Crypto World
Has Bitcoin Bottomed This Cycle? Analysts Say ‘Not Yet’
Bitcoin is trading in a market that’s getting harder to define.
Hovering around $64,000 at the time of writing, Bitcoin is down by almost 50% from its cycle peak. That’s a much shallower draw down than previous cycles, but the bull run this time around did not reach the same heights.
The 2025 rally was driven by exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows, post-halving momentum and renewed institutional demand, pushing the market to a new all-time high of more than $126,000 in October 2025.
Since then, the trend has been inexorably downward, but analysts are split on what that decline signifies.
According to Standard Chartered and other bullish institutional desks, Bitcoin may have already reached its cycle bottom last month, with structural demand from ETFs and treasury companies, and improving long-term capital flows reducing the likelihood of a deeper draw down.
Other analysts take a more cautious approach, seeing Bitcoin as likely in the final stages of its bear market but not at a confirmed bottom yet.
Bitcoin’s four-year cycles. Source: Galaxy
Galaxy Research, for example, argued in June that traditional cycle signals have not fully reset, meaning the risk of further pain cannot be ruled out.
Curiously, analysts are no longer just divided on price targets but on what a “cycle bottom” actually means in a market increasingly shaped by ETFs, macro liquidity, and shifting global capital flows.
Some analysts still see further downside ahead
At the most cautious end of the spectrum is Russell Thomson, chief investment officer at Hilbert Capital asset management firm.
Speaking to Cointelegraph, Thomson said he believes Bitcoin remains in a downcycle and is likely to break below recent lows before forming a durable base. He said that the current structure is still dominated by global macro conditions and liquidity rather than crypto-native signals.
Related: $60.4K Becomes ‘most important area’: Five things to know in Bitcoin this week
Thomson expects Bitcoin to first revisit the $56,000-$52,000 range, representing summer 2024 lows, before potentially extending losses further to between $40,000 and $45,000, an area he associates with prior consolidation phases in the early 2024 market structure.
Timing-wise, he sees Bitcoin’s broader cycle rhythm still broadly intact, with a potential low forming around October 2026, although he stressed that macro policy shifts could pull that forward.
“Fed rate cuts and/or [the CLARITY Act] passing could put the bottom in earlier than that,” he said.
He argued that institutional capital has not insulated Bitcoin from macro cycles, but rather deepened its sensitivity to global liquidity conditions, making it behave more like a “high-beta macro instrument” than a “detached crypto-native asset.”
That view is echoed by analysts at Citibank, who cut their 12-month price target for Bitcoin to $82,000 from $112,000 on July 1, highlighting how Bitcoin’s growing integration into traditional financial markets has strengthened its correlation with risk assets and macro liquidity conditions rather than reducing volatility.
Late-stage bear market, but not confirmed bottom yet
A more positive but still cautious view comes from André Dragosch, head of research (Europe) at Bitwise.
Dragosch told Cointelegraph that the current environment resembles a “late-stage bear market,” arguing that multiple indicators already suggest downside exhaustion.
He noted that sentiment has deteriorated to levels last seen after the collapse of FTX in 2022, a period typically associated with seller fatigue.
Dragosch also does not believe the cycle low has been confirmed. “I don’t think that we have seen the final bottom just yet, although we are probably very close,” he said, emphasizing that no single indicator can reliably identify a cycle bottom.
Related: Dormant $1.9M Bitcoin tied to New York lawsuit moves after nearly 15 years
He also highlighted the structural shift in the market, pointing to the rise of ETFs and institutional participation, which have increased off-chain trading and reduced the reliability of some historical cycle indicators.
Despite this uncertainty, he said downside risks appear increasingly limited at current levels, adding that Bitcoin could begin outperforming artificial intelligence equities over the coming months if macro conditions stabilize.
Bitcoin price and its cycle bottoms. Source: Galaxy
In Galaxy’s base-case scenario, the firm pointed to a potential slide to between $40,000 and $46,000, depending on how liquidity and macro conditions evolve.
‘When will Bitcoin bottom?’ could be the wrong question
A more structural interpretation comes from Dean Chen, an analyst at Bitunix Exchange.
Chen told Cointelegraph that Bitcoin is still in a decline, but one increasingly defined by global liquidity competition rather than internal crypto market structure.
“I believe Bitcoin remains in a down cycle, although it has entered a relatively stable valuation range supported by the structural capital base created after the approval of US spot Bitcoin ETFs in 2024,” Chen said.
