The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has granted World Liberty Financial conditional approval to operate as a national trust bank, a decision that immediately reignited political scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest involving President Donald Trump and members of his family.

In a Friday notice, the OCC said its conditional approval for World Liberty’s charter application would permit the company to proceed as “World Liberty Trust Company, National Association,” subject to regulatory and policy requirements. World Liberty’s filing indicates the bank would support US dollar-backed stablecoin issuance and would custody digital assets related to its USD1 token.

Key takeaways

• The OCC’s approval is conditional, allowing World Liberty to move forward as a national trust bank only under specified requirements outlined by regulators.
• World Liberty’s charter application contemplates issuing US dollar-backed stablecoins and providing custody for digital assets linked to its USD1 token.
• Criticism from US lawmakers centers on possible conflicts of interest tied to Trump family involvement and the OCC leadership appointment.
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced new legislation aimed at addressing what she described as “presidential corruption” in banking following the OCC’s action.
• The decision arrives amid a broader pattern of OCC approvals and conditional approvals for crypto firms seeking trust charters.

What the OCC approved—and what it still requires

The OCC’s Friday notice frames the action as consistent with statutory duties and ethical obligations. The regulator’s conditional approval means World Liberty may be able to operate under the proposed name—World Liberty Trust Company, National Association—but must satisfy the conditions attached by the OCC before fully realizing its intended banking activities.

According to World Liberty’s application, the planned business includes issuing stablecoins backed by US dollars and custodying digital assets connected to the company’s USD1 token. For investors and users watching the intersection of crypto rails and traditional finance, the significance lies in what a national trust bank framework can enable: a regulated structure for custody and, potentially, issuance-linked services, depending on how requirements are ultimately met.

Conflict-of-interest concerns drive the political backlash

Opposition to the approval is rooted in allegations that regulators and the White House could be subject to improper influence. The OCC’s action comes as lawmakers have pressed questions about relationships between World Liberty and the Trump family.

The OCC approval followed heightened scrutiny about potential conflicts of interest between the company and President Trump’s family. The president and three sons are described as affiliated with World Liberty. The head of the OCC, Jonathan Gould, was also nominated by Trump in 2025. Separately, World Liberty’s website has indicated that a Trump family entity controls 38% of the company’s equity interests.

While the OCC stated that it acted in line with its ethical obligations, the political dispute escalated immediately after the announcement. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she had introduced legislation “to stop this kind of unprecedented corruption,” calling the OCC’s move “the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen.” Warren and nine other senators introduced the “Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act” following the approval.

Warren’s comments and the filing of new legislation underscore a key uncertainty investors should track: the OCC may have issued conditional approval, but Congress could still push for legal and oversight changes that affect how—or whether—such bank charters are granted or operated when political relationships are at issue.

Gould said review would be apolitical earlier

Prior to Friday’s decision, Gould had indicated the charter review would be conducted through an “apolitical and nonpartisan process.” Earlier coverage from Cointelegraph noted that Gould made this point while referencing the review process after correspondence from Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

In the Friday notice, the OCC emphasized that its “Comptroller and staff acted consistently with their statutory duties and ethical obligations with respect to the Application.” The regulator’s language suggests it believes the same standards applied regardless of the controversy—an important distinction for market participants assessing regulatory risk.

Still, the rapid pivot to legislative action suggests the dispute is not confined to regulatory conditions. The coming months will likely determine whether Congress focuses on reinforcing ethical firewalls for bank licensing in crypto-adjacent businesses, particularly where political ties are alleged.

World Liberty’s wider ecosystem ties remain under investigation

Beyond US regulatory concerns, the approval also reopened questions about World Liberty’s relationships with foreign entities. According to earlier reporting, an Abu Dhabi investment company backed by UAE national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan reportedly purchased a 49% stake in World Liberty in January 2025 for $500 million. Another UAE entity, MGX, used World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin to invest $2 billion in crypto exchange Binance. The same reporting notes that Trump later issued a presidential pardon for former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.

A White House spokesperson has repeatedly said there were “no conflicts of interest“ with Trump’s investments, a position that lawmakers challenging the charter approval say does not address broader governance and transparency concerns.

The continued attention matters because national trust banking is tightly linked to trust, custody standards, and compliance. If lawmakers pursue investigations or new rules affecting how these relationships are disclosed or managed, the operational path for World Liberty’s stablecoin and custody plans could change.

How this fits into the OCC’s broader crypto charter push

The OCC’s conditional approval also reflects an ongoing trend under the Trump administration: approving or conditionally approving multiple applications from crypto companies seeking trust charters to expand their services in the US.

In December, the OCC approved applications from Circle, Ripple Labs, Crypto.com and Coinbase after passage of the GENIUS stablecoin bill in Congress, according to earlier coverage from Cointelegraph. That earlier wave of approvals sets a reference point for how the OCC has been moving toward regulated stablecoin and related services.

