Cointelegraph

Younger generations disillusioned by the current financial system and calling for a socialist system financed through increased public spending will force the price of Bitcoin (BTC) higher in the long term, according to market analyst Jordi Visser.

In a Sunday episode of entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano's podcast, Visser said younger generations, those 25 and lower, are fighting against the rising tide of AI-driven job displacement and economic uncertainty, leading to growing calls to replace the capitalist system with a regime of increased social benefits fueled by public spending.

“The younger people don't have a belief that the system will come back. They believe the system has been worsening every single year," Visser said.

Jordi Visser appears on Anthony Pompliano’s podcast to discuss the ongoing social shift among young people, Bitcoin, and AI. Source: Anthony Pompliano

"The more people are angry, the more money the government has to print," the analyst added."That's why the price of Bitcoin will not stop going higher, regardless of what people say, it will replace a lot of fiat assets over time," the analyst concluded.

Analysts continue to forecast and debate the effects of the changing sociopolitical landscape on Bitcoin's adoption and price, as legacy financial systems and traditional institutions continue to erode.

AI and robotic humanoids to make capitalism obsolete?

The analyst also warned that sufficiently advanced AI and other automated technology such as robotic humanoids could completely undermine the capitalist system by concentrating wealth and permanently reducing the need for human labor, which would force society to reorganize. Visser told Pompliano:

"I started heading down this journey in 2013 about exponential innovation and the dangers it would have on the fabric of capitalism. If you continue to have a divide in terms of inequality, and you continue to have a few people who have most of the money, you will eventually cause problems.

Humanoid robots and self-driving cars will become a widespread commercial reality in approximately five years, according to the analyst.

"When you start bringing Waymo and driving those cars into Manhattan, I think that's a wake-up call. We had protests from Uber when it was moving across the globe," Visser said.

Magazine: AI is good for employment says PWC — Ignore the AI doomers: AI Eye

Key points:

Bitcoin aims for its highest weekly close above $109,000, but higher levels are likely to attract sellers.

HYPE, BCH, LINK, and SEI could extend their rallies if Bitcoin price stays above $105,000.

Bitcoin (BTC) made a solid comeback this week, rising more than 6%, indicating strong buying near the $100,000 level. The bulls are trying to strengthen their advantage by sustaining the price above $108,000. Popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital said in a post on X that if Bitcoin achieves its highest weekly close, that “would enable Bitcoin to enjoy a new uptrend into new All Time Highs.”

However, it is worth noting that liquidity generally remains low during the weekend, and a breakout should be viewed cautiously. Sellers will be back on Monday and will try to keep the price within the $100,000 to $111,980 range. 

Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360

Bitcoin’s strength has triggered buying in several altcoins, which have bounced off their respective support levels. If Bitcoin hits a new all-time high, select altcoins will try to extend their relief rally by breaking above their overhead resistance levels.

Let’s study the charts of the top 5 cryptocurrencies that look strong on the charts and find out their crucial support and resistance levels.

Bitcoin price prediction

Bitcoin has been trading between the moving averages and the downtrend line. Buyers tried to push the price above the downtrend line, but the bears held their ground.

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The moving averages are sloping up gradually, and the relative strength index (RSI) is in the positive territory, indicating that bulls have a slight edge. If bulls propel the price above the downtrend line, the BTC/USDT pair could jump to $110,530 and later to $111,980. 

Sellers are expected to pose a strong challenge in the zone between the downtrend line and the neckline of the inverted head-and-shoulders pattern. However, if buyers bulldoze their way through, the pair may skyrocket toward $150,492.

This optimistic view will be negated in the near term if the price turns down from the downtrend line and breaks below the moving averages. That opens the doors for a fall to $102,500 and then to $100,000.

BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair bounced off the 20-exponential moving average, but the bulls could not clear the overhead hurdle at the downtrend line. If the price continues lower and breaks below the 20-EMA, it suggests that the bulls are losing their grip. The pair may then skid to the 50-simple moving average, which is a crucial level to watch out for. A break below the 50-SMA could accelerate selling, pulling the pair toward $100,000.

On the upside, the bulls will have to push and retain the price above the downtrend line to signal strength. 

Hyperliquid price prediction

Hyperliquid (HYPE) slipped below the 20-day EMA ($37.14) on Thursday, but the bears could not sustain the lower levels. That shows buying on every minor dip.

HYPE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The bulls pushed the price back above the 20-day EMA on Saturday. There is resistance at $39.12, but if the bulls overcome the barrier, the HYPE/USDT pair could surge toward $42.50. Buyers are expected to face significant resistance in the $42.50 to $45.80 zone.

Conversely, if the price turns down and skids below the 20-day EMA, it indicates that bears are active at higher levels. The pair may then slump to the 50-day SMA ($34.42). A break and close below the 50-day SMA could sink the pair to $30.69.

HYPE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair found support at the 50-SMA, and the bulls are trying to push the price above the near-term resistance of $39.12. If they manage to do that, the pair could ascend to $41 and thereafter to $42.50.

The first support on the downside is the 20-EMA and then the 50-SMA. A break below the moving averages signals that the bullish momentum has weakened. The pair may tumble to $33.25 and subsequently to the solid support at $30.69.

Bitcoin Cash price prediction

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is facing selling at the $500 level, but a positive sign is that the bulls have not ceded much ground to the bears.

BCH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The upsloping moving averages and the RSI in the positive zone suggest that the bulls are in control. That increases the likelihood of a break above $500. If that happens, the BCH/USDT pair could soar to $550. Sellers will try to halt the rally at $550, but if the bulls prevail, the pair could reach $625.

The first support on the downside is at the 20-day EMA ($464) and then at the 50-day SMA ($430). A break below the 50-day SMA signals that the bears are back in the game.

BCH/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The bulls are trying to sustain the price above the 20-EMA on the 4-hour chart. If they succeed, the pair could once again rise above the $500 resistance. The up move could pick up steam above $511.

On the contrary, if the price breaks and maintains below the 20-EMA, it suggests that the bulls are booking profits. That could sink the pair to the 50-SMA, where the bulls are likely to step in.

Chainlink price prediction

Chainlink (LINK) has been clinging to the 20-day EMA ($13.27) for the past few days, indicating that the bulls have maintained their pressure. 

LINK/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If the price breaks and maintains above the 20-day EMA, the LINK/USDT pair could rise to the 50-day SMA ($14.43). Sellers are expected to defend the 50-day SMA with all their might because a break above it signals a potential trend change. The pair may then climb toward $18.

Instead, if the price turns down sharply from the current level or the 50-day SMA, it suggests that the bears are selling on rallies. A break below $12.73 could keep the pair inside the descending channel for some more time.

LINK/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The bulls are trying to push the price to the resistance line, but the bears are aggressively defending the $13.50 level. If the price turns down and breaks below the 20-EMA, it suggests a lack of demand at higher levels. The pair may then descend to the 50-SMA.

