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Updated: 20 min 10 sec ago

Ethereum Bullish Signal: Whales Scoop Up 200,000 ETH

1 hour 16 min ago

On-chain data shows the Ethereum whales have participated in some notable buying, a sign that could be bullish for the ETH price.

Ethereum Whales Have Added To Their Holdings

As explained by analyst Ali Martinez in a new post on X, the supply of the Ethereum whales has recently gone up. The on-chain metric of interest here is the “Supply Distribution” from the analytics firm Santiment, which tells us about the total amount of an asset that a given wallet group is holding right now.

Addresses or investors are divided into these cohorts based on the number of coins that they are carrying in their balance. The 1 to 10 coins cohort, for instance, contains all the holders owning between 1 and 10 ETH.

In the context of the current topic, the whale group is of focus. The range of this cohort is typically defined as 10,000 to 100,000 ETH. At the current exchange rate, the lower bound converts to $26.2 million and the upper one to $262 million.

Thus, the only investors who would qualify for the group would be the big-money ones. Such holders can carry some degree of influence in the market, so their behavior, represented by the trend in their Supply Distribution, can be worth monitoring.

Here is the chart shared by Martinez that shows the trend in the Supply Distribution of the Ethereum whales over the last couple of weeks:

As is visible in the above graph, the Ethereum Supply Distribution for the 10,000 to 100,000 coins investors has recently seen an increase, implying these holders have participated in net accumulation.

In total, the whales have added 200,000 ETH (worth around $524 million) to their holdings with this buying spree. This is a significant amount and suggests some large holders think the cryptocurrency is worth buying at the current price. It only remains to be seen, however, whether this bet would pay off for these investors.

In some other news, there is a strong accumulation zone for Ethereum around the $2,500 level, as the on-chain analytics firm Glassnode has pointed out in an X post.

The above chart shows the data for the Ethereum Cost Basis Distribution Heatmap, an indicator that tells us how much of the asset’s supply was last purchased at what price levels.

“ETH’s Cost Basis Distribution Heatmap shows ~$2.5K as one of the strongest accumulation zones in months,” notes Glassnode. “Over 3.45M $ETH has a cost basis in the $2,513–$2,536 range, reinforcing this level as a major support zone.”

ETH Price

At the time of writing, Ethereum is trading around $2,600, up 3% in the last 24 hours.

Trump Media Accelerates Crypto Pursuits, Files Third ETF Filing

2 hours 17 min ago

President Donald Trump’s social media company announced on Tuesday plans to launch a new crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) that will track the prices of five different cryptocurrencies. 

The company filed paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday, aiming for approval to introduce the “Crypto Blue Chip ETF” later this year.

New Crypto Blue Chip ETF

The proposed crypto ETF is designed to allocate 70% of its holdings in Bitcoin (BTC), the leading cryptocurrency, with an additional 15% in Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest digital asset. 

It will also include 8% in Solana (SOL), hold 5% in XRP, the cryptocurrency developed by Ripple Labs, and 2% in the digital asset created by Crypto.com (CRO), which is set to serve as the ETF’s digital custodian.

This latest offering follows Trump Media’s earlier announcements about a simpler crypto ETF that only included Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, it remains unclear whether the company intends to proceed with that initial concept.

Crypto ETFs have surged in popularity, providing investors a streamlined way to gain exposure to the crypto market without the need to purchase the assets directly. The increasing interest in these funds has been evident since the first Bitcoin ETFs began trading in US markets last year.

Trump’s Crypto Strategy For The US

Recent developments in regulatory guidance from the SEC could further facilitate the launch of such products. The agency has made moves towards creating a more favorable environment for crypto businesses, including dropping or pausing several enforcement actions against crypto companies since Trump took office. 

Over the past month, the regulatory agency, under the leadership of pro-crypto SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, has moved forward to end legal disputes with key players, such as Binance, Coinbase, and Uniswap.

Interestingly, Trump’s stance on Bitcoin has evolved significantly as well. Once a skeptic of cryptocurrencies, he has since embraced the industry, which has become a source of substantial campaign contributions and support. 

While the Trump administration has actively supported crypto-friendly regulations, this has raised eyebrows among critics. Allegations of potential corruption have emerged from Democrats, alongside concerns from some within the crypto community about the implications of Trump’s family’s expanding crypto business ventures.

At a recent news conference, Trump addressed these concerns, asserting that his family’s investments were entirely appropriate and highlighting his administration’s commitment to making the US the global leader in cryptocurrency. “If we didn’t have it, China would,” the President said. 

At the time of writing, the official TRUMP memecoin is trading at $8.58. This represents a 17% drop over the past month and an 88% drop from its record high of $73, which was reached 24 hours after the token’s launch.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

Best Meme Coins Live News Today: Latest Opportunities & Updates (July 9)

2 hours 44 min ago
Get Early Alpha with Our Immediate Analysis of Today’s Best Meme Coins

Check out our Live Update Coverage on the Best Meme Coins for July 9, 2025!

Meme coins are at the helm of the current crypto rallies, and they’re fueled by viral social media campaigns, renewed retail interest, and speculation-driven volume on top CEXs and DEXs. Given the massive upside potential and low entry prices, meme coins have become a magnet for traders looking for quick gains.

Given their sky-high market cap, meme coins have Lamborghini potential (think 7-10x in a day). High-risk, high-reward players naturally love them, and so should you.

This page gives you the inside edge—live updates on trending meme coins, alpha from crypto degens, and whispers from FOMO-driven trading circles. If you’re hunting for the next 10x or 100x gem, you’re in the right place.

We update this page frequently throughout the day, as we get the latest insider insights on the best meme coins, so keep refreshing!

Disclaimer: Crypto is a high-risk investment, and you may lose your capital. Our content is informational only, and it does not constitute financial advice. We may earn affiliate commissions at no extra cost to you. Best Meme Coins Like FLOKI Set to Explode as Bulls Target Major Resistance Levels

July 9, 2025 • 09:00 UTC

FLOKI ($FLOK) is showing strong bullish signals after rebounding from a key macro trendline support that’s been respected since 2022.

The FLOKI price is up 9.32% on the day and just under 25% on the week. Analysts underline a bullish wedge pattern forming, with $0.0004 as a potential target.

Based on historical trends, if FLOKI reclaims resistance at $0.000087, a 5X rally back to previous all-time highs could follow. Past rallies from this setup have resulted in sharp vertical moves, suggesting strong upside potential if resistance breaks.

FLOKI’s bullish move could set off a chain reaction across the meme coin market, putting many of the best meme coins, especially those with strong communities like TOKEN6900, on watch for major upside.

Find out more about the best new meme coins on presale right now.