World Liberty’s case adds a new layer to that pattern because the controversy is not only about crypto compliance and licensing. It is also about the governance question of who benefits, who influences, and how regulators insulate decisions from political entanglement.

For readers, the next thing to watch is how the OCC’s conditions are spelled out and implemented for World Liberty’s charter to fully take effect, alongside whether Congress’s “Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act” gains traction that could reshape licensing standards for bank charters tied to politically connected firms.

OpenAI has signed a 20-year lease for 4.25 gigawatts of initial AI capacity at an Ohio data center supported by up to $105 billion in guarantees from Nvidia.

Nvidia’s Aug. 17 announcement said OpenAI will use the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, where SB Energy will build, own, and operate the infrastructure under the long-term lease.

The chipmaker will serve as the campus’s exclusive AI compute provider, supplying its DSX AI factory platform. OpenAI’s systems will use Nvidia GPUs, CPUs, and networking equipment, with the first capacity scheduled to become available in phases beginning in 2028.

Built across private and federal land, the campus will occupy the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant and surrounding property in southern Ohio. SB Energy is developing the project with AEP Ohio, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Department of Commerce.

Nvidia has secured the land, power, and building shell required for an initial 4.25 gigawatts of IT load. The company also holds an option for the remaining 3.75 gigawatts, potentially taking the campus to 8 gigawatts of AI capacity.

Nvidia has provided a $105 billion lease guarantee

In an Aug. 17 SEC filing, Nvidia disclosed several residual-value guarantee agreements covering OpenAI’s initial 4.25-gigawatt commitment.

The company’s combined payment obligations under the agreements cannot exceed $105 billion. Each guarantee generally becomes effective when the related lease starts, provided SB Energy satisfies the ready-for-service conditions for the relevant section of the campus.

OpenAI remains responsible for paying the lease. Nvidia would face a payment obligation only if OpenAI became insolvent and defaulted or failed to make the required payments, according to the filing.

Following such an event, Nvidia would generally cover the difference between the lease’s guaranteed minimum value and the amount SB Energy recovered through a replacement tenant or property sale. Nvidia could also assume the lease, ask SB Energy to find another tenant, begin a sale process or allow the lease to end.

Another provision would let Nvidia postpone those remedies for up to one year while paying certain project costs. OpenAI has agreed to reimburse and indemnify the chipmaker for any money it pays to SB Energy under the guarantees.

The guarantee for each section can run until the 20th anniversary of the applicable lease. Nvidia’s obligation could end earlier if OpenAI terminates the lease under its terms, achieves a satisfactory credit rating or meets another termination condition stated in the agreements.

Addressing concerns about circular financing, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said OpenAI, rather than the chipmaker, will make the lease payments. If OpenAI does not use the capacity, Huang said the site could be offered to another eligible customer.

“Nvidia compute is versatile, fungible and broadly adopted,” Huang wrote, adding that the capacity could be resold to cloud providers, enterprises, AI laboratories or startups in the company’s customer network.

OpenAI will use Nvidia’s full AI technology stack

At the Ohio site, OpenAI will deploy Nvidia’s DSX platform across the initial 4.25-gigawatt buildout, subject to limited exceptions disclosed in the SEC filing. The platform combines data center facilities, computing hardware, networking, and software into one system.

Huang described land, power, and finished data center space as essential resources for the AI industry, where companies need large power commitments before installing computing equipment.

“We are securing long-lived infrastructure for Nvidia compute so OpenAI can deploy the most productive AI factories,” Huang said.

Alongside its guarantee, Nvidia will invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy. The investment will place the chipmaker beside existing investors SoftBank Group and OpenAI while providing capital for SB Energy’s data center projects and local commitments.

SB Energy and SoftBank plan to build at least 10 gigawatts of new electricity generation to support 8 gigawatts of IT capacity. The companies will also invest at least $4.2 billion in regional grid infrastructure through an agreement with AEP Ohio, Nvidia said.

According to the announcement, the power and grid arrangements are designed to prevent existing Ohio electricity customers from carrying the project’s infrastructure costs. SB Energy co-CEO Rich Hossfeld said the group would build the site while “protecting ratepayers” and investing in southern Ohio.

The project is expected to support about 35,000 construction jobs through 2032 and create roughly 2,500 permanent operating positions, Reuters reported. OpenAI and SB Energy have also established an $80 million community benefits fund after OpenAI added $40 million to SB Energy’s original commitment.

Funding from the program is intended for affordable energy, workforce training, employment programs, and local economic development. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company wants Pike County residents to benefit through jobs, business opportunities, and community investment.

