin launches are simply short-term speculation vehicles driven by insiders and social media hype.
Hyperliquid CompetitorsThe fifth category includes competitors to Hyperliquid.
The analyst sees Hyperliquid has already established a dominant position in decentralized perpetual trading through strong liquidity, high user activity, and growing network effects.
While newer exchanges may experience short-term rallies, he expects Hyperliquid to remain the long-term winner in the sector.
Low-Float, High-FDV LaunchesAnother area the analyst is avoiding is low-float, high fully diluted valuation (FDV) token launches.
These projects typically launch with only a small percentage of tokens circulating while assigning the network massive valuations. According to the analyst, this often creates a situation where venture capital firms and insiders gradually sell unlocked tokens into retail demand.
As more tokens enter circulation, prices frequently come under heavy pressure.
Litecoin (LTC)The analyst also sees little reason to buy Litecoin.
Despite Litecoin’s long history, he argues that the network currently lacks meaningful differentiation and has consistently underperformed Bitcoin over multiple market cycles.
He said Litecoin’s investment thesis has weakened considerably as newer blockchains continue to innovate.
Zcash (ZEC)Finally, the analyst remains cautious on Zcash.
While acknowledging Zcash’s early leadership in privacy technology, he thinks larger ecosystems such as Ethereum and Solana are increasingly integrating privacy features directly into their networks.
As a result, standalone privacy coins may face growing competition in the years ahead.
Story Ends Here
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BNB has broken below a key support level during the latest trading session, maintaining downward pressure as of Monday, June 29. With the broader crypto market still showing weakness, analysts say the failed band breakout attempt has handed control back to sellers.
The 570 dollar mark emerges as a critical thresholdAt press time, BNB was trading at 549.19 dollars, representing a 1.68 percent drop in the last 24 hours. Trading volume climbed to 897.64 million dollars, with CoinMarketCap data showing a 2.22 percent daily increase in activity. Weekly losses totaled 6.79 percent.
According to CoinCodeCap Trading, the move below 570 dollars confirms that BNB is firmly in a broader downtrend. The analyst emphasized that this break has reduced the chances of a short-term recovery and shifted momentum decisively in favor of the sellers.
CoinCodeCap Trading stressed that reclaiming 570 dollars could be the first sign of a rebound, but until this happens, the downtrend remains intact.
Technically, a return above 570 dollars could mark the initial step in stabilizing BNB’s weak position. On the downside, holding below this area brings the 520 dollar level into focus as the next major support. On the risk side, the analyst placed a stop point at 580 dollars.
As for resistance, levels at 640 dollars and 675 dollars stand out beyond 570. Analysts argue that for a convincing recovery, BNB needs to regain these zones and start forming higher highs.
Indicators highlight seller dominanceTradingView data shows that the daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) for BNB has dropped to 33.34, compared to an average of 39.44. This reading indicates BNB is near the lower bound of the neutral range and hovering just above the oversold threshold of 30.
MACD indicators reinforce the case for continued seller pressure. The MACD line sits at minus 18.05, with the signal line at minus 15.58. The histogram reading of minus 2.47 confirms that the bearish momentum has not yet fully dissipated.
Debate over institutional access to BNB Chain intensifiesOn the X platform, crypto commentator DYOR highlighted remarks from Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, known in the sector as CZ, suggesting that limited institutional access to BNB could represent an opportunity for investors. CZ is recognized as one of the most prominent names in the Binance ecosystem.
In sharing CZ’s perspective, DYOR pointed out that institutions have yet to fully enter the market. In contrast, BNB Chain already boasts millions of daily active users, a robust on-chain ecosystem, and a strong developer community.
DYOR argued that BNB Chain has built a broad infrastructure, user base, and developer network. According to this view, when institutional capital eventually moves in, it could be attracted to an ecosystem that is already scaled and robust.
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.
SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won: Even if SK Hynix speeds up its factory construction, memory shortages will persist. (Jinshi)
8 minutes ago
Former meme stock 'BB' (BlackBerry) rallied 270% in March, with one trader netting a 318% return by taking a long position.
According to Hyperinsight’s monitoring, BlackBerry (BB) has continued to attract capital inflows, rising 40% cumulatively over the past seven days and 270% since its early April low. On Hyperliquid, BB is currently priced at $11.6, up 3.4% intraday. A trader with the wallet address starting with 0xa5fd has maintained a 10x long position on BB’s contract since the first day it was listed on trade.xyz (32 days ago). The trader allocated $58,000 to build the position, which now has an unrealized profit of $186,000, representing a return of approximately 318%. The average entry price was $8.8, with the position size totaling $770,000. Additional notes: In recent years, BlackBerry has completed its transition to a software-centric business, with its core product—the QNX real-time operating system—widely applied in smart vehicles, autonomous driving, robotics and other fields. The recent sharp rally in its stock is mainly driven by factors including the market’s revaluation of its Physical AI concept, sustained growth of the QNX business, better-than-expected Q1 results, and an upward revision to its full-year earnings guidance. BlackBerry was once a global leader in business smartphones. After its mobile phone business declined, it gained renewed attention during the 2021 U.S. retail investor vs. Wall Street meme stock craze. There remains market division over this latest rally: some hold that its improving fundamentals provide support, while others view it as a resurgence of meme stock momentum.
8 minutes ago
ANSEM surged nearly 600-fold in three days, with 12 addresses accumulating positions worth nearly $2 million in the past 24 hours.
According to on-chain analyst Ai Yi (X handle @ai_9684xtpa), Solana meme coin ANSEM has surged nearly 600 times in the three days since its launch, with its market capitalization quickly exceeding $100 million. Over the past 24 hours, a total of 12 addresses have cumulatively invested $1.985 million to establish new positions in ANSEM (only counting addresses with single buy transactions of over $100,000), further pushing up the token's price.
8 minutes ago
South Korea unveils a massive semiconductor and AI investment plan: it plans to invest 800 trillion won to build four chip plants and double its DRAM production capacity within five years.
The South Korean government today unveiled its latest industrial plan, with President Lee Jae-myung stating that South Korea must promptly advance the construction of chip production facilities, as existing industrial parks are approaching their carrying limits in terms of water resources and infrastructure. Going forward, the country will focus on expanding semiconductor supply capacity through investments in its southwestern region. Under the plan, South Korea plans to build four chip manufacturing plants in the southwestern region, with a total investment of about 800 trillion won, and aims to invest at least 30 trillion won in semiconductor fields including next-generation memory, edge AI, and defense over the next 15 years. Additionally, the chip packaging cluster in the Chungcheong region is projected to receive an investment of 81 trillion won, AI data center construction is expected to draw around 550 trillion won, new industrial projects in the southwestern region will see investments ranging from 5 trillion to 20 trillion won, and the overall project scale in Gwangju and Jeolla regions could reach up to 520 trillion won. The South Korean government also stated its goal of doubling DRAM production capacity within the next five years and increasing South Korea’s share of the global humanoid robot market. Officials project that the global memory chip market will grow approximately fourfold over the next five years. In reaction to the news, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) turned from negative to positive in the afternoon, after falling more than 3% at one point during the session.
8 minutes ago
The A-share semiconductor equipment sector strengthened in the afternoon session, with multiple stocks rising sharply.
China's A-share semiconductor equipment sector rallied again in the afternoon. As of press time, Huahai Qingke and Jingyi Equipment surged more than 11%, Jinhaitong and Huaya Smart had earlier hit their daily limit, while stocks such as Huafeng Measurement & Control and Core Source Micro rose in tandem. (Jinshi)
8 minutes ago
Serenity: The decade from 2020 to 2030 may be the fastest period of technological progress in human history.
Serenity stated in a report that the decade from 2020 to 2030 is poised to be the fastest period of technological advancement in human history. Reusable rockets are driving rapid development of orbital computing infrastructure, with firms like Rocket Lab and SpaceX continuously enhancing their launch capabilities; Anthropic and OpenAI are advancing artificial intelligence (AI) toward general artificial intelligence (AGI) and even more advanced stages. Humanoid robots from companies including Boston Dynamics and Unitree are making steady progress, and are expected to gradually replace some labor tasks. Additionally, high-energy laser technology is expanding from the defense sector to AI data centers, autonomous driving technologies from Waymo and Tesla continue to be deployed commercially, and quantum computing is also expected to achieve breakthroughs by the end of this decade. Multiple cutting-edge technologies are advancing toward industrialization in parallel, making the current period a highly historically significant investment cycle.
SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won: Even if SK Hynix speeds up its factory construction, memory shortages will persist. (Jinshi)
8 minutes ago
Former meme stock 'BB' (BlackBerry) rallied 270% in March, with one trader netting a 318% return by taking a long position.
According to Hyperinsight’s monitoring, BlackBerry (BB) has continued to attract capital inflows, rising 40% cumulatively over the past seven days and 270% since its early April low. On Hyperliquid, BB is currently priced at $11.6, up 3.4% intraday. A trader with the wallet address starting with 0xa5fd has maintained a 10x long position on BB’s contract since the first day it was listed on trade.xyz (32 days ago). The trader allocated $58,000 to build the position, which now has an unrealized profit of $186,000, representing a return of approximately 318%. The average entry price was $8.8, with the position size totaling $770,000. Additional notes: In recent years, BlackBerry has completed its transition to a software-centric business, with its core product—the QNX real-time operating system—widely applied in smart vehicles, autonomous driving, robotics and other fields. The recent sharp rally in its stock is mainly driven by factors including the market’s revaluation of its Physical AI concept, sustained growth of the QNX business, better-than-expected Q1 results, and an upward revision to its full-year earnings guidance. BlackBerry was once a global leader in business smartphones. After its mobile phone business declined, it gained renewed attention during the 2021 U.S. retail investor vs. Wall Street meme stock craze. There remains market division over this latest rally: some hold that its improving fundamentals provide support, while others view it as a resurgence of meme stock momentum.
8 minutes ago
ANSEM surged nearly 600-fold in three days, with 12 addresses accumulating positions worth nearly $2 million in the past 24 hours.