Contrarily, a sharp rebound off the 20-EMA signals a positive sentiment. The pair could rise to the resistance line, which is a critical level to watch out for. If the price rises above the resistance line, the pair may march toward $15.50.

Sei price prediction

Sei (SEI) picked up momentum after breaking out of the 50-day SMA ($0.21) on Monday and rose above the $0.29 resistance on Tuesday.

SEI/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

However, buyers could not sustain the higher levels, and the price dipped below the $0.29 level on Wednesday. A positive sign in favor of the bulls is that they pushed the price back above the $0.29 level. The 20-day EMA ($0.23) has started to turn up, and the RSI is in the positive territory, indicating that the path of least resistance is to the upside. The SEI/USDT pair could rise to $0.35 and later to $0.43.

This positive view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA. That could pull the pair down to $0.19 and later to $0.15.

SEI/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Both moving averages are sloping up, and the RSI is in the positive zone, indicating advantage to buyers. If the price sustains above $0.30, the pair could rally to $0.33. 

Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will try to pull the price below the 20-EMA. If they manage to do that, the pair may slide to $0.27 and subsequently to the 50-SMA. Buyers are expected to vigorously defend the 50-SMA because a deeper pullback could delay the resumption of the up move.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor signaled the company's 11th consecutive week of Bitcoin (BTC) purchases, a streak that began on April 14.

"In 21 years, you'll wish you'd bought more," Saylor wrote to his 4.4 million followers on X. The Strategy co-founder has gained roughly 1 million followers on the social media platform over the last year.

The company's most recent Bitcoin acquisition occurred on June 23, when Strategy purchased 245 BTC for $26 million, bringing its total holdings to 592,345 BTC, valued at over $63.6 billion.

Overview of Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings. Source: SaylorTracker

Strategy's Bitcoin treasury makes it the largest known corporate BTC holder in the world. Saylor's firm holds more than double the amount of BTC as the top 20 competing public Bitcoin treasury companies combined, according to BitcoinTreasuries.

Analysts continue to debate whether the company's rapid accumulation of Bitcoin will trigger a supply shock, driving BTC prices higher.

Other market participants have raised concerns about the sustainability of the corporate Bitcoin treasury model employed by Strategy copycat companies that finance BTC acquisitions with debt and equity — a problem that could be the source of the next Bitcoin bear market.

Top 20 public Bitcoin treasury companies. Source: BitcoinTreasuries

Strategy unlikely to fold under the pressure, but newer treasury companies will

Only a handful of Bitcoin treasury companies will survive once the price of Bitcoin drops, according to a recent report from venture capital firm Breed.

"When failures inevitably hit, the strongest players are likely to acquire distressed companies and consolidate the industry," the authors of the report wrote.

"New treasury companies face this risk even more acutely, as they will have to raise capital on tougher terms and at higher leverage ratios than Strategy," according to Breed.

Breakdown of different types of organizations that hold BTC. Source: Breed

The report noted that Strategy has a significantly higher chance of surviving the next major market downturn due to its size, BTC holdings, and because it has weathered a previous bear market.

Strategy maintained discipline and continued accumulating Bitcoin even through the bear market, which will be the hallmark behavior of other successful BTC treasury companies, the authors added.

Strategy investor and market analyst Jeff Walton recently predicted that the company has a 91% chance of joining the S&P 500, a stock index of the 500 largest companies listed on the US stock market, in Q2 2025.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Magazine: US risks being ‘front run’ on Bitcoin reserve by other nations: Samson Mow

Mass decoy messaging between news agencies and readers can help protect the identity of whistleblowers, according to Dr. Manny Ahmed, the founder of CoverDrop, a whistleblower protection tool, and OpenOrigins, a blockchain firm that provides data provenance for images and videos to ensure authenticity. Both tools work in symbiosis to ensure trusted communications.

In an interview with Cointelegraph, Dr. Ahmed said that CoverDrop works by sending out large amounts of decoy encrypted messaging traffic between the readers of a news platform and the news platform itself.

Flow of messaging from the reader to the journalists. Source: CoverDrop white paper

This creates the illusion that every reader is a whistleblower, thus drowning out the identity of any true whistleblowers in a sea of digital noise. The executive outlined the problem whistleblowers currently face in the age of digital surveillance:

"Whistleblowers are in a tricky position because, by definition, they are part of a small set that has access to privileged information. So, even if they use end-to-end encryption, the fact that they have ever had communication with a journalist is enough to single them out.

It does not matter that they can't see the contents of the message; just the one-on-one relationship is enough," Dr. Ahmed continued.

The protocol flow of the CoverDrop system. Source: CoverDrop white paper

The CoverDrop and OpenOrigins founder warned that advances in AI and data surveillance tools would only increase the threat to privacy and anonymity over time, creating a need for more robust defenses against the emerging panopticon of the security surveillance state.

The mass surveillance state supercharged: Agentic AI and the loss of anonymity in the crowd

Dr. Ahmed noted that mass data collection by governments and intelligence agencies has been ongoing for over a decade but largely ineffective because there was no efficient way to filter through the large quantities of data collected.

"They needed to hire thousands of analysts to sit down and actually target people; with AI you do not need to do that anymore," the executive told Cointelegraph.

The rise of agentic AI allows intelligence agencies to assign an AI agent for each individual that would track all their data and provide a much more comprehensive profile of a person's activity at a low computational cost, the executive warned.

"The threat has just escalated a lot. So, the defense has to escalate a lot as well," Dr. Ahmed added.

Magazine: UK’s Orwellian AI murder prediction system, will AI take your job? AI Eye

Opinion by: Matt Wright, co-founder and chief executive officer of Gaia

In the mid-1400s, Gutenberg’s press removed the monopoly on written knowledge. Literacy expanded, institutions changed and the public finally gained access to ideas locked behind elite control.

Today, decentralized artificial intelligence (DeAI) triggers a similar shift by expanding access to intelligence and reshaping who gets to build with it.

The decentralization of AI challenges the prevailing structure of AI today. Most platforms operate as closed systems. Model weights are hidden, data pipelines are proprietary and decision-making happens behind APIs. That control has enabled a small number of companies to determine how intelligence evolves and who can use it.

DeAI reduces that dependency and changes how intelligence is created, governed and distributed.

The hidden costs of closed AI platforms

The closed nature of centralized AI systems creates bottlenecks as a result of limited access, which, in turn, leads to a narrow worldview. In documented cases, centralized technology has produced biased decisions, opaque outcomes and even wrongful arrests. These risks stem from centralized control over inputs, design and data.

Even the goals of central AI companies are evolving under pressure. In 2025, OpenAI scrapped plans to become a fully for-profit entity and restructured its commercial arm into a public benefit corporation controlled by its nonprofit parent. While the move signaled that public interest remains a priority, it also revealed how fragile that commitment can be when tied to corporate governance. 

