Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Snail Inc., developer of blockchain gaming and payments solutions, is evaluating the feasibility of launching its own USD-backed stablecoin. Since first considering the project, the company has filed preliminary documents with U.S. regulators and engaged major financial institutions to secure fully reserved assets. The exploration will cover regulatory approval, market conditions, technical audits, smart contract development, cybersecurity safeguards, and strict AML/KYC compliance. Snail Inc. has also retained AscendEX founder Dr. George Cao and top-tier FinTech legal counsel to guide strategy and legal compliance. Pending approval, the USD-backed stablecoin could debut as early as Q4 2024, aiming to streamline cross-border payments, reduce volatility, enhance liquidity, and boost adoption within its gaming and DeFi payments ecosystem. Crypto traders should note potential regulatory scrutiny similar to recent SEC actions on stablecoin issuers.

Ethereum surge above $3,000 has triggered a rotation of capital from Bitcoin into altcoins. Analyst Matthew Hyland warns there’s a 99% chance Bitcoin dominance won’t rise further if the Ethereum rally persists. Bitcoin dominance recently peaked at 63.82% but has fallen 1.85% over the past week as funds flow into ETH and other altcoins. Technical indicators back the bullish outlook. Weekly RSI broke a three-year downtrend, and a golden cross between the 50- and 200-day moving averages is forming on Ethereum’s charts. Fractal analysis suggests a potential rally of over 1,100% from the $1,550 low to near $18,200. Key resistance levels for ETH stand at $2,800 and $4,000. Fundamentals are strong. Over $1 billion entered ether ETFs in the past week, and corporate treasuries added 545,000 ETH in 30 days. Ethereum’s price action also appears to form a bullish flag pattern around $3,117. Some analysts predict short-term consolidation near Bitcoin’s $122,884 high before a renewed uptrend. Traders should watch how the Ethereum surge influences Bitcoin dominance and broader market trends. A sustained Ethereum rally may herald an altcoin season. Market participants must monitor key technical indicators and ETF inflows to gauge momentum.

Grosse Pointe Farms has enacted comprehensive crypto ATM rules to safeguard residents before any machines are installed. Operators must register kiosks with the Department of Public Safety, obtain a city business license and display clear fraud warnings stating that transactions are irreversible. These crypto ATM rules impose a $1,000 daily cap and a $5,000 limit over the first 14 days for new users, after which all limits are lifted. City officials cited rising scams in nearby towns as the impetus. Council Member Lev Wood said the rules clarify operations, enhance transparency and strengthen consumer protection against crypto fraud.

Crypto spot trading volume on major centralized exchanges fell sharply by 22% in Q2 2025, dropping from $4.6 trillion in Q1 to $3.6 trillion, according to TokenInsight. Altcoin liquidity and trading activity continued to weaken. By contrast, derivatives trading proved more resilient, dipping just 3.6% from Q1 to $20.2 trillion. Institutional demand drove a divergent trend: Bitcoin ETFs saw $17.8 billion of inflows in H1, with $15 billion funneled into BlackRock-led products—a 370% jump quarter-on-quarter. This surge helped push Bitcoin’s price up 25% in Q2, reversing a 12% decline in Q1. A handful of CEXs bucked the spot-volume downturn. Gate led market share gains with a 2.55% quarter-on-quarter rise, thanks to robust security, a $256 million net daily inflow peak and 126% reserve coverage. Gate’s new xStocks tokenized stock contracts also attracted fresh funds. MEXC and Bitget posted 2.7% and 0.7% spot-volume gains respectively, while OKX, HTX and KuCoin also gained ground. Looking ahead, TokenInsight expects Q3 spot trading to remain subdued between $3 trillion and $3.5 trillion amid ongoing macro uncertainty.

Momentum is building for the removal of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell amid reports of a White House–backed search for a successor and Republican confirmation. On-chain and prediction-market indicators surged: Polymarket odds for Powell’s firing rose to 26% from 16%, while Representative Anna Paulina Luna publicly confirmed that his departure is imminent. Former President Donald Trump cited $2.5 billion renovation costs at the Fed’s Eccles Building as justification for firing. Critics warn that undermining central bank independence could damage U.S. creditworthiness and destabilize markets. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged a formal replacement process, and Fed critic Bill Pulte hinted Powell may even resign. Traders view a potential dovish successor as bullish for Bitcoin. A new Fed chair leaning toward rate cuts and halting balance-sheet runoff could flood liquidity into markets. Bitcoin price is currently about 4.5% below its record high near $123 000. Crypto market cap stands at $3.68 trillion.

