Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Russia will extend its Bitcoin mining ban to Moscow, the Moscow Region, and selected districts of Kursk Region starting Aug. 15, 2026. Under Government Resolution No. 936, cryptocurrency mining and participation in mining pools are prohibited until Dec. 31, 2032. The order was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on July 25 and published July 31. Traders should note the execution risk first: miners in the newly restricted areas have a 15-day window to stop local operations or relocate equipment. The ban covers both direct Bitcoin mining and mining pools across Moscow and the entire Moscow Region, and it applies in Kursk to specific districts (including Belovsky, Bolshesoldatsky, Glushkovsky, Korenevsky, Lgovsky, Rylsky, Sudzhansky, Khomutovsky) plus the city of Lgov. The stated rationale is electricity grid strain. Officials cite roughly 1 GW of mining-related power demand in Moscow and project up to 3.6 GW of data-center capacity by 2032, around 17% of maximum system load. The decree is an expansion of Russia’s existing regional restrictions framework, not a nationwide clampdown. Because the document does not publish an official estimate of the banned mining capacity, claims that the Russia Bitcoin mining ban will materially change Bitcoin’s global hash rate remain unverified. Market focus is likely to shift to enforcement from Aug. 15 and any follow-up guidance that clarifies compliance and impact.

The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has appointed long-time security and privacy contributor Pascal Caversaccio (pcaversaccio, pc) as a volunteer director for an initial 1-year term, expanding the EF board to four members. He joins chair Aya Miyaguchi, co-founder Vitalik Buterin, and Swiss legal counsel Patrick Storchenegger. EF frames the board as a “security committee,” responsible for long-term strategy and ensuring management decisions match EF’s Swiss foundation requirements and core values. Miyaguchi said pc brings deep expertise in security and privacy and aligns with EF’s CROPS direction (censorship resistance, open source, privacy, security), which is becoming a stronger internal governance focus. The appointment is also tied to pc’s cypherpunk credentials, including authorship (or credit) of the Ethereum Cypherpunk Manifesto. Traders are reading this as a governance signal: EF is reaffirming a privacy- and security-forward posture, particularly during reported EF downsizing and reorganization, while new groups (EthLabs, Ethereum Institutional, EthSystems) are said to take on parts of prior/expected work. Market impact for ETH is expected to be limited in the near term because this is not an immediate protocol upgrade. If EF turns its privacy and post-quantum security research into concrete protocol changes, it could improve longer-term sentiment around ETH’s fundamentals.

Tether reported $1.5B net profit in Q2 2026 (+44% QoQ), driven mainly by income from U.S. Treasury holdings and repo agreements (repos). The firm said it maintained a large $4.1B reserve buffer to support potential USDT redemption stress and keep USDT fully backed. USDT circulation rose to about $183.5B, while Tether increased physical gold holdings to 146 tons (up from 132.2 tons QoQ). Adoption continued to expand: CEO Paolo Ardoino pointed to a new all-time high of 650M+ USDT users. Tether also reiterated an emerging-markets push, highlighting heavy USDT use across LATAM (e.g., Venezuela, Bolivia) and a planned Kenya effort to tokenize local stocks and settle in USDT, though rollout risk remains. However, despite stronger fundamentals, USDT market cap fell about $7B from May’s peak and the broader stablecoin sector contracted ~5% in Q2, signaling choppy flows in a “crypto winter.” For traders, the improved USDT earnings and reserve strength are a liquidity-positive factor, but falling market cap suggests near-term caution on stablecoin flow momentum.