DeAI removes that dependency entirely. It embeds public benefit into the architecture by engineering it into how the system works.

DeAI is already transforming communities and markets

DeAI developers can run models locally, fine-tune them on regional data, and adapt them to specific constraints. The tools do not depend on bandwidth, commercial licenses or corporate approval. They operate where centralized tools often cannot.

Farmers in India use voice assistants trained in local dialects to plan crop cycles. In Sierra Leone, teachers use AI chatbots via low-data messaging apps to get real-time lesson support that’s more accurate and cost-effective than traditional web search. In rural Guatemala, midwives use an AI-powered smartphone application to monitor fetal health during home visits, enabling real-time assessments without internet access and improving maternal care in low-resource settings.

All of these projects are created by the human beings using them — people who have historically been left out of global tech development.

Building an AI agent is now easier than ever. Tutorials show how anyone can create functional AI agents without coding. For more technical users, platforms offer code-based and visual development tools. The barriers to entry are significantly low. 

Related: Centralized AI threatens a democratic digital future

Businesses are also following suit. Retailers train small models on transaction data to improve logistics. Enterprises customize open-weight models for internal operations. According to DappRadar, decentralized AI applications are gaining market share quickly enough to potentially challenge DeFi and gaming in Web3.

DeAI is already reshaping how people work, learn and solve problems in their communities. With every implementation, intelligence becomes less abstract, more applicable, more situated and more local.

A new ideological divide in AI

The most common critique of DeAI is that decentralization leads to inconsistency or misinformation. These concerns are not new. When Gutenberg’s press appeared, critics warned of unverified texts and social disorder. The long-term result, however, was scientific progress, literacy and broader participation in public discourse.

Transparent systems support oversight. Open models can be inspected. Community norms can govern local implementations. Ethical controls can evolve in the open rather than being dictated by a single set of corporate values.

This divergence reflects a broader ideological split in the AI community. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has championed a safety-focused, centralized approach as outlined in his essay, “Machines of Loving Grace.” He argues that responsible AGI requires tightly controlled development. 

On the other hand, Ben Goertzel, founder of SingularityNET, has warned that centralized AGI development risks reinforcing the narrow worldviews of its creators. In a recent interview, he called for intelligence to emerge from global collaboration and local adaptation.

These positions influence incentives, risk models and global access. Centralized systems prioritize uniformity and control. Decentralized systems allow intelligence to evolve within diverse cultures, industries and use cases. That flexibility is already shaping new markets and new institutions.

DeAI revives the ethos of the original Renaissance

The next phase of AI will be defined by who gets to participate. The more intelligence moves into public hands, the more durable, adaptable and representative it becomes. Developers are moving away from closed APIs, public institutions are investing in sovereign infrastructure, and community-built models appear in places with limited reach of Big Tech tools. Intelligence is no longer built only for the world — it is built by it.

We are still early in this transition, and what comes next depends on what we build. That means investing in decentralized infrastructure, funding local projects and, above all, creating the tools to shape intelligence as accessible as the tools to read and write.

The first Renaissance expanded who could read. This one will expand who gets to think, compute and build — everywhere.

Opinion by: Matt Wright, co-founder and chief executive officer of Gaia.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Stablecoins have become the backbone of internet payments, with adoption now outpacing major traditional card networks in onchain volume, according to Noam Hurwitz, head of engineering at Alchemy.

Hurwitz told Cointelegraph that stablecoins have seen “explosive” adoption, adding that they are “becoming the default settlement layer for the internet.”

Companies like PayPal and Stripe are integrating stablecoins to leverage onchain infrastructure, enabling faster and cheaper transactions. “They’ve already surpassed Visa and Mastercard in onchain volume by 7%,” Hurwitz noted, signaling a decisive shift in how money moves online.

Alchemy, which provides infrastructure to some of the largest stablecoin ecosystems, is at the center of this transformation. Hurwitz said Alchemy is “the onchain provider for Robinhood Wallet” and powers stablecoin flows for fintech giants like Visa, Stripe, Circle, and PayPal.

Stablecoins used for various purposes

Hurwitz said that stablecoins make money “cheap, fast, global, and secure to transfer.” These features have made them popular for various purposes, with broad adoption emerging across cross-border payments and prediction markets like Polymarket.

He added that stablecoins have become massive buyers of US Treasurys, with Tether (USDT) alone generating $13 billion in profits last year while holding around $113 billion in US debt. “Tokenized money is the base of the tokenized financial system,” Hurwitz said, calling recent financial innovation built on this foundation “exciting.”

Tether holds more US Treasurys than Germany. Source: TFTC

Hurwitz said stablecoins are already functioning as the “default rails” for internet payments in many respects but flagged challenges stemming from the fragmented blockchain landscape.

Institutions, he explained, want to move quickly but must assess provider reliability and counterparty risks, especially in a nascent industry. “Can a small startup really support enterprise-grade operations while building and scaling the services they need?” he asked.

Hurwitz pointed to Kinexys, a tokenized bank deposit launched by JP Morgan, as a major milestone. The permissioned deposit token enables institutional clients to access yield-bearing deposits on a public blockchain with “24/7 settlement, near real-time liquidity and the potential ability to pay interest to holders.”

Interest in stablecoins surge with new regulations

Last week, the US Senate passed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, or GENIUS Act, a landmark bill establishing federal guardrails for stablecoins.

“With the recent passage of the Genius Act, the regulatory landscape is becoming clearer and more structured, which benefits established financial players while also encouraging innovation,” Hurwitz said.

Meanwhile, Hurwitz pointed out key technical bottlenecks in improving developer and end-user experience despite strong growth. “Companies benefit immensely from settling on crypto rails, but want to decouple the user experience from the underlying technology — and doing so takes deep technical expertise,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Hurwitz expects most financial services to deploy their own blockchains, especially layer 2 networks, to better scale and monetize their ecosystems.

He predicted that infrastructure improvements would drive “seamless crosschain interoperability” between these networks, enabling a more connected and efficient financial system built on stablecoins.

Despite Hurwitz’s optimistic view of stablecoins, a new Bank for International Settlements (BIS) report challenges the notion that they can serve as money in a modern financial system.

The BIS Annual Economic Report 2025 claims stablecoins fail critical singleness, elasticity, and integrity tests. The organization described stablecoins as “digital bearer instruments” that resemble financial assets more than actual money. 

Magazine: XRP jumps on Ripple-SEC update, Pomp scoops up $386M BTC: Hodler’s Digest, June 22 – 28

Key points:

Bitcoin sees some weekend volatility as Hyperliquid’s notorious James Wynn flip-flops between short and long BTC.

Short timeframes show bulls staying “in control” of BTC price action.

The weekly and monthly candle closes have a chance to become Bitcoin’s highest ever.

Bitcoin (BTC) passed $108,500 into the June 29 weekly close as familiar “whale games” combined with bullish market structure.

BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Bitcoin hits two-week highs as James Wynn returns

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD gaining 1% on the day to near two-week highs.

“Out-of-hours” trading conditions meant that lower liquidity allowed for more volatile market moves on less volume.

News that now-infamous Hyperliquid trader James Wynn had opened a $13.9 million BTC short position thus sparked what appeared to be an attempt by other market participants to liquidate it.

Wynn’s liquidation price was $108,630 at the time of writing, with Bitcoin inches from reaching that level. Wynn closed his short prematurely, flipping long with around 60 BTC.

Bullish on $BTC?

James Wynn(@JamesWynnReal) has closed his short and flipped long on $BTC.

Aguila Trades(@AguilaTrades) is doubling down, increasing his long to 2,201 $BTC ($238M).https://t.co/FX6sISWuDPhttps://t.co/1Aq6gywbqf pic.twitter.com/HB61RN0Gnv

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) June 29, 2025

Elsewhere, chart analysis saw encouraging signs that Bitcoin market strength would continue.

“If you look at the 15-minute chart, the structure is bullish,” popular trader Autumn Riley wrote in part of ongoing commentary on X. 

“Every time price sweeps a high, it reacts down but keeps making higher lows. The pressure from sellers is fading slowly.”

BTC/USDT 15-minute chart. Source: Autumn Riley/X

Fellow trader BitBull, meanwhile, noted a golden cross playing out on Bitcoin’s Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD) indicator — a sign that near-term price action was outperforming.

“Another signal which shows that bulls are in control,” part of an X post on the topic reported. 

“Right now, we are in a low liquidity weekend so don't expect big movements. Once the market opens tomorrow, I'm sure the volatility will kick in and it'll most likely be to the upside.”

BTC/USD 1-day chart with MACD data. Source: BitBull/X

BTC price eyes record candle closes

Ahead of the weekly and monthly candle close, popular trader and analyst Rekt Capital eyed a key price point of interest next.

Bitcoin, he argued this weekend, was on the cusp of making history with the highest weekly close ever.

“Can Bitcoin Weekly Close above the final major Weekly resistance?” he queried.

“Bitcoin has never performed such a Weekly Close. Therefore in doing so, that would not only be historic, but it would enable Bitcoin to enjoy a new uptrend into new All Time Highs.”

BTC/USD 1-week chart. Source: Rekt Capital/X

The current highest-ever weekly close lies just above $109,000 on Bitstamp. The highest monthly close is lower at around $104,630.

Earlier this week, Rekt Capital said that a close above $102,400 would be enough to confirm a “monthly range breakout.”

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Some crypto startups are raising concerns over Kenya’s proposed virtual asset service providers (VASP) Bill, warning it could hand outsized influence to a Binance-linked lobby group, potentially undermining fair competition in the country’s digital asset industry.

According to disclosures seen by The Kenyan Wall Street, a private think tank called the Virtual Asset Chamber of Commerce (VAC) will be included on the regulatory board established under the draft law.

Some crypto stakeholders in Kenya claim that VAC has run Binance-sponsored regulatory talks, lacks independence and acts as a proxy for the exchange.

“All regulation convos by VAC that happened recently have been sponsored by Binance. Then VAC, a private consulting entity, with a non-compete with Binance ‘magically’ gets a regulatory seat? How is this fair? How is this constitutional?” one stakeholder told The Kenyan Wall Street.

Binance reportedly pays VAC

The report claimed that Binance pays VAC $6,000 per country each month for policy advocacy, citing a confidential agreement. This raises fears that the lobby group could skew Kenya’s crypto rules to benefit Binance and sideline local players.

VAC’s website does not include Binance as a partner. Source: VAC

Critics also reportedly noted similarities with VAC’s reported attempts to insert itself into Rwanda’s regulatory process.

“If an entity of poor international reputation or one with clear conflict of interest becomes our crypto regulator, Kenya shall never leave FATF and EU greylists,” warned another stakeholder.

In a comment to The Kenyan Wall Street, VAC’s director Basil Ogolla defended VAC’s role, pointing out its two-year campaign of consultations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), and Parliament.

“The National Assembly’s decision to include VAC as a nominator in the regulatory board reflects the trust and confidence built through this track record of meaningful engagement,” Ogolla reportedly said.

Notably, the new regulatory body in Kenya will also include representatives from the National Treasury, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), and the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), along with a lawyer and an accountant.

Cointelegraph reached out to Binance for comment but had not received a response by publication.

Binance deepens ties with governments globally

In May, Binance signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kyrgyzstan’s National Agency for Investments to introduce crypto payment infrastructure and blockchain education in the country.

In an interview on April 17, CEO Richard Teng revealed that Binance is actively advising several governments on building strategic Bitcoin reserves and crafting crypto policies.

“We have actually received quite a number of approaches by a few governments and sovereign wealth funds on the establishment of their own crypto reserves,” Teng said.

Earlier, on April 7, former CEO Changpeng Zhao was named an adviser to Pakistan’s newly launched Crypto Council, which will oversee the country’s blockchain and digital asset initiatives.

Magazine: XRP jumps on Ripple-SEC update, Pomp scoops up $386M BTC: Hodler’s Digest, June 22 – 28

More than a quarter of South Koreans in their 20s to 50s now own digital assets, with their crypto investments making up 14% of their total financial portfolios, according to a new report from the Hana Institute of Finance released Sunday.

The study, titled 2050 Generation’s Virtual Asset Investment Trends, shows that interest in crypto cuts across age groups. Those in their 40s led participation at 31%, followed by people in their 30s at 28% and 50s at 25%.

78% of respondents in their 50s said they use crypto as a way to amass funds, while 53% said they were preparing for retirement through crypto investments. More respondents now cite growth potential, diversification, and structured savings plans as key motivations for investing.

Meanwhile, 70% of respondents expressed interest in expanding crypto investments in the future. 42% said they would invest more if traditional financial institutions took a larger role in crypto markets, while 35% cited stronger legal protections as a key factor in boosting confidence.

Demographic breakdown of Korean crypto investors by age, gender, and occupation, showing dominance of men in their 30s-40s and white-collar workers. Source: Hana Institute of Finance

Korean investors make regular crypto purchases

Investment patterns are also maturing. The proportion of investors making regular purchases rose from 10% to 34%, and mid-term trading increased from 26% to 47%, while short-term trading fell slightly.

The way investors get information is also changing. Per the report, reliance on word-of-mouth has declined, while the use of official exchanges and analytical platforms has risen.

Bitcoin (BTC) remains the primary choice, with six in ten investors including BTC in their holdings. As experience grows, however, many diversify into altcoins or stablecoins. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and security tokens (STOs) remain niche, with nine in ten investors sticking exclusively to coins.

“Virtual assets play a major role within investors’ portfolios,” said Yoon Sun-young, a researcher at Hana Financial Research Institute. “Investors expect legal institutionalization and expansion of the role of the existing financial sector.” 