According to on-chain analyst Ai Yi (X handle @ai_9684xtpa), Solana meme coin ANSEM has surged nearly 600 times in the three days since its launch, with its market capitalization quickly exceeding $100 million. Over the past 24 hours, a total of 12 addresses have cumulatively invested $1.985 million to establish new positions in ANSEM (only counting addresses with single buy transactions of over $100,000), further pushing up the token's price.
8 minutes ago
South Korea unveils a massive semiconductor and AI investment plan: it plans to invest 800 trillion won to build four chip plants and double its DRAM production capacity within five years.
The South Korean government today unveiled its latest industrial plan, with President Lee Jae-myung stating that South Korea must promptly advance the construction of chip production facilities, as existing industrial parks are approaching their carrying limits in terms of water resources and infrastructure. Going forward, the country will focus on expanding semiconductor supply capacity through investments in its southwestern region. Under the plan, South Korea plans to build four chip manufacturing plants in the southwestern region, with a total investment of about 800 trillion won, and aims to invest at least 30 trillion won in semiconductor fields including next-generation memory, edge AI, and defense over the next 15 years. Additionally, the chip packaging cluster in the Chungcheong region is projected to receive an investment of 81 trillion won, AI data center construction is expected to draw around 550 trillion won, new industrial projects in the southwestern region will see investments ranging from 5 trillion to 20 trillion won, and the overall project scale in Gwangju and Jeolla regions could reach up to 520 trillion won. The South Korean government also stated its goal of doubling DRAM production capacity within the next five years and increasing South Korea’s share of the global humanoid robot market. Officials project that the global memory chip market will grow approximately fourfold over the next five years. In reaction to the news, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) turned from negative to positive in the afternoon, after falling more than 3% at one point during the session.
8 minutes ago
The A-share semiconductor equipment sector strengthened in the afternoon session, with multiple stocks rising sharply.
China's A-share semiconductor equipment sector rallied again in the afternoon. As of press time, Huahai Qingke and Jingyi Equipment surged more than 11%, Jinhaitong and Huaya Smart had earlier hit their daily limit, while stocks such as Huafeng Measurement & Control and Core Source Micro rose in tandem. (Jinshi)
8 minutes ago
Serenity: The decade from 2020 to 2030 may be the fastest period of technological progress in human history.
Serenity stated in a report that the decade from 2020 to 2030 is poised to be the fastest period of technological advancement in human history. Reusable rockets are driving rapid development of orbital computing infrastructure, with firms like Rocket Lab and SpaceX continuously enhancing their launch capabilities; Anthropic and OpenAI are advancing artificial intelligence (AI) toward general artificial intelligence (AGI) and even more advanced stages. Humanoid robots from companies including Boston Dynamics and Unitree are making steady progress, and are expected to gradually replace some labor tasks. Additionally, high-energy laser technology is expanding from the defense sector to AI data centers, autonomous driving technologies from Waymo and Tesla continue to be deployed commercially, and quantum computing is also expected to achieve breakthroughs by the end of this decade. Multiple cutting-edge technologies are advancing toward industrialization in parallel, making the current period a highly historically significant investment cycle.
Zcash is building a new consensus layer that keeps mining alive while adding a stake-based finality check. The proposed Crosslink upgrade is designed to strengthen network security, improve transaction finality, and gradually introduce staking without abandoning the blockchain’s existing proof-of-work (PoW).
This enables miners to keep producing blocks, then use a separate finality gadget to mark some of those blocks as final after additional consensus is reached. It assures finality for finalized blocks, which could make ZEC easier to use for exchanges, bridges, and other systems that require firmer settlement rules.
This article explains what the Zcash Crosslink hybrid model is, how it works, why it matters, and potential challenges.
Key takeaways The Zcash Crosslink hybrid model combines PoW with a PoS finality layer, allowing miners to continue producing blocks while validators provide stronger transaction finality. The proposal aims to improve security, settlement assurance, and network resilience by reducing rollback risk and making chain reorganizations more difficult. Crosslink remains under active development, with Shielded Labs advancing implementation through testnets and development milestones before any potential mainnet activation or community approval. What is the Origin? The Crosslink hybrid model originated from the Trailing Finality Layer research by Nate Wilcox and Daira-Emma Hopwood. It is now being implemented by Shielded Labs, a Swiss-based nonprofit company, through a phased roadmap that includes development milestones and testnet deployments before any network upgrade is considered.
The organization was founded to bring an independent voice to Zcash governance alongside the Electric Coin Company and the Zcash Foundation.
Partners include the Winklevoss twins, who have publicly advocated for privacy-preserving financial tools, and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, who supports Crosslink development.
Why Crosslink Matters Although the proposal remains under active development and has not been activated on the Zcash mainnet, Shielded Labs says that finality reduces rollback and double-spending, which can improve confidence among users, exchanges, and bridge operators.
Crosslink also provides better resilience for the network since an attacker would have to handle multiple layers of protection. The redesign prevents attacks on PoW, proof-of-stake (PoS), or both.
However, staking is designed to stay within the shielded Orchard pool, and the protocol uses batching and stake quantization to reduce information leakage while still allowing accountability over total staked amounts.
Understanding How Crosslink Works The model separates block production from block finalization.
1. Miners create blocks
Mining remains largely unchanged. PoW miners compete to produce new Zcash blocks and receive mining rewards.
This allows the network to preserve its existing infrastructure while avoiding the disruption associated with a complete migration to PoS.
2. Validators stake ZEC
Users who lock ZEC become validators. They participate in consensus by voting on recently mined blocks. Their voting power depends on the amount of ZEC staked under the protocol’s rules.
3. Blocks become finalized
When sufficient validator consensus is reached, the corresponding PoW blocks receive finality. At that point, the blocks become economically impractical to reverse, even if an alternative mining chain appears later.
This differs from traditional PoW confirmation depth because finality is explicitly established rather than inferred from additional blocks.
Current Development Status As of mid-2026:
Shielded Labs is actively developing the implementation. Multiple development milestones have been completed, including PoS devnets capable of finalizing Zcash PoW blocks. Additional work includes wallet support, staking infrastructure, delegation, testing, and production hardening before any proposal is submitted for a formal Zcash network upgrade. No confirmed mainnet activation date has been announced. The proposal will still require community review, extensive testing, and formal governance approval before deployment.
Possible Challenges Crosslink offers balance, security, privacy, and practicality inside a privacy-focused network that already has a mature PoW base. As a result, the model adds waiting periods, fixed batching windows, and quantized stake amounts, making it less flexible than ordinary staking systems but easier to analyze for privacy and security.
Crosslink also needs to pass Zcash’s governance approval process, which requires broad consensus across the community, developer organizations, and coinholder polls under the NU6.1 funding model. Zcash Shielded Assets faces a similar path, and the community has limited bandwidth to activate multiple major upgrades simultaneously.
Additionally, the interaction between the finality layer and Zcash’s privacy guarantees requires ongoing scrutiny. Shielded Labs has designed the staking mechanism to preserve user privacy through quantization, but formal security proofs for the full construction are still underway.
Bottom line The Crosslink hybrid model combines PoW with a stake-based finality layer, representing a significant shift in Zcash’s long-term evolution.
It aims to improve settlement assurance, strengthen resistance to chain reorganizations, and introduce staking without abandoning the mining model that has since secured Zcash.
While the proposal is still under development and subject to community approval, it reflects a measured approach to modernizing the protocol while preserving its core focus on privacy, security, and decentralization.
If successfully deployed, Crosslink could make Zcash more attractive to exchanges, institutional users, and cross-chain applications that depend on stronger transaction finality.
The broader cryptocurrency market continues to trade under pressure, with Bitcoin (BTC) struggling for direction near $60,000 on Monday. Retail sentiment in crypto leans bearish, with CoinMarketCap’s Fear and Greed Index at 15 on Monday, maintaining a sideways trend deep in the “Extreme Fear” zone.
Fear and Greed Index. Source: CoinMarketCapAmid bearish market pressure, Zcash (ZEC) and Jupiter (JUP) are the leading losers over the last 24 hours.
Bitcoin’s uncertainty near $60,000 signals rebound chancesBitcoin hovers below $60,000 at press time on Monday, maintaining a near-term mixed bias. The consolidation near the $60,000 support level reflects bullish resilience guarding the downside to the July 5, 2024, low of $53,485.
The 50- and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA) at $66,946 and $76,645, respectively, are well above the price, reinforcing a medium-term capped structure. That said, the momentum conditions remain fragile on the daily chart, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovering just above the oversold threshold near 30, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) slips marginally below its signal line, suggesting persistent downside pressure.
BTC/USDT daily price chart.On the topside, immediate resistance above the psychological $60,000 level is the $65,000 round figure, followed by the 50-day EMA at about $66,946.
Zcash hits a make-or-break levelZcash hovers around $375 on Monday, holding steady below the 200-day EMA at $381 after two days of losses. The near-term bias remains bearish, testing the 50% retracement level at $356, measured over the upswing from $184 to $390.
The RSI at 37 shows a pullback from the midline as buying pressure wanes, while the MACD extends below the signal line in the negative territory as the downside histogram expands, hinting at dominant selling pressure.
Looking up, the 200- and 50-day EMAs at $381 and $455 emerge as key upside barriers, followed by the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $520.
ZEC/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, support emerges at the 50% retracement at $356, followed by the 23.6% retracement around $251, ahead of the broader cycle floor near 184.57, where buyers would be expected to more firmly challenge the prevailing bearish structure if reached.
Jupiter capped by key resistance risks fresh lowsJupiter trades close to the $0.2000 psychological mark on Monday, after two consecutive days of losses. The two-day decline reflects a bearish turnaround from an overhead resistance trendline near $0.2350, which capped Jupiter's fourth recovery attempt since October 2025.
A decisive close above this trendline could start a recovery run toward the November 27 high at $0.2662, followed by the October 11 low at $0.3255.
The MACD and signal line risk a bearish crossover, while the RSI at 54 flips downside from the overbought boundary, suggesting a decline in bullish momentum.