Solana Meme Coin PNUT Jumps by 10% Following Musk’s Viral Epstein Post, Lighting a Fire Under Meme Coins Like Snorter Token

July 9, 2025 • 09:00 UTC

Musk’s viral Epstein tweet coincided with a 10% $PNUT surge, which some could see as coincidence if the connection wasn’t so strong.

The tweet in question had Elon state:

They arrested (and killed) Peanut, but have not even tried to file charges against anyone on the Epstein client list.

—Elon Musk, X post

While there is no clear connection between the story of Peanut the Squirrel and Musk supporting the token $PNUT, a connection was formed incidentally. Especially since the real-world Peanut is the trademark behind the token.

$PNUT, now at $0.2241, witnessed a 10% boost the same day Musk published his tweet and is now still trading on a 5.51% push.

Musk’s previous tweets have caused surges in Floki and Dogecoin and have the power to rally the meme market as a whole, potentially fueling meme coins like Snorter Token ($SNORT.)

Snorter Token is a Solana-based Telegram bot that scans the market and auto-snipes hot tokens so you don’t have to.

Learn more about Snorter Token ($SNORT) on the presale page.

Crypto Presales Live News Today: Latest Opportunities & Updates (July 9)

2 hours 44 min ago
Stay Ahead with Our Immediate Analysis of Today’s Best Crypto Presales

Check out our Live Update Coverage on the Best Crypto Presales for July 9, 2025!

Crypto presales are kicking gains day in and day out, motivated by impactful players like Mastercard, Visa, and the influx of new ETFs. These early-stage crypto projects are often significantly more profitable than established coins like Bitcoin.

We’ll give you live updates on the trending presales, whale activities, projecting funding and development rounds, and critical alerts—everything you’ll need to get an edger.

We update this page frequently throughout the day, as we get the latest insider insights on the hottest presales, so keep refreshing!

Disclaimer: Crypto is a high-risk investment, and you may lose your capital. Our content is informational only, and it does not constitute financial advice. We may earn affiliate commissions at no extra cost to you. Binance Sees $31B Stablecoin Influx, Suggesting an Imminent Altcoin Season and Fueling the Best Presales of 2025

July 9, 2025 • 09:00 UTC

Binance just witnessed a $31B stablecoin influx, which may suggest an imminent altcoin season, according to CryptoQuant.

The reason behind the assessment is that high stablecoin reserves translate to latent capital, waiting to be deployed. That’s because stablecoins are essentially low-volatility assets which will eventually cause a liquidity explosion.

Crypto analyst Mickybull noticed a similar pattern with Ethereum in June, when, based on the Wyckoff Method, predicted a ‘big rally,’ potentially pushing $ETH up to $10,000 this cycle.

The current stablecoin influx is dominated by Tether (USDT) and suggests that traders may position themselves for a booming stablecoin rally.

When that happens, the entire market could witness upward price pressure, including some of the best presales of 2025, like TOKEN6900 ($T6900), Snorter Token ($SNORT), and Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER).

Learn more about the best presales in 2025 here.

The Market Hints at a Potential Bitcoin Rally, With Bitcoin Hyper on its Tracks

July 9, 2025 • 09:00 UTC

Prediction market Myriad highlights a noticeable shift in the market’s perception regarding Bitcoin’s coming performance.

Traders are currently 52.6% to 47.4% in favor of Bitcoin breaking through the $109,000 ceiling on July 11 at 11:59 PM UTC. The favorable view is also 9.4% up, so it’s likely to increase by then.

The pinpoint-specific date, down to the minute, marks the traders’ confidence in Bitcoin’s resolution to break through the immediate resistance levels.

The current pro-crypto context, with Strategy raising an additional $4.2B for an incoming massive Bitcoin buy and Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill being passed by Congress, creates the perfect storm for Bitcoin to thrive.

And when Bitcoin will rally, so too will presales like Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER).

Bitcoin Hyper is Bitcoin’s official Layer 2 upgrade designed to dramatically scale Bitcoin’s transaction speeds and lower on-chain costs.

Learn more about Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) on the presale page.

 

Industry Coalition Urges House Of Representatives To Support CLARITY Act Ahead Of ‘Crypto Week’

3 hours 17 min ago

Ahead of an important week for digital assets legislation, Stand With Crypto (SWC) and over 60 other industry firms sent a letter urging House lawmakers to champion clear regulations for the industry and unlock its potential.

Industry Coalition Pushes For CLARITY Act Approval

On Monday, advocacy group Stand With Crypto, alongside 65 other firms and groups, sent a letter to the US House of Representatives urging lawmakers to support the bipartisan Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act of 2025 as the US approaches a “pivotal crossroad.”

The industry coalition argued that digital assets continue to reshape the global economy, despite some efforts to “politicize crypto legislation,” adding that the US risks falling behind unless pro-crypto policies that fully embrace blockchain technology are quickly adopted.

There are already signs of U.S. crypto leadership slipping. We cannot afford to let inaction and uncertainty jeopardize our ability to secure Americaʼs economic future. Above all else the U.S. crypto industry needs market structure — which ensures there are clear rules of the road and provides the regulatory clarity that developers, users, and advocates need to continue innovating.

The letter explains that digital assets are “providing a foundation for a more inclusive, transparent, and secure digital economy,” and “opening doors for economic opportunity, innovation, and financial empowerment on a scale weʼve never seen before.”

As such, crypto developers require clear guidance and safeguards to continue building blockchain systems, with standards for transparency, security, and accountability, and where users can control their digital assets.

The lack of standardized rules has hindered institutional adoption, innovation, and pushed talent and businesses to more industry-friendly jurisdictions outside the US. Nonetheless, passing the long-awaited market structure bill would address these issues, the crypto coalition argues.

House Lawmakers Prepare For ‘Crypto Week’

Notably, SWC’s letter comes ahead of the highly anticipated “Crypto Week,” which will see the review of three key legislations during the week of July 14 to 18, including the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act.

As reported by Bitcoinist, House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill, House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson, and Speaker Mike Johnson announced the upcoming discussion on rules on stablecoins, market structure, and central bank digital currency as part of Congress’s efforts to make America the crypto capital of the world.

Chairman Thompson affirmed that “it will soon be time for the House to deliver for the American people and send CLARITY to the Senate. I thank House Leadership for recognizing the urgent need for CLARITY to cement American leadership in the digital asset space.”

The bipartisan bill was introduced on May 29 by Chairman Hill, aiming to establish a regulatory framework for crypto assets and provide the long-awaited clarity and protection for the industry.

If passed, the legislation will assign clear roles and responsibilities to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which would “not only enable and empower developers to innovate, but also protect consumers through choice, foster greater participation in the blockchain economy, and strengthen national security.”