Oil prices pulled back after early gains on Thursday as traders reassessed how US-Iran tensions could affect Middle East production and crude shipping routes. Brent and WTI had risen on fears of disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for oil flows. The latest move fits a typical pattern: geopolitical headlines can trigger fast oil price spikes, but part of the risk is later repriced once markets judge the immediate supply-hit probability differently. The IEA warned that disruptions remain possible if tensions escalate further, keeping the outlook unstable. Uncertainty also extends to potential policy and supply responses. Prediction markets suggest only a modest chance of crude reaching a new all-time high by September 30, with limited upside expected by December 31. Comments from OPEC’s Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo and the IEA’s Fatih Birol are flagged as catalysts that could shift sentiment. For crypto traders, this oil prices move is a macro risk input. Energy-driven volatility can quickly change risk appetite, inflation expectations, and broader market positioning—factors that often feed into BTC and ETH volatility.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $32.1M inflows, ending a four-day outflow streak, per Cointelegraph. This rebound was led by BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC, reviving the focus on whether Bitcoin ETF inflows can support BTC price momentum beyond a short-lived dip. Traders will watch if the inflows broaden past one or two issuers and whether broader ETF-driven demand stabilizes risk sentiment. Earlier reporting showed a larger weekly pattern for Bitcoin ETFs, with net inflows of $197.4M for the week ended Friday, snapping an eight-week run of weekly outflows. Analysts cautioned that a full institutional-demand turnaround may be premature, even after BTC’s rally. On the other side, US spot Ethereum ETFs remain weak. Ether-focused funds saw outflows, with Grayscale’s ETHE still under pressure. The divergence matters for positioning: improving Bitcoin ETF inflows vs. persistent ETH ETF outflows keeps the market focused on relative strength. Key words for traders: Bitcoin ETF inflows, spot ETF flows, BTC institutional demand, ETH outflows, ETF-driven momentum.

EthSystems, a new Ethereum privacy spinout from the Institutional Privacy Task Force, says the biggest blocker for banks using public Ethereum is not scalability but Ethereum privacy—confidentiality over who can see transaction details, timing, and access rules. The company will build confidentiality infrastructure for banks, asset managers, and governments using Ethereum for tokenized assets and stablecoins. It offers privacy architecture consulting, protocol/design work, and custom production infrastructure, while publishing open-source research and integrating with the broader privacy ecosystem. A key update: EthSystems differentiates by deployment support, moving from proof-of-concepts to production procurement inside institutions. Demand is shifting from blockchain innovation teams to business units focused on real onchain settlement and asset movement. Traders should note the renewed institutional infrastructure narrative: enterprise-ready Ethereum privacy tooling tied to compliance and governance. Mentioned ecosystem references include Canton Network, plus Ethereum-native privacy protocols Aztec and Miden.

Bitcoin ETFs recorded $33.79M in net inflows for the week ended July 24, ending a first stretch of three consecutive weeks of inflows since early May. However, the rebound looks fragile: SoSoValue data showed net outflows of about $225.2M on July 23 and $240.1M on July 24, making this the smallest weekly inflow versus $197M and $75.67M in the prior two weeks. BRN said institutional demand is returning, but “still cautious.” Flows were highly concentrated in BlackRock’s IBIT, which accounted for nearly $415M of the late-week outflows. Price action was mixed: Bitcoin rallied above $66,500 on Tuesday, then fell back below $64,000 by week-end on profit-taking and weaker stocks. For traders, this Bitcoin ETFs update suggests the market is no longer in a sustained outflow trend, but near-term inflow momentum remains inconsistent. Watch whether follow-through inflows can persist through week-end strength to confirm renewed institutional buying.

BitMart shutdown enters a tighter wind-down schedule. Starting 01:30 UTC on July 26, 2026, BitMart will pause new registrations and deposits. Trading (spot, futures and other services) is scheduled to end at 01:00 UTC on August 26, 2026, with full platform cessation planned by 15:59 UTC on January 31, 2027. Withdrawals remain open, but BitMart warns they may face manual reviews for KYC, Travel Rule data checks and sanctions screening—so “submitted” may not mean instant on-chain processing. Trader action windows: close positions by 01:00 UTC on August 26, then submit withdrawal requests by 05:00 UTC the same day. Price impact: BMX has shown sharp selloff behavior around the announcement, falling about 46% on July 26 to around $0.11016 (from roughly $0.163784 on July 25). The core risk for BMX is utility evaporation as trading activity disappears and liquidity thins, and there is no public commitment for a BMX buyback, swap or compensation after the BitMart shutdown. Market read-through: the BitMart shutdown can raise short-term volatility via withdrawal backlogs and compliance delays, and weaken sentiment toward inactive/ending venues. Long-term recovery for BMX depends on credible relisting, migration, or new utility; otherwise liquidity and valuation may stay fragile.