JUP/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, initial support is seen at the 50-day EMA at $0.1950, and a daily close back below this level would weaken the current bullish tone and expose the pair to a deeper corrective phase.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Former meme stock 'BB' (BlackBerry) rallied 270% in March, with one trader netting a 318% return by taking a long position.
According to Hyperinsight’s monitoring, BlackBerry (BB) has continued to attract capital inflows, rising 40% cumulatively over the past seven days and 270% since its early April low. On Hyperliquid, BB is currently priced at $11.6, up 3.4% intraday. A trader with the wallet address starting with 0xa5fd has maintained a 10x long position on BB’s contract since the first day it was listed on trade.xyz (32 days ago). The trader allocated $58,000 to build the position, which now has an unrealized profit of $186,000, representing a return of approximately 318%. The average entry price was $8.8, with the position size totaling $770,000. Additional notes: In recent years, BlackBerry has completed its transition to a software-centric business, with its core product—the QNX real-time operating system—widely applied in smart vehicles, autonomous driving, robotics and other fields. The recent sharp rally in its stock is mainly driven by factors including the market’s revaluation of its Physical AI concept, sustained growth of the QNX business, better-than-expected Q1 results, and an upward revision to its full-year earnings guidance. BlackBerry was once a global leader in business smartphones. After its mobile phone business declined, it gained renewed attention during the 2021 U.S. retail investor vs. Wall Street meme stock craze. There remains market division over this latest rally: some hold that its improving fundamentals provide support, while others view it as a resurgence of meme stock momentum.
15 minutes ago
ANSEM surged nearly 600-fold in three days, with 12 addresses accumulating positions worth nearly $2 million in the past 24 hours.
According to on-chain analyst Ai Yi (X handle @ai_9684xtpa), Solana meme coin ANSEM has surged nearly 600 times in the three days since its launch, with its market capitalization quickly exceeding $100 million. Over the past 24 hours, a total of 12 addresses have cumulatively invested $1.985 million to establish new positions in ANSEM (only counting addresses with single buy transactions of over $100,000), further pushing up the token's price.
15 minutes ago
South Korea unveils a massive semiconductor and AI investment plan: it plans to invest 800 trillion won to build four chip plants and double its DRAM production capacity within five years.
The South Korean government today unveiled its latest industrial plan, with President Lee Jae-myung stating that South Korea must promptly advance the construction of chip production facilities, as existing industrial parks are approaching their carrying limits in terms of water resources and infrastructure. Going forward, the country will focus on expanding semiconductor supply capacity through investments in its southwestern region. Under the plan, South Korea plans to build four chip manufacturing plants in the southwestern region, with a total investment of about 800 trillion won, and aims to invest at least 30 trillion won in semiconductor fields including next-generation memory, edge AI, and defense over the next 15 years. Additionally, the chip packaging cluster in the Chungcheong region is projected to receive an investment of 81 trillion won, AI data center construction is expected to draw around 550 trillion won, new industrial projects in the southwestern region will see investments ranging from 5 trillion to 20 trillion won, and the overall project scale in Gwangju and Jeolla regions could reach up to 520 trillion won. The South Korean government also stated its goal of doubling DRAM production capacity within the next five years and increasing South Korea’s share of the global humanoid robot market. Officials project that the global memory chip market will grow approximately fourfold over the next five years. In reaction to the news, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) turned from negative to positive in the afternoon, after falling more than 3% at one point during the session.
15 minutes ago
The A-share semiconductor equipment sector strengthened in the afternoon session, with multiple stocks rising sharply.
China's A-share semiconductor equipment sector rallied again in the afternoon. As of press time, Huahai Qingke and Jingyi Equipment surged more than 11%, Jinhaitong and Huaya Smart had earlier hit their daily limit, while stocks such as Huafeng Measurement & Control and Core Source Micro rose in tandem. (Jinshi)
15 minutes ago
Serenity: The decade from 2020 to 2030 may be the fastest period of technological progress in human history.
Serenity stated in a report that the decade from 2020 to 2030 is poised to be the fastest period of technological advancement in human history. Reusable rockets are driving rapid development of orbital computing infrastructure, with firms like Rocket Lab and SpaceX continuously enhancing their launch capabilities; Anthropic and OpenAI are advancing artificial intelligence (AI) toward general artificial intelligence (AGI) and even more advanced stages. Humanoid robots from companies including Boston Dynamics and Unitree are making steady progress, and are expected to gradually replace some labor tasks. Additionally, high-energy laser technology is expanding from the defense sector to AI data centers, autonomous driving technologies from Waymo and Tesla continue to be deployed commercially, and quantum computing is also expected to achieve breakthroughs by the end of this decade. Multiple cutting-edge technologies are advancing toward industrialization in parallel, making the current period a highly historically significant investment cycle.
15 minutes ago
South Korea plans to invest 800 trillion won to build four semiconductor plants, with Samsung and SK Hynix each constructing two new plants.
South Korean government announced plans to construct four chip plants in the country's southwest, with an investment of approximately 800 trillion won. Samsung Electronics will build two new semiconductor factories, while SK Hynix will add two new plants. Over the next 15 years, investment in the chip sector is projected to reach at least 30 trillion won, covering areas including next-generation memory, edge artificial intelligence (AI), and defense. Source: Jinshi
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix each unveiled major chip investment plans Monday at a presidential briefing in Seoul. Neither announcement stopped their stocks from falling sharply.
Samsung dropped 5.3% to 321,500 won from a Friday close of 339,500 won. SK Hynix fell 3.4% to 2,583,000 won from 2,673,000 won. The KOSPI settled near 8,258, down from 8,411.
Why the Announcements Didn’t Move Markets HigherSamsung Group presented a roughly 1,000 trillion won spending package to President Lee Jae-myung. SK Group followed with a separate 1,000 trillion won plan. Both cover new semiconductor fabs, AI data centers, and chip cluster development over the next decade. Fortune reported the combined figure at around $1.3 trillion.
Markets shrugged. The Korea Exchange scrapped its planned launch of weekly options contracts tied to Samsung, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, and LG Energy Solution. Regulators pulled the product after retail investors poured into daily double-leveraged ETFs, pushing KOSPI volatility to record highs. That decision removed a key tool for short-term traders and hit speculative appetite immediately.
Despite a breakout last 12 months, the KOSPI is down in the last month and opened the new week down again. Image Source: Trading ViewChip Selloff and Middle East Pressure Compound the PainGlobal tech sentiment stayed negative. Last week, South Korea’s market triggered circuit breakers twice on fears over AI chip valuations. Samsung and SK Hynix make up roughly 42% of the KOSPI, so chip selling anywhere hits Seoul hard. South Korean retail investors who borrowed heavily during recent rallies now face compounding losses.
🚨 KOSPI JUST CLOSED ONE OF ITS WORST WEEK OF 2026.
South Korean market is down 10% in just one week, wiping out roughly ₩550 TRILLION ($350 BILLION) from the market.
AI and semiconductor stocks are leading the collapse as panic spreads across Korean markets. pic.twitter.com/iSBrIyoj7H
— Crypto Rover (@cryptorover) June 27, 2026 Middle East tension added pressure. The US struck Iranian military targets over the weekend. Both sides then agreed to halt attacks and meet on Tuesday in Doha. Japan’s Nikkei 225 also fell as SoftBank retreated, extending a pullback after six consecutive record sessions.
The A-share semiconductor equipment sector strengthened in the afternoon session, with multiple stocks rising sharply.
China's A-share semiconductor equipment sector rallied again in the afternoon. As of press time, Huahai Qingke and Jingyi Equipment surged more than 11%, Jinhaitong and Huaya Smart had earlier hit their daily limit, while stocks such as Huafeng Measurement & Control and Core Source Micro rose in tandem. (Jinshi)
2 minutes ago
Serenity: The decade from 2020 to 2030 may be the fastest period of technological progress in human history.
Serenity stated in a report that the decade from 2020 to 2030 is poised to be the fastest period of technological advancement in human history. Reusable rockets are driving rapid development of orbital computing infrastructure, with firms like Rocket Lab and SpaceX continuously enhancing their launch capabilities; Anthropic and OpenAI are advancing artificial intelligence (AI) toward general artificial intelligence (AGI) and even more advanced stages. Humanoid robots from companies including Boston Dynamics and Unitree are making steady progress, and are expected to gradually replace some labor tasks. Additionally, high-energy laser technology is expanding from the defense sector to AI data centers, autonomous driving technologies from Waymo and Tesla continue to be deployed commercially, and quantum computing is also expected to achieve breakthroughs by the end of this decade. Multiple cutting-edge technologies are advancing toward industrialization in parallel, making the current period a highly historically significant investment cycle.
2 minutes ago
South Korea plans to invest 800 trillion won to build four semiconductor plants, with Samsung and SK Hynix each constructing two new plants.
South Korean government announced plans to construct four chip plants in the country's southwest, with an investment of approximately 800 trillion won. Samsung Electronics will build two new semiconductor factories, while SK Hynix will add two new plants. Over the next 15 years, investment in the chip sector is projected to reach at least 30 trillion won, covering areas including next-generation memory, edge artificial intelligence (AI), and defense. Source: Jinshi
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Zcash Co-founder: Development Team to Map Project Direction in Coming Weeks, Aims to "Break Through All Centralized Barriers"
Zcash co-founder and ZODL founder Josh Swihart published a project weekly report, noting that the Zcash development team will jointly map out the project’s future direction in the coming weeks, with a core goal of “Breach all gates” — an initiative to further reduce user reliance on centralized intermediaries and strengthen privacy and self-sovereignty capabilities. On the development front, ZODL Mobile has launched version v3.7.0, adding features including multi-server transaction broadcasting, Android security hardening, and Maya DEX aggregate trading, while prototype development for macOS has kicked off. In core R&D, the team released Zallet 0.1.0-alpha.4, integrating the Zebra state backend, updating RPC interfaces, and rolling out multiple infrastructure optimizations. Work on the NU6.3 upgrade, Ironwood migration, and formal verification efforts is also ongoing.