While ETFs have created a more persistent institutional bid, Chen argued that Bitcoin is now competing directly with other major global capital narratives, particularly artificial intelligence and equity markets, for marginal liquidity.
Related: Tim Draper says Arkham got Bitcoin wallet attribution ‘wrong’
“The bigger challenge isn’t Bitcoin itself; it’s the competition for global liquidity,” he said. “Capital continues to flow toward AI infrastructure, equities, and other high-growth opportunities.”
In his view, this changes how cycle analysis should be understood altogether.
“The wrong question is ‘when will Bitcoin bottom?’” Chen said. “The more important question is: ‘when will crypto once again become the most attractive destination for global risk capital?’”
He noted that derivatives markets now play a significantly larger role in price discovery than in previous cycles, with funding rates and open interest increasingly driving short-term volatility.
That means Bitcoin may not form a sharp V-shaped bottom at all, he said, but instead spend an extended period building a structural base.
A Bitcoin cycle that no longer looks like previous cycles
Beyond price targets, what emerges from these competing views is a deeper disagreement over how Bitcoin’s cycle structure should even be defined.
Thompson sees Bitcoin as still firmly inside a macro-driven down cycle, where liquidity conditions have not yet fully turned.
Dragosch sees a late-stage bear market where exhaustion signals are already visible, even if confirmation is still pending.
Chen argues that Bitcoin is now competing directly with global capital allocation themes such as AI and equities, making traditional bottom-calling frameworks increasingly incomplete.
In this cycle, it seems, the debate is not just about where Bitcoin bottoms but whether a “bottom” is still a single moment at all.
Magazine: Bitcoin will not hit $1M by 2030, says veteran trader Peter Brandt
President Donald Trump has urged Americans to buy Dell three times in five months, helping lift Dell (DELL) stock by more than 220% this year.
His latest plug came on Monday. Yet even with the president cheering it on, traders are quietly betting the stock will fall, and a closer look shows why.
Trump’s Third “Buy a Dell” Call in Five Months
Trump made his latest call at a White House ceremony on July 6, and the stock briefly jumped as much as 10%. He had already told people to buy Dell in February and May.
The timing looks awkward. According to government ethics filings, Trump owns between $1 million and $5.1 million in Dell shares, bought about nine days before his first endorsement in February.
Want more insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Newsletter here.
There is a real business behind the hype. Dell now sells huge numbers of AI servers, the powerful computers that run artificial intelligence. That business grew 757% over the past year, and the stock soared 32% on its last earnings report.
Traders are Not Buying the Hype
Here is the part the headlines skip. In the options market, where investors place side bets on where a stock will go, the balance still leans bearish. A put-call ratio above 1 means more money is riding on a fall than a rise.
For Dell, that ratio stayed above 1 through the price surge. The open-interest reading, which counts all standing bets, was 1.11 on July 2 and 1.12 on July 6, even after Trump’s Monday boost.
The daily volume side did slip to 0.40, a sign some traders bought calls to chase the move, but the bigger pool of open bets stayed negative.
The flow of cash is mixed, too. A money-flow gauge called Chaikin Money Flow (CMF), a proxy for institutional flows, reads slightly positive for Dell, near +0.05 over 20 days, so a little money is still coming in.
The same gauge is negative for rivals such as Supermicro, Broadcom, and HP, indicating money leaving them.
So why the doubt when sales are booming? The answer sits inside the machines Dell sells.
Dell Builds the Box, but Nvidia Owns the Value
Dell builds the AI server, but not its most valuable part. Nvidia (NVDA) does. Dell buys Nvidia’s chips and sells the finished computer. This passes most of the chip’s cost to the buyer. So in its latest quarter, a roughly $16 billion AI-server haul was largely Nvidia’s revenue crossing Dell’s books, leaving Dell only a thin slice.
That thin slice shows in the profit. In Dell’s infrastructure arm (ISG), which houses its AI servers, operating margin fell to 8.8% during the ramp of Nvidia’s costly Blackwell chips.
Higher-margin storage sales lifted it back to 14.8%, but as AI-server sales jumped 757% and retook the mix, margin slipped to 10.5%. The faster Dell sells Nvidia-powered servers, the thinner its profit gets. That is the uncomfortable truth.
