The latest developments in cryptocurrency, blockchain and digital finance.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino denied rumors of a Bitcoin sell-off, confirming the firm is still allocating profits into BTC, gold, and land. The confusion stemmed from a 19,800 BTC transfer to Twenty One Capital (XXI), not a sale, according to Jan3 CEO Samson Mow. Meanwhile, El Salvador announced a $50 million gold purchase, its first since 1990, as part of a diversification strategy.
The U.S. Senate has added a clause to its crypto bill clarifying that tokenized stocks remain classified as securities, ensuring they fit within existing financial frameworks. The Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025 also splits oversight between the SEC and CFTC, with votes expected in the coming months. Meanwhile, over 100 crypto firms, including Coinbase and Ripple, have urged lawmakers to protect developers and non-custodial service providers, warning that unclear rules are driving talent out of the U.S.
Despite recent ETF outflows, Ethereum bulls remain optimistic. BitMine chairman Tom Lee reaffirmed his $60,000 ETH prediction, while treasury firms now hold nearly $15.5 billion worth of Ether. Santiment data also shows whales have increased their holdings by 14% since April, signaling strong long-term confidence.
Litecoin’s playful feud with influencer Benjamin Cowen sparked fresh attention, with some traders even turning bullish on the asset. The timing aligns with growing institutional interest, as Grayscale and Canary Capital have both filed with the SEC to launch Litecoin ETFs in the U.S.
Analysts are split on Bitcoin’s future. Canary Capital’s Steven McClurg sees a 50% chance BTC hits $140K–$150K this year before a 2026 bear market, while Bitwise’s Matt Hougan expects the bull run to continue into 2026. Others, including Arthur Hayes and Joe Burnett, predict Bitcoin could soar to $250K before year-end.
StablecoinX has expanded its financing for Ethena’s ENA treasury to $890 million, bolstering liquidity and strengthening support for the growth of the Ethena ecosystem. The move positions StablecoinX as a key player in backing Ethena’s stablecoin strategy and long-term sustainability.
Ondo Finance, in partnership with Chainlink, has launched its Ondo Global Markets platform, bringing over 100 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs onchain. The platform, live on Ethereum, is currently available to non-U.S. investors and is being promoted as “Wall Street 2.0.”
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says over 40% of the platform’s code is now AI-generated, with plans to raise that figure to 50% by October. The move highlights Coinbase’s strategy to integrate AI deeply into its operations while training its workforce to become “AI-Natives.”
The Trump family launched two major crypto ventures in the same week. American Bitcoin went public on Nasdaq, while the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) token debuted on exchanges but has already dropped 30% since launch. A company tied to the Trumps holds nearly a quarter of WLFI, valued at $4.8 billion. Eric Trump’s stake in American Bitcoin is estimated at $548 million.
A global shift is underway as more people consider crypto for retirement planning. An Aviva survey found 27% of UK adults are open to holding crypto in their retirement funds, while in the US, President Trump signed an order allowing 401(k) plans to include Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Ripple’s long legal fight with the SEC was influenced by the activism of the XRP Army, according to lawyer John Deaton. Thousands of XRP holders submitted affidavits, petitions, and coordinated campaigns, which Judge Torres later cited in her ruling that XRP itself is not a security.
River found that most businesses invest only **1–10% of profits into Bitcoin**, with smaller firms often making modest buys under **\$10K**. Analyst **Sam Baker** said many companies avoid Bitcoin due to **misunderstandings and lack of awareness**, citing surveys showing most Americans know little about its capped supply or fundamentals.
Traditional banks are expanding into crypto custody. Deutsche Bank plans to launch a digital assets custody service in 2026 with Bitpanda, while Citigroup is considering custody and payment services as regulatory shifts make the sector more accessible.
Trezor analyst Lucien Bourdon said self-custodial wallets can securely hold RWA tokens like gold or Treasury-backed assets, but unlike crypto, ownership differs. With cryptocurrencies, private keys mean direct ownership, while with RWAs, the token is secured, but the underlying asset stays with an issuer or custodian.
Chainalysis data shows Bitcoin dominates crypto adoption, pulling in over $4.6T in fiat inflows, with the U.S. leading at $4.2T. Layer-1 tokens followed with $4T, stablecoins just under $1T, and memecoins around $250B. Bitcoin’s share was especially strong in the UK and EU, where nearly half of fiat purchases went into BTC.
Crypto.com partnered with Trump Media, owner of Truth Social, to launch a treasury strategy for its native token Cronos (CRO). The token jumped nearly 150% to $0.38 on the news but later eased back to $0.27, far below its 2021 peak.
Industry voices are divided on crypto treasury firms. Some, like Milo CEO Josip Rupena, warn they carry risks akin to the 2008 CDO crisis, while others, like Bitwise’s Matt Hougan, argue they make Ethereum more investable for traditional markets. Sharplink’s Joseph Chalom highlighted their scalability, though analysts such as James Check and VC firm Breed warned that many Bitcoin treasuries could face a “death spiral” over time.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the new futures index is part of building an “everything exchange,” tied to the firm’s broader “everything app” strategy. In July, Coinbase rebranded its wallet as the Base app, aiming to merge trading, payments, social media, and messaging in one platform.