Singapore-based Bitcoin miner Poolin filed for Poolin bankruptcy protection in New Jersey, including US affiliates Lonestar Dream Inc. and Lonestar Taproot LLC. Poolin bankruptcy covers liabilities of about $173.1M before filing, with roughly $163.7M owed through unsecured IOUs to Poolin Wallet customers, while reported assets are only about $1M–$10M. The process is focused on liquidating mining capacity, not restarting operations. Lonestar Dream stopped mining and hosting at the Pyote and Tarbush sites on July 10. Poolin has entered a stalking-horse sale with Thor CALAP LLC totaling $52M for Texas mining properties: $15M for Pyote plus related power rights/equipment, and $37M for Tarbush plus related power rights/equipment. The deal remains subject to competing bids and court approval. Court filings show 10,001–25,000 creditors, and Poolin marketed the assets for over three months to 335 potential buyers, producing confidentiality agreements, letters of intent, and additional expressions of interest. The collapse traces back to the 2022 market crash: BTC fell below $20,000, triggering margin calls against collateral pledged through Poolin Wallet. Poolin suspended withdrawals in September 2022 and issued IOUs (~$163.7M). After BTC fell below $16,800 in November 2022, Poolin ceased operations and Antalpha liquidated collateral. For traders, this Poolin bankruptcy mainly signals ongoing stress in the miner/credit complex tied to BTC-related collateral. It is unlikely to directly disrupt BTC spot markets immediately, but it can influence sentiment around future collateralized lending and mining-linked credit risk.

Brazil’s first tokenized cattle loans have been structured through B3 registries and regulated rural credit notes (CPR-F), not for crypto trading. On 21 July 2026, Fazenda Engenho Velho (PR) received a R$100,000 CPR-F loan by pledging 10 tokenized dairy cows valued at R$120,000 (about 83% LTV). BMP Sociedade de Crédito Direto originated the deal, while Target FIDC bought the credit rights and registered the CPR-F on B3, making collateral and transfers auditable. The tokenized cattle loans use “digital wrapper” collateral identities plus smart-collar telemetry to reduce underwriting uncertainty. Cowmed assigns persistent encrypted cow IDs and collects near-real-time health and activity/location data. Cowmed says it monitors ~100,000 dairy cows across ~1,200 farms in the Americas. Target FIDC is assessing four more producers and targets about R$5 million in such loans by end-2026. For traders, this is a small but relevant RWA credit test: verifiable physical-data collateral could improve lending terms and expand on-chain collateral frameworks. Market impact on crypto prices is likely limited, but it may support longer-term narratives around tokenized real-world assets. Key risks include animal health shocks, data-integrity failures, legal frictions in enforcement, valuation swings when milk/cull prices move, and potential liquidity/discount pressure for FIDCs if investor demand weakens.

The EU’s 21st Russia sanctions package, adopted on July 23, adds tighter EU crypto compliance controls aimed at sanctions evasion. It introduces a transaction ban on 14 crypto-asset service platforms linked to Russia’s payment-routing used to bypass EU restrictions. These platforms are based in third countries including Georgia, Panama, the UAE, the Marshall Islands, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus. The EU also extends existing restrictions tied to Russia-linked ownership of EU-registered crypto-asset wallets, accounts, and custody services to cover all other types of crypto-asset services. A key new tool is a first-of-its-kind “third-country ban” mechanism. If a jurisdiction is identified as hosting services used to circumvent EU sanctions, EU entities could be prohibited from transacting with any crypto provider in that country—raising the risk of broader service cutoffs. Traders should expect stronger sanctions screening and monitoring for exchanges, custodians, and CASPs with exposure to the affected jurisdictions. In the short term, this can increase counterparty risk and lead to service disruptions if compliance controls are weak. Longer term, the move signals regulators increasingly treat crypto platforms as part of the sanctions enforcement supply chain. Beyond crypto, the package includes asset freezes on 94 banks and financial institutions and additional measures in energy and military supply chains.