The pressure is growing. Over the past 20 days, Dell’s stock rose about 4%. Yet, the cost of the memory and storage parts it buys rose about 10%. When costs climb faster than the stock, the profit math gets harder.
There is one more tell. Dell has outrun Nvidia this year, up about 132% over three months, while Nvidia is up about 10%. Yet Dell usually moves the day after Nvidia, not before, so it is riding Nvidia’s demand, not creating its own.
That makes Nvidia the early warning. If Nvidia’s AI demand cracks, Dell tends to feel it the next day and cannot get ahead of trouble at its supplier.
So Trump can move Dell stock for a day. The harder question is what happens after the noise fades. With traders betting against it, thin profits, and a business built on someone else’s chips, the 220% rally may need real earning power to catch up.
The post Trump is Endorsing Dell Stock, But There Is an Uncomfortable Truth You Must Know appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Key Takeaways
- Eli Lilly dominates the weight-loss and diabetes medication sector with Zepbound and Mounjaro, supported by robust research and development
- Abbott Laboratories offers balanced exposure through medical devices, laboratory diagnostics, and nutritional products
- Johnson & Johnson has streamlined operations around pharmaceuticals and medical technology following its consumer division spinoff
- These companies capitalize on demographic shifts and increasing healthcare consumption worldwide
- Market participants are shifting capital from overvalued tech equities toward stable healthcare investments in 2026
As 2026 unfolds, healthcare equities are capturing significant investor attention amid a broader rotation away from elevated technology valuations. Three pharmaceutical and medical device leaders stand out: Eli Lilly, Abbott Laboratories, and Johnson & Johnson.
Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly has emerged as a dominant force in modern pharmaceutical innovation.
The Indianapolis-based giant commands the rapidly expanding obesity and diabetes therapeutic market with its blockbuster GLP-1 medications Zepbound and Mounjaro. Global appetite for these treatments shows no signs of slowing, with market researchers projecting sustained revenue expansion throughout the decade.
Wall Street firms including JPMorgan have maintained bullish ratings on the stock, citing accelerating Medicare coverage and sustained prescription growth for weight management therapies.
Lilly’s innovation extends far beyond metabolic health. The company maintains an impressive development portfolio spanning cancer treatments, neurological disorders, autoimmune conditions, and cardiometabolic diseases. Strategic acquisitions and substantial manufacturing investments position the firm for continued expansion.
While shares command elevated multiples, market analysts argue the premium pricing reflects exceptional earnings growth prospects within the pharmaceutical sector.
Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories operates with a distinctly different business model compared to traditional drug manufacturers.
This Chicago-based healthcare giant maintains operations across four major segments: medical devices, diagnostic products, nutritional supplements, and generic pharmaceuticals. This diversified structure has enabled consistent performance across varying market environments.
Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system represents a breakthrough in diabetes management technology. Meanwhile, its cardiovascular device portfolio and diagnostic testing divisions benefit from global demographic trends and expanding healthcare access.
The company produces dependable free cash flow, funding both product innovation and a progressively increasing dividend payout.
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson has refined its strategic direction following the separation of its consumer products division.
The New Brunswick-based corporation now centers exclusively on prescription medicines and medical technology platforms. Its oncology franchise continues expanding, powered by robust demand for Darzalex. Following recent European regulatory clearance, the company is broadening its cancer therapy offerings ahead of quarterly financial disclosures.
Cardiovascular interventional devices and surgical equipment categories are posting solid advancement. Johnson & Johnson’s exceptional track record includes over 60 consecutive years of dividend increases, establishing it as a cornerstone holding for income-focused portfolios.
The Investment Case for This Healthcare Trio
Healthcare equities are attracting capital for compelling fundamental reasons. Demographic aging, escalating demand for breakthrough therapies, and promising pharmaceutical development pipelines collectively support sector momentum throughout 2026.
Eli Lilly represents the highest growth trajectory among the three. Abbott delivers portfolio diversification and operational consistency. Johnson & Johnson merges pharmaceutical innovation with an unmatched dividend growth history.
Collectively, these three holdings provide comprehensive exposure to prescription drugs, medical equipment, diagnostic testing, and resilient healthcare spending patterns.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced that he will resign as MP and force a local by-election after The Times revealed that he’d failed to declare financial support from long-term aide and convicted criminal George Cottrell.
The Times‘ report details various donations and “gifts” from Cottrell to Farage that appear to be politics-related. Farage was subsequently referred to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.
