Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Pump.fun acquires Kolscan, integrating its real-time on-chain trading data, leaderboards and profit analytics into the memecoin creation platform. Kolscan will remain free while receiving faster updates, improved accuracy and new strategy insights. Founder Alon Cohen calls on-chain trading a social sport. New features will shift leaderboards to reward profitable trades and add copy-trading data for users to follow and learn from top wallets. Pump.fun acquires Kolscan underscores the platform’s commitment to user growth after its market share decline. The deal also sets the stage for enhanced engagement ahead of the planned ICO. The acquisition strengthens Pump.fun’s position in the Solana ecosystem and may drive token adoption.

SEC officials, including Commissioner Hester Peirce and Crypto Assets head David Hirsch, clarified that tokenized assets remain regulated under U.S. securities laws. Tokenized assets are a technical wrapper and do not change an underlying asset’s legal status. Registration, disclosure and investor protection requirements still apply. The SEC reiterated its scrutiny following a Senate Banking Committee hearing on the Clarity Act and previous court setbacks. Ongoing enforcement actions and oversight focus on major institutions exploring tokenized treasuries and money market funds, such as BlackRock and Franklin Templeton. Coinbase and Kraken’s plans to launch tokenized stocks in the U.S. further highlight the need for compliance. Traders should prepare for continued regulatory scrutiny as tokenized assets evolve.

Bitcoin surged past its May downtrend to reach a new all-time high of $112,000 on July 9, driven by a bullish cup-and-handle breakout and strong institutional demand. On-chain metrics, including a Crypto Fear & Greed Index reading of 71 and muted altcoin activity, underscore Bitcoin’s renewed strength. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $1.04 billion in inflows in July, highlighting growing institutional leadership. Meanwhile, options flow data show traders moving into call positions after large expirations, signaling further upside. 10x Research’s Markus Thielen warns that many holders remain underallocated ahead of a potential rally. His trend model assigns a 60% probability of continued gains over the next two months, projecting a 20% advance to roughly $133,000 by September. Key catalysts include U.S. inflation data on July 15 and supportive policies during U.S. Crypto Week. Analysts such as Jelle and Rekt Capital also turned bullish, though some caution that extreme optimism can precede pullbacks. Overall, robust technicals, strong ETF demand and positive options flow set the stage for a sustained Bitcoin rally.

Ethereum has rallied above $2,780, driven by renewed institutional demand and record-high CME futures open interest exceeding $3.27 billion. ETF inflows to Ethereum have remained strong for eight weeks, totaling over 61,000 ETH. Ethereum’s on-chain analysis shows a golden cross forming alongside a bullish pennant pattern, supported by rising trading volumes. Analysts warn of a critical 72-hour window, noting that maintaining strength against Bitcoin dominance could herald altcoin season. Market drivers include the prospect of a Trump-endorsed ’blue-chip’ crypto ETF and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty. Traders should watch for a clear breakout above resistance toward $3,000–$4,000 while remaining cautious of regulatory and volatility risks.

On July 7, the U.S. SEC delayed its decision on Fidelity’s proposed Solana ETF and opened a public comment period. The regulator has asked issuers to refile filings by late July with clear risk disclosures and custody details. Bloomberg analysts link the delay to missing spot altcoin ETF guidelines. Under the new rules, asset managers must explain risks and custody models in plain language to protect investors. This comes after Solana-focused ETFs drew $78 million in inflows over the past month. Since July 2, SSK has raised $41 million, while SOLT and SOLZ have gathered $69 million and $23 million year-to-date, respectively. REX Financial and Osprey Funds also launched the REX-Osprey Sol + Staking ETF, offering indirect Solana exposure and staking rewards. Looking ahead, potential SEC reforms could cut ETF review cycles from over 200 days to around 75 days. Traders should monitor these regulatory developments, review Solana ETF risk disclosures and custody frameworks, and consider potential impacts on SOL price and trading liquidity.