A major pain point highlighted was the restriction preventing linking multiple bank accounts with crypto exchanges. Seven in ten investors said they would favor their primary bank if this rule were relaxed.

Concerns about market volatility remain widespread (56%), while worries over exchange or fraud risks were more pronounced among those hesitant to invest further.

Korea’s crypto boom fueled by desperation

Last week, Eli Ilha Yune, chief product officer at Anzaetek, said the surge in crypto South Korea’s crypto adoption isn’t driven by optimism about blockchain technology.

Speaking at German Blockchain Week, Yune argued that many young Koreans are turning to crypto out of financial desperation, seeking quick profits rather than supporting Web3 ideals.

Youth unemployment in South Korea is a key factor, standing at 6.6%, more than double the national average. Yune explained that South Korea’s once high-growth economy has stalled, leaving many young people jobless and unable to afford real estate or see meaningful returns from traditional investments like stocks.

Amid this economic pressure, crypto has become the only viable investment option for Korea’s younger generation, according to Yune. He noted that while some young investors understand crypto’s technology, many are unaware of its infrastructure.

Magazine: XRP jumps on Ripple-SEC update, Pomp scoops up $386M BTC: Hodler’s Digest, June 22 – 28

A Human Rights Foundation executive told a room full of US politicians that Bitcoin continues to prove itself as a powerful tool against authoritarian control, offering an alternative to the mounting ways fiat currency can be manipulated and controlled.

“With Bitcoin, the ability of these leaders to do these things is completely decimated,” Human Rights Foundation chief strategy officer Alex Gladstein said at the Bitcoin Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

“Bitcoin is bad for dictators,” he added.

Gladstein reiterates governments cannot “hyperinflate” Bitcoin holders

Gladstein — who described the audience as a “hall full of American leaders” — explained that governments find it much harder to track individuals when Bitcoin is used correctly. “If they use Bitcoin in the right way, without linking their ID to it,” he added.

HRF’s chief strategy officer Alex Gladstein spoke at The Bitcoin Policy Summit this week. Source: Alex Gladstein

Gladstein reiterated that people who keep control of their own wallets are protected from the many ways that dictators try to control people.

“If you’re self-custodian your Bitcoin, governments can’t delete or freeze your stuff, and they certainly can’t hyperinflate you,” he said. Bitcoin is a hedge against inflation, especially during hyperinflation, when prices rise quickly due to unstable economies.

Gladstein declared:

“So many people from these countries and so many other countries have essentially been saved or rescued because of this technology.”

He said the Human Rights Foundation first recognized Bitcoin’s potential in 2013, during Ukraine’s pro-democracy protests against then-President Viktor Yanukovych.

HRF experimented with Bitcoin when it was $100

He said many of the protestors had their bank accounts frozen, and they “wanted to do democracy work, which later ended up becoming Maidan Square.”

“This was very early in Bitcoin’s life cycle; Bitcoin was worth like a hundred bucks at the time; we were very skeptical that this would work,” he said, adding that they were open-minded to the idea, and it ended up working.

“It got the value to them where traditional money couldn’t go,” he said. Gladstein has served at the nonprofit organization since 2007. 

The foundation is focused on promoting and protecting human rights globally — particularly in countries where its people live “under authoritarian rule.”

Magazine: GENIUS Act reopens the door for a Meta stablecoin, but will it work

ETF provider REX Shares has addressed feedback from the US Securities and Exchange Commission and is expected to soon launch the first-ever Solana staking exchange-traded fund, analysts say.

“Rex also filed an updated prospectus, which totally filled in. Add it all up, and it appears as though all systems go for imminent launch,” ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said in an X post on Saturday.

SEC appears to be “comfortable” with the unique ETF structure

ETF Store president Nate Geraci said in an X post on the same day that it appears that the SEC are open to REX Shares incredibly rare c-corp business structure used in the fund, which the SEC previously argued conflicts with the 6C-11 rule, colloquially known as “the ETF rule.” 

“Looks like they’re comfortable pushing forward w/ their creative ‘40 Act structure,” Geraci said. “Here we go,” he added. He previously said on May 29 that REX Shares had taken “the regulatory end-around” with this approach.

Echoing Geraci’s sentiment, ETF analyst James Seyffart said the way that REX Shares structured their Solana (SOL) staking ETF proposal was “very rare in the ETF world” as it bypasses the standard 19b-4 filing process that most other ETF providers have used for staking products, many of which are still awaiting a decision from the SEC.

Analysts say the SEC’s comments have been addressed

However, on Friday, Geraci said, “Looks like they believe comments have been resolved.”

“Crypto ETF summer commences,” he added.

Balchunas cited an email screenshot to confirm that REX Shares have addressed the SEC’s comments.

Source: Eric Balchunas

“So they are good to launch, it looks like. Wow,” Balchunas added.

In a post on the same day, REX Shares said that “the first-ever staked crypto ETF” in the US is coming soon.

Staking in crypto ETFs has been highly anticipated by the industry

It explained that its REX-Osprey SOL and staking ETF is designed to track the performance of Solana while generating yield through onchain staking.

“A new era of yield-generating crypto exposure is here,” REX Shares said.

Source: REX Shares

Staking has been a long-awaited feature by many ETF spectators in the industry.

On March 20, BlackRock’s head of digital assets, Robbie Mitchnick, described the firm’s Ether ETF as a “tremendous success” but acknowledged a key limitation. Mitchnick said that the ETF is “less perfect” without staking.

Magazine: GENIUS Act reopens the door for a Meta stablecoin, but will it work?

United States President Donald Trump recently touted the positive impacts of Bitcoin (BTC) on the US economy, including relieving "pressure" from the US dollar during Friday's White House press conference.

The President said that he is a fan of the crypto industry, which has grown into a sector that cannot be ignored due to geostrategic competition. Trump added:

"It has become amazing. I mean, it is the jobs that it produces, and I notice more and more you pay in Bitcoin. People are saying it takes a lot of pressure off the dollar, and it is a great thing for our country."

Digital asset researcher Anders X suggested that Trump's comments were a reference to the Triffin Dilemma, or the conflict of interest between being the issuer of the global reserve currency, maintaining proper trade balances, and ensuring the long-term value of the currency.

Trump speaking at Friday’s White House Press Conference. Source: The White House

As the issuer of the global reserve currency, the US must run persistent trade deficits to meet the global demand for dollars so foreign countries can settle trade and use the dollar as a store of value against more rapidly depreciating local fiat currencies.

This provides a short-term solution to meet global liquidity demands at the cost of the long-term value of the currency, as persistent trade deficits are financed through money creation, which dilutes the value of the US dollar.

The Federal Reserve M2 money supply, a measure of the total supply of US dollars, continues to climb, diluting the value of each individual dollar. Source: TradingView

Trump previously floated the idea of paying off the national debt with Bitcoin, a nod to the asymmetry between the inflationary dollar and the supply-capped asset.