During Farage’s announcement, he claimed that the parliamentary body is “being used as a political tool” and claimed that The Times’ reporting was “wholly inaccurate.”
He maintains he’s done nothing wrong and hasn’t broken the law in any way, and that he’s a victim of unfairly intense media scrutiny.
Read more: Nigel Farage faces probe following crypto aide’s secret support, report
Farage has announced that he intends to run again in the upcoming by-election in Clacton-on-Sea, with many predicting he’ll frame it as a “people versus the establishment” election.
The Reform leader was elected as an MP in Clacton during the 2024 UK general election, where right-wing parties Reform UK and the Conservatives together received over 70% of the vote.
Farage faces scrutiny over crypto links
Farage has become embroiled in numerous crypto scandals over the past few months.
Indeed, crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne was revealed to have given Farage a secret £5 million ($6.6 million) “gift” before he ran for election in 2024.
The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner later launched a probe to determine whether or not the gift breached any rules.
If this probe finds he did break the rules, it would open up the possibility for a petition that could also trigger a by-election.
The Guardian’s Political Editor, Pippa Crerar, also noted that the investigation over the gift from Harborne will be suspended while he’s not an MP.
Crerar added, however, that the investigation will continue if he is re-elected, and that it can also continue even if he isn’t an MP at the discretion of the commissioner.
Read more: Nigel Farage accused of undervaluing Christopher Harborne jet loan by $666K
Farage was also referred to the UK Financial Conduct Authority after he reportedly lobbied the Bank of England to scrap plans for a state-backed stablecoin.
If successful, it would’ve been profitable for Harborne, who holds a 12% stake in multi-billion-dollar stablecoin firm Tether.
Another Parliamentary Standards referral was issued after Farage was accused of under-declaring the value of a private jet trip from Harborne.
Cottrell, a 36-year-old convict with a history of high-stakes gambling who is often pictured by Farage’s side, also plays a key role in Tether.bet, an offshore crypto gambling firm that’s modelled on Tether’s USDT.
He reportedly helped Reform hire multiple staff, including social media political campaigners, organised security, and let Farage stay at his five-storey mansion in London.
Most of this was before Farage’s election in 2024, and none of it was declared under the Register of Interests.
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Crypto World
First Solar (FSLR) Stock Dips Despite Analyst Upgrades From Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo
Key Takeaways
- Deutsche Bank elevated First Solar (FSLR) from Hold to Buy, increasing the price target from $245 to $272
- Deutsche Bank’s Corinne Blanchard highlighted the company’s $2.1 billion net cash reserve and described it as “fundamentally strong”
- Shares declined 1.6% to close at $229.28 on Tuesday, extending 2026 losses beyond 12%
- An upcoming Section 232 decision regarding foreign polysilicon imports, anticipated by early August, could serve as a major catalyst
- Wells Fargo increased its price objective to $320 while maintaining an Overweight stance, pointing to potential earnings growth from tariff outcomes
Shares of First Solar continued their descent on Tuesday, dropping 1.6% to finish at $229.28, despite receiving an upgrade from Deutsche Bank that elevated the stock to Buy status alongside a price target increase from $245 to $272.
Corinne Blanchard, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, characterized the solar manufacturer as a “fundamentally strong” investment opportunity, emphasizing its substantial $2.1 billion net cash position recorded in the second quarter. She views the current valuation as an attractive entry point for investors with medium- to long-term horizons.
FSLR has tumbled more than 12% year-to-date in 2026, significantly underperforming the S&P 500’s 9.4% gain during the same timeframe.
Blanchard noted that the momentum generated by a clean-energy sector rally in May has dissipated. However, she emphasized that the company’s core investment thesis remains intact.
Trading well below its 52-week peak of $320.95, the stock’s recovery trajectory may depend heavily on developments in the nation’s capital.
Federal Polysilicon Ruling Could Unlock Stock Performance
Blanchard anticipates a positive stock reaction following clarity on the federal government’s Section 232 investigation examining foreign polysilicon imports. The decision, projected to arrive by early August, would enable company leadership to finalize strategic decisions regarding domestic and overseas operations — both currently in a holding pattern.
The solar manufacturer has already begun relocating equipment to domestic facilities after committing to onshore its finishing operations last year. Blanchard forecasts an “acceleration of financial performance” in upcoming quarters, with 2027 positioned to represent a more normalized operational year.
