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Institutional crypto adoption is entering a new phase – one that is defined a lot less by passive exposure and more by direct participation in on-chain market formation, tokenized assets, and real-time settlement infrastructure.

In the following interview with the new Managing Director of the Crypto.com Exchange, Iskandar Vanblarcum, we discuss the forces that drive that shift, the barriers still holding institutions back, and why real-world assets (RWAs), collateral utility, and regulated prediction markets could reshape the global financial landscape as we know it.

You’ve said the next era of finance will be “rebuilt on-chain.” From your conversations with institutional clients, what has changed most in their attitude toward digital assets over the past 12–18 months?

This is a pivotal moment for institutional involvement in the digital assets space. What’s changed in the last 12- 18 months is the steady maturation of our industry, alongside the development of specific and focused regulation governing the sector. Attitudes are also changing as more institutions recognize the value of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, and how their portfolios and businesses can benefit from reduced friction, faster settlement, 24/7 access, deep liquidity, and ultra-low-latency infrastructure, just to name a few.

Institutional adoption of crypto has often been framed around Bitcoin exposure, ETFs, or custody. Are we now entering a phase where institutions are looking more seriously at on-chain market infrastructure itself, rather than just crypto as an asset class?

Yes, this is an interesting shift that we’re seeing. We are witnessing a deep, structural integration where institutions are moving away from simply gaining passive price exposure to actively utilizing decentralized infrastructure. This is evident as institutions integrate tokenized real-world assets, like BlackRock’s BUIDL, directly as active trading collateral. Firms are also adopting real-time blockchain settlement networks, such as Lynq, to optimize capital efficiency through “Yield-in-Transit” technology. Additionally, traditional banks like Nedbank are utilizing blockchain rails to create resilient, low-cost cross-border payment ecosystems. Ultimately, the distinction between traditional assets and digital infrastructure is disappearing as institutions leverage blockchain’s 24/7 programmability to rewire legacy markets.

What are the main barriers still preventing larger institutions from increasing their allocation or activity in digital assets: regulation, liquidity, counterparty risk, internal mandates, reputational concerns, or something else?

Institutions demand a high regulatory standard of operation and strict security and compliance frameworks. There are still challenges around fragmented global regulatory frameworks and the legal classification of certain products, which may be holding some investors back. We have spent years building and investing in an institutional-grade platform, but institutions will also need to invest heavily in specialized infrastructure to manage evolving compliance standards and technological vulnerabilities before they can build trust and deploy capital safely. 

The Crypto.com Exchange has highlighted real-world asset offerings as part of your remit. Which categories of tokenized RWAs do you believe have the strongest near-term institutional demand: money-market funds, bonds, equities, commodities, private credit, or something else?

We are laser-focused on the Exchange’s Real-World Asset offerings. This is a key area for the industry right now, and offering BUIDL-as-collateral was an important milestone. The next play is perpetual markets on real-world exposures like equities, commodities, metals, and pre-IPO names, offering all of this 24/7 on-chain and backed by institutional-grade infrastructure. The Crypto.com Exchange is well on its way to delivering on this, and I’m looking forward to spearheading the development of these products and services even further. 

Tokenized RWAs are often described as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto. In practical terms, what do institutions need from an exchange venue before they are comfortable trading, using, or posting tokenized assets as collateral?

As an institutional-grade exchange, you have to offer a combination of compliant, industry-leading product offerings, unparalleled security, robust infrastructure, solid custody services, and strong banking partnerships globally for on- and off-ramps. All asset classes—including equities, commodities, bonds, funds, art, and real estate—will progressively be tokenized on the blockchain. Bringing these assets on-chain directly resolves legacy market inefficiencies by unlocking 24/7 tradability, rapid real-time settlement, lower transaction costs, and enhanced global liquidity. But you have to have the foundational infrastructure in place to handle the levels of Institutional capital that are flowing into tokenized assets.

The Crypto.com Exchange recently integrated BlackRock’s tokenized fund BUIDL as collateral for margin trading, according to the appointment announcement. How important is collateral utility in making tokenized assets institutionally relevant, rather than simply tokenized versions of existing products?

This was a landmark moment that perfectly illustrates the rapid convergence of traditional finance and digital assets. It signals a definitive shift toward a future where financial markets operate entirely on-chain, transforming how capital is managed and deployed. It’s a testament to the growing demand for tokenized securities and proves that the future of finance will be defined by the programmability, speed, and 24/7 nature of digital infrastructure. The integration serves as a blueprint for how TradFi asset issuers like BlackRock can effectively merge with regulated centralized crypto platforms like Crypto.com Exchange and decentralized on-chain access to create a more efficient financial system. 