However, critics have said that even if the US Treasury owned the entire BTC supply, it would still not be enough to cover the $37 trillion and growing US government debt, which will only continue to grow, eventually collapsing the value of the dollar.

"Nothing stops this train," deficits and total debt to climb, analysts say

Macroeconomist and Bitcoin advocate Lyn Alden coined the phrase "nothing stops this train" — a reference to the extreme likelihood that global governments will never stop printing money and destroying the future value of their national currencies.

The dollar currency index (DXY), a metric that tracks the strength of the US dollar against a basket of major fiat currencies, hit its lowest level in three years on Thursday.

Declining dollar strength comes amid elevated US government bond yields, a signal of deteriorating investor confidence in the creditworthiness of the US government and the sustainability of its debt.

Magazine: TradFi fans ignored Lyn Alden’s BTC tip — Now she says it’ll hit 7 figures: X Hall of Flame

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Only a few Bitcoin (BTC) treasury companies will stand the test of time and avoid the vicious "death spiral" that will impact BTC holding companies that trade close to net asset value (NAV), a business entity's total assets minus its liabilities, according to a report from venture capital (VC) firm Breed.

The health of Bitcoin treasury companies hinges on their ability to command a multiple of their net asset value (MNAV), the authors wrote.

Breed's report outlined the seven phases of a BTC treasury company's decline, which begins with a drop in Bitcoin's price that triggers a decline in MNAV, bringing a company's share price close to its actual NAV.

Select Bitcoin treasury companies and their respective MNAV. Source: Breed

This, in turn, makes it harder for BTC holding companies to secure the debt and equity financing critical to the asymmetric trade of converting the inflationary US dollar into a supply-capped appreciating asset.

As access to credit dries up and debt maturity looms, margin calls are triggered, forcing the firms to sell BTC into the market, lowering the price of BTC further, causing a consolidation of holding companies acquired by stronger firms, and potentially triggering a prolonged market-wide downturn. The authors of the report wrote:

"Ultimately, only a select few companies will sustain a lasting MNAV premium. They will earn it through strong leadership, disciplined execution, savvy marketing, and distinctive strategies that continue to grow Bitcoin-per-share regardless of broader market fluctuations."

This death spiral could trigger the next crypto bear market. However, the authors of the report said that since most BTC treasury companies currently finance their purchases with equity rather than debt, the implosion may be contained.

The “death spiral” of a Bitcoin treasury company. Source: Breed

Equity-based financing limits the fallout in the broader market, the authors said. Despite this, the current forecast could change if debt financing overtakes equity as the more popular option. 

Bitcoin treasury companies become a major trend in 2025

Michael Saylor's company, Strategy has been purchasing Bitcoin since 2020 and popularized the BTC corporate treasury concept, which gained significant steam in the last two years.

Over 250 organizations now hold Bitcoin, including corporations, government entities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), pension funds, and digital asset service providers, according to BitcoinTreasuries.

Magazine: Baby boomers worth $79T are finally getting on board with Bitcoin

Crypto exchange Coinbase landed on TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies in 2025 list as a "disruptor" after the company was thrust into the limelight for being one of the crypto industry's leading policy advocates in 2024.

Coinbase’s stock is up approximately 42% year-to-date and experienced a sharp rally following the Senate passing the GENIUS stablecoin bill on June 17.

The news catapulted Coinbase's stock from roughly $303 per share to a local high of $382 per share. TIME wrote:

"The company, which in May became the first crypto stock to be added to the bellwether S&P 500 index, is a key driver of the industry’s policy efforts in Washington D.C. If industry-friendly bills are passed, Coinbase stands to become an even bigger hub for US crypto activity."

A snapshot of Coinbase’s stock performance over the last year. Source: Yahoo Finance

Coinbase is the largest US-based cryptocurrency exchange and stands as a proxy for the health of the growing industry in the North American country.

Increased institutional, investor, and media interest in Coinbase could signal a sustained bull market for digital assets in the coming months.

Coinbase pushes into new markets as US fully embraces regulatory shift

Coinbase is reportedly seeking approval from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to offer tokenized equities to customers on the platform.

If the crypto exchange integrates tokenized stock trading, it would make the company a direct competitor to Robinhood, WeBull, and other brokerage applications offering mixed asset trading services.

On June 20, Coinbase announced that it secured a license to provide digital asset services in the European Union (EU) under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework.

The license was granted by EU member nation Luxembourg's Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier, the country's financial regulator, and Coinbase will set up its EU headquarters in Luxembourg.

US President Donald Trump addressed the Coinbase State of Crypto Summit in June 2025, promising to establish a comprehensive cryptocurrency regulatory framework under his administration.

"We will be working to create clear and simple market frameworks that will allow America to dominate the future of crypto and Bitcoin," Trump told the audience in a pre-recorded message.

Magazine: Coinbase hack shows the law probably won’t protect you: Here’s why

Opinion by: Youngsun Shin, Head of Product, Flipster

Where friction is the highest, previously marginalized users are empowered to utilize crypto as an effective hedge against dollar devaluation. As emerging economies look at new ways to accrue value and create wealth through digital assets, these markets have not just entered as participants in the crypto ecosystem — they are designing the next generation of financial platforms. These trends continue to prevail, especially in the global token economy. 

A confluence of the world’s financial markets and regional spheres of influence is afoot. This is a complementary force that profoundly influences the trajectory of global finance, expanding and improving upon the legacy of institutional markets to create a place for crypto as a financial pillar. 

The epicentre of crypto onboarding and innovation

While crypto’s adoption has grown globally, it has taken distinctly different forms across developed and emerging markets.

Developed markets have been instrumental in legitimizing crypto as an alternative asset class, with institutional ETFs granting broader access to derivatives, tokenized real-world assets and onchain treasuries — helping to solve crypto’s earlier reputation problem. Meanwhile, emerging markets are turning to crypto as a practical tool for remittances and access to dollarized assets in areas constrained by fragile banking systems.

Financial limitations have sparked urgency and creativity where users need them most. After all, versatility is a non-negotiable when it comes to building for the global majority, who aren’t necessarily trading from dual-screen monitors in the comforts of an office but navigating digital finance through mobile phones in uncertain conditions. 

As developed markets rally institutional and regulatory support, emerging markets' lessons inform better platform design for all users. Accessibility barriers have led global exchanges to prioritize mobile-first design and intuitive trade flows, facilitating everyday remittances and active trading. While developed markets are reshaping the financial architecture, emerging markets are rewriting the operational playbook — making crypto more useful, usable and universal.

Rethinking a false dichotomy

Crypto has outgrown its earlier trade-offs between access and trust. Legislative clarity, like the US stablecoin bill and the EU’s MiCA framework, signals growing regulatory confidence and institutional buy-in where it matters most.