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Grayscale: Bitcoin bear market has two evolution paths, still bullish on crypto assets in the long term.
According to Grayscale’s latest research report, Bitcoin has pulled back more than 50% from its October 2025 peak of roughly $125,000, dropping below $60,000. The report frames this decline as a cyclical correction within Bitcoin’s long-term uptrend, not a reversal of its long-term trajectory. Grayscale notes that Bitcoin’s recent downward pressure stems from multiple factors: expectations of a hawkish shift in Federal Reserve policy, uncertainty over the legislative prospects of the CLARITY Act, balance sheet strains at crypto firm Strategy, and investor concerns about potential security risks from quantum computing. Notably, after U.S. President Donald Trump nominated hawkish Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair, markets have shifted from pricing in interest rate cuts to expecting hikes this year—undermining Bitcoin’s investment thesis as an asset hedging against currency devaluation. Two core scenarios shape Bitcoin’s outlook: In the baseline case, if the CLARITY Act passes the Senate smoothly, Strategy improves its balance sheet, and the Fed pauses rate hikes, Bitcoin may have neared the bottom of this cycle. In the pessimistic scenario, if the bill fails to pass this year, digital asset firms continue deleveraging, and stubborn inflation forces the Fed to raise rates, Bitcoin prices could fall further. Still, given this bull run has been relatively moderate and institutional demand is more solid, this pullback is not expected to replicate the roughly 80% peak-to-trough decline seen in historical cycles. Grayscale added that it remains bullish on the long-term growth prospects of public blockchains and digital assets over the next decade.
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AI trading agent Insiders.bot, built on data from 1.6 million Polymarket traders, has officially launched.
According to official announcements, AI trading agent Insiders.bot has officially launched. Per details from the project team and co-founders Daksh Joshi and Ryan Chi, the agent was trained on historical data of roughly 1.6 million Polymarket traders, and rolled out alongside its v1.3 signal system after completing a one-week public beta test with 1,000 new users. Insiders.bot covers over 300,000 prediction markets on Polymarket, delivering users trading research, position allocation, copy trading, and cross-market arbitrage opportunity analysis via natural language, while also tracking "smart money" flows. Official data shows its intelligent signal system has an average win rate of 83%. Additionally, the Insiders.bot team stated the agent successfully predicted multiple World Cup match outcomes, including results for Norway, Japan, Germany, Australia, and France, and accurately foresaw Spain’s failure to win its match against Cape Verde, plus a draw between Portugal and Colombia.
Ethereum’s first zero-knowledge rollup, Loopring, announced Sunday the closure of its decentralized exchange and automated market maker, ending all trading services and halting the relayer effective immediately.
In a post on X on Sunday, the team cited three main reasons for the closure: its failure to gain meaningful adoption, a lack of business development skills and being technologically surpassed by modern zkEVM solutions.
“To be honest, Loopring never gained meaningful adoption,” the team said. “As the first zk-rollup, we lacked a virtual machine – no composability, no real‑world payment use cases. That limitation kept our ecosystem from growing.”
Loopring was a technical pioneer of its time, raising $45 million in a 2017 initial coin offering and helping to prove that scaling Ethereum via zk-rollups was viable. But technology evolves fast in the crypto industry, and it was ultimately surpassed by the more capable successors it helped inspire, such as zkSync, Scroll and StarkNet.
The team said they are “engineers at heart,” not business operators, excelling at writing code but never developing the “passion or skills for business development.”
“External pressures – including major exchange delistings of LRC in 2026 – only accelerated the inevitable,” they said.
The team added that pressure from more advanced competitors, which are fully compatible with Ethereum smart contracts, “while our specialised architecture now feels obsolete,” compounded the decision to gracefully end it, “rather than running a hollow service.”
Loopring had already shut down its wallet services in July 2025, citing scaling challenges.
With the DEX closure, the team said it will be calculating and publishing all final user balances, then distributing funds directly to users' Ethereum wallets in batches and covering gas fees.
Loopring's total value locked is about $8 million, down almost 99% from the $760 million peak in November 2021, according to L2Beat. Its native token, LRC, has collapsed by a similar amount to $0.01 from its all-time high in the same month of $3.75.
Loopring's total value locked has collapsed over the past five years. Source: L2Beat
One of Loopring’s biggest milestones was a 2021 partnership with GameStop to power its NFT platform, launched the following year.
Crypto winter bites deep this yearThe demise of Loopring adds to the growing list of crypto closures this year, as the bear market deepens and previous-cycle narratives no longer apply.
More than 60 crypto projects and protocols have already shuttered services in 2026, according to RootData. Some of the more notable ones include a16z-backed decentralized self-custody solution Entropy, app-chain infrastructure protocol Syndicate and AI blockchain platform Yupp.
Magazine: Bitcoin slides to $58K, XRP hits $1 but onchain data promising: Market Moves
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
Ethereum’s first zero-knowledge rollup, Loopring, announced Sunday the closure of its decentralized exchange and automated market maker, ending all trading services and halting the relayer effective immediately.
In a post on X on Sunday, the team cited three main reasons for the closure: its failure to gain meaningful adoption, a lack of business development skills and being technologically surpassed by modern zkEVM solutions.
“To be honest, Loopring never gained meaningful adoption,” the team said. “As the first zk-rollup, we lacked a virtual machine – no composability, no real‑world payment use cases. That limitation kept our ecosystem from growing.”
Loopring was a technical pioneer of its time, raising $45 million in a 2017 initial coin offering and helping to prove that scaling Ethereum via zk-rollups was viable. But technology evolves fast in the crypto industry, and it was ultimately surpassed by the more capable successors it helped inspire, such as zkSync, Scroll and StarkNet.
The team said they are “engineers at heart,” not business operators, excelling at writing code but never developing the “passion or skills for business development.”
“External pressures – including major exchange delistings of LRC in 2026 – only accelerated the inevitable,” they said.
The team added that pressure from more advanced competitors, which are fully compatible with Ethereum smart contracts, “while our specialised architecture now feels obsolete,” compounded the decision to gracefully end it, “rather than running a hollow service.”
Loopring had already shut down its wallet services in July 2025, citing scaling challenges.
With the DEX closure, the team said it will be calculating and publishing all final user balances, then distributing funds directly to users' Ethereum wallets in batches and covering gas fees.
Loopring's total value locked is about $8 million, down almost 99% from the $760 million peak in November 2021, according to L2Beat. Its native token, LRC, has collapsed by a similar amount to $0.01 from its all-time high in the same month of $3.75.
Loopring's total value locked has collapsed over the past five years. Source: L2Beat
One of Loopring’s biggest milestones was a 2021 partnership with GameStop to power its NFT platform, launched the following year.
Crypto winter bites deep this yearThe demise of Loopring adds to the growing list of crypto closures this year, as the bear market deepens and previous-cycle narratives no longer apply.
More than 60 crypto projects and protocols have already shuttered services in 2026, according to RootData. Some of the more notable ones include a16z-backed decentralized self-custody solution Entropy, app-chain infrastructure protocol Syndicate and AI blockchain platform Yupp.
Magazine: Bitcoin slides to $58K, XRP hits $1 but onchain data promising: Market Moves
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
CoinGecko, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency data aggregators, has excitedly displayed the list of top decentralized exchanges by holding volume over the last 24 hours. These cryptocurrency exchanges collectively hold trading volume of $3.18 Billion, having 32.28% changes over the previous day, and also have Decentralized Finance (DeFi) dominance of 6.5%.
Here is the list of top decentralized exchanges (DEXs) in terms of holding trading volume, % market Share by Volume, and coins and pairs. These cryptocurrency exchanges are Uniswap V4 (BSC), PancakeSwap V3 (BSC), PancakeSwap Infinity CLMM (BSC), Uniswap V4 (Ethereum), Aerodrome SlipStream, Uniswap V3 (Ethereum), Aerodrome Slipstream 3, Manifest, Orca, and AlphaX.
Uniswap V4 (BSC) Tops DEX Rankings as PancakeSwap V3 Claims Second Spot Uniswap V4 (BSC) is leading the entire list of top 10 decentralized exchanges by trading volume over the last 24 hours. Uniswap V4 (BSC) holds trading volume of $483974396 by the last 24H with a shares of15.2% in the market by volume. PancakeSwap V3 (BSC) secures 2nd position in this list with a trading volume of $227233459 and having 7.1% shares with market by volume.
Pancakeswap Infinity CLMM (BSC) and Uniswap V4 (Ethereum) hold 3rd and 4th positions with trading volumes of $175359959 and $168856929, respectively. Pancakeswap Infinity CLMM (BSC) and Uniswap V4 (Ethereum) have a negligible difference of 0.2% in shares with the market. Pancakeswap Infinity CLMM (BSC) and Uniswap V4 (Ethereum) have 5.5% and 5.3% shares in the market by trading volume.
Aerodrome SlipStream Secures Fifth Spot in Top DEX Trading Volume Rankings As per CoinGecko data, Aerodrome SlipStream comes at the 5th position in the list of top decentralized exchanges by trading volume and holds trading volume of $159337256 over the last 24H, with shares of only 5% with market. Uniswap V3 (Ethereum) and Aerodrome Slipstream 3 positioned themselves at 6th and 7th positions, respectively.
Uniswap V3 (Ethereum) and Aerodrome Slipstream 3 have trading volumes of $144748342 and $129557699 with4.5% and 4.1% shares of the market, respectively. Manifest is also among the top decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges, which holds trading volume of $116423692 along with 3.7% shares in the market by volume.
Orca and AlphaX have the 2nd last and last position in the given list of top decentralized exchanges by trading volume. Orca has a trading volume of $115923636 with 3.6% market share by volume. Last but not least, AlphaX decentralized cryptocurrency exchange has a trading volume of $97558515 along with a 3.1% market share by trading volume.
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Crypto journalist with years of experience providing in-depth analysis and news on blockchain and decentralized finance. With a keen eye for detail, Shahzaib delivers insightful articles that explore the latest trends, market movements, and innovations within the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. His work focuses on educating readers while offering expert commentary on the evolving landscape of digital assets, DeFi protocols, and the broader impact of blockchain technology.