On July 10, 2025, the GMX exploit saw attackers drain $42 million in crypto assets from the Arbitrum network by exploiting smart contract vulnerabilities. On-chain analysis by PeckShield tracked $9.6 million of the stolen funds moved to Ethereum via a bridge. Later, the exploiter transferred $14.3 million on-chain: sending 2,000 ETH (about $5.3 million) to a new Arbitrum wallet and swapping $9 million in USDC for decentralized DAI on Ethereum. The GMX exploit underscores key DeFi security risks. Attackers leveraged Arbitrum’s low fees and high speeds to obscure large ETH moves. Converting USDC to DAI helps evade potential freezes, highlighting flash loan attacks, cross-chain tracing challenges, and centralized stablecoin vulnerabilities. In response, GMX issued a 10% white-hat bounty to recover funds and strengthen defenses. Crypto traders should monitor DeFi security developments and adopt rigorous smart contract audits, real-time monitoring, robust bug bounty programs, and improved cross-chain tracking tools.

New Zealand’s crypto ATM ban has outlawed over 220 domestic kiosks and capped individual cross-border cash transfers at $5,000 under a major AML/CFT reform. The government now requires banks and remittance services to report suspicious transactions to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Parliament has fast-tracked two bills to centralize sanctions oversight, boost enforcement powers for police and the FIU, and enforce risk-based customer due diligence for low-risk and specified businesses. By cutting off easy cash-to-crypto conversion, the crypto ATM ban and cash-transfer cap aim to disrupt money laundering and terrorism financing while aligning with global financial crime prevention standards. Traders should monitor shifts in on-ramp liquidity as enforcement tightens.

Marathon Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: MARA) has issued zero-coupon convertible debt notes due 2032 to raise $850 million for bolstering its Bitcoin treasury and expanding crypto­mining operations. The eight-year notes, convertible at a fixed price, allow the company to avoid interest payments and immediate share dilution. Marathon plans to use net proceeds chiefly for immediate Bitcoin purchases at market rates, targeting a significant boost to its current holdings (around 9,900 BTC) and to fund renewable-powered mining sites. CEO Fred Thiel said the convertible debt structure provides capital flexibility and protects shareholder value while underpinning a long-term hold strategy on Bitcoin. The financing underscores growing corporate demand for Bitcoin, may tighten short-term market supply, and supports bullish momentum in crypto mining and asset accumulation, despite increased leverage and exposure to Bitcoin’s price volatility.

World Liberty Financial completed a $13 million USDC-to-ETH swap, acquiring 3,473 ETH at an average price of $3,272. Its total Ethereum holdings now stand at 73,616 ETH (≈$275 million), with unrealized profits exceeding $33 million. Earlier buys included 1,580 ETH for $3.5 million in May and 3,000 ETH for $10 million last week. The new ETH was deployed on Aave to earn DeFi yield. Ethereum’s price rose 2% to $3,763, logging weekly gains of 20% and monthly gains of 65%. Other major institutions—BlackRock, SharpLink, Bitmine, Nasdaq-listed BTC Digital and the $1.6 billion Ether Machine initiative—are also expanding ETH positions. Large dormant wallets have begun moving assets as prices climb. This wave of institutional investment, coupled with a shift by corporate treasuries from Bitcoin into Ethereum, signals a bullish outlook for Ethereum, likely tightening supply and driving further market momentum.

BNY Mellon and Goldman Sachs have unveiled a digital asset tokenization initiative targeting the $7 trillion fund market. The platform leverages a private blockchain and smart contracts to automate fund share issuance, subscriptions and redemptions. It enables 24/7 trading, on-chain ownership records and near-instant settlement, reducing operational costs and enhancing liquidity. Launched through BNY Mellon’s Digital Asset Custody and Administration service and Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s first client integration, the digital asset tokenization solution supports money market funds as collateral in digital asset trades. Final settlements and compliance checks remain within traditional systems, preserving regulatory standards. Scheduled for rollout in 2024, this blockchain finance innovation opens fractional access to high-value funds and paves the way for broader institutional adoption of digital asset tokenization across traditional finance.