The U.S. Senate’s Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (Clarity Act) is moving toward a final vote, with a newly circulating draft adding a conflict-of-interest ethics provision for the President and other senior officials. The ethics ban would sunset in 2029, and regulators would get one year after enactment to implement the constraints. A key uncertainty for markets is timing: it is unclear exactly when the Clarity Act ethics limits would apply to Donald Trump, who still has extensive crypto involvement, including a stake in World Liberty Financial. The ethics clause is described as the last major sticking point in negotiations, and some Democratic lawmakers had not yet seen the full text. Legislation math is also tight. The Senate typically needs at least 10 Democratic votes plus the 60-vote threshold for most measures, so traders should watch Senate vote counting into early August. Separately, language in the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act appears to remain intact. For DeFi, developers that do not control users’ assets would not be treated as “money transmitters,” which could reduce compliance friction. Near-term trading takeaway: progress on the Clarity Act may be positive for sentiment, but the market reaction will likely depend on whether the ethics enforcement timeline and scope are resolved before the summer recess window.

Bitcoin spot ETF flows remained strong on July 20 (ET), with total net inflows of $227M, extending a fifth straight day of positive demand. BlackRock’s Bitcoin spot ETF IBIT led with $116M in net inflows, bringing its lifetime cumulative net inflow to about $60.6B. Ark Invest and 21Shares’ ARKB added $72.74M net inflows, with lifetime cumulative net inflows around $1.322B. On the sell side, Grayscale’s GBTC recorded the largest single-day outflow at -$45.40M, taking lifetime cumulative net outflows to roughly $27.38B. As of the report, total net assets for Bitcoin spot ETFs were $79.163B and the ETF net asset ratio was 6.04% (share of BTC market value). Historical cumulative net inflows were about $51.579B. For traders, the key signal is persistent Bitcoin spot ETF net inflows—especially continued strength in IBIT and ARKB—which is currently offsetting ongoing GBTC outflows. In the near term, daily flow changes remain a direct catalyst for BTC price sensitivity around inflow/outflow headlines.

Exodus said it will cut about 25% of its global workforce as part of a reorganization to build a full-stack stablecoin payments platform and bring card issuance/processing in-house. In an SEC notice, the company tied the job cuts to cost and staffing alignment with its card issuance and payments strategy, plus ongoing integration of recently acquired Monavate and Baanx and current market conditions. Exodus reported 215 full-time employees as of Dec. 31, 2025, implying roughly 54 roles could be affected. It did not name specific departments. Severance and continued benefits will be provided to impacted workers. Financial impact: Exodus expects pre-tax charges of $2.5 million–$3.5 million, mainly severance and transition costs. It also forecasts annualized cash operating expense savings of $10 million–$13 million, with full benefit targeted for 2027. Context for traders: Exodus bought Monavate Holdings and Baanx.com in May for about $76.27 million to support stablecoin-linked settlement and card issuing across Visa/Mastercard/Discover in the US, UK, and EU. After the announcement, EXOD shares fell more than 8% to around $4.62, extending pressure from a Friday close near $5.06.