AI demand has increased competition for power and land

OpenAI’s lease adds to a series of large infrastructure commitments as AI companies secure electricity, grid connections and data center sites. Advanced computing projects often require years of preparation because utilities must add generation and transmission capacity before servers can begin operating.

For crypto investors, the same demand has increased interest in Bitcoin miners that already control powered land and grid connections. As crypto.news reported in May, former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner’s fund held positions in IREN, Core Scientific, Riot Platforms, CleanSpark, Bitfarms, Bitdeer, and Hive Digital as part of a power-and-compute investment strategy.

The fund’s SEC filing showed $13.67 billion in disclosed equity exposure at the end of the first quarter. Several miners have been converting existing sites or planned capacity into high-performance computing facilities because the infrastructure can serve AI customers as well as proof-of-work networks.

OpenAI has also diversified the cloud services used to distribute its models. In April, the company expanded its AWS access after revising its relationship with Microsoft, allowing OpenAI models and its Codex agent to become available through Amazon Bedrock.

While securing additional computing capacity, OpenAI has continued preparing for a possible public listing. Reports in June said executives were considering a potential 2027 IPO rather than accepting a lower valuation in 2026, while SoftBank shares fell 12.5% after the reports emerged.

Polymarket traders currently assign about a 20% probability to OpenAI completing an IPO by the end of 2026. Prediction-market prices can change as traders enter or leave positions and do not represent an announcement from the company.

Nvidia said the full guarantee agreements will be filed as an exhibit to its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter that ended July 26, 2026.

As BTC, ETH, and XRP face heightened volatility, EX DeFi is attracting attention with a cloud mining model focused on long-term digital asset participation.

The cryptocurrency market has recently been rocked by another shocking security incident. Attackers exploited a vulnerability in the firmware of Coldcard hardware wallets to drain funds from numerous Bitcoin addresses, sparking widespread concern regarding the security of hardware wallets and the risks associated with self-custody of digital assets. Public investigations indicate that the scale of the theft linked to this vulnerability has already reached hundreds of millions of dollars, with the total loss still being tallied.

The incident began on July 30, 2026. Galaxy Research discovered that attackers transferred approximately 1,083 BTC from over 1,000 addresses in just 41 minutes, followed by subsequent waves of fund transfers. As investigations progressed through mid-August 2026, the number of confirmed affected addresses and the volume of stolen BTC continued to rise.

What makes this incident unique is that the issue did not stem from the Bitcoin blockchain itself; rather, it was linked to the random number generation mechanism used by certain Coldcard firmware versions when creating wallet seed phrases. This vulnerability rendered the seeds generated by some wallets predictable, thereby increasing the risk that private keys could be derived and funds stolen.

This has prompted many investors to reconsider a fundamental question: Is Bitcoin itself still safe?

In reality, this incident highlights security risks inherent in cryptocurrency storage tools and private key management, rather than a compromise of the Bitcoin network itself. For investors, selecting a secure and reliable method of asset management has become an increasingly critical aspect of digital asset investment.

As market panic intensified, the prices of major cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, and XRP experienced significant volatility. Many investors began to wonder: beyond simply waiting for price appreciation, are there more efficient and sustainable ways to participate in Bitcoin’s long-term value growth?

Against this backdrop, a growing number of investors are turning their attention to EX DeFi — a platform offering stable returns by combining cloud mining with renewable energy. It allows investors to hedge against short-term market risks while focusing on Bitcoin’s long-term value and exploring more diversified ways to engage with digital assets.

A Firmware Flaw Dating Back to 2021

The root cause of this incident can be traced back to a firmware update released by Coinkite in 2021. The relevant update introduced a flaw in the random number generation process used for creating mnemonic phrases. Mnemonic phrases are a crucial component in generating master keys for hardware wallets; if randomness is insufficient, attackers can narrow down the range of potential seeds through calculation and analysis, thereby increasing the likelihood of recovering the associated private keys.

According to research organizations such as Galaxy Research, this issue had previously been reported to Coinkite by researchers. This large-scale attack indicates that some wallet seeds generated in the past may have been at risk for an extended period.

Public reports suggest that the specific range of affected Coldcard devices and firmware versions requires further confirmation via Coinkite’s official security announcements. Notably, simply updating the firmware does not fix wallet seeds that were already generated using the affected firmware; users must migrate their assets in accordance with the manufacturer’s security recommendations.

EX DeFi cloud mining: A new option for Bitcoin investors

Amidst heightened market volatility, an increasing number of digital asset investors are turning their attention to EX DeFi, seeking to explore diversified yield-generation models through methods such as cloud mining and yield aggregation.

For Bitcoin holders, EX DeFi offers a relatively straightforward way to participate in the digital asset ecosystem compared to high-volatility investment methods like futures trading. Users can access Bitcoin mining services without the need to deploy mining hardware or bear costs associated with equipment maintenance, allowing them to capitalize on Bitcoin’s long-term value while maximizing the utility of their digital assets.