Nearly a month ago, the bill passed its two committee markups, but it still needs to pass the full House vote and the Senate before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk.

 However, its path to approval has been uncertain, as House Democrats have heavily criticized the bill, and some lawmakers have pushed to merge it with the GENIUS Act, making next week’s debate a pivotal moment for the legislation.

Bitcoin Breaking Out Of Descending Broadening Wedge – Can Bulls Push BTC To $144,000?

4 hours 47 min ago

Over the past week, Bitcoin (BTC) has been seesawing within a narrow price range of $107,000 to $110,000, offering little clarity on the direction of its next major move. However, the latest technical analysis suggests that the flagship cryptocurrency may be on the verge of a breakout to the upside, potentially eyeing a new all-time high (ATH).

Bitcoin Set To Clear Descending Broadening Wedge

According to a recent X post by crypto trader Merlijn The Trader, Bitcoin appears poised to break out of a bullish descending broadening wedge pattern. The trader noted that if BTC can sustain support above the $104,000 level, it may target a potential high of $144,000.

For the uninitiated, a descending broadening wedge is a bullish chart pattern formed by two diverging trendlines sloping downward, where price makes lower highs and lower lows over time. It suggests growing volatility and selling exhaustion, often leading to a breakout to the upside once resistance is broken.

The following two-day chart shows BTC adhering to this pattern since early January 2025. A significant reversal occurred in April, when Bitcoin surged from a local low of around $76,000 to over $100,000 in just a few weeks.

Meanwhile, fellow crypto analyst Ted Pillows shared a similar outlook. He shared the following weekly BTC chart, noting that Bitcoin just posted its highest-ever weekly close. He also highlighted that the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator has formed a bullish cross – similar to the setup in Q4 2024.

To explain, MACD bullish cross occurs when the MACD line – short-term moving average – crosses above the signal line  – longer-term moving average – signaling a potential shift from bearish to bullish momentum. This crossover is often seen as an early indicator of a price uptrend or buying opportunity.

Bitcoin experienced strong price appreciation in Q4 2024, climbing from approximately $58,000 on October 6 to $108,000 by December 15. At the time, the rally was also fueled by renewed market optimism following Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.

BTC Price May Stall Temporarily

While Bitcoin seems poised to set new ATHs in the near term, some analysts caution that a short pause in the uptrend may occur. For instance, seasoned analyst Ali Martinez observed that some long-term holders are beginning to take profits.

Similarly, strong US employment data for June 2025 is likely to force the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to delay interest rate cuts, which may result in a temporary price pullback in risk-on assets, including BTC.

That said, Bitcoin’s weekly RSI continues to trend upward, offering bulls hope that a new high may be within reach. At press time, BTC is trading at $108,160, down 0.1% over the past 24 hours.

Bitcoin Volatility Hits Bull Cycle Low – Bollinger Bands Signal Potential Breakout

6 hours 17 min ago

Bitcoin has remained in a tight consolidation range below its all-time high of $112,000 since late May, frustrating both bulls and bears. Despite multiple failed breakout attempts, BTC has held key demand zones above critical support levels, suggesting strong underlying strength. As price compresses, volatility is declining — a classic sign that a major move could be imminent.

Top analyst Axel Adler shared fresh data indicating that Bitcoin is currently experiencing a textbook Bollinger Bands squeeze. The spread between the upper and lower bands has narrowed to just 7.7%, marking one of the tightest ranges seen throughout the current bull cycle. Historically, such compressions have preceded explosive moves in either direction. Given Bitcoin’s position above support and within a broader uptrend, the probability favors an upside breakout.

This technical setup, combined with macroeconomic tailwinds and renewed investor interest, could serve as the catalyst for BTC to finally push into price discovery. If confirmed, it would not only open the door for a run beyond $112K but also reset expectations across the crypto market. In the coming days, all eyes will be on how Bitcoin responds to this mounting pressure.

Bitcoin Consolidates As Bollinger Bands Squeeze Signals Next Move

Bitcoin continues to consolidate just below its all-time high of $112,000, frustrating bulls and bears alike. Despite ongoing resistance at the top, bears have failed to drive the price below $105,000, confirming strong demand at key support levels. As the price tightens, the broader macroeconomic picture adds complexity to the outlook.

The US Congress recently passed President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” economic bill just before the July 4 deadline. The package includes tax cuts and aggressive public spending, which are expected to fuel inflation in the coming quarters. Coupled with optimistic job data, these developments are shaping investor sentiment across traditional and crypto markets.

On the technical side, Axel Adler highlighted a classic Bollinger Bands squeeze currently forming on Bitcoin’s chart. The range between the upper and lower bands has compressed to just 7.7%—one of the tightest readings seen throughout the ongoing bull cycle. This kind of volatility drop suggests energy accumulation, with the price preparing for a significant move.

Historical patterns offer insight: of six major Bollinger Band squeezes this cycle, four resulted in immediate upside moves, and two triggered brief corrections before rallies resumed. With this precedent, Adler believes the current setup most likely foreshadows a bullish breakout, although minor consolidation beforehand is still possible.

BTC Price Holds Above Key Moving Averages

The 12-hour Bitcoin chart shows BTC trading at $108,892, struggling to break above the key resistance zone around $109,300. This level has acted as a rejection point multiple times since early June, confirming its strength. Despite the recent pullback, price remains above the 50 SMA ($106,442) and 100 SMA ($106,671), indicating bullish momentum is still in play.

Importantly, bulls have defended the $106,000–$107,000 support range several times, preventing deeper corrections and keeping BTC within a tight consolidation range. Volume has declined in recent sessions, suggesting the market is waiting for a catalyst to break out of this range. If Bitcoin closes decisively above $109,300 on strong volume, a run toward the $112,000 all-time high becomes increasingly likely.

On the downside, a break below the 100 SMA could expose BTC to the next major support around $103,600, a key level that has held since mid-May. The 200 SMA (currently at $99,093) remains a long-term support zone that hasn’t been tested in months.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

Metaplanet Moves On Digital Bank Acquisition As It Scales Bitcoin Strategy

7 hours 47 min ago

Tokyo-listed Metaplanet has quietly become one of the world’s biggest corporate Bitcoin holders. It owns 15,555 BTC today. Based on reports, its CEO Simon Gerovich wants to boost that to more than 210,000 BTC by 2027. That goal would put the firm’s stash at 1% of all Bitcoin that will ever exist.

Racing To Build A Bitcoin Nest Egg

According to Gerovich, the company started buying Bitcoin in 2024. At first, it was just a hedge against rising prices. Now it feels more like a sprint. On Monday, Metaplanet spent $237 million to add 2,204 BTC to its vault.

At about $108,600 per coin, that purchase lifted its average price per BTC to roughly $99,985. Investors have taken notice. The share price is up 340% this year, even though the company still makes only modest revenue.