The US Senate unanimously passed S. Res. 772 to oppose an SBF pardon for Sam Bankman-Fried, reinforcing political pressure around FTX fraud. Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ruben Gallego led the resolution on July 15, saying Bankman-Fried should not receive a pardon or commutation. The Senate move cannot stop the President. Under the Constitution, Trump still has final federal pardon power. Trump previously said he would not pardon Bankman-Fried and has granted clemency to other crypto figures during his second term. Reuters reports the SBF pardon request has been sent to the Justice Department. Bankman-Fried completed his 25-year sentence for seven fraud-related counts tied to FTX and Alameda Research and continues to pursue legal challenges. For traders, this is not an automatic legal reversal of the sentence. The near-term impact is mainly risk sentiment: another escalation of scrutiny around exchange-collapse cases could add short-term volatility, even if major tokens are not directly affected.

Galaxy Digital has signed a 15-year partnership with Texas Tech Athletics, set to rename Texas Tech’s football venue “Galaxy Stadium” starting with the 2026 season. The company will act as the official data center and digital assets partner across football and men’s and women’s basketball, with Galaxy branding tied to the programs. The agreement also expands student-athlete Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities through branded campaigns. Financial terms were not disclosed. Galaxy frames the project as the first phase of a broader regional strategy to grow AI and digital innovation in West Texas. On infrastructure, Galaxy cites its Helios campus in nearby Dickens County as having about 1.6 GW of approved capacity for AI and high-performance computing (HPC). The company also highlights a talent pipeline, noting Texas Tech graduates already working at Helios. For crypto traders, this is more about institutional infrastructure demand for AI plus digital assets than an immediate token-specific catalyst or market flow driver.

Crypto self-custody is back in focus after ZachXBT claimed on July 16 that “hardware wallets are complete garbage,” urging users to use a dedicated iPhone instead. Trezor’s Chief Commercial Officer Danny Sanders pushed back. He said firmware updates can disrupt emergency, high-value workflows. Still, he argued a phone increases the attack surface via Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, cellular connectivity and messaging services. Hardware wallets keep private keys isolated from internet-connected environments and use an independent screen so users can verify transaction details offline before signing. The debate widened with Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, who partly agreed on mobile risk. Storm highlighted that many mobile wallets lack BIP39 passphrase support and urged air-gapped signing, where transfers are authorized without staying connected to a network. For traders, this is a risk-model argument, not a protocol upgrade. The takeaway: for most users, hardware wallets remain a stronger default for offline verification, while advanced users may layer multiple devices and practices—potentially shifting near-term sentiment around self-custody tools and vendors tied to hardware wallet security.

Argentina beat England 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup semifinal on July 15. Shortly after Lautaro Martínez’s 92nd-minute winner, $ARG fan token saw 24-hour volume surge to roughly $19M–$21M, trading near ~$0.30. The move matches a repeatable knockout-game pattern: $ARG volumes have historically spiked about 300% versus baseline days during key matches. The article ties this specific surge to strong defensive impact from Cristian Romero (including a yellow card at 51’), which helped disrupt England’s attack and amplify late-match sentiment. Beyond $ARG, Argentina’s run also lifted sports collectibles activity, including Panini Prizm World Cup cards and Sorare trading. For traders, the key takeaway is that $ARG often reacts fast to headline football results, but these pumps can fade quickly—raising exit-liquidity risk for late entries.

A solo Bitcoin miner using a Bitaxe ASIC mined block 957,382 on Public Pool and claimed 3.1382 BTC (about $200,000). The operator ran the device for roughly eight hours at an average hash rate near 995 GH/s (~1.0 TH/s) and received the full block subsidy plus transaction fees under Public Pool’s hosted solo-mining setup (3.125 BTC subsidy + ~0.0132 BTC fees). The news also highlights a softer network environment: mining difficulty fell 5% to 127.17T around block 957,600 after slower block production and reduced network hashrate. Solo mining activity is “having a moment,” with 24 solo blocks found over the past 12 months (+41% YoY), but expectations remain extremely low for ~1 TH/s home hardware. CoinDesk estimates a Bitaxe-class setup finds a block only about once in ~18,000 years on average. For traders, this is a reminder that solo Bitcoin mining remains overwhelmingly chance-driven even as difficulty adjustments slightly improve odds for active miners. In the short term, the event is unlikely to move BTC price directly, but ongoing difficulty trends and miner profitability can influence broader sell pressure and sentiment around network security—so watch difficulty and miner flows, not the one-off win.