Industry veterans once described crypto as being in its “AOL era”: needing improvements in user experience (UX) to bring about the next stage of widespread adoption. While this might be misconstrued as having platforms cut corners for accessibility and speed, there is no such thing as a “done fast or done right” dichotomy. Regulatory clarity and sector breakthroughs in technical innovation allow platforms to be user-friendly without being reckless. 

Crypto platforms catered to emerging markets may push for faster, simpler onboarding — but that pressure drives compliance innovation in lockstep to ensure sustained growth. Institutional-grade safeguards like MPC custody and AML/KYC are now table stakes, not trade-offs. Meanwhile, UI/UX improvements like simplified onboarding and mobile-first interfaces remove friction without compromising security.

The tools born from emergent market needs, like intuitive trade flows and simplified risk controls, are proving that speed and ease-of-use can be pursued without putting users at risk, as these features become global best practices. The bottom line? Security and compliance must scale alongside access. 

Specialization over standardization

The next leap for crypto won’t come from tokenized funds or neobanking innovations. It will hinge on user retention — not just through seamless UX, but by building platforms that truly understand their users. As the industry evolves, we may see a natural divergence: some platforms focus on institutional-grade services for high-frequency traders, while others double down on accessibility and simplicity for first-time users.

Rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, success will come from purposeful specialization. Both audience sets remain critical to the ecosystem; not identical in needs, but equally important.

Over-indexing the institutional narrative

While institutional flows bring long-term stability and trust, retail users — especially in emerging markets — are often first to identify new narratives, trends and tokens. The rules of crypto predominantly rely on social signals. Where TradFi trading hours don’t apply, market movement is dictated by whale deposits and withdrawals, fear and greed indexes and blockchain upgrades — signals often predate institutional allocation. 

That lack of recognition does a disservice to retail traders and the industry, failing to highlight how community-led agility and quick thinking are just as necessary and as much a net positive for our industry.

This doesn’t pit retail against institutional — both are essential. A thriving, liquid and future-facing market depends on the interplay of both ends of the spectrum.

Due to their speed and decentralized approaches, retail movements in emerging markets are naturally obscured by headlines. In crypto, the dynamic is more collaborative than combative. 

Both players push the whole industry forward through securities and safeties on one end and enhancements to accessibility and speed on the other.

Emerging markets aren’t replacing developed ones. They’re expanding what’s possible, leading the retail revolution where platforms are driven to be simpler, faster, more secure, and ultimately, more global. When building for all, including the edges, we strengthen the core. 

Opinion by: Youngsun Shin, Head of Product, Flipster.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Crypto cards are beating traditional banks in Europe when it comes to small purchases, with 45% of crypto-linked card transactions under 10 euros ($11.7) — a category where cash has historically dominated.

According to a report by CEX.IO shared with Cointelegraph, crypto card holders are showing spending patterns that mirror traditional bank card users while embracing online payments at a faster pace.

The report noted a 15% rise in newly ordered CEX.IO crypto cards across Europe in 2025, signaling growing interest as more Europeans turn to digital assets for everyday payments.

Furthermore, while European Central Bank data shows 21% of all card payments across the euro area are online, CEX.IO’s figures reveal crypto card users already conduct 40% of their transactions on the internet — nearly double the average.

Crypto cards used for everyday spending

Spending patterns show crypto cardholders are using their cards for everyday spending. According to CEX.IO data, groceries make up 59% of purchases, near the ECB’s 54% benchmark, while dining and bars account for 19%, above the average for in-person food and drink spending.

Notably, the average crypto card transaction sits at 23.7 euros ($27.8) compared to 33.6 euros ($39) for bank cards, based on Q1 2025 Mastercard data.

Crypto card spending distribution. Source: CEX.IO

“What we’re seeing in Europe is that crypto card users aren’t just experimenting with new tech — they’re showing us what everyday spending might look like in a truly cashless future,” said Alexandr Kerya, vice president of Product Management at CEX.IO.

“With average card payment volume rising 24% in just the last month, this shift is clearly gaining momentum,” he added.

The data further shows that stablecoins power 73% of transactions, with other major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Solana (SOL) also being used for groceries, dining and transportation.

Cryptocurrencies used for purchases. Source: CEO.IO

The trend is consistent across other providers. For instance, Oobit reported strong spending on everyday essentials among European users, while Crypto.com noted similarly high volumes in online shopping transactions.

Barclays to block crypto purchases on credit cards

Despite the surge in crypto card adoption, Barclays has announced plans to ban crypto transactions on its Barclaycard credit cards. The bank cited fears of customers falling into unmanageable debt due to crypto market volatility and highlighted the lack of investor protections in the sector.

Barclays explained that crypto asset purchases carry no recourse through the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if something goes wrong, leaving consumers exposed.

Magazine: GENIUS Act reopens the door for a Meta stablecoin, but will it work?

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new kind of digital identity system dubbed “pluralistic identity,” arguing it could protect privacy while enabling fair participation in digital life.

In a blog post published Sunday, Buterin explored the promise and pitfalls of zero-knowledge (ZK) proof-wrapped IDs, warning that even privacy-preserving systems can carry serious risks if they rigidly enforce one identity per person.

The Ethereum (ETH) mastermind noted that many new digital ID projects use zero-knowledge proofs to let users prove they have a valid ID without revealing personal details. Examples include World ID, which has surpassed 10 million users, Taiwan’s digital ID project, and European Union initiatives increasingly adopting ZK technology.

“ZK-wrapping solves a lot of important problems,” he wrote, but warned that “ZK-wrapped ID still has risks,” especially because enforcing one ID per person can undermine pseudonymity and expose users to coercion.

Source: Buterin

Single digital IDs could kill pseudonymity

One key risk Buterin identified is that platforms could force users into a single, trackable identity, eliminating the ability to maintain separate pseudonymous profiles. “In the real world, pseudonymity generally requires having multiple accounts,” he said.

Without this flexibility, he argued, users could find themselves in a world where “all of your activity must de-facto be under a single public identity,” heightening dangers from government or employer surveillance.

Buterin also rejected the idea of using “proof of wealth” alone as an anti-Sybil measure, saying it excludes people unable to pay and concentrates power among the wealthy. “The theoretical ideal is something in the middle, where you can get N identities at a cost of N²,” he said.

Buterin proposes pluralistic IDs

To achieve a flexible approach, Buterin proposed pluralistic identity systems, where no single authority controls identity issuance, as the “best realistic solution.”

He explained these could be explicit, using social-graph-based verification like Circles, or implicit, relying on multiple ID providers — government documents, social platforms, and others — so no one ID gains near-total market share.

“Any form of pluralistic identity… is naturally more error-tolerant,” he noted, pointing out that this flexibility helps stateless individuals or those unable to access traditional IDs.

Ultimately, Buterin argued the best outcome would merge one-per-person identity schemes with social-graph systems to bootstrap diverse, global identity networks.

“If their market share gets too close to 100%, they shift the world… to a one-per-person model, which has worse properties,” he warned, stressing that only pluralistic identity can balance privacy, inclusivity, and resistance to abuse.