First Solar holds a unique position as America’s sole thin-film solar panel producer. This status provides significant advantages under Section 45X of the Internal Revenue Code, which provides cumulative manufacturing tax incentives for U.S.-based solar production.
This domestic manufacturing footprint has garnered additional attention during the Trump administration’s national security examination of Chinese-manufactured energy inverters. As a producer operating without Chinese technology dependencies, First Solar could gain considerably if domestic content requirements become more stringent.
Wells Fargo Projects $320 Price Point
Wells Fargo joined the bullish chorus, elevating its price target from $255 to $320 while reaffirming an Overweight recommendation. The firm’s analyst pointed to “asymmetric upside” linked to the Section 232 determination, suggesting a positive outcome could elevate domestic solar module pricing and generate substantial earnings growth.
This upgrade came on a day when options trading volume in FSLR was notably elevated at market open, indicating some market participants were positioning themselves ahead of the analyst action.
Broader market strength provided supportive backdrop. The Nasdaq advanced 1.1% while the S&P 500 climbed 0.8% during the session when Wells Fargo released its analysis.
The solar industry has experienced significant headwinds recently. The Zacks Solar sector had plummeted over 23% in the month preceding the Wells Fargo commentary. FSLR’s analyst-driven momentum represented a notable sentiment shift for the industry, albeit temporarily.
Wall Street consensus on the stock tilts decidedly positive. Among 37 analysts monitored by FactSet, 23 assign Buy or Overweight ratings, 11 recommend Hold, and two rate it Underweight. KeyBanc Capital Markets stands alone with a Sell recommendation.
Notwithstanding the recent upgrades, FSLR shares have declined by double-digit percentages since early June. The stock’s next significant movement likely hinges on the timing and substance of the forthcoming polysilicon tariff determination.
Ethereum’s slow and gradual rebound from the $1,500 lows reached recently continues, but the asset is now testing one of the most important resistance lines on its path to recovery.
Analysts are convinced that breaking through this level will open the door for a run to $2,000 and even beyond. For now, though, it remains a mirage.
Can ETH Break Through?
With ETH trading close to $1,800, analyst Ali Martinez noted that this is the key bullish trigger that needs to fall decisively. In a post on X, he explained that its significance stems from the fact that the 0.8 MVRV Pricing Band is positioned there as resistance.
He predicted that a daily close above it, followed by a successful hold as support, would “strengthen the bullish case and could open the door for a move toward Ethereum’s Realized Price at $2,245.” Recall that the altcoin hasn’t traded above $2,000 in a month, and the last time it stood at its Realized Price was in mid-May.
Martinez doubled down on the importance of the $1,800 level, suggesting that the TD Sequential resistance trendline also sits there.
“A break above both $1,796 and $1,816 could trigger a bullish breakout. From a technical perspective, such a move would also increase the probability that ETH breaks through the top of the channel at $1,844 and begins marching toward the $2,245 Realized Price.”
Fellow analyst Ted Pillows shared a similar opinion, noting that ETH recently challenged the $1,820-$1,850 resistance, only to be rejected. The good news is that it continues to trade above $1,750, and Pillows predicted a surge to $2,000 if the aforementioned resistance is reclaimed.
Insane Correlation
Michaël van de Poppe, on the other hand, outlined a rather unexpected correlation that would support the narrative for a bigger Ethereum rally soon. He noted that the “business cycle is often phrased through the copper/gold chart,” which was evident during the 2017 and 2021 cycles. Only the 2024 cycle didn’t see such a positive correlation.
He believes the chart between the precious metals is a “great indicator of market momentum” that has just broken upwards massively, and it has “flipped a 4-year-long downtrend up to an upwards trend.”
“Usually, ETH follows through, although with some lag, as there needs to be more confidence in the markets. A matter of time until the crypto markets are finally picking up momentum,” he concluded.
The post ETH’s Path Beyond $2K Depends on This One Condition: Analyst appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Crypto World
Chip Stock Plunge: Nvidia (NVDA), Micron (MU), and AMD (AMD) Lead Semiconductor Sector Decline
Key Takeaways
- Semiconductor stocks experienced widespread declines as profit-taking swept through the AI chip sector
- SpaceX shares slipped following its Nasdaq-100 addition in a textbook “sell the news” scenario
- Nvidia continued its decline amid reports of DeepSeek developing proprietary AI processors in China
- Micron remained under selling pressure even as AI memory market fundamentals stay robust
- Samsung’s impressive quarterly earnings growth couldn’t reverse negative sentiment in chip equities
Understanding Tuesday’s Semiconductor Sector Weakness
Technology stocks experienced broad-based weakness on Tuesday as market participants secured profits following an extended rally in artificial intelligence-related equities.