Solana has once again taken center stage in the crypto markets, declining by about 1.82 percent in the last 24 hours and trading around $70.67. While maintaining support above the $70 mark signals that buyers remain active in the short term, analysts caution that a clear trend reversal has yet to be confirmed.
The downward trendline emerges as a make-or-break thresholdCharts shared by analysts show SOL testing its persistent downward trendline following a long correction phase. Technically, the crucial zone lies between $72 and $75. Reclaiming this range could set $80 as the next major target for the bulls.
A convincing breakout above the descending trendline could offer solid confirmation for SOL’s short-term outlook, while surpassing the $80 level might revive talk of testing the $90 region.
Conversely, a fresh rejection at the trendline raises the probability of SOL retreating to the $65–$68 range. As such, the current recovery attempt is still viewed with caution from a technical perspective.
Eyes on $80: Breaking it could open the path toward $90 and $95In the current market climate, the $80 level is considered the first significant upward threshold. Overcoming this barrier would suggest the recent market bounce is more than a fleeting relief rally. Should this scenario play out, traders will eye the $90 region, with $95 emerging as a subsequent recovery milestone.
A similar pattern is evident at daily closes. Analysts note that the bullish outlook remains unconfirmed until SOL closes a daily candle above the descending trendline. Cautious sentiment is further supported by the weekly MACD indicator, which has yet to display a definitive bullish crossover.
Tokenized equity volume on Solana draws attentionBeyond the price chart, Solana’s on-chain metrics are strengthening the network’s narrative. In a notable development, the daily trading volume of tokenized equities on the platform soared to $553 million. This indicates that Solana’s network activity now extends well beyond crypto trading and meme coin speculation.
Glossary: A tokenized share is a digital representation of a traditional company stock on the blockchain. This enables price tracking and on-chain trading similar to conventional equities via specific platforms.
Liquidity data highlights the critical importance of the current price area for SOL. Prominent liquidity clusters are visible near $90 above and $50 below. If SOL can maintain footing above $70 and break through the $75–$80 band, the market may see an attempt to reach $90. Conversely, losing the $70 support could put the $65 to $60 range back on the table.
Falling wedge pattern dominates the long-term structureOn a broader time horizon, SOL is seen consolidating within a large falling wedge formation. If it can break out of this structure, the long-term theoretical target could stretch as far as $233.23. However, analysts emphasize this is not a short-term expectation; major resistance levels at $80, $95, and subsequently above $100 must be overcome first.
For now, the outlook remains cautiously positive as long as SOL holds above $70. Yet, the decisive requirement for a sustained bullish move is a clear break through $80—an essential signal for market participants watching the next key level.
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.
Publicly traded companies that hold Solana (SOL) cryptocurrency as part of their corporate reserves saw notable price increases during intraday trading last Friday. The coordinated movement drew attention to equities offering indirect exposure to the Solana ecosystem through traditional stock market channels.
Sol Strategies, trading under the ticker STKE, stood out with a 22 percent advance that carried its share price to an intraday peak of $1.20.
Market data from Yahoo Finance captured the overall strength of the session for the company.
Other firms following comparable treasury strategies also posted solid gains.
Forward Industries (FWDI), which maintains SOL holdings, rose approximately 12 percent and reached $4.03 during the day. SkyAI (SKYA) advanced 11 percent to an intraday level of $1.07.
DeFi Development Corp. (DFDV) climbed about 10 percent to $2.73, while Solana Company (HSDT) exceeded a 10 percent gain and touched a high of $1.65.
These price moves reflect growing investor interest in companies that have chosen to allocate a portion of their balance sheets to digital assets rather than holding only cash or conventional securities.
By including SOL in their treasuries, the firms gain potential upside from any appreciation in the cryptocurrency while signaling alignment with blockchain technology.
Solana operates as a high-performance layer-1 blockchain focused on fast transaction speeds and low costs. It supports decentralized applications across finance, gaming, and other sectors.
Companies adopting SOL treasury positions effectively become equity-based proxies for the cryptocurrency’s performance, giving stock investors a way to participate without directly managing wallets or facing separate custody requirements.
Friday’s intraday rallies occurred amid active trading and suggest renewed optimism toward Solana-related assets.
Such collective strength in smaller-cap names often appears when broader cryptocurrency sentiment improves or when market participants seek leveraged exposure to specific blockchain / DLT networks through listed equities.
Investors should keep in mind that shares of companies with digital asset treasuries tend to exhibit heightened volatility.
Their prices can move sharply in response to changes in SOL’s value, overall crypto market conditions, regulatory developments, or company-specific news.
This dual exposure to equity and cryptocurrency markets carries risks that require careful evaluation.
The session’s results illustrate how traditional capital markets and blockchain-based assets continue to intersect in more meaningful ways. As more firms explore digital asset treasury strategies, the performance of these Solana-focused companies may serve as a visible indicator of sentiment toward the network and its ecosystem.
In the cryptocurrency market, most major assets are maintaining a weak technical outlook as pressure continues on XRP, SHIB, and Bitcoin. Despite attempts at short-term rebounds, the overall downward trend remains dominant for many leading coins. However, Solana is distinguishing itself with greater resilience following the recent corrections, outpacing its peers with a more stable chart.
Technical weakness dominates XRP and SHIBXRP, which spent months flatlining between $1.30 and $1.50, has broken down below this range, accelerating its decline. This break confirms a bearish continuation pattern, bringing prices perilously close to the psychologically significant $1.00 support. Technical indicators show that XRP remains under intense selling, with prices well below the 50, 100, and 200 day moving averages.
The critical level to watch for XRP is the $1.00 threshold. A decisive drop below this support could unleash a fresh wave of selling.
The relative strength index (RSI) has dropped to 32, edging near the oversold territory. While this may suggest the pace of the downturn could slow, it’s generally insufficient on its own to signal a lasting bottom amid such strong bearish momentum. Should buyers hold the $1.00 area, a recovery toward the $1.14–$1.15 band, where the 50 day exponential moving average lies, could materialize.
SHIB exhibits a similarly bearish pattern, recently breaking below a rising wedge formation. This setup typically signals further downward moves, and SHIB has failed to show any meaningful recovery since. Like XRP, SHIB is trading below all main moving averages and remains near its recent local lows.
The 50 day EMA continues to act as dynamic resistance for SHIB, and recent bounce attempts have not seen a convincing rise in trading volume. This hints that buyers have yet to assert real power. The RSI has dropped sharply to 21, deeply into oversold territory. Still, overall momentum remains with the sellers.
Bitcoin grapples to hold its support regionBitcoin is struggling to stay above the $60,000 level, remaining under intense pressure. The crucial uptrend line that fueled the market’s April and May rebound has now been broken, signaling that the medium-term bullish structure has given way to renewed bearish control. The 50, 100, and 200 day moving averages all sit well above current price levels, reinforcing this negative outlook.
The most critical support for Bitcoin lies between $58,000 and $60,000. Losing this zone could spark a surge in forced liquidations.
Increasing volumes during the recent correction phase point to direct selling pressure, rather than simply a lack of buying. Bitcoin’s RSI hovers near 32, suggesting a short-term rebound may be possible. However, unless prices reclaim the 50 day EMA around $64,000, the primary trend remains challenged.
AssetCritical supportInitial resistanceRSIXRP$1.00$1.14 to $1.1532Bitcoin$58,000 to $60,000Around $64,00032Solana$63 to $65$72 then around $7749Solana stands out with relative strengthIn contrast, Solana is displaying more resilience compared to Bitcoin. Following a steep pullback at the start of June, buyers stepped in forcefully at the $63 to $65 support, helping the price remain above regional lows. The long-term structure is not yet entirely bullish, as SOL also trades under all major moving averages.
However, Solana’s price is now stabilizing near the 50 day EMA around $72 and forming higher lows. This divergence is seen as a positive signal, especially as most other top cryptocurrencies are hitting new local lows. The RSI has climbed back up to 49, suggesting selling pressure has notably subsided.
Solana’s attempted recoveries have translated into rising trading volumes, a sign of strengthening buyer interest. In the short term, holding $72 as support will be critical. Success there could see a move towards the 100 day moving average near $77. If Solana fails to maintain its current level, the $63 support will once again come into focus.
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 10th career World Cup goal on June 23, equaling a record held by Peruvian legend Teófilo Cubillas for decades. Cubillas, who netted 10 goals across multiple World Cup tournaments, publicly congratulated the Portuguese forward on the achievement.
Within hours, the crypto market did what it always does when a global sports icon trends on social media. Unofficial CR7-themed meme tokens on Solana and Ethereum lit up with trading activity, because of course they did.
The meme token frenzy, again Several CR7-branded tokens saw immediate spikes in market capitalization following the milestone. One previously existing CR7 token peaked at a $143 million market cap back in August 2025. It then proceeded to crash 98%. That’s the kind of drawdown that turns a $10,000 position into roughly $200.
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None of these tokens have any official connection to Ronaldo himself. They’re community-created, entirely speculative instruments that ride on the player’s name recognition. Ronaldo does have a legitimate crypto partnership, specifically with Binance, which has produced several NFT collections. The most recent drops came in late 2024. But the tokens spiking on Solana and Ethereum following his World Cup goal have no ties to that partnership.
FIFA’s own token ambitions FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was photographed with Cubillas in connection with the record acknowledgment, has been steering the federation toward its own blockchain strategy. As of February 2026, FIFA was actively studying the launch of what it calls a FIFA token and FIFA Coin. The stated goal is to engage the organization’s massive global fanbase through digital assets.
The 2026 World Cup represents the largest edition of the tournament ever held, with an expanded format and games spread across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
What this means for crypto investors Traders who bought CR7 tokens before the goal and sold during the spike likely made money. But the 98% crash of the previous CR7 token serves as a sobering data point for anyone considering these plays as anything other than high-risk speculation.
Cubillas himself has no documented involvement with crypto, NFTs, or any token projects. His role in this story is purely as a sporting benchmark, the record holder whose achievement Ronaldo has now matched.