The US government reportedly transferred about $288M in seized Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) to Coinbase Prime, its designated custodian for large-cap crypto holdings. The move is framed as part of a longer-term strategic reserve approach that moves away from earlier auction practices for confiscated crypto. A key update is potential figure mismatch: earlier disclosures suggested April 2026 transfers totaled roughly $185K, implying the headline amount may be inaccurate or based on different tracking. For traders, the Coinbase Prime custody arrangement often reads as a “hold” posture rather than immediate liquidation, which can reduce near-term sell-pressure expectations for BTC and ETH. However, any US crypto transfer can still shift liquidity and sentiment. The main trigger to watch is whether officials later correct the transfer size or change policy from holding to selling. If government BTC/ETH movement eventually shifts from custody toward exchanges/OTC liquidity, market reaction could turn quickly.

The Clarity Act has stalled in the U.S. Senate before the August recess. The bill would split digital-asset oversight between the SEC and CFTC. While it passed the House and advanced through the Senate Banking Committee, it has not reached a full Senate floor vote. Community bankers and market participants are increasingly negative. Bankers reportedly worry the Clarity Act’s stablecoin yield provisions could divert deposits from local banks. Meanwhile, the absence of a floor vote is being treated as a negative signal, with prediction-market pricing showing reduced odds that the Clarity Act can be signed into law by the end of 2026. Traders should watch for post-recess political signals from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, plus any White House stance. Any update could quickly reprice expectations and lift near-term headline-driven volatility around U.S. crypto regulation. Bottom line for traders: the Clarity Act delay is turning regulatory clarity from a priced-in event into catalyst risk, likely increasing short-term uncertainty for policy-sensitive crypto and DeFi positioning.

The U.S. Senate moved the crypto market-structure bill, the Clarity Act, forward procedurally. Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed the motion to proceed, starting the multi-step cloture process needed to clear a 60-vote threshold when lawmakers return. An earlier vote wasn’t possible before the August recess. But the first test vote is set for September 15 (2:15 p.m. ET). This is not final passage, but it signals Republican leadership will prioritize the Clarity Act. Market impact hinges on regulatory clarity. If enacted, the Clarity Act would draw jurisdictional lines between the SEC and the CFTC, with much of crypto potentially shifting toward CFTC oversight. Supporters say this could improve institutional confidence. Key disputes remain unresolved: illicit-finance and law-enforcement protections, stablecoin yield/rewards rules, and government-ethics provisions tied to President Donald Trump’s crypto holdings. A bipartisan addendum discussed with the White House would require Trump to divest from crypto-related businesses, but no formal update has been reported. For traders, the near-term driver is vote math. Republicans still appear short by about six Democratic crossover votes, and only two Democrats backed the bill when it cleared the Senate Banking Committee in May. If the Senate clears it, the bill would go back to the House before reaching Trump—keeping volatility risk elevated around mid-September.

Oman says progress is being made in US–Iran talks on maritime access to the Strait of Hormuz, with Oman acting as a mediator to support a return to normal shipping. Iran, however, warns that even if a US–Iran agreement is reached, the Strait of Hormuz may not fully reopen. This reduces expectations for a quick resumption of routine passage and keeps the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic chokepoint and potential risk catalyst. Prediction markets reflect mixed signals. The probability of a US–Iran deal by Aug. 15 that would restore normal transit has fallen, as traders appear to price in Iran’s conditions. Negotiations reportedly cover operational details such as route coordinates and navigation management. Traders will watch for official announcements from Washington and Tehran and whether shipping-traffic data shows a material rebound. A joint US–Iran statement and higher traffic volumes would align with a “YES” outcome. Conversely, reports of failed talks or rising military tensions could further push probabilities down, quickly repricing geopolitical risk and impacting crypto market sentiment.