Major players including Nvidia, Broadcom, AMD, Intel, and Micron all posted declines, dragging the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index significantly lower.
The selloff wasn’t triggered by any particular catalyst. Rather, market participants seemed to be booking gains after an impressive run that elevated many chip stocks to elevated valuation levels ahead of upcoming quarterly reports.
Data center and AI infrastructure spending by major cloud platforms remains at elevated levels, indicating that underlying demand for semiconductor products continues to show resilience.
Nvidia Faces Mounting China Competition Concerns from DeepSeek
Nvidia captured significant attention during Tuesday’s session following news reports that Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek is developing its own AI processing chip.
This development sparked renewed worries about competitive pressures in China, which represents a strategically important market for Nvidia’s international operations.
While Nvidia maintains commanding market leadership in the global AI accelerator space, market participants remain vigilant regarding potential threats to this dominance, particularly as China accelerates efforts to develop indigenous chip manufacturing capabilities in response to American export controls.
Near-term business momentum remains supported by sustained purchasing from cloud service providers, enterprise customers, and governmental entities.
SpaceX Stock Retreats Following Index Addition
SpaceX garnered market attention as its shares declined after officially joining the Nasdaq-100 Index.
The pullback caught some market watchers off guard, since index inclusions typically generate purchasing activity from exchange-traded funds and institutional investors. However, traders evidently decided to take profits after several weeks of anticipatory buying pushed shares higher.
SpaceX continues to attract significant investor interest due to its innovations in reusable rocket technology, the expanding Starlink satellite internet service, and lucrative government launch agreements. Industry observers generally view the company as a compelling long-term opportunity in the commercial aerospace industry.
Micron Technology Caught in Sector-Wide Decline
Micron shares also retreated on Tuesday as the semiconductor sector’s broad weakness persisted.
The memory chip manufacturer has emerged as a primary beneficiary of AI-fueled demand for high-bandwidth memory products. However, solid underlying business conditions couldn’t shield the stock from Tuesday’s selling wave.
Micron produces cutting-edge memory components essential for AI server infrastructure, where demand has regularly exceeded analyst projections. Industry experts continue to forecast that memory chips will represent one of the semiconductor industry’s fastest-growing segments in coming years.
Market Shrugs Off Samsung’s Impressive Profit Growth
Samsung announced a substantial jump in quarterly operating profits, yet the positive results failed to energize the semiconductor sector.
Typically, robust financial performance from one of the planet’s largest memory chip producers would provide support for related stocks. Instead, market participants remained preoccupied with valuation concerns and intensifying competition in AI hardware markets.
The muted response illustrates how elevated expectations have become for semiconductor companies following a year of exceptional stock performance. Solid quarterly results alone are insufficient — investors now demand compelling forward-looking guidance as well.
Nevertheless, Samsung’s financial results validate that worldwide demand for advanced memory products utilized in AI infrastructure remains healthy.
Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK’s Reform party, announced that he would resign as a member of Parliament and stand in the by-election that could replace him.
On Tuesday, Farage announced that he would resign as MP representing Clacton in response to what he called “foul means” by established politicians. The UK lawmaker’s resignation followed reports that he had personally received millions of dollars’ worth of donations and gifts from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster linked to a crypto casino.
“Let me be absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong,” said Farage in an X livestream. “I have not broken the law in any way at all. I have not misused public money.”
Source: Nigel Farage
Farage already had ties to the crypto industry before reports of the scandal. He spoke at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas and is an investor in London-listed Bitcoin (BTC) treasury company Stack. When reports began circulating in May that the Reform leader had received a $6.7 million gift from Harborne, he initially called it a “reward” for campaigning for Brexit, the 2016 referendum that led to the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Related: Crypto billionaires bankroll Nigel Farage’s pro-crypto party
The UK lawmaker confirmed that he was the subject of two probes by the UK’s parliamentary standards commissioner following reports of what he called “gifts” from Harborne and Cottrell, which he claimed were given “on an unconditional basis.”