For investors parsing the noise, the key distinction remains the same one it’s always been in crypto: official partnerships with regulatory guardrails versus unofficial tokens built entirely on hype. Ronaldo’s Binance NFT drops fall in the first category. The Solana meme tokens spiking after his goals fall squarely in the second.
The 98% crash from a $143 million peak should be all the context anyone needs to understand which category carries the real risk.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
PANews June 29 news, according to an official announcement from Colosseum, the Solana Frontier hackathon attracted over 10,000 participants who submitted 2,857 final projects, making it the largest crypto hackathon to date. The overall champion is CrowdBrain AI, a vertically integrated robotic DePIN network that provides remote operation, data collection, and fault recovery services for real robots through simulation training and QA qualification certification.
The top 25 winning projects span multiple tracks including consumer investment applications, social trading, prediction market structured products, on-chain forex, RWA platforms, TCG markets, DeFi yield search engines, stablecoin cross-border payments, and supply chain solutions. They are: AI-driven portfolio app Peaks, social trading app Alpha Group Trading, opportunity market platform Bench, prediction market Mentioned, AI agent payment analytics platform Flovia, prediction market structured product Senthos, on-chain forex platform Dropset, fantasy sports platform WeLikeSports, RWA secondary market platform ODL, real estate tokenization platform Housd, TCG market platform JK Index, closed-loop game Fraudsworth, agent security platform Sudont, DeFi yield search engine YieldCompass, agent finance platform Clawpump, TCG application layer One Arena, stablecoin infrastructure for remote founders Stablecorp, blockchain game The Syndicate, cross-border stablecoin payment DashX, supply chain platform Nomu, thematic investment basket Cesto, equity token issuance platform Crafts, geopolitical prediction market Memetic Machines, Philippine overseas diaspora digital bank KinnectFi, and TCG super app Traded.gg.
A previously mysterious project within the Solana ecosystem has officially stepped out of the shadows. @world_xyz was publicly unveiled by Vibhu Norby of the Solana Foundation, positioning the project as a significant new piece of on-chain infrastructure aimed at real-world asset (RWA) tokenization and agentic commerce.
Prior to the reveal, the project had reportedly acquired the domain world(.)xyz for $80,000, a signal that those paying attention took as a hint that something substantial was in the works.
What Is World XYZ? According to the announcement, World is built as an x402-based agentic modular, intent-centric settlement layer designed for trustless real-world asset tokenization. The project aims to unify cross-domain liquidity into a single composable state graph with institutional-grade finality. It runs on a parallelized zkVM with restaked shared security and an omnichain, permissionlessly verifiable execution environment.
The x402 protocol underpinning World is an open payment standard that revives the long-dormant HTTP 402 "Payment Required" status code to enable applications, APIs, and AI agents to send and receive instant, autonomous stablecoin payments directly over HTTP. The Linux Foundation launched the x402 Foundation to steward x402, an open payment protocol built around the HTTP 402 "Payment Required" status code. Coinbase originally developed x402 so APIs, apps, and AI agents can pay for access to data and services directly over the web without custom billing systems.
The Solana Foundation is among the founding members, joining Adyen, Amazon Web Services, American Express, Circle, Cloudflare, Coinbase, Fiserv, Google, KakaoPay, Mastercard, Microsoft, Polygon Labs, Shopify, Stripe, Visa, and others.
Why Solana? Solana processes x402 payments with finality in around 400 milliseconds, with typical fees near $0.00025, which suits high-frequency machine payments. Those characteristics are central to the technical pitch for World, which requires a high-throughput base layer capable of supporting both agentic machine-to-machine transactions and the demands of institutional asset settlement.
AI agents are increasingly autonomous in their workflows, writing code, fetching data, and provisioning resources. To operate fully independently, they need a way to make micropayments for services programmatically, in real-time, at minimal cost. Traditional payment rails do not work for micropayments, and Solana's sub-cent fees and sub-second finality make this technically and economically viable. Solana has been one of the earliest adopters of x402, driving nearly 65% of x402 transaction volume this year.
Vibhu Norby's direct involvement in the World XYZ launch underscores the Solana Foundation's interest in x402-powered infrastructure as a core part of the ecosystem's next phase of growth. Further technical and product details from @world_xyz are expected as the project moves from reveal to build-out.
Sources:
Linux Foundation: Launching the x402 Foundation
Solana Foundation Enters Linux Foundation's x402 Initiative | BanklessTimes
Mysterious Solana Project @world_xyz Acquires Domain for $80,000 | Phemex
Cover image via depositphotos.com 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.
With price action still adhering to a distinct bearish structure, XRP is still among the market's weakest large-cap assets. XRP broke below the range and accelerated lower after consolidating between about $1.30 and $1.50 for several months. The asset was driven toward the psychologically significant $1.00 support level by the breakdown, which validated a bearish continuation pattern.
The 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day moving averages of XRP are all technically above its current price, reflecting a downward slope. Usually, this alignment means that sellers are still in complete control. The RSI is getting close to oversold territory at 32, indicating that the short-term downside momentum may be running out. However, during severe downtrends, oversold conditions by themselves seldom indicate a bottom.
XRP/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe crucial level to keep an eye on is $1.00. Another wave of selling could be sparked by a clear break below it, opening the door to lower support zones. On the other hand, XRP might experience a relief rally toward the 50-day EMA at $1.14-$1.15 if buyers are able to hold this area. Until the asset regains significant moving averages, the trend remains negative.
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Shiba Inu forms a breakdown SHIB is displaying a quite similar structure. Recently, the asset broke out of a rising wedge formation, which frequently precedes bearish continuation moves. SHIB has not established a significant recovery since the breakdown and is still trading close to local lows. SHIB is still below all of the major moving averages, just like XRP.
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The 50-day EMA is preventing buyers from creating long-term momentum by acting as dynamic resistance. Recent attempts at a bounce have not seen a significant increase in volume, suggesting that bulls are not very confident. SHIB is firmly in oversold territory as the RSI has dropped toward 21.
The overall trend still favors sellers, even though this increases the likelihood of a short-term recovery. The recently broken wedge structure and the 50-day moving average are likely to present obstacles for any recovery attempt.
The current move appears to be more of a continuation of the larger downtrend than the start of a true reversal unless SHIB can recover those levels.
Pressure on Bitcoin remainsDespite its efforts to stabilize above the $60,000 mark, Bitcoin is still under significant pressure. The medium-term bullish structure was effectively terminated and a return to bearish control was confirmed when the asset broke away from an ascending trendline that had sustained the recovery rally from April to May.
The 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day moving averages of Bitcoin are all significantly above the current price on the chart. The market has lost a lot of momentum during the most recent correction, as evidenced by the 200-day moving average near $76,000 becoming a distant resistance level. Additionally, recent attempts at a bounce have not been successful in regaining the 50-day EMA, indicating that sellers still control every relief rally. At 32, the RSI is getting close to oversold territory.
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Although this might encourage a temporary recovery, the overall trend is still negative. Crucially, volume increased throughout the sell-off, suggesting true distribution as opposed to just a lack of buyers. The $58,000-$60,000 support zone is a crucial level to keep an eye on.
Another wave of liquidation pressure could hit the market if Bitcoin loses this area. On the other hand, the first sign that the bearish momentum is starting to wane would be a rebound above the 50-day EMA around $64,000. Until then, sellers continue to have the upper hand and Bitcoin remains stuck in a downtrend.
Solana's breakout potential Solana is showing remarkable resilience in contrast to Bitcoin. Even though SOL saw a significant drop earlier in June, buyers intervened forcefully near the $63-$65 support range, keeping the asset above regional lows.
Technically, SOL is still below its major moving averages, indicating that the long-term trend is still negative. The asset has started to consolidate around the 50-day EMA at $72, and it recently produced a higher low. Many large-cap cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, continue to set new lows. After a period of oversold conditions, the RSI has recovered toward 49, returning to neutral territory.
SOL/USDT Chart by TradingViewThis suggests that selling pressure has significantly decreased. During recent recovery attempts, volume has also increased, indicating real buyer involvement. Regaining the 50-day EMA and establishing support above $72 is the bulls' immediate challenge. A move toward the 100-day moving average near $77 is more likely if that happens.
In the event that current levels are not maintained, the $63 support zone would become more prominent. Even though there is currently no proof of a complete trend reversal, SOL remains one of the more promising assets among the major cryptocurrencies.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 16: Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match between Argentina and Algeria at Kansas City Stadium on June 16, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)
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Many soccer aficionados claim that the real World Cup doesn't really start until the knockout round.
That's when every team faces elimination, and upsets can happen.
While the Round of 32, the first such at a World Cup since the tournament was expanded to 48 teams, doesn't have many "sexy" matchups, a few surprises can emerge as a dozen group winners put their records on the line.
On Sunday, Canada started the Round of 32 with a dramatic, extra-time 1-0 win over South Africa in Inglewood, Calif.
In chronological order, here is a look at the rest of the field:
Monday, June 29Brazil (2-0-1; Group C winner) vs. Japan (1-0-2; Group F second), NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas, 1 p.m.After a slow start in Group C, the Brazilians went on to capture the title. They had their problems with Morocco in a disappointing 1-1 opening draw, and Japan could pose similar challenges with its patient game. If Vinícius Jr. continues to score (four goals), this team could wind up going deep in the tournament.
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Prediction: Brazil, 2, Japan 1Germany (2-1-0; Group E winner) vs. Paraguay (1-1-1; Group D third), Foxborough, Mass. 4:30 p.m. ETFor the first time since winning the 2014 World Cup, the Germans reached the knockout round. After rolling to a 7-1 romp over Curacao in its group opener, Germany has struggled to find itself. The Europeans should find a way to get past the squad that lost to the United States in the group stage, 4-1.
Prediction: Germany 1, Paraguay 0Netherlands (2-0-1; Group F winner) vs. Morocco (2-0-1; Group C second), Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, 9 p.m. ETThis should be a fun one and could very well be one of the top matches of the round. The Dutch have scored 10 goals (tied with France and Germany for the most), but they haven't been able to shut out their foes. Morocco, which finished third at the 2022 World Cup, will make the Netherlands work hard on both ends of the pitch.