Japanese microstrategy Metaplanet announced that its Bitcoin strategy has entered the second phase, planning to use BTC as collateral leverage to acquire cash flow businesses. Potential targets include Japanese digital banks, providing digital banking services that are better…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 8, 2025

Plans To Turn Crypto Into Cash

According to reports, Metaplanet has two phases for this strategy. Phase one is about accumulation. Phase two will use Bitcoin as collateral to borrow cash. That borrowed money would fund deals to buy profitable businesses.

Gerovich has mentioned a digital bank in Japan as an example. He thinks the firm could offer better services than current banks provide. In April, big names such as Standard Chartered and OKX began pilot programs for crypto‑backed loans. Metaplanet hopes to follow their lead but on a larger scale.

Sizing Up The Competition

Metaplanet now ranks among the top five companies in Bitcoin holdings. For comparison, Strategy holds over 597,000 BTC and sports a $112 billion market cap. Metaplanet, by contrast, has a market value above $7 billion.

Both companies believe that Bitcoin will outperform cash over the long haul. But Gerovich has ruled out convertible debt. He prefers issuing preferred shares. He doesn’t want to face arbitrary repayments tied to a shifting share price.

Promises And Pitfalls Of A Bitcoin‑Powered Model

Borrowing against Bitcoin carries risks. Banks usually put steep “haircuts” on collateral. If Bitcoin’s price slides, Metaplanet could face margin calls.

Regulators in Japan have yet to fully embrace crypto‑backed lending. That uncertainty could slow down or even halt the plan.

Then there is the challenge of integrating a digital bank. Metaplanet started as a hotel operator. Running a bank requires a very different skill set.

Metaplanet’s gamble is bold. It offers a fresh twist on how companies can use Bitcoin. If all goes well, it could pioneer a new breed of corporate finance.

If things go wrong, this Tokyo firm may struggle under the weight of its own ambition. Either way, its next moves will be watched closely by both crypto bulls and wary bankers.

Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin Trading Below Historical Bull Market Levels: Mayer Multiple Suggests BTC Is Undervalued

9 hours 17 min ago

Bitcoin is holding steady above the $108,000 level, maintaining a bullish structure despite repeated failures to break through its all-time high near $112,000. The price is consolidating in a tight short-term range, and whichever side breaks first will likely set the tone for the coming weeks. This period of low volatility may be the calm before the storm, as buyers and sellers prepare for the next major move.

According to data from CryptoQuant, the Mayer Multiple — a classic indicator that measures Bitcoin’s price relative to its 200-day moving average — currently stands at 1.1x. This puts BTC in the “neutral” zone (0.8–1.5x), far below the overbought conditions typically seen in the late stages of bull markets. Historically, readings below 1.5x suggest that Bitcoin still has significant upside potential before hitting speculative extremes.

As the market awaits a breakout, investors are closely watching this metric for confirmation that BTC is still undervalued compared to past bull cycles. If Bitcoin can hold its current levels and push decisively above resistance, the neutral Mayer Multiple reading could serve as a launchpad for a renewed bullish trend — but failure to break out may invite a wave of short-term selling.

Bitcoin Holds Firm Amid Mixed Signals

Bitcoin price action has left many bulls frustrated, as the market continues to grind below its all-time high without a clear breakout. After weeks of consolidation near the $110K mark, traders are bracing for a decisive move. While the structure remains intact and support has held above $105K, the failure to push above previous highs could increase the probability of a sharp correction, potentially dragging BTC below critical demand levels that have served as a floor for the past month.

On the macro front, uncertainty appears to be easing. Conflicts in the Middle East are winding down, and US stock markets continue to set new all-time highs, signaling renewed risk appetite. However, not all signals are bullish. Rising inflation and elevated US Treasury yields have reintroduced systemic risk concerns, keeping investors on alert.

Top analyst Axel Adler offered a more optimistic perspective, pointing to the Mayer Multiple — a time-tested model that compares BTC price to its 200-day moving average. Currently sitting at 1.1x, the indicator remains firmly within the neutral zone (0.8–1.5x) and well below levels historically associated with market tops. Adler notes that this suggests Bitcoin is still trading at a discount to previous bull markets, and could have significant room to rally if momentum returns.

With mixed macroeconomic data and a neutral valuation model, Bitcoin’s next move will depend on whether bulls can reclaim control. A clean breakout above all-time highs would likely ignite a new phase of price discovery. But until then, caution prevails — the longer BTC stalls, the more likely sellers will test support.

BTC Consolidates Below All-Time High

Bitcoin continues to consolidate just below its all-time high, trading at $108,474 at the time of writing. The 3-day chart shows price action tightly compressed between key levels, with strong support at $103,600 and resistance at $109,300 — the latter being tested repeatedly over the last two weeks. This range-bound structure reflects indecision as bulls attempt to break higher, while bears fail to reclaim control.

Notably, BTC remains firmly above the 50-day (blue), 100-day (green), and 200-day (red) moving averages, indicating underlying strength in the trend. Volume remains moderate, but it has picked up during upward moves, suggesting continued buy-side interest near support.

The longer BTC holds above $105K and maintains this higher low structure, the greater the probability of a breakout toward uncharted territory above $112K. However, rejection at the $109K level could lead to another retest of support zones. Momentum indicators, while not shown, are likely flattening, consistent with the sideways action.

Given the narrowing range and rising tension between support and resistance, a decisive move is imminent. Traders should watch for a clean breakout above $109,300 or breakdown below $103,600 — either will likely define Bitcoin’s direction heading into Q3.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin Miners Quiet Down—Volume Hits Lowest Since 2022

10 hours 47 min ago

On-chain data shows the Bitcoin miners have seen a drop in activity as their transaction volume share has declined to multi-year lows.

Bitcoin Miner Volume Is Now At Its Lowest Since November 2022

According to data from the institutional DeFi solutions provider Sentora (formerly IntoTheBlock), the Bitcoin Miners’ Volume Share has recently gone down. This on-chain indicator measures, as its name suggests, the percentage of the BTC transaction volume that the miner-related transfers occupy.

Below is the chart shared by Sentora that shows the trend in the Bitcoin Miners’ Volume Share over the past decade:

As displayed in the graph, the Bitcoin Miners’ Volume Share remained at a high level last year, indicating that the miners were participating in a notable amount of activity. On a few occasions, the indicator even crossed or hit the 20% mark, meaning that these chain validators contributed to one-fifth of the total network volume.

This year, the metric has witnessed a significant fall-off, and the decline has only deepened recently, with its value dropping to a low of just 3.3%. From the chart, it’s visible that this is the lowest that the indicator has been since November 2022, when the bear market reached its bottom.