BTCS Inc. has reaffirmed its bullish Ethereum treasury strategy with two recent accumulations: a 14,522 ETH ($44 M) buy and a 2,731 ETH addition, boosting reserves to 31,855 ETH. On July 16, BTCS joined the Russell Microcap Index, triggering an 18.6% pre-market share surge and enhancing liquidity. CEO Charles Allen calls Ethereum the “financial rails” of the digital economy. Growing ETF inflows, network upgrades and rising institutional adoption underpin forecasts for higher ETH prices. This follows similar corporate bets, such as BitMine’s 163,000 ETH purchase. Traders should note BTCS’s expanded ETH arsenal and improved market profile, positioning it to benefit from future Ethereum price moves.

Analysts identify six memecoins with potential for significant gains in the current bull market. New entrant XYZVerse leads with tokenomics targeting a 50× launch increase. The pre-sale reached over 70% of a $15 million goal. Price rose from $0.0001 to $0.003333 per token. Established memecoins include DOGE, SHIB, PEPE, BONK, ELON and FLOKI. DOGE pioneered the sector with low fees and fast transfers but has unlimited supply. SHIB adds utility via ShibaSwap, NFTs and governance. PEPE relies on community momentum with a no-tax model. BONK integrates into SOL. ELON and FLOKI benefit from upcoming exchange listings and network upgrades. Each memecoin carries high volatility. Traders should conduct independent research, manage positions, set clear exit strategies and weigh potential rewards against risks.

Eclipse, a Layer 2 network combining Ethereum and Solana technology, is conducting an ES token airdrop that distributes 15% of its 1 billion supply to core community members and developers over 30 days. Eligible users with pre-cutoff activity will claim ES token allocations through the foundation’s portal, subject to vesting and lockup schedules. The ES token airdrop aims to boost on-chain activity, governance participation, staking utility and liquidity ahead of upcoming exchange listings. Traders should monitor claim windows and initial trading volume, as the ES token airdrop may trigger short-term volatility before potential medium-term price appreciation.

South Korean firm Bitmax has expanded its Bitcoin reserves to 400.25 BTC after acquiring an additional 51.06 BTC. This move builds on the exchange’s earlier purchase that pushed its holdings past 400 BTC, reflecting a broader treasury diversification strategy. By strengthening its Bitcoin position, Bitmax mirrors MicroStrategy’s corporate crypto approach and highlights growing institutional adoption in South Korea. Despite stringent Financial Services Commission regulations and robust AML requirements, Bitmax’s increased Bitcoin reserves underscore rising confidence in digital assets as an inflation hedge. Traders may see improved market liquidity and anticipate clearer regulatory frameworks. Bitmax’s shift toward treating cryptocurrencies as strategic reserve assets could inspire other Korean companies to boost crypto allocations.

On July 16, 2025, Binance CEO Richard Teng met with Deputy Director Qiu Shaozhou of Taiwan’s Criminal Police Bureau. The bureau awarded him a commemorative badge in recognition of Binance AML cooperation. Both sides discussed leveraging technology, information sharing and AML best practices to counter evolving virtual asset crime. Recently, Binance returned over NT$26 million in illicit funds to Taiwanese authorities, underlining the value of public-private partnership. Binance AML cooperation has deepened since 2022, with law enforcement requests growing annually; the exchange has hosted more than 20 blockchain training sessions for over 2,000 local participants. Globally, the exchange has responded to 240,000+ law enforcement requests and delivered 400+ educational events, showcasing its commitment to a secure financial ecosystem.

The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation came into force roughly 200 days ago. Major exchanges like Coinbase, OKX and Bybit have applied for MiCA licences and aligned AML and reporting standards with banks. Under the MiCA regulation, bank-level reserve, governance and disclosure rules give compliant stablecoins like RLUSD an edge over opaque models such as USDT. Ripple registered Ripple Payments Europe in Luxembourg last year and is now seeking a MiCA electronic money licence to issue its RLUSD stablecoin and offer cross-border payments across the EEA. By securing a Luxembourg licence, Ripple aims to integrate digital assets with traditional rails, reduce intermediaries and FX costs. Overall, MiCA has driven market consolidation, spurred competition, boosted investor protections and may serve as a global regulatory blueprint.

Trend Research, a major crypto whale, has shifted over 54,000 ETH into centralized exchanges as part of a phased DeFi deleveraging strategy. Initially, it deposited 5,166 ETH within 12 hours, raising its CEX balance to 27,454.4 ETH. Days later, it offloaded an additional 49,000 ETH (approx. $151 million) to settle its outstanding Aave V2 loan. This large-scale ETH transfer and Aave repayment signals a strategic pivot from DeFi exposure. Traders should monitor ETH order books, CEX balances and Aave liquidity metrics. Such whale-driven deleveraging often adds downward pressure on ETH price, saps short-term bullish momentum and heightens market volatility. Prudent risk management is advised.