He said that he would use Harborne’s gift for funding related to his security, describing threats and attacks, and that the by-election triggered by his resignation would give voters the opportunity to choose whether or not he will continue to represent them:
“I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions […] I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election.”
According to The London Standard, the election determining Farage’s fate as an MP could take weeks or months given the logistics of his stepping down and calling for a by-election. He won in Clacton with 46.2% of the vote in July 2024 against the Conservative and Labour candidates.
Countdown to US elections with crypto money hanging over candidates
While Farage faces probes in the UK, money from crypto companies and figures tied to the industry could continue to influence US races in November’s midterm elections.
According to a June report from US consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, the crypto industry had spent about $189 million to support candidates considered favorable to digital asset policies as part of the 2026 election cycle. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump faces criticism from many lawmakers over his 2025 financial disclosures, which included reporting $1.4 billion in earnings related to crypto.
Magazine: Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even work
- KuCoin partners with UAE Team Emirates–XRG ahead of Tour de France.
- KuCoin debuts Tour de France sponsorship with UAE Team Emirates–XRG.
- KuCoin expands global sports push with UAE Team Emirates–XRG deal.
KuCoin announced that it has become the official cryptocurrency partner of UAE Team Emirates – XRG, marking a new sports sponsorship agreement that will debut publicly during the 2026 Tour de France.
The partnership gives KuCoin exclusive rights in the Cryptocurrency Exchanges, Blockchain Trading Platforms and Crypto Wallet Services categories.
The company’s branding will appear across the team’s buses, support vehicles and fleet cars throughout the three-week Tour de France.
The agreement expands KuCoin’s sports sponsorship portfolio as the cryptocurrency exchange seeks to strengthen its global brand presence through partnerships with internationally recognized sporting organizations.
KuCoin secures exclusive sponsorship rights
Under the agreement, KuCoin will serve as UAE Team Emirates – XRG’s sole partner across cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain trading platforms and crypto wallet services.
The partnership brings together two organizations that said they share a focus on innovation, precision and long-term performance.
The collaboration will make its public debut at the 2026 Tour de France, one of cycling’s most prominent events, where KuCoin branding will be prominently displayed on the team’s transportation fleet throughout the race.
Commenting on the partnership, BC Wong, Chief Executive Officer of KuCoin, said: “We are incredibly proud to partner with UAE Team Emirates – XRG and launch this collaboration on cycling’s grandest stage.”
He added that, “World-class achievements are never solitary; they require a dedicated team moving in unison toward a shared vision. These are the very values that have fueled KuCoin’s growth, and we look forward to empowering the team as they chase victory at the Tour de France.”
Tour de France provides global platform
The partnership will be introduced during the 2026 Tour de France, a three-week race regarded as one of the most prestigious events in professional cycling.
KuCoin said the competition reflects values that align with its business, including discipline, teamwork, trust and strategic coordination.
According to the company, success in the Tour de France depends on collaboration among riders, coaches, mechanics and support staff, principles that it said also underpin its approach to building a global digital asset infrastructure.
The sponsorship gives KuCoin visibility throughout the event by placing its branding on team buses, support vehicles and fleet cars used during the race.
Partnership expands KuCoin’s sports strategy
The agreement represents the latest addition to KuCoin’s global sports sponsorship initiatives as cryptocurrency companies continue using major sporting events to increase brand awareness.
UAE Team Emirates – XRG is one of the leading professional cycling teams and includes several high-profile riders, including multi-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar.
KuCoin said the collaboration marks a significant expansion of its international sports sponsorship portfolio and is intended to reinforce the company’s global brand presence.
The company also said additional collaborative initiatives involving UAE Team Emirates – XRG and Tadej Pogačar will be announced later in the season, although no further details were disclosed.
The announcement comes as cryptocurrency firms continue pursuing partnerships in global sports as part of broader efforts to expand their visibility among mainstream audiences through internationally followed competitions and teams.
Tether has invested $20 million in Brazilian crypto platform Mercado Bitcoin to support the company’s expansion into tokenized assets, stablecoin payments, lending and other blockchain-based financial services across Latin America.
Since its 2013 launch, Mercado Bitcoin has expanded beyond crypto trading into regulated financial services, including tokenized assets, credit, stablecoin payments and cross-border services.