Generally, miners transfer coins when they want to participate in selling, so their activity being low can suggest that they don’t have much appetite for selling. It only remains to be seen, though, what effect this has on the Bitcoin price, if any.

In some other news, as Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards has pointed out in an X post, the recent Digital Mining Industry Report from Cambridge has revealed that 75% of all reported mining activity now occurs in the US.

Just four years back, 50% of all mining took place in China, but the ban in the country meant that miners had to take operations elsewhere. “Bitcoin is officially now ‘Made in America,'” notes Edwards.

The report has also reconfirmed the average miner electricity cost: $45/MWh. According to the analyst, Capriole’s BTC Production Cost model had been using this same figure for years. This electricity cost represents 80% of the expense that these chain validators incur to run their operations.

“Bitcoin Production Cost is one of the highest value indicators for sniping incredible Bitcoin buying opportunities, so it’s great to have these critical data points re-validated and accurate for 2025,” says Edwards.

BTC Price

Bitcoin continues to move sideways as its price is still trading around the $108,800 mark.

XRP Price Closes Highest Quarterly Candle In History

11 hours 46 min ago

The XRP market just recorded one of its most defining moments in history as it closed its highest-ever quarterly candle. This most recent high is a major structural achievement for XRP, especially considering the fact that XRP has often moved in long, drawn-out consolidations. This new record somewhat confirms XRP’s position in the long term, and this might be the beginning of a new explosive uptrend for the cryptocurrency.

Q2 Quarterly Candle Closes At Record High

XRP has just posted its highest-ever quarterly candle close, breaking decisively above the multi-year resistance zone around $2.25, a level previously unbreached on quarter-end closes. As illustrated in the XRP/U.S. Dollar 3-month candlestick chart below, the latest three-month candle exceeds all historical quarterly closes and marks a clean breakout from years of consolidation. The chart was first shared on the social media platform X by crypto analyst Steph Is Crypto.

This chart offers an interesting insight into XRP’s long-term momentum, as the latest three-month candlestick marks the third consecutive quarterly close that registers a higher high. The importance of these higher highs cannot be overstated for bullish momentum, as quarterly candles are often seen as stronger trend indicators compared to daily or weekly bars. 

Furthermore, the sequence of candles shows that the XRP price is steadily building above a long-standing resistance region that has capped XRP since early 2018. This level was previously the 3-month candlestick close during XRP’s all-time high run in 2018, and it has now been flipped into strong support. 

Why This Matters For XRP Price Action Going Forward

XRP closed the second quarter of 2025 at $2.38 against the U.S. Dollar, marking a 14% increase from the first quarter close of $2.08. This Q1 close itself was already a notable shift upward from the $2.07 close observed at the end of Q4 2024. Although all three quarters featured candlestick wicks that extended beyond these closing values, it’s the closing prices that offer the clearest picture of sustained momentum. Their steady increase shows that XRP’s price action is gradually moving up in range. 

From a technical perspective, the new higher quarterly close solidifies the breakout structure from $2.25 on the macro timeframe. Quarterly closes as more reliable signals than shorter-term moves, since they are less susceptible to volatility and manipulation. A close of this magnitude means XRP has entered a new price discovery phase above $2.25, and there’s now a strong case for the cryptocurrency to push into new all-time highs.

Moving forward, this $2.25 price level is now expected to act as support for any future pullbacks in the larger timeframe. As such, the path to higher levels of $3, $3.5, $4, $5, and beyond may unfold with fewer obstacles than in previous cycles.

At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $2.26.

Crypto Fraud Exposed: 2 Londoners Get 12 Years For $2M Scam

12 hours 47 min ago

Crypto scammers continue to believe they can get away with their dirty tactics. Two residents of Greater London have been sent to prison after swindling more than £1.54 million—about $2.1 million—from at least 65 people.

Sentences of over five years for Raymondip Bedi and six years for Patrick Mavanga came down this week. According to a press release from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, the duo ran a sham crypto scheme between February 2017 and June 2019 that left dozens out of pocket.

FCA Uncovers Massive Fake Crypto Platform

Based on reports from the FCA, Bedi and Mavanga cold‑called potential investors and directed them to a website that promised big returns on digital assets. The site looked legit, but it was entirely fake.

Victims were shown graphs and figures that never existed. Money went straight into the pair’s accounts. No real crypto trades happened.

Raymondip Bedi and Patrick Mavanga have been sentenced to a combined total of 12 years for cold-calling victims to sell fake crypto investments, defrauding at least 65 investors.

Read more https://t.co/9Re7XaRFZJ #FinancialCrime #FraudPrevention #FinancialRegulation #Crypto pic.twitter.com/s7121kHXHk

— Financial Conduct Authority (@TheFCA) July 4, 2025

Victims Misled With Promises Of High Returns

Individuals who responded to those calls were informed they could double, even triple their money within months. It was an easy sell. Easy money, no risk. But subsequent bank statements revealed funds vanished into shell firms owned and run by the two men.

Bedi pleaded guilty in May 2023 to conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and money laundering. Mavanga pleaded guilty in June 2023 to the same offenses along with possession of false ID documents.

Court Hears Details Of The Scheme

At a hearing this week, prosecutors noted that the pair made cold calls day after day. They targeted 65 investors in total. Some lost as little as £5,000; others gave up to £200,000.

All were told they’d get at least 10% returns every month. But no payouts ever arrived. The FCA’s joint executive director of enforcement, Steve Smart, said the sentences send a clear warning: crime won’t pay.

Victims Urged To Stay Alert

Smart added that genuine investment firms don’t ring out of the blue with guaranteed profits. He urged anyone approached with such deals to hang up and check the FCA’s register.

He reminded people: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The watchdog has tightened its oversight in recent years, tracking down dozens of crypto‑related frauds.

A Wake‑Up Call For Crypto Investors

This case shows that regulators are watching digital assets as closely as traditional markets. It also highlights how the phone remains a tool for crooks.

Investors should always verify who they’re dealing with. Look up companies on the FCA website, ask for official paperwork, and never rush into a deal.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

New Bitcoin Scam Unfolds: Old Wallets, Fake Lawyers

13 hours 47 min ago

BitMEX Research sounded an alarm on 8 July after spotting what it calls “an ongoing Bitcoin scam.” In a X post the analytics desk described a wave of tiny “dust” transactions sent to pre-2012 Bitcoin addresses that still contain large, untouched balances. Each transaction carries an OP_RETURN message that reads: “NOTICE TO OWNER: see salomonbros[.]com/owner_notice.” One of the targets is the famous 1Feex wallet holding almost 80,000 BTC stolen from Mt. Gox in March 2011—funds now worth roughly $8.6 billion.