Magazine: GENIUS Act reopens the door for a Meta stablecoin, but will it work?

Crypto exchange Bitvavo has become the latest crypto firm to obtain a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license, granted by the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (AFM), allowing the exchange to operate across Europe under the new regulatory framework.

Bitvavo co-founder and CEO Mark Nuvelstijn confirmed the news in a statement on Friday and expressed his full support for the MiCA process. “We fully support the core principles of MiCAR,” he said, adding:

“For a level playing field in Europe, it is essential that the rules are formulated and enforced consistently across all member states.”

Bitvavo’s risk chief says it was a “constructive collaboration”

Nuvelstijn said the license provides the crypto exchange with clear guidance and confidence to operate across Europe. MiCA is designed to standardize and regulate the crypto market across Europe, focusing on investor protection, financial stability and innovation. MiCA’s licensing window opened on Jan. 1.

Source: Bitvavo

Bitvavo chief risk officer Jeetan Patel said the process was rigorous but efficient.

“Over the past period, we have taken all necessary steps in the licensing process and have ensured compliance with the comprehensive MiCAR regulatory requirements,” Patel said.

“We highly value the constructive collaboration with the AFM throughout this process. It has progressed efficiently,” he added.

Crypto firms are flocking to get MiCA-approved

The announcement follows a string of MiCA license approvals in Europe in recent months.

On Wednesday, crypto exchange Kraken said it had received the MiCA license from the Central Bank of Ireland. On June 21, crypto exchange Coinbase secured a MiCA license from the Luxembourg Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier.

Three weeks prior, on May 29, crypto exchange Bybit obtained a MiCA license from Austria’s Financial Market Authority (FMA).

Meanwhile, in December 2024, crypto payments firm MoonPay reported receiving approval to operate as a licensed crypto business in the Netherlands under the MiCA bill.

The adopted regulatory framework has led to renewed investor confidence across the region. Konstantins Vasilenko, co-founder and chief business development officer at Paybis, told Cointelegraph on June 22 that trading volumes from EU customers jumped 70% quarter-on-quarter in Q1 2025, right after the MiCA regulation took effect.

Magazine: Why being a Gen Z crypto founder is a ‘blessing and a curse’

A man at the center of a massive crypto Ponzi scheme will spend nearly eight years behind bars after a federal judge handed down a 97-month prison sentence in Brooklyn on Friday.

Dwayne Golden, 57, was convicted of wire fraud and money laundering for his role in orchestrating scams through three digital asset firms, EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus, and Jet-Coin, which defrauded investors out of more than $40 million, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.

Federal prosecutors said Golden and his partners promised guaranteed returns from crypto trading that never took place. Instead, funds were funneled into repaying earlier investors or lining the conspirators’ pockets, classic hallmarks of a Ponzi scheme.

The companies folded shortly after collecting investor deposits, leaving victims with heavy losses.

An excerpt of the filing the DOJ. Source: DOJ

Fake crypto trading firms

The scam operated between April and August 2017. Golden, along with Gregory Aggesen and Marquis Egerton (also known as Mardy Eger) falsely marketed their firms as international crypto traders.

After their companies collapsed, Golden and his co-defendants attempted to obstruct both a Federal Trade Commission probe and a federal grand jury investigation, including by destroying evidence and providing false information.

“Golden and his co-defendants offered no legitimate services and none of the companies engaged in any actual trading in cryptocurrency as they claimed,” United States Attorney Joseph Nocella said, describing the scheme as an exploitation of investor excitement over new technology.

Golden was also ordered to forfeit approximately $2.46 million. Co-defendant William White received a 30-month sentence, while Aggesen and Egerton are awaiting sentencing.

FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia called the conspiracy “an elaborate scheme rooted in deceit and false promises to swindle investors.” He stressed that Golden’s actions showed “an utter disregard for integrity” and praised the sentence as a warning to other would-be scammers.

The DOJ asked investors who suffered losses from the scheme to submit restitution claims through the FBI’s dedicated portal.

Five plead guilty in $37M crypto scam

In a similar incident, earlier this month, five men pleaded guilty to orchestrating a $36.9 million crypto scam that defrauded Americans and funneled funds to a crypto scam center in Cambodia.

The defendants targeted victims through social media, messaging apps, and dating platforms, luring them with false promises of profitable crypto investments.

So far in 2025, over $2.1 billion has been stolen in crypto-related incidents, with most losses tied to wallet compromises and key mismanagement, CertiK co-founder Ronghui Gu said.

Magazine: GENIUS Act reopens the door for a Meta stablecoin, but will it work?

XRP’s price jumped over 3% on Friday just hours after Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse said the company is dropping its cross-appeal against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and expects the regulator to do the same.

“Ripple is dropping our cross-appeal, and the SEC is expected to drop their appeal, as they’ve previously said,” Garlinghouse said in an X post on Friday. XRP (XRP), the cryptocurrency associated with Ripple Labs, spiked 3.36% to $2.18 just five hours after the post, according to CoinMarketCap data.

Garlinghouse says back to business as usual

“We’re closing this chapter once and for all and focusing on what’s most important – building the internet of Value. Lock in,” Garlinghouse added.

XRP is down 4.44% over the past 30 days. Source: CoinMarketCap

The announcement comes a day after the US district court denied a joint motion from the SEC and Ripple requesting an indicative ruling to reduce a $125 million civil penalty and reverse an order defining primary sales of XRP to institutional investors as securities transactions under Article 5 of the Securities Act.

“Ultimately, the Court granted in part the SEC’s request for an injunction and a civil penalty because the Court found that 'Ripple’s willingness to push the boundaries of the [Summary Judgment] Order evinces a likelihood that it will eventually, if it has not already, cross the line,” Judge Analisa Torres said.

XRP’s legal status “remains unchanged,” says Ripple lawyer

After the ruling, Ripple chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty said, “The ball is back in our court.”

“The Court gave us two options: dismiss our appeal challenging the finding on historic institutional sales — or press forward with the appeal,” Alderoty said.

Source: James Filan

“Either way, XRP’s legal status as not a security remains unchanged,” he said, adding:

“In the meantime, it’s business as usual.”

If the SEC also drops its appeal, it could bring to an end the legal battle between Ripple Labs and the US regulator that has lasted for more than four years.

In December 2020, the SEC filed the lawsuit against Ripple Labs, Chris Larsen and CEO Brad Garlinghouse.

The SEC’s central claim was that Ripple had raised $1.3 billion by selling XRP as an unregistered security, violating federal securities laws. 

In August 2024, Garlinghouse argued that Torres’ decision to fine Ripple Labs $125 million was “a victory” for the firm, pointing out that it was a 94% reduction from the SEC’s initial plan to fine Ripple for $2 billion in damages.

Magazine: Why being a Gen Z crypto founder is a ‘blessing and a curse’