ProShares has launched two 2× leveraged futures ETFs—SLON for Solana (SOL) and UXRP for XRP—on NYSE Arca with SEC approval. These funds invest in regulated futures contracts and swaps, offering traders amplified exposure to SOL and XRP without direct custody. Each ETF targets twice the daily price movement of its underlying through a daily reset mechanism that can introduce compounding effects and volatility decay, making them suited for short-term trading. As regulated derivatives products, they may pave the way for future spot ETF approvals by demonstrating liquidity, pricing efficiency, and investor protection measures. Traders should monitor SLON and UXRP volumes and manage positions actively, using modest allocations to balance potential amplified gains and risks.

Bithumb first announced the Eclipse ES listing against the Korean Won (KRW) in June 2024—opening deposits from June 10 and trading from June 12. It later detailed a formal ES/KRW launch on July 16, 2025, at 19:00 KST with an opening price of 583 KRW, allowing deposits and withdrawals from 18:00 KST on the same day. The listing supports only the Eclipse network. To protect traders, buy orders are blocked for the first five minutes and sell orders are capped at ±10% of the opening price until the first trade, after which automatic orders activate. This move aims to boost ES liquidity, expand KRW trading opportunities, and meet growing DeFi and NFT demand, though users should be aware of high crypto risks and use regulated deposit channels. By listing Eclipse ES, Bithumb aims to boost ES liquidity, broaden market access and provide local traders with direct KRW trading options.

Solana price has rebounded from a three-week low of $126, driven by robust on-chain growth. DeFi total value locked (TVL) on Solana climbed 18.1% to $9.19 billion, while active daily addresses rose 14% to 3.34 million. During U.S. trading on July 16, SOL traded between $157.23 and $162.89, reflecting broader market momentum and ETF speculation. Technically, Solana price formed an inverted head-and-shoulders between $157.80 and $168.28, hinting at a breakout. The token has since surpassed the $160 resistance, confirming a bullish continuation. A close above $160 could target $200, aligned with the 1.618 Fibonacci extension of the $118–$145 base, and even $300 in a sustained uptrend. Conversely, a drop below $155 risks a return to the $135–$140 support zone. On higher timeframes, a cup-and-handle pattern below the 50- and 200-day moving averages suggests further upside to $240–$260. Traders should monitor trading volume, daily closes and TVL metrics to confirm momentum.

Crypto trader James Wynn reentered the market with a $19.5M BTC 40x leverage long position opened at $117,000 per coin, facing liquidation below $115,750. He has paid $1.4M in funding fees and holds roughly $78,000 in unrealised profit. Wynn also placed a $102,000, 10x leveraged long on meme token PEPE at $0.01201, reflecting growing confidence in both Bitcoin and altcoin rallies. This follows two prior $100M BTC 50x longs that were liquidated in May and June, which Wynn attributed to coordinated price hunts by market makers. Meanwhile, trader Qwatio opened a $2.3M, 40x BTC short, signalling mixed sentiment. High BTC leverage trading continues to carry elevated volatility and liquidation risk, underscoring the need for robust risk management in the current bullish market environment.

Ether has surged to a five-month high, topping $3,100 and marking a 22% monthly gain as the ETH/BTC ratio climbed nearly 6%. The rally is fueled by stablecoin activity (USDT, CRCL), growing tokenization of real-world assets, and expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts boosting liquidity. Institutional flows have picked up, with Ether ETFs attracting over $1 billion in inflows and treasury firms adding $1.6 billion of ETH this month. High-profile investors like Peter Thiel have also increased exposure. Traders are now targeting $5,000 to $30,000 this cycle. More recently, anticipation of the bipartisan GENUIS Act—which would ban yield-bearing stablecoins—is boosting Ether’s appeal as key DeFi collateral. Although synthetic assets like Ethena’s USDe currently exert short-term bearish pressure by shorting ETH perpetual futures, the potential stablecoin regulation is expected to sustain Ether’s outperformance in both spot and derivatives markets.