Bitcoin Scam Alert

The link embedded in the OP_RETURN string resolves to a slick website branded “Salomon Brothers,” complete with an “advisory board” of genuine 1980s bond-trading luminaries. The site claims to have taken “constructive possession” of the dormant wallets and gives any “bona fide owner” ninety days—until 5 October 2025—to prove ownership or forfeit all rights. Proof, it says, can be provided either by signing an on-chain transaction or by submitting personal information through a web form.

BitMEX Research calls the set-up “a Calvin Ayre-style legal scam,” echoing past attempts by Craig Wright and associates to seize the Mt. Gox coins via creative legal theories. Independent investigators agree: security analyst @0xZilayo labelled the OP_RETURN notices “most definitely phishing attempts and have no legitimacy.”

The scam coincides with a burst of coordinated activity uncovered by blockchain sleuths. On 4 July—a US holiday that saw record-breaking on-chain movement—80,000 BTC were transferred out of eight decade-old wallets within minutes of each other, each wallet having first received a trio of OP_RETURN messages culminating in the “Salomon Brothers” notice.

Researchers believe the scammers are exploiting OP_RETURN because the opcode lets them “graffiti” arbitrary text onto the blockchain without spending significant funds, guaranteeing that any future owner—or curious on-chain watcher—will see the notice.

BitMEX’s advice is blunt: “Do NOT fill in this form.” Anyone holding coins in an address that receives one of these messages can prove control safely by moving funds to a fresh wallet; anyone without the private key has nothing to gain and much to lose by responding. Law-enforcement agencies have been notified, but no jurisdiction has yet announced an investigation.

The episode underscores a growing trend: attackers are reaching back into Bitcoin’s early history, exploiting both technical primitives (OP_RETURN messaging) and legal grey areas to monetize dormant or stolen coins. It also highlights the enduring magnetism of the Mt. Gox saga, which—more than a decade after the hack—still tempts opportunists to stake spurious claims on the exchange’s missing treasure.

For now, the safest course is to treat any unsolicited legal notice broadcast via the blockchain with extreme skepticism. In Bitcoin, possession of the private key remains the only proof of ownership that matters—no matter what an OP_RETURN string or a glossy website might say.

At press time, BTC traded at $108,811.

XRP Price About To Explode: XRPBTC Could Repeat 2017 Fractal

14 hours 46 min ago

The XRP price may be on the edge of a major explosion, as a new fractal report by a market expert, known as the ‘Charting Guy’ on the X social media, reveals an almost perfect repeat of the XRPBTC bull run in 2017. With its current chart mirroring the same timing and structure, the analyst suggests that XRP is now entering the critical phase that previously led to its historic surge. 

XRPBTC Mirrors Historic 2017 Bull Pattern

On July 7, the Charting Guy released a technical analysis of the XRP/BTC trading pair, indicating that XRP could be gearing up for a massive breakout that mirrors its historic 2017 bull cycle structure. The analyst’s report presents a zoomed-in fractal overlay of the current XRPBTC price action with a pattern from the 2017 rally, revealing an almost exact match in timing, direction, and structure. 

The Charting Guy disclosed that this fractal had accurately forecasted both the December and January local highs down to the exact day, reinforcing confidence in its predictive reliability. Furthermore, the XRP/BTC chart shows the trading pair consolidating through the first half of 2025 after a strong run-up that mirrored the initial 2017 move.

In August, the pair experienced a sharp reversal and breakout to the upside, just as the fractal predicted. As a result, the trajectory of the overlaid fractal suggests that XRP/BTC may now be entering the parabolic phase of the cycle, similar to the final months of 2017, where price surged to peak levels. 

While the fractal is not intended to predict the exact price levels of XRP/BTC, its alignment in timing and structure suggests that the trading pair could continue following its historical trajectory. If the pattern plays out perfectly, XRP may rally hard against Bitcoin in the coming months, potentially replicating one of its most explosive phases of its 2017 market rally. For now, the Charting Guy has urged traders to closely monitor the pair’s next moves over the coming months. 

XRP Price Forecasted To Outperform Bitcoin

In other news, the Charting Guy recently reposted an insightful analysis on the XRP/BTC trading pair by Matt Hughes, a crypto analyst and chartist on X. In this post, XRP shows signs of a significant bullish move as both its Bitcoin and USD trading pairs approach critical levels on the weekly timeframe. 

The charts for both XRP/BTC and XRP/USD reveal strikingly similar structures, with the altcoin in each pair interacting with the upper boundary of the Ichimoku Cloud indicator. On the XRP/BTC chart, Hughes highlights that price action has recently broken into the cloud and is now testing its upper boundary. This behavior suggests a potential breakout to the upside, indicating that XRP could outperform Bitcoin if bullish momentum continues.

Likewise, the XRP/USD chart displays a structure that closely mirrors XRPBTC, with the altcoin now trading at the edge of the weekly cloud. The alignment across both pairs reinforces the likelihood of a bullish breakout. If the breakout holds, it could mark the beginning of a new upward phase for XRP, with projections implying a move well above current levels.  

XRP’s Prospects Of A Surge To $2.60 Strengthen As Key Chart Pattern Takes Shape

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 23:00

Despite recent volatility and sharp pullbacks, XRP, the third-largest crypto asset, has strongly maintained its position above the $2 price mark. With multiple indicators flashing bullish signals, the altcoin’s ongoing upward action may extend toward higher price levels in the upcoming days.

A Bullish Pattern Emerging On The XRP Chart

XRP has regained upside traction as the asset saw a sudden bounce on Monday. Its sudden upsurge has drawn the attention of the market, with crypto analysts predicting an impending surge toward key resistance levels.

After examining the current price action, Ali Martinez, a technical analyst and investor, has underscored the potential for XRP to surge in the upcoming days. Presently, the asset is capturing fresh attention in the crypto market as a compelling chart formation unfolds on the 1-hour time frame chart. 

Specifically, Ali Martinez highlighted that an Inverse Head and Shoulders pattern is emerging on the XRP’s chart, indicating a growing bullish momentum. With this pattern unfolding, it serves as a sign that the altcoin could be gearing up for a breakout move.

An inverse head and shoulders formation is a technical chart pattern that is characterized by a lower trough as the head and two higher troughs as the shoulders. This technical pattern is considered a bullish structure that hints at a change in direction from the downside to the upside.

According to the expert, the emergence of the inverse head and shoulders pattern is setting the stage for a potential bounce. Once the altcoin breaks out of the pattern, Martinez anticipates a push toward the $2.60 mark, positioned at the 1.618 Fibonacci level. 

While the experts foresee a bounce to the $2.60 zone, XRP is likely to witness several hurdles before rallying to this level. Looking at the chart shared by Martinez, the first key hurdle is the $2.45 range at the 1.272 fib level after a breakout occurs. 