Bitcoin surged past $118,000 on Thursday, reaching a 2024 high before retracing 0.5% to around $117,430. The breakout boosted the overall crypto market, driving daily trading volume to $34.5 billion and lifting total market capitalization to $2.35 trillion. Meanwhile, Litecoin has rallied 24% over the past week, trading at $116 after peaking at $119.21. Analyst Naveed notes Litecoin has broken key technical resistance and filled a fair value gap, setting its next target between $120 and $125. CoinCodex forecasts a further 15% rise to $134 by August 22, 2025, supported by bullish technical indicators and a Fear & Greed Index reading of 74. Litecoin has gained in 60% of trading days this month, reflecting volatile momentum. If Litecoin clears $125, traders anticipate a push toward $140, bolstered by rising social media activity and exchange volumes. In the longer term, forecasts suggest potential rallies to $262 by late 2025 and tests of the $413 all-time high, despite possible dips below $94 amid macro uncertainties.

Ethereum price retreated from an intraday high near $3,856 to lows around $3,640, slipping over 2% amid whale profit-taking and liquidation risks. On-chain data show heavy long exposure between $3,600 and $3,700, with a key liquidation line at $3,654.77 for a $3 million position. One whale reportedly offloaded 8,000 ETH (~$30 million). Volume remains elevated, and ETH futures open interest has climbed to $58 billion as traders engage around critical support levels at $3,500 and $3,000. Institutional demand persisted: BlackRock’s spot Ethereum ETF added 27,000 ETH (~$100 million), and total spot ETF inflows reached 588,000 ETH last week. Ethereum also led digital asset inflows with $2.12 billion, backed by firms like SharpLink Gaming. On-chain metrics reveal continued staking growth and steady ETF inflows. Technical indicators remain constructive, with the daily RSI below overbought levels and a bullish MACD. Traders see $4,000 as the next resistance before potential rallies to $13,000–$17,000, while upcoming network upgrades—Fusaka in early November, Devnet-3 and “Glamsterdam”—could further underpin Ethereum price momentum.

NFT market momentum accelerated in June as trading volume climbed 25% month-on-month to $1.2 billion across 1.2 million transactions, led by Ethereum’s 70% share and floor-price gains in blue-chip collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club and Azuki. Lower gas fees, improved wallet UX and growing retail and institutional interest set the stage. The rally peaked when an anonymous buyer spent 2,080 ETH (≈$7.8 million) on 45 CryptoPunks via OpenSea, driving NFT market cap up 28% to over $6 billion and daily volume to $46 million (+191%). ETH and SOL also rallied to $3,800 and $190 respectively. Analysts note rising demand for premium NFT assets driven by established collections but caution that a full “NFT season” remains unconfirmed amid volatility and macro headwinds.

Bitcoin price has consolidated in a sideways range between $116,000 and $120,000 after a sharp rejection at $123,120, with the 21-day and 50-day SMAs signaling indecision and Doji candlesticks reflecting balanced buying and selling pressure. On July 22, BTC slipped below the $117,000 support level on OKX, trading near $116,954—a 1.15% decline that highlights heightened market volatility. Traders should monitor the $117,000 and $116,000 support levels, as well as the $120,000 resistance level, for clear directional cues. Key supply zones at $120,000 and demand zones between $100,000 and $90,000 offer further guidance. Tracking Bitcoin liquidity and liquidation metrics will help assess market sentiment and determine whether the recent dip is a temporary pullback or the start of a deeper correction.

Ethereum price has surged over 50% in under a week, climbing from around $2,000 to levels above $3,700. Recently, ETH broke above $2,025 as open interest in futures and options hit multi-month highs. Derivatives data show $331 million in short positions could liquidate if ETH clears $4,000, raising the prospects of a short squeeze. On-chain metrics, including net inflows to exchanges and rising funding rates, further support bullish momentum. ETF inflows, US legal clarity under the Clarity and GENIUS Acts, and anticipation of protocol upgrades drive optimism. Key resistance zones are $2,050–$2,100 and $3,850–$4,000; a sustained breakout could retest $2,200 and $4,000. Pullbacks to $1,950 or $3,742 may offer fresh entry points. Technical indicators remain supportive, with 50-, 100- and 200-day SMAs trending higher.

