Crypto

The Bitcoin holdings company's merger partner KindlyMD closed the $51.5 million fundraise with private investors on Friday. 

Circle skyrockets on stablecoin optimism while Bitcoin treasury firms face valuation challenges in this week's public markets roundup.

Bitcoin’s $96 billion in derivatives open interest fuels BTC price momentum near all-time highs, but rising leverage use raises the risk of liquidations and market volatility. Key takeaways: Open interest in Bitcoin futures and options has ballooned to $96 billion, up sharply from 2022 levels. Elevated speculative leverage fuels BTC’s bullish breakouts, but it also raises the risk of cascading liquidations, reminiscent of 2021 volatility. Read more

With crypto on the rise globally, it’s hard to predict just what area of the blockchain sector will generate enough interest to become the next big thing. Using a ChatGPT analysis, we’ve broken down the most up-and-coming crypto trends you should know about before they likely dominate the industry in the years to come.“Narrative waves” […] The post AI Predicts 2026 Crypto Sector Surge as DePIN, RWA, SocialFi Steal Spotlight appeared first on Cryptonews.

A temporary ban could be imposed as early as autumn based on an investigation into crypto miners’ energy consumption. The government of Norway is considering a temporary ban on crypto mining in the country in an effort to “free up power, network capacity and area for other purposes.” In a Friday notice, the Norwegian government said it would be conducting an investigation in autumn that could result in a temporary ban on crypto mining data centers. Officials said they had the authority to enforce such a ban under Norway’s Planning and Building Act, which includes provisions on allocating energy. “It is uncertain how big a problem crypto mining will become in Norway in the future,” the notice reads. “The registration requirement in the new data center regulations will provide increased knowledge about the scope of data centers that mine cryptocurrency.” Read more

Bloomberg analysts have sharply increased the likelihood of U.S. regulators approving a new wave of cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, pointing to a friendlier stance from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Bloomberg senior ETF analysts Eric Balchunas and James Seyffart said on June 20 that they now see a “90% or higher” chance that a broad […] The post Bloomberg analysts revise ETF approval odds to ‘90% or higher’ as SEC requests amended filings appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Of all pending crypto ETFs before the U.S. markets regulator, only SUI faces less than a 90% chance of approval.

Cointelegraph moderated an AI funding panel at the Web Summit conference in Vancouver, Canada. The convergence between blockchain technology and artificial intelligence is intensifying, with key industry figures like Ben Goertzel convinced that AI should be decentralized.  This convergence was even highlighted by the World Economic Forum, which argued in 2024 that “Synergies between spatial computing, blockchain and AI will augment our experiences and increasingly guide our interactions with the digital world.” Prominent crypto venture capitalist Marc Andreessen believes control over AI is a top strategic priority for China and the United States, as the two nations enter a “Cold War-style” race for technological dominance. Read more

AI-powered deepfakes breached crypto influencer Mai Fujimoto’s accounts; CZ warns even video calls won’t guarantee safety soon.

The SEC likely views cryptocurrencies Litecoin, Solana, XRP, Dogecoin, Cardano and others as “commodities.” The likelihood of US regulators approving a wave of crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is now a near certainty, signaling a continued pro-crypto shift at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to Bloomberg analysts Erich Balchunas and James Seyffart. In a social media post on Friday, Seffart said he and Balchunas have raised their odds for the vast majority of crypto ETF approvals to “90% or higher,” citing “very positive” engagement from the SEC. The analysts also suggested that the SEC “likely” views cryptocurrencies such as Litecoin (LTC), Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), and Dogecoin (DOGE) as commodities — a designation that would place them outside of its immediate jurisdiction. Read more

The government said it will "explore the possibility of temporarily prohibiting the establishment of new data centers in Norway that extract cryptocurrency."

The latest reported “wrench attack,” in which criminals targeted individuals for their crypto holdings, occurred in the suburbs of Paris this week. France has reportedly seen another incident targeting cryptocurrency users, this time involving the kidnapping of a 23-year-old man in a Paris suburb. According to a Thursday report from French news outlet Le Parisien, the victim was abducted in Maisons-Alfort and held captive for several hours while the perpetrators demanded his partner to turn over 5,000 euros ($5,764) in cash, along with the key to a Ledger hardware wallet containing an unreported amount of crypto. The report suggested that the criminals used violence to extract information regarding his digital assets. Read more

Speaking in Kyiv, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has questioned the need for a retail Digital Pound, citing unclear benefits, while confirming that wholesale CBDC work for financial institutions has advanced and pondering whether strict bank regulation has increased risk in non-bank sectors. The post BOE Governor’s Skepticism Threatens Digital Pound Timeline Amid Global CBDC Race appeared first on Cryptonews.

Jasper County Sheriff Chuck Havard told Decrypt that authorities have likely accessed the machines before.

Thailand has proposed updated listing standards that permit exchanges to list their own or affiliated tokens when used on-chain, provided issuers and related parties are fully disclosed. Exchanges would update legacy token data within 90 days, supporting market integrity and investor safeguards. The post Thailand SEC Opens Consultation on Exchange-Issued Tokens, July 21 Feedback Deadline appeared first on Cryptonews.

Coinbase, the largest US-based exchange, has taken a major step in its global expansion by securing approval under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, according to a June 20 statement. The exchange confirmed that Luxembourg’s financial watchdog, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), granted it the necessary license to operate across the […] The post Coinbase secures MiCA approval, shifts headquarters to Luxembourg appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Norway has indicated a policy shift by proposing a temporary ban, effective autumn 2025, on constructing new power-intensive cryptocurrency mining data centres. Officials say the step preserves renewable electricity for job-creating industries and supports national climate goals. The post Norway Plans 2025 Ban on Power-Hungry Crypto Mining Centers – Industry on Edge appeared first on Cryptonews.

The sharp reversal from above $106,000 wiped out early optimism, with bulls and bears mostly continuing in a stalemate.

SOL has traded near $142 in a make-or-break range as corporate treasuries have pivoted to Solana, seven asset managers have filed spot ETF bids with 91% approval odds, and tomorrow’s “Solana Summer” launch has sharpened focus on a climb toward $200. The post SOL Set for $200 Breakout as ETF Odds Hit 91% and ‘Solana Summer’ Begins appeared first on Cryptonews.

The commission evaluated more than 10 blockchains, including Ethereum, Avalanche, Sui, Stellar and Polygon. The Wyoming Stable Token Commission has shortlisted Aptos and Sei for its stablecoin pilot program, giving Aptos the highest score among the more than 10 blockchains considered for its forthcoming WYST project. Aptos disclosed Friday that it received the highest marks based on the commission’s network testing, scoring 32 points. Solana received an identical score of 32 points, though it was not selected for the pilot phase. Sei, meanwhile, scored 30 points, ahead of Avalanche (27), Ethereum (26), Base (25) and Algorand (21), among others. Read more