Prediction: Netherlands 2, Morocco 2 (Netherlands wins on penalty kicks)ForbesHow To Watch The FIFA World Cup, In English And SpanishBy Michael LewisEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 22: Erling Haaland #9 of Norway celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's third goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between Norway and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 22, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Tuesday, June 30Ivory Coast (2-1-0; Group E second) vs. Norway (2-1-0; Group I second), AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, 1 p.m.In what could be the most physical match-up of this phase, Norway will be rewarded for resting the fabulous Erling Haaland in the 4-1 defeat to France in the group finale. He should be fresh enough to score one goal and perhaps his third brace of the competition. After playing three matches in the heat in outdoor stadiums, the Norwegians should thrive at this indoor venue.
Prediction: Norway 3, Ivory Coast 1FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 26: Ousmane Dembele of France celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between Norway and France at Boston Stadium on June 26, 2026 in Foxborough, United States. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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France (3-0-0; Group I winner) vs. Sweden (1-1-1; Group F third), MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J., 5 p.m. ETMost teams will thank the soccer gods for having one lethal finisher. The French have been blessed with two. After Kylian Mbappe recorded a pair of braces in the first two matches, Ousmane Dembele took center stage with a hat-trick against Norway. Add a talented supporting cast, and France should be able to make it to the Sweet 16. If the French have a weakness, it is their defense.
Prediction: France 4, Sweden 1Mexico (3-0-0; Group D winners) vs. Ecuador (1-1-1; Group E third), Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, 9 p.m. ETThe three previous times North America hosted the World Cup (1970 and 1986 in Mexico, 1994 in the USA), El Tri reached the quarterfinals. The Mexicans have greater aspirations as co-hosts. It certainly doesn't hurt that they will continue their stay on home soil while playing their third match at their favorite venue. It should be noted that Mexico has not allowed a goal.
ForbesA Brief History Of USMNT Wins At The FIFA World CupBy Michael LewisARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 17: Harry Kane #9 of England celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between England and Croatia at Dallas Stadium on June 17, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
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Wednesday, July 1England (2-0-1; Group L winner) vs. Democratic Republic of the Congo (1-1-1; Group K third), Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga., noon ETBuoyed by striker Harry Kane (four goals in this competition, 11 career World Cup goals, and an English record 82 international tallies) and midfielder Jude Bellingham, England continues to chase the glory of six decades ago when it won its lone World Cup crown on home soil in 1966. DR Congo already made history by qualifying for the knockout for the first time in its second appearance. It played as Zaire in the 1974 cup.
Prediction: England 2, DR Congo 0Belgium (1-0-2; Group G winner) vs. Senegal (1-1-1; Group I third), Lumen Field, Seattle, Wash., 4 p.m. ETThis contest could be a toss-up. The Belgians started off slowly with a pair of draws with Egypt and Iran before breaking out against New Zealand, 5-1, as the Oceania-based squad (0-2-1) completed the group in the cellar with one of the lowest point totals in the competition. Senegal had a tough time, losing to favored France and Norway.
Prediction: Belgium 1, Senegal 1 (Belgium wins on penalty kicks)INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 12: Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
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U.S. (2-1-0; Group D winner) vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (1-1-1; Group B third), Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif., 8 p.m. ETThe Americans will have their full complement after defenders Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson, midfielder Tyler Adams, and forward Folarin Balogun did not play due to yellow cards. Those have been erased, and the co-hosts are primed to move on. Bosnia winger Esmir Bajraktarevic, who was born in Appleton, Wis. and performs for PSV Eindhoven. He made one appearance for the U.S. in a friendly in 2024 before changing his allegiance, thanks to his Bosnian roots.
Prediction: U.S. 2, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1ForbesHow USMNT Can Take Advantage Of Finishing 1st In Its World Cup GroupBy Michael LewisATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 21: Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match between Spain and Saudi Arabia at Atlanta Stadium on June 21, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Patrick Smith - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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Thursday, July 2Spain (2-0-1; Group H winner) vs. Austria (1-1-1; Group J second), SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif., 3 p.m.As long as 19-year-old star midfielder Lamine Yamal stays healthy and performs his magic, the Spaniards should prevail. Spain did not concede a goal in its group. Austria, which registered a 3-1 win over Jordan and a 3-3 draw with Algeria, should be hard-pressed to fill the net.
Prediction: Spain 3, Austria 0HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 17: Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K match between Portugal and Congo DR at Houston Stadium on June 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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Portugal (1-0-2; Group K second) vs. Croatia (2-1-0; Group L second), BMO Field, Toronto, 7 p.m.This game is perfectly suited for the Canadian city. Outside of Italy, those are the two largest ethnic groups in Toronto. Considered by many pundits as a contender, haven't exactly set the World Cup on fire. It also will be a battle of fortysomething legends. Cristian Ronaldo, 41, contributed a brace in the 5-0 triumph over Uzbekistan, but fired blanks in his other two appearances. Luka Modric, 40 became the oldest player to register an assist in a World Cup in Croatia's 2-1 win over Ghana on Saturday, June 27. Croatia is the little engine that could, finishing second in the 2018 cup and fourth in 2022.
Prediction: Portugal 2, Croatia 1 (extra time)Switzerland (2-0-1; Group B winners) vs. Algeria (1-1-1; Group J third), BC Place, Vancouver, 11 p.m. ETGive the Swiss a ton of credit. They managed to defeat the Canadians, 2-1, on its home soil, sending the team to the U.S. for the knockout round instead of staying in Canada. Johan Manzambi, a 20-year-old midfielder, leads Switzerland with three goals, all scored in the second half. Riyad Mahrez had a brace in Algeria's 3-3 tie with Austria.
Prediction: Switzerland 3, Algeria 1ForbesCape Verde Has Become World Cup Darlings Without Winning A GameBy Michael LewisVANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Mohamed Salah #10 of Egypt celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between New Zealand and Egypt at BC Place Vancouver on June 21, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
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Friday, July 3Australia (1-1-1; Group D second) vs. Egypt (1-0-2; Group G second), AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, 2 p.m. ETThe great Mohammed Salah could have one last hurrah at the international stage as the northern African side is in position to pull off a Texas-sized surprise against the taller and physical Socceroos. Salah scored in the 3-1 win over New Zealand. Australia has been shut out twice and only scored two goals.
Prediction: Egypt 1, Australia 0Argentina (3-0-0; Group J winner) vs. Cape Verde (0-0-3; Group H second), Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla., 6 p.m. ETThis encounter pits the defending champions and the incomparable Lionel Messi against the tiny West African country, which has become the darlings of the tournament. Messi, who has put away goals in a record seven consecutive cup games, has tallied six of Argentina's eight goals and is the cup leader with six goals. The Blue Sharks' (only two goals conceded) incredible run should stop here. If they somehow produce a win, it will be considered one of the greatest World Cup upsets ever.
Prediction: Argentina, 3-0.ForbesMessi's Amazing World Cup Start Proves He Still Has It And MoreBy Michael LewisColombia (2-0-1; Group K winner) vs. Ghana (1-1-1; Group L third), Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo., 9:30 p.m. ETWere the Colombians the most underrated group winners? Many observers thought Portugal would take the title. Daniel Munoz has scored twice, including the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over the DR Congo. Directed by veteran international head coach Carlos Queiroz, the Ghanaians have been difficult to break down. They have surrendered only two goals.
Prediction: Colombia 2, Ghana 1Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter’s perspective, has been published.
Enterprise transformation rarely starts all at once. More often, it begins when small teams prove a new way of working is possible. That was the case with HP Inc., which just announced it will scale activation of its OpenAI Frontier strategic partnership, following a series of successful pilots across different areas.
The strategic partnership extends how HP is deploying frontier capabilities to help its global efforts to enhance customer-facing experiences and accelerate transformation across its operations. Once scaled, the strategic partnership will focus on deploying AI across the organization in areas ranging from customer and partner-facing solutions and experiences, customer telemetry insights and reporting, employee productivity, and software development.
As soon as HP began testing OpenAI Frontier in February 2026, the company started exploring different ways it can use the platform. Early signs of success arrived quickly.
One engineer used OpenAI models to move through 122 pull requests across 43 projects in a matter of weeks. A security team used these models to remediate several software bugs in a day, work they estimated could otherwise have taken up to a month.
As pilot usage deepened, it also became clearer how the tools powered by OpenAI could move from experiment to daily workflows. For enterprise teams, time often disappears as code moves through tests, reviews, security checks, and handoffs across tools and sprint plans. At HP, OpenAI tools helped compress that time into a faster, more collaborative rhythm. “It has been an amazing tool, and I am using it daily,” said one HP engineer.
From pilot wins to enterprise deployment
That growing utility across its test cases started to show how these individual wins could become part of a repeatable system HP could scale across the enterprise. Early successes also included HP teams finding immediate value in OpenAI APIs and tools like ChatGPT and Codex inside real everyday work, proving where AI could compress time, reduce friction, and improve execution.
Frontier will play a critical role in the next phase. As HP expands from pilots to a broader portfolio of agents and AI workflows built across OpenAI tools, the company is using Frontier as a unified platform to understand what is running, what context each system can use, how actions are governed, and how outcomes are evaluated. Frontier gives HP the operating model for that motion: connecting access, context, deployment, and evaluation as the work moves from pilots toward production.
Frontier as a connective layer
For a company as complex and distributed as HP, agents need to know which context to trust, which tools they can access, what actions they are allowed to take, and how their outputs will be evaluated over time.