The company said it has more than 4.5 million users, has issued more than 2 billion Brazilian reais (about $370 million) worth of tokenized assets, and operates under nearly a dozen licenses across Brazil and Europe, including a payment institution license from Brazil’s central bank.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said Mercado Bitcoin has built one of Latin America’s most comprehensive regulated onchain financial platforms, citing its licensing, tokenization infrastructure and integrated financial services.
In February, Mercado Bitcoin announced it had deployed more than $20 million in tokenized private credit, one segment of its broader tokenization business, on Bitcoin (BTC) sidechain Rootstock.
Related: Former Tether CIO seeks to sell stake in stablecoin issuer, Bloomberg reports
Tether using profits for strategic investments
The Mercado Bitcoin investment aligns with Tether Investments’ strategy of backing companies developing blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Tether issues USDT (USDT), the world’s largest stablecoin, with about $184 billion in circulation. In the first quarter of 2026, the company reported approximately $1.04 billion in net profit, which it is tapping for strategic investments.
In April, the firm participated in a $134 million funding round for Stablecoin Development Corporation, a NYSE American-traded company focused on expanding access to the stablecoin economy and digital asset infrastructure.
A month later, Tether invested in remittance platform LemFi to support the integration of USDT as a settlement layer for cross-border payments across Africa and Asia. The companies said the partnership would expand stablecoin-based payment infrastructure across key remittance corridors.
Later in May, Tether announced plans with the Government of Georgia to launch a stablecoin pegged to the Georgian lari under the country’s digital asset framework.
Beyond stablecoin-related initiatives, Tether has also invested in sectors including artificial intelligence, energy, biotechnology and digital media through its investment arm.
Despite speculation about a potential listing, CEO Paolo Ardoino has said the company has no plans to go public.
Source: DefiLlama
Magazine: AI is banking the unbanked in Africa… faster than crypto
Crypto analyst Matthew Hyland says the macro backdrop that punished digital currencies for four straight years is finally turning, pointing to patterns that came before crypto’s two biggest bull runs.
In a pair of posts on X, he argued that the market is entering a two- to three-year stretch of what he calls “max opportunity,” with risk appetite moving back toward crypto for the first time since 2016 and 2020.
A Repeating Four-Year Pattern
Hyland’s case rests on comparing three stretches he labels macro risk bear markets: 2014 to 2016, 2018 to 2020, and 2022 through 2026. In each of them, he says, crypto performed poorly while the wider risk backdrop stayed hostile, only for conditions to flip and set off the sector’s strongest runs. He’s now betting the current cycle is following the same script.
“Macro-Risk is now exiting the Bear Market for the first time since Mid-2016 & Mid-2020,” he wrote, adding that this kind of setup produced “max opportunity for the long term” both previous times it showed up.
He also pointed to two chart signals he sees as confirmation. Bitcoin dominance just posted a death cross for the first time since 2016 and 2020, which he treats as an early marker of the shift. He also expects altcoin dominance to follow with a golden cross this fall, something that he says would repeat what happened in those earlier cycles.
According to the market watcher, his own macro risk ratios turned at the same points in 2016 and 2020, and are turning again now, which is why he’s calling the next two to three years “the most optimal time” for crypto. However, his forecast should be taken as a market thesis and not a certainty, especially since crypto cycles have also historically been influenced by liquidity, investor sentiment, and broader economic conditions.
Wider Markets Still Sending Mixed Signals
Hyland’s call landed with Bitcoin (BTC) trading near $63,000 after earlier hitting a two-week high above $64,000, even after Strategy sold 3,588 BTC on Monday to fund dividends.
Analytics firm Swissblock described the price action as showing “signs of stabilization,” although it cautioned that a genuine recovery still needs buyers to keep showing up.
Elsewhere, analyst Credible Crypto has argued that altcoins trading 80% to 90% below their highs could outperform BTC if sentiment turns, pointing to long-term holders now controlling close to 80% of the flagship cryptocurrency’s supply. On Ethereum, trader Michaël van de Poppe said over the weekend that “the worst period for ETH is over” and cited a possible higher low against Bitcoin after three straight quarterly losses of more than 20% each.
Another market observer, Merlijn The Trader, separately flagged ETH’s dip to 0.026 against BTC, a level that foreshadowed a 230% run against Bitcoin last time it showed up. While none of these calls directly tie to Hyland’s thesis, the timing, with all landing within the same week, is hard to ignore.
The post Analyst Predicts 2-3 Years of Crypto Gains as Risk-On Environment Emerges appeared first on CryptoPotato.
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