Ethereum (ETH) is extending its recovery, reclaiming $1,900 and moving above the 20-day, 50-day, and 100-day moving averages after a rebound from the ~$1,850 area. The bigger downtrend is not fully healed yet because ETH still sits below the 200-day average near ~$2,062. The latest upside driver is US spot Ethereum ETF demand. Net inflows were about $92.15M on Aug. 6 (≈48,327 ETH at the reported price), after ~$60.86M on Aug. 5. BlackRock’s ETHA contributed about $50.34M on Aug. 6, and cumulative net inflows are now above ~$11.4B. Softer US jobs data (ADP ~44,000 vs. ~70,000 forecast) supported risk assets, though any renewed rate-hike expectations could cap gains. Traders are watching short-term levels. ETH is holding an intraday support band around $1,907–$1,850 (4-hour Supertrend near ~$1,850.62). Momentum remains constructive but not overheated, with 4-hour RSI around 61.7 (below 70). Liquidity/clearing zones sit above price near ~$1,925 and a wider band around ~$1,945–$1,955, which could act as upside magnets. A break above ~$1,925 may accelerate toward ~$1,950 and the psychological $2,000 level. If $1,900 fails, downside liquidity is noted near ~$1,890, ~$1,870, then ~$1,850–$1,860. Bottom line for ETH: the setup is bullish for a near-term push toward $2,000, but a daily close above resistance near $1,925 and a stronger move through the 200-day average (~$2,062) are key to confirming the trend improvement.

Ondo Finance is facing a Delaware corporate control dispute that could affect ONDO-linked governance and corporate actions. Founder Nathan Allman’s mother, Kathleen Allman, sued to remove CEO Ian De Bode, arguing De Bode seized the role without board approval after Nathan’s death in May. Allman claims Nathan Allman was ONDO’s CEO, sole director, and controlling shareholder, and that his voting power became locked in his estate, leaving the company with “no sitting directors.” She says De Bode relied on bylaws to claim an automatic CEO transition, installed himself as sole director via a voting agreement, and started hiring advisors and approving performance grants. In the filing, Allman also says Ondo initially refused to recognize her authority or provide a shareholder list. She expanded the board, appointing Nathan’s sister Tahnee Towill, and another nominee (Gordon Liao) declined. On July 24, the board voted to remove De Bode from officer/employee/consultant roles and installed Allman as chair and interim CEO. De Bode denies the claims as “meritless,” saying lead investors and the Ondo Foundation still support current management. Ondo seeks an expedited court process to clarify lawful control and preserve the status quo while litigation continues. As of the latest reporting, no court ruling had been published. For crypto traders, the immediate takeaway is governance/legal uncertainty around ONDO-linked corporate control. The reports also state there is no verified evidence that the dispute disrupted Ondo’s tokenized products or changed the legal status of the ONDO governance token.

A Coldcard firmware bug (v4.0.1, released in March 2021) has been linked to theft of about 1,816 BTC from 5,200+ addresses, with estimates at times suggesting losses could exceed $130M as sweeps continue. The Coldcard firmware bug reportedly weakened the randomness used to generate wallet seeds. Since seeds underpin Bitcoin private keys, entropy may have dropped from an ideal ~128 bits to as low as ~40 bits, making brute-force key recovery more feasible with modern hardware. Earlier research estimates were lower (e.g., ~1,367 BTC across 4,585 addresses), but later “waves” of address sweeps drove the figure higher. Coinkite has not published a final total and says it is conducting a post-mortem. The exploit did not require an internet connection, meaning any wallet seeded with the compromised firmware was vulnerable from creation. For traders and holders: check whether your Coldcard seed was created using firmware v4.0.1. If yes, consider moving funds to a wallet generated on a different, verified device. Continued sweeps may weigh on sentiment around unverified self-custody setups, while Galaxy Research suggests the incident could also boost demand for regulated Bitcoin investment vehicles with audited custody frameworks. Bitcoin price context: the theft news broke when BTC was around $63,000, so near-term volatility may be driven more by self-custody risk sentiment than by fundamental crypto macro effects.