That connective layer under Frontier is already taking shape across several HP workstreams:
Pricing, partner, store, and customer support workflows: HP’s channel ecosystem is a major platform opportunity with more than 80% of its business flowing through partners, and 100,000+ partners using the Partner Portal globally. Frontier will help HP create a more consistent self-service layer across store, partner, chat, and voice experiences, giving customers and partners faster ways to get answers, complete routine workflows, and move toward resolution or conversion. For partners, AI agents can provide always-on guidance across program navigation, business information, and various aspects of partner operations management, shortening information-to-action times, improving satisfaction, and reducing manual load.Workforce Experience Platform (WXP) and device context: HP’s WXP platform offers a single pane of glass that can manage entire fleets of devices and provide peace of mind for CIOs. Using Frontier, HP is exploring how device telemetry, support knowledge, operational objects, schemas, and runbooks can help AI reason across fleet health signals, investigate crashes, Wi-Fi issues, and app hangs faster, eventually supporting grounded remediation.Cyber/security: Security is both a proof point and a governance layer. HP teams have used ChatGPT to proactively remediate critical vulnerabilities and speed security analysis across tools, with a directional estimate of roughly 82 hours/week of security-team capacity unlocked. As these cases scale, Frontier’s support for permissioning, evaluation, and deployment controls helps HP move quickly and free up human capital while keeping the work reviewable.ChatGPT and Codex: HP is using ChatGPT to support broad knowledge work such as research, analysis, ideation, and workflow automation, while Codex supports modernization, planning, UI scaffolding, and parallel software-delivery tasks.
Building an AI-driven operating model
What makes HP’s work with OpenAI notable is the breadth of the program under one strategic partnership, with the early proof points showing strong momentum. Frontier is helping build a connective tissue that turns pilot momentum into a governed operating model: shared context, clear permissions, evaluation, reusable deployment patterns, and a path from proof of concept to production.
For HP, AI is becoming a new layer for how work gets done across the company. With OpenAI Frontier, that layer can be built with the context, governance, and execution capacity needed to move from early wins to enterprise-wide transformation.
HP Inc. has joined OpenAI’s Frontier initiative as one of the platform’s inaugural enterprise adopters, a move that positions the hardware giant squarely in the middle of the rapidly accelerating corporate AI race. The partnership focuses on deploying AI agents across HP’s internal operations and customer-facing tools.
What the Frontier platform actually does OpenAI officially launched the Frontier platform on February 5, 2026. It’s an enterprise toolkit that lets companies build, deploy, and manage AI agents that share context, integrations, and permissions across business systems. The shift here is from individual AI productivity, one person using a chatbot to draft emails, to organizational AI deployment, where agents handle interconnected workflows at scale.
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HP is describing these agents as “AI coworkers.” Other early adopters of the Frontier platform include Intuit, Oracle, State Farm, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Uber. Dozens of additional organizations, including BBVA, Cisco, and T-Mobile, have also explored Frontier’s capabilities through pilot programs.
Why this matters beyond the tech sector OpenAI launched a Partner Network in the middle of 2026, expanding its reach into the corporate world well beyond individual API access. The Frontier platform represents the next evolution, giving organizations tools to move past the “let’s experiment with AI” phase and into full operational deployment.
The absence of any blockchain or token component in the Frontier platform is also telling. OpenAI is building its enterprise AI stack on traditional cloud infrastructure, not decentralized compute. No references to cryptocurrency, tokens, or blockchain have been reported in relation to Frontier.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Inflation charts suggest GTA 6 could be the cheapest Grand Theft Auto game ever. This is based on adjusting the prices of the previous version to 2026 economic standards.
This is validated by assessing GTA launch prices using the Consumer Price Index, or CPI. GTA 3’s $50 launch price in 2001 would equal about $94.29 in 2026.
GTA 5’s $60 launch price would equal about $85.87. GTA 6, priced at $79.99, then appears cheaper than both.
GTA 6 is the cheapest title in the series when adjusted for inflation:
— GTA 6 Countdown ⏳ (@GTAVI_Countdown) June 27, 2026 However, the problem is that CPI only tracks how prices change over time. It does not show whether people’s wages have kept up.
GTA VI Affordability TestUS Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows real average hourly earnings fell 0.7% between May 2025 and May 2026, after adjusting for inflation. That means the average worker had slightly less purchasing power, even before paying for a premium-priced game.
A better test is how many hours someone needs to work to buy the game. On that basis, GTA 6 may not feel cheaper for many buyers, especially if wages are flat and everyday costs remain high.
That creates a real challenge for Take-Two and Rockstar. GTA 6 is due to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Its $79.99 standard edition is below the $90-plus price some investors expected, and Take-Two shares fell after the announcement.
The debate also comes at a sensitive time for gaming consumers. Digital ownership concerns and rising costs have made players more cautious about what premium prices actually offer.
Inflation-adjusted charts can show how GTA 6 compares with older games on paper. They cannot show whether buyers feel richer. On current wage data, many do not.
US Wages Inflation. Source: Statista An inflation-adjusted chart can confirm that GTA 6 costs fewer historical dollars than its predecessors. What it cannot confirm is whether the people buying it have more real money to spend. On current BLS data, they have less.
TLDR:Pi Network Expands Pi2Day 2026 With AI Apps and Pi LaunchpadPi Launchpad Introduces SLICE Testnet Token Before Pi2Day Pi2Day 2026 expands Pi Network with AI development tools and new ecosystem participation features. Pi Launchpad introduced the SLICE Testnet token to improve launch testing before Mainnet releases. The Vibe Coder Campaign encourages AI developers to build and distribute applications through Pi App Studio. Pi Network says more than 60 million engaged Pioneers continue supporting ecosystem growth initiatives. Pi Network has marked Pi2Day 2026 with new ecosystem initiatives focused on AI applications, developer participation, and product testing. The updates expand existing tools while encouraging broader community involvement before the latest campaign concludes.
Pi Network is also promoting new opportunities for builders and users to contribute to ecosystem growth. The latest releases continue the project’s focus on utility, application development, and platform engagement.
Ahead of Pi2Day, Pi Network encouraged Pioneers to participate in two ecosystem initiatives before June 28. According to the Pi Core Team, the programs focus on expanding application utilities and collecting community feedback.
Pi2Day (tomorrow, June 28) is a moment to engage with new product releases and gain insight into the direction and priorities of the network.
Reminder: This year, Pioneers also have a timely opportunity to take part in app utilities expansion, community growth, and ecosystem…
— Pi Network (@PiCoreTeam) June 27, 2026
One initiative centers on the Vibe Coder Campaign. The campaign invites community members to introduce AI developers to Pi App Studio and its distribution network for applications built with artificial intelligence.
According to Pi Network’s official blog, participants can share information about Pi App Studio across online developer communities. Eligible participants may also enter a raffle for Pi merchandise after submitting qualifying posts through the Pi mining application.
🚀 PI2DAY 2026 IS HERE! 💜🎉
Today marks another major milestone in the Pi Network journey as the ecosystem continues to grow with exciting innovations, new tools, and more real-world utility for millions of Pioneers worldwide.
🌟 What's new this Pi2Day? 🤖 Vibe Coder Campaign… pic.twitter.com/mMPSjKWBeE
— Pi Community ᵖⁱ ⁿᵉᵗʷᵒʳᵏ (@pi_communityy) June 28, 2026
Pi Community highlighted Pi2Day by pointing to several ecosystem additions. The community account referenced Pi App Studio, Pi Launchpad, built-in payments, digital identity, and more than 60 million engaged Pioneers participating across the network.
Pi Launchpad Introduces SLICE Testnet Token Before Pi2Day Pi Network also expanded testing through the second Pi Launchpad Testnet token, known as SLICE. The official blog said the release follows lessons learned from the platform’s first Testnet launch.
The project stated that SLICE exists only on Testnet and will not move to Mainnet. The token allows users to experience the Launchpad process while providing practical feedback on participation mechanics.
According to Pi Network, participants can access the Launchpad through the Pi Browser. Users review the issuing project, commit Test-Pi, and interact with the connected Slice of Pi application during the testing period.
The updated Launchpad flow also introduces a fair-access hold mechanism alongside participation commitments.
Pi Network said community engagement and feedback will help refine the product before future Mainnet token launches while strengthening ecosystem development around new applications.
A new Barclays AI survey shows institutional investors now use AI across daily research and risk work. The findings give real-world weight to Marc Andreessen’s warning that energy and cooling will decide how far it can scale.
The survey polled 410 fixed-income investors across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It found AI has moved past testing and into everyday use, though humans still make the final calls.
Barclays AI Survey Shows Research Leads AdoptionResearch is the leading use. About 52% of long-only managers and asset owners use AI mainly for research, Barclays found. Another 44% of hedge funds lean on it to process market data.
Hedge funds are the heaviest users. Some 72% report using AI daily, compared with 49% of long-only managers and 38% of asset owners. That gap tracks broader signs of strong institutional AI demand.
By contrast, AI stays on the sidelines in trading and execution. Most respondents see only minor impact there, and they ranked data security as the top barrier to wider use.
Few expect the shift to cost jobs. Only 7% foresee meaningful staff cuts, while most predict higher output and steady headcount.
Barclays Survey Shows AI Becomes Core Tool for Institutional InvestorsAndreessen Ties AI Growth To Energy And CoolingMarc Andreessen, cofounder of venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, tied AI’s future to physical limits in a recent post. The framing extends his long-running case for energy abundance.
The AI:AC Hypothesis. In the future, in each country, the amount of AI will be proportional to the amount of AC. And vice versa,” Marc Andreessen said in a post.
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His point is about power and heat. AI servers draw heavy power, and cooling them draws more, feeding a steep rise in AI electricity consumption.
The IEA expects data center demand to more than double by 2030, to about 945 terawatt hours. That is close to Japan’s total power use today.
The strain falls hardest on the United States. There, data centers may soon use more power than US aluminum, steel and cement production combined, per the IEA. Regions with cheap, reliable power will attract the most AI.
What The Pairing Means For InvestorsTogether, the two threads tell one story. Barclays shows demand for AI is already here. Andreessen flags the energy and cooling limits that will sort the winners from the rest.
Institutional money is funding both sides. The hyperscalers building that capacity include Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta.
The four have set out a combined $725 billion in 2026 capital guidance, up 77% on this year.
The grid keeping pace may shape the next phase of AI energy consumption debates and the returns that follow.