If XRP surpasses this crucial level, the subsequent resistance is positioned at $2.50, with a fib of 1.414. Given that the current bullish market state persists, the token could break this level and finally hit the anticipated $2.560 target.

Is The Current Surge The Beginning Of A Move To New Heights?

Although XRP is witnessing brief upside actions, a massive rally may be imminent. Captain Faibik, a crypto analyst, has predicted a surge to a new all-time high as momentum builds.

According to the expert, XRP’s price is on the verge of the next bullish rally, with a breakout in sight. Captain Faibik’s forecast is based on an impending breakout from a massive triangle pattern, which appears to have been visible since November last year.

When this breakout from the triangle pattern takes place, Captain Faibik expects the altcoin to rally to uncharted territory, placing the next target at $4.60. The analyst believes this fresh price level could be attained in Q3, as the quarter is setting up to be “an absolute monster rally.”

Trump Vs. Musk Gets Ugly—Could Crypto Take A Hit In The Crossfire?

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 22:00

US President Donald Trump lashed out at Elon Musk on Truth Social late Sunday after Musk revealed plans for a new political group.

Musk had posted on X on July 5 that he wanted to launch the “America Party.” Trump fired back on July 6, calling the move a sign that Musk has gone “completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a “Train Wreck” over the past five weeks.”

America Party Faces Early Questions

According to Musk’s July 5 post, he wants a third option for voters fed up with the two main parties. Based on reports, he’s yet to file formal paperwork or outline how the America Party would win ballot access in key states.

By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!

When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.

Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. https://t.co/9K8AD04QQN

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2025

Trump pointed out that third parties have never broken through in modern US politics. He also took a shot at Democrats, saying they’ve “lost their confidence and their minds” over his recent crypto projects.

Musk Pushes Back On Big Spending Bill

In recent weeks, Musk criticized what he called the “Big Beautiful Bill,” a massive spending package in Congress. He wrote on X that it was a “disgusting abomination” packed with “pork.”

“Disgusting abomination.” That’s how @elonmusk described @realDonaldTrump’s flagship domestic policy bill in a scathing series of posts on X.

Musk criticised the bill for being “pork-filled” and warned it would massively inflate the U.S. budget deficit, calling out lawmakers… pic.twitter.com/TU69sJsLGQ

— Outlook Business (@outlookbusiness) June 4, 2025

Trump responded by reminding Musk that he plans to end the federal electric vehicle mandate, something Musk supposedly agreed to without complaint. That swipe hints at a deeper split over how much the government should steer clean‑energy policy.

Market Traders Keep Watching

Cryptocurrency prices barely budged after Trump’s post. Bitcoin remains above $108,000 and has held that level since early summer. Dogecoin – the memecoin that has been closely associated with Musk – trades near $0.16, bouncing off that mark several times in the last 24 hours.

TRUMP coin dipped to about $8.47 following Trump’s comments, then bounced right back as fans shrugged it off. Based on reports from crypto analysts, the feud could still add volatility if it drags regulators or big investors into the fray.

What Third Parties Really Need

History shows that building a new party takes more than social‑media polls. You need grassroots organizers, hundreds of thousands of petition signatures and millions in funding.

Musk’s fanbase might help with online buzz, but turning clicks into real voters is a different challenge. Trump noted this gap and cast doubt on whether Musk has a plan beyond stirring the pot on X.

Next Moves Could Matter

It’s still early days. If Musk files with the Federal Election Commission or names state directors, the story will shift from rumor to reality. And if Trump follows up with threats to pull back support for Tesla or SpaceX contracts, markets might start to pay closer attention.

For now, though, it’s mostly a public spat. Both men are used to moving markets, including crypto, with a single tweet or post, but so far neither side has shown the playbook that would really change the game.

Featured image from Nine, chart from TradingView

It’s ‘Make Or Break’ Time For XRP As Fib Extension Points To $5.30 Top

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 21:00

Crypto analyst Guy declared that it is ‘make or break’ time for XRP, with the altcoin set to break out from its current range. The analyst predicted that the altcoin could rally to the upside, with a new all-time high (ATH) of $5.30 in sight. 

XRP Eyes Rally To $5.30 With Imminent Breakout 

In an X post, Guy predicted that XRP could rally to as high as $5.30. This came as he noted that the altcoin was on its way to test the top of the range again. Based on this, the analyst remarked that it is make-or-break time for XRP. He also indicated that the current setup was perfect for a potential rally to the upside. 

Guy stated that the extension target for XRP now sits around $2.55, depending on when the altcoin reaches this range. Meanwhile, he claimed a break above the $2.55 price level would confirm the start of a new uptrend. Once that happens, the next targets would be the current ATH of $3.84 and the Fibonacci extension at $5.30. 

The $2.33 could be the key to kickstarting this uptrend for XRP. In a subsequent X post, Guy stated that this level is kind of important. He explained that it marks a clear range top, which, if XRP breaks, it should rally to at least $2.55. A rally to this $2.55 would bring the altcoin to a local high, which it achieved in May earlier this year. 

Back then, XRP rallied to as high as $2.6 as the Bitcoin price reached a new ATH. However, the altcoin’s yearly high is the $3.2 level, which it reached at the start of the year. That brought it close to its current all-time high. 

Momentum Is Building For The Altcoin

In an X post, crypto analyst CasiTrades declared that XRP’s momentum is building and that the breakout is close. She claimed that the current price structure is developing with classic bullish continuation signals. The analyst further noted that the altcoin has seen multiple higher lows, followed by a reclaim of the $2.25, which is also the apex of the multi-month consolidation. 

CasiTrades stated that the apex reclaim, after a textbook fakeout, is the kind of technical signal that confirms that sentiment has flipped and accumulation has completed. She noted that XRP is now sitting just below the local resistance of $2.30. Once this level breaks, the analyst remarked that the next targets are likely $2.69 and $.04, which are both major Fibonacci levels.

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $2.26, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Bitcoin Options Market Cools Off, Echoing Familiar Summer Slowdowns – What This Means

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 20:00

Following a resurgence of bullish sentiment across the cryptocurrency landscape, Bitcoin underwent a sharp rally and has since maintained this remarkable upward momentum, with its price holding strongly above the $108,000 mark. Amidst BTC’s renewed rally is a slowdown in the options market, which is currently mirroring past negative trends.

Summer Slowdown Hits Bitcoin Options

Since recovery from its pullback, Bitcoin has remained in an upward trajectory and appears to have found stability above the $108,000 level. Despite this notable upside performance of the flagship asset, a worrying trend has been observed in BTC’s on-chain and market dynamics.