JPMorgan is accelerating its stablecoin strategy despite CEO Jamie Dimon’s skepticism. The bank, via its Onyx unit, processes up to $2 billion daily through JPM Coin and is testing its new deposit token, JPMD, on the Base network. In June, JPMorgan filed the “JPMD” trademark, fueling speculation of an institutional-only stablecoin launch. Rival banks Citigroup and Bank of America are exploring similar blockchain payment solutions. Retail giants Walmart and Amazon are also considering dollar-pegged tokens. Meanwhile, US lawmakers debate the GENIUS Act for stablecoin regulation, though progress is currently stalled. Continued momentum in JPMorgan’s stablecoin push underscores growing institutional interest in digital payment rails. Traders should watch regulatory developments and competitive launches for potential market opportunities.

Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm faces a high-stakes trial in Manhattan for alleged crypto money laundering. Jury selection is complete, with 12 jurors (seven women, five men) half under 31, ensuring diversity. Prosecutors accuse Storm of facilitating hacks by groups like North Korea’s Lazarus Group to launder funds from attacks including the 2022 Axie Infinity Ronin Network hack. Storm’s defence insists Tornado Cash is a privacy protocol designed for legitimate use and rejects criminal intent. The trial begins next week, focusing on transactional records and user privacy. Observers highlight global DeFi regulation implications and note a younger jury may shape views on Tornado Cash’s legal boundaries.

President Trump has officially launched the Fed chair selection after Scott Bessent volunteered and was quickly ruled out. Trump praised Jerome Powell’s performance and now favors NEC head Kevin Hassett or ex-Fed governor Kevin Warsh, both seen as supporters of aggressive rate cuts and flexible interest-rate policy. In parallel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that lifting the export ban on NVIDIA H20 chips became a key trade leverage in US–China negotiations. He expects talks to focus on market opening, boosting domestic consumption and securing further concessions. Bessent also lauded the “maximum pressure” tariff strategy, noting deals with the UK, Europe and Japan. Bessent stressed that the inflation trend matters more than isolated data points. He reaffirmed central bank independence and ruled out combining Fed and Treasury roles. This intersection of Fed chair selection, monetary policy and US–China trade dynamics may reshape liquidity and risk appetite, driving volatility in global markets and presenting new trading opportunities for cryptocurrency investors.

Standard Chartered has launched a UK-based, FCA-approved institutional platform for BTC & ETH spot trading and custody under Zodia Markets. The fully regulated service, integrated into the bank’s FX interfaces, lets clients settle with any custodian, including Standard Chartered’s own Digital Assets Custody. This makes it the first G-SIB to offer deliverable BTC & ETH spot trading. The platform supports spot trading, prime brokerage, settlement and lending solutions for asset managers, hedge funds and family offices. Bill Winters called digital assets “foundational” for financial innovation, while Tony Hall highlighted the bank’s risk management frameworks. On-chain data since July 9 shows Bitcoin spot trading volumes up 50.3% and futures up 31.9%, though year-to-date volumes remain below average. Bitcoin traded near $117,000 at publication, up 7.5% in the past week. Standard Chartered plans to expand to more tokens, complementing its global digital asset strategy in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Political pressure on Fed Chair Powell has intensified as both former President Trump and FHFA Director William Pulte publicly call for Powell’s resignation. These calls have rattled markets, pushing U.S. Treasury yields higher and steepening the yield curve amid rising inflation concerns. The dollar’s decline has further fueled import-driven price pressures. Traders are now reassessing interest rate prospects, with higher borrowing costs weighing on mortgages and corporate finance. Crypto volatility has surged as speculative capital shifts in response to policy uncertainty, particularly in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). This crypto volatility underscores the sensitivity of digital assets to U.S. monetary policy shifts. Short-term traders should closely monitor Fed Chair Powell updates and FHFA statements for clues on rate strategy or leadership changes. Portfolio diversification and hedging can help mitigate risks. Over the longer term, any shift in Fed Chair Powell’s leadership could reshape interest-rate outlooks, influencing allocations across traditional and digital assets.

Fairshake, a crypto super PAC formed in 2023, has raised over $140 million since November 2024. Funds include $52 million in H1 2025, with a $25 million donation from Coinbase. The crypto super PAC spent $130 million in the 2024 election cycle backing pro-crypto candidates and opposing anti-crypto measures, plus over $2 million in Virginia and Florida special races. Supported by leading blockchain firms, exchange platforms, and investors, Fairshake plans to deploy resources in key Senate and House contests across swing states. It aims to influence digital asset tax rules, securities classification, stablecoin regulation, and CBDC policy. Analysts say this record crypto fundraising effort underscores deeper industry engagement in US politics. Traders should monitor policy shifts that could lift market sentiment, spur institutional participation, and affect price volatility.