Your new role also includes expanding regulated prediction markets and event contracts. What makes these products attractive to institutional clients, and how do you see them fitting alongside traditional derivatives, macro-hedging tools, or portfolio risk strategies? 

Prediction markets are quickly becoming one of the most in-demand financial instruments and can serve as an alternative way to trade and offset risk for institutional investors. We are where derivatives were in the 1980s – institutional capital knows they belong in the portfolio, and they are looking for a regulated, secure platform to access these contracts. This is where the opportunity lies for the Crypto.com Exchange. For example, it was the first major crypto platform globally to secure a full stack of U.S. CFTC derivatives licenses  – and prediction markets in the U.S. come firmly within CFTC oversight. You combine compliant products, security, access to collateral and custody services, on top of deep liquidity and other financial services, all in one platform, and this is a really attractive offer to those institutions looking to use a reputable and established brand for their entry into the event contracts space.

The post Crypto.com Exchange’s Managing Director: Institutions Are Moving Beyond Bitcoin to Rewire Finance On-Chain (Interview) appeared first on CryptoPotato.

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EUR/GBP has slid to its weakest level in a year, as the two currencies continue to follow increasingly divergent paths. The ECB’s June hike—its first since 2023—was meant to signal renewed hawkishness, but the very next inflation print undercut that narrative: price growth cooled from 3.2% to 2.8%, enough for markets to now assign an 88% probability that policymakers will simply hold steady at their July 23 meeting. In other words, the euro’s tightening story may already be running out of road.

The pound, by contrast, is benefiting from a rare double tailwind. Domestically, much of the political uncertainty that had weighed on sterling appears to be fading as investors look past recent leadership turmoil, while falling mortgage rates and a sharp drop in diesel prices are easing cost-of-living pressure at home. On the policy side, traders are increasingly convinced the Bank of England still has room to hike before year-end, with odds now sitting near 76%—a stark contrast to the ECB’s apparent pause.

Put simply, the euro’s hawkish window looks to be closing, while the pound is gaining traction on two fronts at once. That divergence is exactly what’s driving EUR/GBP toward these lows—and it’s worth asking how much further it can run.

EUR/GBP Technical Analysis

As the H4 chart shows, prices spent months trading lower from the April highs. In mid-June,  the pair broke above the descending trendline. Since then, that same trendline has flipped into support, and price now appears to be testing it again from above.

Bullish Scenario

Adding weight to this reading is a bullish RSI divergence: while price printed a fresh low in early July, the RSI itself formed a higher low, hinting at fading downside momentum beneath the surface. If buyers step in and defend the reclaimed trendline along with the 0.8500 psychological zone, this divergence could gain real technical credibility. It would open the door for a corrective bounce with scope to extend meaningfully higher towards the former support, now resistance, near the 0.8600 zone. There, price could face an important test. A break above this level could open the way towards the 0.8680–0.8700 zone, a historic equilibrium area for the pair.

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Bearish Scenario

However, if sellers manage to push back through this trendline, decisively flipping it back into resistance, the bullish divergence would quickly lose much of its relevance and credibility. In that case, the focus would shift immediately to the psychological 0.8500 support. A confirmed break below it could signal that the broader downtrend remains firmly intact, likely triggering a fresh leg lower and exposing the pair to new multi-month lows last seen over a year ago.

With price balanced right on this reclaimed trendline, and momentum quietly diverging from price, EUR/GBP’s next move could prove decisive either way.

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Amidst the current crypto market volatility, with XRP hovering around $1.06 after sharp corrections from previous highs, a bold new forecast has emerged that could redefine investor expectations. Grok AI Predicts that XRP is poised for a monumental rally, potentially achieving three-digit prices by the end of 2026.

XRP has weathered significant selling pressure, trading well below its prior peaks near $3.65. Yet its core utility as a fast and low-cost bridge asset for global payments continues to deliver real-world value through Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity network and the XRP Ledger’s efficient design.

Growth in tokenized real-world assets on the XRPL has already surpassed $4 billion, while institutional interest in cross-border settlements continues to grow. These fundamentals position XRP for powerful rebounds once broader market sentiment turns positive. With improving regulatory clarity and potential pro-crypto legislation on the horizon, Grok AI Predicts substantial upside ahead as we move through the rest of 2026 and beyond.

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Grok AI Predicts Explosive 3-Digit Targets and $1,000 Bull Case for XRP

XRP’s fundamentals are stronger than ever, driven by unmatched efficiency in cross-border payments and expanding use cases on the XRP Ledger. Tokenization activity continues to accelerate, and banks worldwide are exploring faster settlement solutions that favor XRP over legacy systems.