On July 20, Ethereum’s gas limit increased from 36 million to 37.3 million units, marking its first significant Layer 1 expansion since February. Nearly half of ETH validators now support boosting the gas limit further to 45 million to enhance scalability. As a result, network throughput climbed to 18 transactions per second (TPS), up from 15 TPS. The upgrade aligns with a 25% weekly rally in ETH, which gained 3.5% on the news as it approaches a $4,000 breakout. While a higher gas limit can speed up transactions and ease congestion, it may also raise storage and validation costs, impacting decentralization. EIP-1559’s fee-burn mechanism remains in place, so gas fees will still fluctuate with demand. Layer 2 rollups and client optimizations help offset these risks, but node hardware requirements could rise. Traders should monitor Ethereum gas limit hikes, throughput gains and fee dynamics for potential market opportunities and centralization pressures.

Last Friday, crypto stocks closed mixed: Coinbase gained 4.2% on regulatory clarity, while MicroStrategy fell 3.8% amid Bitcoin consolidation. Marathon Digital and Riot Platforms rose 6.8% and 2.6% respectively, and trading volumes jumped 15% ahead of key economic data. In Q3, crypto stocks have surged for two reasons. First, strong coin rallies in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) have lifted stock valuations across the sector. Second, companies including MicroStrategy and Coinbase have adopted disciplined Bitcoin reserve strategies. According to Fundstrat’s Tom Lee, these reserves add a 5–10% premium as a defensive buffer. Lee warns that a weakening coin rally could trigger reversals in crypto stocks, but sees reserve strategies sustaining valuations during market dips. Overall, this combination underpins his bullish outlook for crypto stocks.

Caldera’s ERA token surged after its ERC-20 launch and listings on major exchanges. The ERC-20 ERA token went live on Coinbase and Binance on July 18, with trading pairs including USD, USDT and BTC. The token generation event on July 17 capped total supply at 1 billion, with 148.5 million ERA tokens now circulating. Of that, Binance airdropped 20 million ERA tokens to eligible users, and 7% is reserved for a community airdrop managed by the Caldera Foundation. Caldera offers rollup-as-a-service infrastructure for Layer-2 and Layer-3 scaling, powering projects such as Manta Pacific, ApeChain and Plume Network. Within the ecosystem, the ERA token is used for gas fees, staking and governance. Traders should watch ERA token liquidity and volume for volatility signals. The broad exchange listings boost visibility and deep liquidity, supporting bullish momentum, though potential post-listing corrections may follow airdrop unlocks.

Citigroup, JPMorgan, Bank of America and DTCC are accelerating stablecoin initiatives as U.S. lawmakers advance the GENIUS Act. Citigroup is exploring a dollar-backed “Citi stablecoin” to power tokenized deposits and expand into reserve management and crypto custody. JPMorgan plans to launch JPMD on its Base network, while DTCC examines a settlement-focused stablecoin for traditional asset trades. Bank of America stands ready to issue its own token once the GENIUS Act passes. President Trump has endorsed the legislation, which aims to formalize the legal status of USD stablecoins. The stablecoin market, currently valued at $261 billion (USDT $160B, USDC $62B), could grow to $750 billion by 2026, highlighting a surge in institutional adoption and potential boosts to liquidity and on-chain activity.

Cantor Equity Partners 1, a SPAC affiliate of Cantor Fitzgerald led by Brandon Lutnick, is set to complete a $4 billion acquisition of up to 30,000 BTC from Blockstream founder Adam Back. The Bitcoin SPAC deal includes an $800 million capital raise and a planned rebrand to BSTR Holdings, marking nearly $10 billion in crypto buys by Lutnick this year. Meanwhile, Nasdaq-listed SharpLink Gaming has become the largest corporate ETH holder with 280,706 ETH (≈$840 million) after a $413 million fundraising and purchase of 74,656 ETH. The company retains $257 million for further ETH acquisitions. Separately, former President Trump reached a deal with GOP lawmakers to advance the GENIUS Act, Anti-CBDC Surveillance Act and CLARITY Act, potentially clearing the path for key crypto legislation. These developments underscore growing institutional demand for digital assets and could bolster market stability.