Popular on-chain data and financial platform, Glassnode, has reported a negative development in the Bitcoin options market. Presently, the BTC options market is starting to exhibit clear signs of slowing down despite the recent upward price action.

While the market is cooling down, the development is echoing familiar trends observed during previous periods of less desire for speculation. Recent on-chain data shows that both implied volatility and trading volumes have significantly decreased lately, which may indicate that traders are reducing their exposure as sentiment is hindered by seasonal or unclear causes.

Glassnode, after analyzing the Bitcoin Options ATM Implied Volatility metric, has revealed that the options market is echoing the summer slowdown. According to the on-chain platform, the implied volatility across all expiries, especially the 1-week and 1-month holders, is approaching all-time lows.

Such a development signals a cautious pause from BTC investors, suggesting that the market may be building momentum or just taking a collective breather before making its next big move. The on-chain platform further highlighted that the options market is currently pricing some of the lowest volatility levels since the middle of 2023. This trend has continued despite BTC’s price hovering near all-time highs.

Glassnode has also drawn attention to trading volume, which seems to have dived down sharply. According to Glassnode, the summer lull is here, and BTC’s volumes are drying up in spite of the flagship asset’s ongoing run toward the $110,000 price mark

Data shows that the spot volume has fallen to $5.01 billion, whereas the futures volume has fallen to approximately $31.2 billion. The platform noted that volumes in these two areas are currently at their lowest in over a year and are still trending downward.

BTC Makes Key Breakouts

Despite the summer lull, Bitcoin’s price continues to display strength. Melijn The Trader, a crypto analyst, has predicted a major rally as the asset breaks out of both a falling wedge pattern and a bull flag pattern.

According to the analyst, this structure reflects momentum and not noise, classifying the development as a breakout phase. Considering the breakout, Melijn is confident that BTC could surge to a new all-time high of $140,000.

At the time of writing, BTC’s price was valued at $108,271, demonstrating a nearly 1% decline in the last 24 hours. While prices may be down, trading volume is gradually picking up pace, as indicated by a more than 15% increase in the past day.

Cardano Pulled Out Of El Salvador Deal, Hoskinson Claims

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 19:00

Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano and CEO of Input Output Global (IOG), revealed in a newly published interview that his company passed on a potential deal with the government of El Salvador due to serious legal and geopolitical concerns—specifically involving a proposed airdrop that would have included members of the MS-13 criminal gang.

Cardano Founder Rejected El Salvador Deal

The comments came during an appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show, where Hoskinson disclosed that his team was approached by El Salvador’s administration. According to Hoskinson, the discussions stalled almost immediately after the idea of a mass airdrop to the entire population—including individuals on international sanctions lists—was introduced.

“Bukele, for example, wanted to do an airdrop to everybody in El Salvador,” Hoskinson said, referring to President Nayib Bukele. “And we’re like, okay, but MS-13 is on an OFAC list. And so if we give Bitcoin to all these people, we’re facilitating a transfer of value to a terrorist organization. That’s no bueno.”

Hoskinson emphasized that distributing tokens to sanctioned individuals—whether knowingly or unknowingly—could be considered a violation of US federal law, particularly OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) sanctions, and might invite prosecution or regulatory retaliation. “So Justice Department has to give a clearance and understand what the rules are and everything. We just couldn’t get there,” he said. “So we passed on the deal after a week, but it was just wild.”

Cory Bates, who posted the clip on X, underscored the gravity of Hoskinson’s claims, tagging prominent El Salvador Bitcoin advisors Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert and asking whether they believed the story. At the time of publication, neither Keiser nor Herbert had responded publicly.

However, Keiser’s past commentary on Hoskinson and Cardano paints a picture of longstanding hostility. In a series of posts from mid-2022, Keiser wrote: “Cardano: Centralized, and an obvious unregistered security headed up by Charles Hoskinson who his associates allege is a pathological liar.” He further claimed: “Reportedly, El Salvador tossed this crackpot loser out of the country when he showed up peddling scams.”

In another post, Keiser alleged that El Salvador had “standing orders not to let him operate” in the country. These accusations have never been formally substantiated, and Hoskinson has generally not responded to them publicly until now.

The new revelations add a controversial layer to the early narrative around El Salvador’s Bitcoin strategy, which has centered almost entirely around the country’s partnership with Bitcoin maximalists and the rollout of BTC as legal tender. Cardano, often dismissed by Bitcoin proponents as too academic or too centralized, had not previously been considered a serious contender in Bukele’s national crypto vision.

At press time, Cardano traded at $0.573.

Tether Announces Strategic Partnership To Combat Stablecoin Misuse

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 18:14

According to a press release, the company behind the top stablecoin in the world, Tether, has poured millions of dollars to ink a new partnership. The deal will allow the crypto company to contribute with the overall health of the nascent industry.

Tether To Fight Against Crypto Crime

Per the document, Tether has partnered with Crystal Intelligence, a blockchain analytics company to provide fraud detection, regulatory intelligence solutions, and risk scams. In that way, the company joins the many efforts of key industry players to combat illicit stablecoin use.

The main goal behind the partnership, according to the release, is to create a more secure crypto ecosystem. Data provided by the company claims that over $9.3 billion in digital assets were stolen, or illegally taken from its users in 2024 alone.

This number represented a 66% increase from 2023. Thus, the company claims that there has been a steady increase in illicit activities and bad actors in the crypto industry. The partnership with Crystal Intelligence aims to mitigate this threat.

Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, stated the following regarding the partnership:

Tether is firmly committed to supporting law enforcement agencies in a shared effort to combat illicit activity. With the latest in advanced intelligence tools, like those being developed by Crystal Intelligence, we are enhancing our ability to assist authorities in tracing the movement of funds in real time. Tether has already contributed to freezing billions in unlawful funds and has supported investigations across dozens of jurisdictions. This strategic investment will strengthen our capacity to collaborate more effectively and reinforce a clear message: USD₮ is the the digital dollar for the people, bad actors will be stopped.

Stablecoin Company Steps Up, Crypto Safety On the Line

Tether has been making an extra push for several years to fight against illicit on-chain activity, including aiding international law enforcement agencies to track and freeze funds from bad actors.

However, it is also worth noting that Tether has been the subject of some controversy. In particular, the previous US administration launched several investigations against the crypto company, and was close to facing criminal charges for alleged fraud.

Navin Gupta, CEO of Crystal Intelligence, added the following regarding the deal:

As the crypto industry matures, so must its foundations of trust and intelligence. Tether’s backing is both a validation of the work we’ve done together and a joint commitment to future-proofing the industry through actionable insight, integrity, and innovation. We see too many players waiting for mandates. At Crystal, we believe responsible innovation means getting ahead of threats and not just reacting to them.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

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