Xrp (XRP)

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Regulatory tailwinds are also aligning, and the resolution of previous legal matters has removed major obstacles, while new clarity measures and pro-crypto policies are expected to unlock greater institutional adoption throughout 2026. In a detailed analysis, Grok AI predicts that in a full bull market with widespread adoption of XRP for remittances and tokenized assets, three-digit prices become realistic by year-end.

Even more explosive is the $1,000 bull case highlighted by analysts such as Pumpius, who sees this level as almost certain by 2027 under optimal conditions of bank integration, regulatory support, and altcoin season rotation. From current levels near $1.06, reaching $100 would deliver roughly 94x returns, while the extreme $1,000 scenario represents nearly 1,000x upside for those positioned early.

Discover: The Best Token Presales

Bitcoin Hyper Catching the Attention of XRP Holders as the Next 100x

Bitcoin Hyper is catching the attention of XRP holders seeking the next asymmetric opportunity to multiply gains alongside expected moves in their primary holding. As the fastest Bitcoin Layer 2 chain, it solves Bitcoin’s long-standing scalability issues with advanced rollup technology. It is delivering near-instant transactions, ultra-low fees, and full support for DeFi, meme coins, staking, and dApps directly on the Bitcoin network.

The presale price currently sits at approximately $0.0137 per HYPER token, with over $32.9 million already raised toward a higher target. The sale is in its final stages, with limited time remaining before the next price increase. Participants can also stake immediately for rewards up to 36%.

XRP holders who benefit from the strong outlook on their core position can further amplify returns by securing exposure to this high-utility Bitcoin L2 at ground-floor pricing. Bitcoin Hyper is positioned to power real-time Bitcoin activity and ecosystem growth that many expect to explode in 2026 and beyond.

Explore the Bitcoin Hyper presale now: Buy HYPER before the presale closes, and it becomes the leading solution for scalable Bitcoin transactions.

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Discover: The Best Crypto to Diversify Your Portfolio

The post Elon Musk Grok AI Predicts 3 Digits XRP Price This 2026 appeared first on Cryptonews.

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XRP (XRP) and Ethereum (ETH) both flashed a contrarian bearish signal, as social sentiment turned euphoric. Yet their derivatives markets told opposite stories, with XRP funding negative and Ethereum funding positive.

The split matters because elevated bullish chatter often precedes short-term pullbacks. When it aligns with negative funding, as on XRP, the crowd and leveraged traders sit on opposite sides of the same trade.

XRP and Ethereum’s Sentiment Signal

Santiment tracked the ratio of positive to negative commentary across social platforms. The metric weighs bullish posts against bearish ones for each asset.

On Monday, XRP led with 3.02 bullish comments for every bearish one. Ethereum followed at 2.31, placing it in mild FOMO territory.

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Bitcoin (BTC) sat calmer at 1.40, closer to neutral. All three opened stronger before fading through the session.

The reading carries a contrarian edge. Heavy bullish sentiment during a dip can raise near-term downside risk rather than confirm strength. Santiment framed the pattern directly.

“Crypto typically moves opposite to what the crowd is loudly expecting,” it said. “BTC’s more neutral sentiment may actually be healthier, since rallies usually have more room when the crowd hasn’t fully piled into the ‘higher prices next’ trade yet.”

The Funding Divergence

Funding rates show how leveraged traders are positioned. Positive rates mean longs pay shorts, while negative rates mean shorts pay longs.

XRP funding turned negative on Monday, at -0.0033%. Traders were paying to hold short positions.

Ethereum funding stayed positive, at 0.0049%. In addition, Bitcoin funding rates held positive.

The contrast is the catch. XRP’s bullish crowd is loud, but its derivatives market leans short. Traders are paying to bet against the optimism.

Ethereum shows no such split. Its social optimism aligns with positive funding, meaning the crowd and leveraged traders lean the same way.

That leaves XRP with the more conflicting setup. If the token rallies, short sellers could be forced to cover their positions, triggering a short squeeze that accelerates gains. Conversely, if bearish bets prove correct, the elevated optimism could unwind as bullish traders retreat.

XRP also posted the steeper weekly decline, falling 7.22% over the past seven days, while Ethereum slipped 1.09% over the same period.

The conflicting signals leave XRP at a crossroads. Whether the bearish positioning in derivatives or the strong bullish social sentiment ultimately prevails could shape the token’s next move.

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The post XRP and Ethereum Share a Bearish Signal, But There’s a Catch appeared first on BeInCrypto.

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Robinhood Chain has generated $816,000 in gross revenue since launching on July 1, with 89% captured by Robinhood, 10% by Arbitrum as middleware, and only 0.15%, or $1,538, paid to Ethereum for settlement, which doesn’t sound great.