The US House voted 196–223, with 13 Republicans joining Democrats, to block debate on three Trump-backed crypto bills: the GENIUS Act for stablecoin rules, the CLARITY Act defining SEC vs CFTC oversight, and a ban on a Fed digital dollar. Bitcoin plunged 4% to around $115,000, while Ethereum, XRP and Solana fell by 1–2%. On-chain data show $3.5 billion in profit-taking, over half from long-term holders. Crypto stocks such as COIN, RIOT and MARA also dropped. Former President Trump publicly pressured GOP dissenters on social media, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise plans to revisit the bills later. The regulatory deadlock heightens uncertainty and boosts short-term volatility. Traders should watch for new votes, ETF flows and adjust positions accordingly.

Solana (SOL) slid 4% overnight to $159.90 after consolidating near $160 following a brief high of $167 earlier in the week. Futures open interest climbed 15% to $8.8 billion, signaling sustained investor demand. On-chain fundamentals remain strong: transaction volume rose 27% to over 596 million, active addresses increased 5% to 25.5 million, and network fees grew 24% to $7.3 million. In the past 18 hours, the BONK ecosystem and the new Pump.fun (PUMP) token generated over $1.2 billion in volume, boosting network liquidity. Solana staking ETFs have seen significant inflows: the REX-Osprey SOL + Staking ETF has gathered over $77 million since launch and currently holds $73 million AUM with daily flows of $10 million. Technical indicators present mixed signals: SOL trades within a large symmetrical triangle near its 50-day and 200-day EMAs, the hourly MACD is bearish, and the RSI is neutral around 55, with support levels at $158 and $155 and resistance at $162 and $168. A breakout above the triangle’s upper boundary or approval of US spot SOL ETFs—Bloomberg estimates a 90% chance by 2025—could reignite bullish momentum toward $200 and longer-term targets of $500–$1,000, while a daily close below $155 may signal further downside.

Core Foundation has launched Rev+, a protocol-level revenue sharing model on its EVM-compatible Bitcoin staking platform. Rev+ allocates 30% of on-chain fees to stablecoin issuers, 20% to DeFi developers and dApp builders, and retains 50% for the network treasury. Contributors—from NFT projects and DAOs to DeFi protocols—earn a share of gas fees they generate. The model embeds governance token incentives, allowing stakeholders to vote on fee splits. This revenue sharing approach aims to boost liquidity, drive protocol growth and reward on-chain activity. Stablecoins, with over $35 trillion in annual volume and 30.8% of DeFi fees, stand to benefit most. By aligning incentives across issuers, builders and the Core community, Rev+ could attract new liquidity and support long-term ecosystem expansion.

South Korean court has acquitted former Wemade CEO Jang Hyun-guk of market manipulation and false disclosure charges in the WEMIX token trial. Prosecutors had accused him of secretly selling over $200 million in WEMIX between February and October 2022 and misrepresenting supply to stabilize prices. The court found no evidence of intent to manipulate market prices. Since then, WEMIX has collapsed 97% from its 2021 peak and was delisted from major Korean exchanges following transparency concerns. A $6 million hack of the WEMIX Foundation in February and slow disclosure triggered an additional 40% drop. The ruling alleviates legal risks but underscores gaps in Korean crypto regulation and governance. Crypto traders should monitor potential shifts in WEMIX liquidity and regulatory clarity.

Pump.fun token surged in a record 12-minute ICO that raised $600 million, valuing the platform at over $4 billion. Its market cap later stabilized near $2 billion, as PUMP fell from a peak of $0.007 to around $0.005. Trading volume spiked across centralized and decentralized exchanges following major listings. Despite this momentum, Pump.fun still trails Solana meme coin Bonk in market cap and liquidity. Large ICO participants have hedged by shorting PUMP perpetuals. On-chain activity on Solana cooled, and competing launchpads like Raydium and LetsBonk are vying for market share. Crypto traders should watch Pump.fun token’s order books, social sentiment, and new exchange listings. Volatility remains high, making risk management and market-depth monitoring essential.

On July 15, an Arcadia Finance exploit drained around $3.5M in crypto assets by exploiting the protocol’s Rebalancer smart contract, including 2.3M USDC, 227K USDS, DAI, 199 WETH and 966M AERO tokens. Within a minute, stolen WETH was bridged to Ethereum mainnet and a second wave of unauthorized transfers took nearly $1M more. Arcadia Finance paused all withdrawals, urged users to revoke Rebalancer permissions, and is working with blockchain security firms to trace and recover funds. Its native ARC token plunged 12% while total value locked fell 18%. This Arcadia Finance exploit highlights broader DeFi security challenges. Traders should monitor WETH and AERO liquidity, watch for governance proposals, and gauge overall DeFi security sentiment.