Russia’s first crypto law has been signed by President Vladimir Putin, creating a licensed framework for Russia’s crypto trading and custody. Under the Russia crypto law, exchanges and related intermediaries (digital depositories, brokers, management companies, trade organizers, and clearing houses) must be authorized via a state registry. For market operators, the timeline is key: crypto exchange activity is generally limited to registered entities after July 1, 2027, with a 15 million ruble (about $187,000) capital requirement. Banks are also required to block suspicious transfers that appear to route through unregistered crypto providers. Retail access is tightly gated. Non-accredited investors can buy only the most liquid cryptocurrencies (to be specified) through licensed intermediaries, capped at 300,000 rubles per year per intermediary, and subject to a knowledge test. Qualified investors face no such ceiling. Crypto payments remain prohibited for goods and services, and advertising crypto-for-payments is also banned. However, the law allows limited exceptions for certain cross-border settlements between residents and non-residents, plus payments inside digital asset platforms. Most provisions take effect September 1, while other restrictions follow later dates—so traders should expect gradual compliance-driven shifts rather than an immediate market reprice tied to a single day.

XRP ETF inflows have surpassed $1.51B after sustained net buying, with uToday data cited as showing cumulative inflows over $1.51B as of Aug 1’s close. The article says overall market liquidity has improved, even as secondary-market activity cools and some retail investors remain cautious. For traders, this frames XRP ETF inflows as a key mainstream demand signal. Steady institutional XRP ETF demand may support near-term price resilience and limit downside during volatility, but it may not trigger an immediate price surge if retail participation stays muted. The piece also highlights a shift toward income-focused strategies alongside holding XRP. It points to cloud mining and yield aggregation platforms (UE Crypto) as alternatives for investors seeking more stable returns, rather than relying solely on XRP price appreciation. Bottom line: XRP ETF inflows strengthen the case for regulated, institutional exposure to XRP. Watch daily/weekly XRP ETF flow momentum for trading cues, and avoid extrapolating longer-term inflow scenarios into short-term price moves.

Uniswap has launched its first token launchpad, **Pools.trade**, on **Robinhood Chain**, bringing “instant” and “crowd launch” token issuance. The platform targets wider distribution with **permanently locked Uniswap v4 liquidity** and a **0.25% LP fee** that flows back into the locked pool (with a 20/80 split between the token creator mechanism and liquidity). Uniswap says it also charges **no separate launchpad fee**. Pools.trade offers two formats: **Instant Launch** using a bonding curve, and **Crowd Launch** (4 hours) where trading only activates if bids hit a **$10,000 valuation**, otherwise bidders are refunded. Earlier details also note a **fixed 1B token supply per launch** and an optional **0.05% creator fee** routed from trades. Uniswap warns assets are **“extremely volatile and may go to zero”** and that it has **not independently verified** any tokens shown. Tech and rollout: Uniswap founder Hayden Adams said early smart-contract versions were discovered before the interface went live, driving **over $150M** in rollout volume and forcing support for both test and final contract versions. Day-one distribution is described as strong: integration via the **Uniswap web app**, wallet, and trading API, plus third-party routes such as **Bitget, Fomo, GMGN, and OKX Wallet**. Market reaction cited in the report shows Robinhood Chain DEX activity rebounding (DEX volume and transactions up ~50% from local lows), with Pools.trade capturing about **~50%** launchpad volume share and **~40%** new token share—while the platform remains in **beta**. Trader takeaway: watch **Pools.trade inflows, volume, and post-launch retention** (whether new launches sustain demand after the initial window). If liquidity locking improves follow-through, UNI ecosystem activity could strengthen; however, verification limits and memecoin-style volatility raise selection risk for traders.