Robinhood Chain is an EVM-compatible Arbitrum-based layer-2 network that uses ETH as its native gas token, but Ethereum is not seeing any revenue benefits yet.

Bullish or Bearish for Ethereum?

Lorenzo Valente, director of research at Ark Invest, said, “If your thesis is ‘ETH is money,’ Robinhood building here is ultra bullish.” “More activity, more ETH collateral, more lindyness,” he added.

However, for those who believe ETH is a revenue-generating asset, “this is the ultra-bear case.” He added that Robinhood was never going to build on Solana, Sui, or any “monolithic layer-1” because it wants stack customization.

“They want to be landlords, not renters. Ethereum won this deal on merit. It’s just not pricing it right … Ethereum sells the most valuable settlement layer in crypto at marginal cost.”

Valente said that a healthier split would be 75% to Robinhood, 10% to Arbitrum, and 15% to Ethereum.

The Robinhood Chain is the cleanest case study of what happened to ETH’s economics over time.

Since inception, @RobinhoodApp Chain has grossed ~$816K in revenue.@Arbitrum, the middleware provider, takes 10%: ~$80K.

Arbitrum then pays Ethereum for settlement: $1,538.

The… pic.twitter.com/Jc8k4yi60M

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— Lorenzo Valente (@LorenzoARK) July 13, 2026

Responding to the post, Consensys founder Joe Lubin said Ethereum layer-1 revenue fees should stay low to foster growth.

“Tens of thousands of companies will set up shop over the next 2-3 years on some mix of Ethereum L1, L2s, and private permissioned EVMs.”

“Monetary premium will grow very large, fee revenue to L1 from so much activity,” he added before concluding that staking and other locking away of ETH will reduce supply, and “net burning of ETH under ultrasound conditions will further grow the value of ETH.”

Since its launch a fortnight ago, 82,895 ETH worth around $147.5 million has been bridged to Robinhood Chain, according to Defillama. Analysts say this has become another demand sink, along with staking, which has 33% of the supply locked, treasury companies, and ETFs.

No Love For ETH Prices

Despite this bullish narrative, Ether prices remain at multi-year bear market lows with low volume and negative sentiment. ETH is trading flat on the day at around $1,780 following a dip to $1,750 during early Tuesday trading in Asia.

It has moved off its cycle low of just over $1,500 in late June, but has hit resistance at $1,800 six times over the past ten days. This remains the barrier to break for ETH to continue its slow climb higher.

The major catalysts for Ether are macro and likely to be inflation coming down and lower chances of a Fed rate hike.

The post Here’s Why Robinhood Chain Is Ultra Bullish for ETH Despite Cannibalizing Revenue appeared first on CryptoPotato.

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Derive (DRV) jumped roughly 30% after South Korea’s largest exchanges, Upbit and Bithumb, announced listings, lifting the price from $0.12 toward $0.18.

The dual debut gives the DeFi derivatives protocol fresh liquidity and exposure in one of crypto’s most active markets.

Derive: The DeFi Derivatives Protocol Behind the Rally

Derive is an on-chain options and perpetual futures protocol built on Ethereum as an optimistic rollup. The platform, known as Lyra Finance before its 2024 rebrand, combines low fees, deep liquidity, and self-custody. That combination made it one of the most complete derivatives venues in decentralized finance.

Trading on Upbit opened at 17:00 KST on July 14, with pairs against the Korean won, Bitcoin, and USDT. Bithumb followed shortly after, completing a rare double listing on the country’s dominant venues. The simultaneous move gave Korean investors immediate access via familiar, heavily regulated platforms.

The protocol targets both retail and institutional traders.

Furthermore, a recent launch on Hyperliquid had already expanded its on-chain footprint and trading volume. Cumulative activity on the protocol already reaches billions of dollars.

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What Is Behind the Upbit and Bithumb Effect on DRV

South Korea’s passionate retail base and strict regulations concentrate volume on a few major platforms, amplifying every debut. Local traders move enough capital to reshape a token’s global price within minutes.

DRV followed the script closely. The token spiked toward $0.18 before settling near $0.15, according to BeInCrypto data. Initial restrictions, such as limit-only orders, helped contain the wildest swings. Even so, buying pressure from Korean accounts remained strong throughout the session.

The numbers behind the move look solid. DRV now has a market capitalization of $151.2 million and a fully diluted valuation of $226 million. Meanwhile, daily volume surged past $10 million.

The listings bridge sophisticated DeFi derivatives with mainstream accessibility. However, sustained momentum will depend on market sentiment, continued innovation, and delivery on the protocol’s roadmap. For now, Derive enters a new phase of mainstream exposure.

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The post Upbit and Bithumb Listings Send Derive (DRV) Soaring Nearly 30% appeared first on BeInCrypto.

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