MicroStrategy acquired 4,225 Bitcoin between July 7 and 13 at an average price of $111,827 per coin, spending $472.5 million. The firm funded the purchase via its ATM program—selling 797,000 MSTR shares for $330.9 million—and issuing perpetual preferred stocks under its 42/42 plan. Total Bitcoin holdings now stand at 601,550 BTC, with a cost basis of $71,268 per BTC ($42.87 billion) and a current market value of about $72.25 billion, yielding a 68.5% paper profit. Meanwhile, Bitcoin treasury company Metaplanet added 797 BTC to its reserves, raising its total to 16,352 BTC at an average cost of $100,191. On-chain data from Glassnode shows strong accumulation among 1,000–10,000 BTC holders, while mega-whales above 10,000 BTC shift into distribution and retail investors under 1 BTC return to accumulation. Bitcoin reached a new high of $123,000 before retracing to $119,900. Sustained institutional Bitcoin accumulation at record prices underscores bullish conviction and may support further upside.

SharpLink Gaming has accelerated its Ethereum treasury, acquiring 60,582 ETH (approx $180 M) since late June with key purchases including 7,689 ETH in late June, 10,000 ETH from the Ethereum Foundation, and 16,374 ETH on July 14 from a ConsenSys-controlled wallet. With total holdings of 198,300 ETH (valued at $608 M), including 181,860 liquid staked ETH (LSETH), the gaming firm becomes the largest corporate ETH holder. All assets are deployed in staking and restaking protocols, generating over 320 ETH in rewards since June. Under chairman Joseph Lubin, SharpLink’s ETH reserve strategy aligns with a broader industry trend as public companies build on-chain treasuries for yield and diversification. The firm’s stock has jumped amid the ETH price rebound above $3,000, potentially tightening supply and supporting a bullish market outlook for ETH.

Bitcoin price has surged 12%, climbing above $75,000 before breaking out to a fresh all-time high above $118,872. Traders attribute this Bitcoin price rally to robust spot ETF inflows—record daily commitments of $1.18 billion into Bitcoin ETFs and $383 million into Ethereum ETFs—alongside shrinking exchange reserves and renewed retail interest. The liquidation of over $1 billion in short positions further amplified buying pressure. Ethereum, DOGE and SHIB also rallied, with Ethereum reclaiming $3,000. Satoshi Nakamoto’s 1.1 million BTC holdings are now valued at around $82.5 billion, placing them 15th on Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. Traders should monitor key technical levels near $70,000 support and $80,000 resistance, while remaining mindful of heightened volatility and employing prudent risk management. The Bitcoin price rally underscores growing institutional demand and tests whether internal market mechanics can sustain valuations beyond macro trends.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched a state probe into Robinhood Crypto’s marketing of “lowest cost” crypto trading. He subpoenaed internal documents to determine if commission-free claims omit fees from payment for order flow. The inquiry focuses on whether routing trades to third-party firms raises user costs and targets potential consumer protection violations over undisclosed transaction fees and spreads. Meanwhile, the SEC closed its separate inquiry into Robinhood Crypto without action, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for the crypto unit. Robinhood Crypto has also proposed SEC updates on tokenized real-world assets and completed a $200 million acquisition of Bitstamp. Despite state scrutiny, Robinhood shares rose 4.4% to $98.70, reflecting investor confidence. Traders should monitor possible fee structure changes and legal outcomes, as enforcement action could affect user adoption and broader crypto market sentiment.

Bitcoin soared to a fresh all-time high near $119,000, driven by Fed rate-cut expectations, rising ETF inflows and institutional demand. Technical analysts point to a rectangle breakout that could lift BTC to $125,000 in Q3 and even $500,000–$1 million by 2030. The rally sparked a broad altcoin surge: Ethereum jumped 7.5% to test $3,000 highs with forecasts for $3,200, Solana and Cardano gained 4.1% and 15.2%, respectively, while XRP and BNB climbed 7.1% and 2.7%. Meme tokens also rallied, with PEPE up 14.4% and HYPE +10.2%. Dogecoin rebounded off its 200-week EMA, eyeing a potential 230% rally to $0.48. Analysts see continued upside for ETH, SOL and XRP once Bitcoin volatility cools. In presale news, Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) launched a non-custodial Layer 2 with Solana VM compatibility, enabling wrapped BTC for DeFi, dApps and NFTs.

