Author: John Smith

The United States Senate returned from its holiday recess on July 13 with one piece of paper waiting on its desk that matters more to crypto markets than any price chart. The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, the market structure bill the industry has chased for the better part of two years, sits on the Senate Legislative Calendar with no floor vote scheduled, a shrinking window before the August recess, and prediction market odds that have collapsed from the low seventies to roughly 43 percent. On July 17, the House Financial Services Committee takes the unusual step of holding a…

Ethereum has remained below $1,800 as traders await U.S. inflation data despite growing expectations of a breakout above $1,850. Summary Ethereum remains below $1,800 as traders await U.S. CPI data and Fed signals. A breakout above $1,850 could trigger short liquidations and open a path toward $2,200. Analysts continue to back the bullish setup while $1,750 remains Ethereum’s key support. The second-largest cryptocurrency traded around $1,780 after briefly slipping toward $1,770 following the latest geopolitical flare-up in the Middle East. Oil prices jumped after the weekend strikes, reviving concerns that inflation could remain elevated ahead of the June CPI release…

South Korea has reaffirmed plans to expand its blockchain and digital asset sector in the second half of 2026, pairing new blockchain initiatives with legislation for stablecoins, tokenized government bonds, and spot crypto ETFs. Summary South Korea has renewed its blockchain roadmap with plans for stablecoin rules, tokenized government bonds, and spot crypto ETFs. Authorities will introduce the Digital Asset Basic Act and establish a legal framework for cross border stablecoin transactions. Blockchain projects remain part of the government’s economic strategy even as AI and semiconductor investment receive stronger policy support. South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance said after…

Upbit will add Derive’s DRV token to its Korean won, Bitcoin and Tether markets on July 14. Summary Upbit adds DRV trading against KRW, BTC and USDT, expanding Derive’s access across South Korea. Derive migrated LYRA holders into DRV and now operates an onchain options and perpetuals exchange. DRV’s total supply now stands at 1.5 billion after a previously proposed strategic token mint. Trading is scheduled to open at 17:00 Korea Standard Time, giving the onchain derivatives protocol access to South Korean traders. The details appear in Upbit’s official DRV listing notice. The exchange said deposits and withdrawals will use…

HashKey Exchange, Shanghai Commercial Bank and Visa launched a co-branded credit card in Hong Kong.  Summary HashKey members can earn up to 4% rewards, converted monthly into HKD cash vouchers automatically. Cardholders may use vouchers to buy supported cryptocurrencies or offset trading fees on HashKey Exchange. Shanghai Commercial Bank issues the card, while Visa provides global payment acceptance and transaction infrastructure. Eligible HashKey Exchange members can apply for the Shanghai Commercial Bank HashKey Visa Signature Credit Card through the two companies’ mobile applications. The card links everyday spending with rewards that customers can use on the licensed exchange. The program…

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act has secured support from a second law enforcement organization before a Senate push.  Summary FLEOA backed the CLARITY Act while requesting tighter accountability rules for decentralized finance platforms nationwide. The endorsement follows NOBLE’s support, giving the bill two major law enforcement backers before recess. Senators face an August deadline as disputes over developer protections and investigative powers remain unresolved. The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association said it supports H.R. 3633 but wants lawmakers to revise several provisions before passage. In a July 10 statement, FLEOA said the bill “represents meaningful progress” toward balancing digital…

Spain has recorded the largest fan token burn of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after more than 1.16 million SPAIN Fan Tokens were permanently removed from circulation following the team’s quarter-final victory. Summary Spain burned 1.16 million SPAIN Fan Tokens after defeating Belgium in the World Cup quarter-finals. The Burn to Glory campaign has now removed nearly 3 million SPAIN tokens from circulation. Chiliz and LBank expanded fan token trading with new futures products and live trading competitions. According to Chiliz, Spain’s 2-1 win over Belgium triggered the destruction of 1,161,234 SPAIN Fan Tokens under its Burn to Glory campaign,…

Strategy has raised $466.7 million through fresh MSTR stock sales while leaving its Bitcoin holdings unchanged at 843,775 BTC for the week ending July 12. Summary Strategy raises $466.7 million through MSTR stock sales. Company keeps Bitcoin holdings unchanged at 843,775 BTC. Standard Chartered maintains $100,000 Bitcoin target despite treasury concerns. According to a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Michael Saylor-led Strategy sold 4,818,781 Class A MSTR shares between July 6 and July 12 through its at-the-market (ATM) program, generating approximately $466.7 million in net proceeds. Despite the capital raise, the company reported that…

President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will unveil newly declassified 2020 election intelligence during a Thursday night address alongside top U.S. national security officials. Summary Trump will deliver a primetime address on newly declassified 2020 election intelligence. Government reports found no evidence foreign actors changed votes or election results. Markets are watching as Polymarket assigns an 8% chance of a court overturning the 2020 election. According to MS NOW, Trump is scheduled to speak to the nation on Thursday at 9:00 PM ET alongside CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Acting…

Coinbase Ventures has completed 30 startup investments during the first half of 2026, maintaining the industry’s most active venture pace despite a sharp slowdown in overall crypto fundraising. Summary Coinbase Ventures led crypto VC activity with 30 startup deals in H1 2026. DeFi, payments, and AI remained the top sectors attracting venture funding. Overall crypto fundraising stayed weak despite a modest recovery in June and July. According to CryptoRank, the venture arm of Coinbase led all crypto-focused investors with 30 deals between January and June, ahead of Animoca Brands with 19 investments, venture capital firm a16z with 18, and stablecoin…