Senator Elizabeth Warren sharply criticized the CLARITY Act during a July 9 Senate hearing, warning that the bill’s tokenization provisions could let public firms such as Meta and Tesla evade SEC oversight. She also flagged similar risks in the GENIUS Act, citing Meta’s Diem stablecoin history, and expressed concerns over the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act. The House Financial Services Committee will review all three crypto bills—CLARITY Act, GENIUS Act and CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act—on July 14 as lawmakers debate a clear digital asset market structure framework. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse urged swift action to establish rules reflecting 55 million U.S. crypto users and a $3.4 trillion market. Former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter recommended that legislators divest crypto holdings to avoid conflicts. Both Painter and Warren singled out former President Trump for profiting $610 million in crypto investments and launching the TRUMP meme coin. The hearing marks the Senate’s first in-depth crypto market structure debate, with legislation targeted for September.

The US Congress passed the GENIUS Act in July 2025, creating a federal stablecoin regulation framework for the US market. Under the GENIUS Act, stablecoin issuers must hold 1:1 reserves in cash, US government debt, or FDIC-insured deposits, and operate as federally chartered banks or state-regulated institutions. The law prohibits interest payments but authorizes on-chain settlement and cross-border payments for USDT and USDC, accelerating their adoption for institutional use. Tether will leverage the Act’s three-year transition to re-enter the US market, issuing a fully compliant USDT by end-2025 and offering high-efficiency stablecoins for payments, bank settlement, and trading. Circle, the issuer of USDC, has built institutional trust through transparency and is pursuing an OCC national trust bank license while partnering with BlackRock and BNY Mellon to integrate stablecoins into traditional treasury management. Chainalysis data shows rising USDT and USDC volumes in emerging markets such as Nigeria, Argentina, Lebanon, and Vietnam, highlighting stablecoins’ role as digital dollars. By mandating full reserves, regular audits, and strict AML/KYC, the GENIUS Act reduces market risk and paves the way for instant, efficient stablecoin use in mainstream finance. Crypto traders should monitor USDT and USDC supply dynamics, regulatory updates, and on-chain flows to capture emerging trading signals in the evolving DeFi landscape.

21Shares has filed a preliminary application with the US SEC for a spot ETF tracking the ONDO token on the Ondo Chain. If approved, the passive spot ETF will give institutional investors direct exposure to DeFi assets via on-chain holdings of ONDO tokens, without leverage or derivatives. The fund will use the CME CF Ondo Finance-Dollar Reference Rate as its pricing benchmark and employ Coinbase Custody as custodian, while allowing share creation and redemption in-kind or in cash through authorized participants. Since the ETF filing, ONDO’s price briefly pushed above $1.16 and trades above its 50-, 100- and 200-day moving averages, indicating a shift to bullish momentum. The current consolidation range of $1.06–$1.14 could serve as a base for a rally towards $1.30–$1.40 if institutional demand solidifies. The crypto market now awaits the SEC’s decision, a critical regulatory milestone for mainstream DeFi exposure and institutional spot ETFs.

Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, has filed a motion seeking a mistrial in his money-laundering case after key witness Hanfeng Lin failed to produce on-chain evidence linking her $190,000 stolen Bitcoin to the mixer. Defense attorney David Patton challenged the reliability of Lin’s Payback report and noted that an FBI agent admitted he never traced her funds. Prosecutors plan to call IRS analyst Stephan George to testify on alleged short-hop transactions to Tornado Cash. Independent researchers at MetaMask and sleuth ZachXBT report no signs of Lin’s coins entering the protocol. The Department of Justice alleges Tornado Cash laundered over $1 billion, including funds tied to the Lazarus Group and the 2022 Ronin hack. The outcome could delay the trial and set critical legal precedents for decentralized mixers, influencing regulatory scrutiny and market confidence in privacy solutions.