Why is EX DeFi attracting increasing attention?

Amidst frequent security incidents involving digital assets, investors are paying greater attention to asset storage, platform security, and risk management.

1. Security and Stability

EX DeFi employs a multi-layered security architecture, integrating technologies from McAfee and Cloudflare alongside measures like offline cold wallets to provide comprehensive protection for platform operations and user assets.

2. Eco-friendly and Efficient

The platform’s mining operations utilize renewable energy sources — such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power — aiming to minimize the environmental impact of energy consumption while maximizing computational efficiency.

3. Compliance and Transparency

The platform continuously improves its operational standards, data transparency, and user protection mechanisms, offering a clearer and more reliable environment for cryptocurrency services.

4. Smart Custody

EX DeFi handles daily operations, computing power management, and earnings settlement through a professional team and automated systems, allowing users to easily earn passive income.

5. Multi-currency Support

The platform supports a wide range of mainstream digital assets — including BTC, ETH, DOGE, SOL, XRP, USDC, LTC, and USDT — offering greater flexibility to diverse users.

6. Affiliate Rewards

The platform offers an affiliate program where users can earn referral commissions of 3% + 2% (up to a maximum of $50,000 in rewards) by inviting friends, making it easy to boost passive income even without making an investment themselves.

How do I use EX DeFi?

1. Sign Up

Visit the EX DeFi platform to create an account and receive a $17 reward upon completing registration

2. Select a Plan

Deposit Bitcoin or other supported digital assets, then choose a suitable mining plan based on budget and the contract term.

3. Earn Mining Returns

Once the contract begins, the system automatically contributes computing power to the mining pool; earnings are settled and credited to an account automatically within 24 hours. Upon contract expiration, the principal is automatically returned.

Examples of common contracts

BTC (Beginner Trial Contract): Investment: $100 | Term: 2 days | Daily Return: $4 | Total Profit: $100 + $8

DOGE (Golden Shell Mini Dogecoin Pro): Investment: $500 | Term: 6 days | Daily Return: $6.5 | Total Profit: $500 + $39

BTC (Canaan-Avalon-A1466): Investment: $1,000 | Term: 10 days | Daily Return: $13.4 | Total Profit: $1,000 + $134

LTC (Bitmain Antminer L7): Investment: $5,000 | Term: 20 days | Daily Return: $73.5 | Total Profit: $5,000 + $1,470

BTC (Bitmain S19K-Pro): Investment: $10,000 | Term: 30 days | Daily Return: $161 | Total Profit: $10,000 + $4,830

For more contract details, visit the EX DeFi website.

Summary

The Coldcard incident serves as a reminder to the market that the security of the Bitcoin blockchain and the security of digital asset storage tools are distinct issues. This incident did not involve a breach of the Bitcoin network itself; rather, it exposed the severe consequences that can arise from firmware vulnerabilities in specific hardware wallets, prompting investors to place greater importance on issues such as private key generation, asset custody, and platform security.

For long-term BTC investors, beyond monitoring price trends and market cycles, it is equally important to consider how to mitigate risks associated with relying on a single storage method and to explore more diversified approaches to digital asset management. EX DeFi aims to provide users with an alternative way to participate in the digital asset ecosystem through methods such as cloud mining, hash rate management, and renewable energy.

For more details, visit the official EX DeFi website.

Binance has reportedly shared customer transaction data and personal identifying information with Russian authorities in a case involving an IT specialist accused of financing terrorism through cryptocurrency donations tied to Ukrainian fundraising campaigns, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.

Russian investigators say the information helped build the case against Yuri Belenkiy, who was detained in September 2025 and is currently awaiting trial in Russia. Reuters reports that law enforcement used Binance-supplied material as evidence supporting the charges.

Key takeaways

• Reuters reviewed law enforcement documents stating that Binance provided transaction history and personal details for Yuri Belenkiy.
• Russian authorities allege Belenkiy sent more than $700 in crypto between January 2023 and March 2024 to support the Ukrainian military and a banned group identified as Azov at different times.
• The data transfer included sensitive identifiers such as date of birth, address, phone number, and passport information.
• Binance says it cooperates with lawful information requests under applicable legal and privacy requirements, while declining to comment on the specifics of the case.

What Binance information was reportedly used

According to Reuters’ review, Russian authorities asked Binance for the transaction history of Yuri Belenkiy and received information linking him to cryptocurrency transfers. The response reportedly included not only transaction records but also personal identifiers used to connect the accused individual to the funds.

Reuters reports that the materials provided included Belenkiy’s date of birth, address, phone number, and passport number. The response also allegedly contained copies of his Russian passport and a Bulgarian residency permit.

The use of these records underscores a recurring pressure point for exchanges: even after exiting certain markets, platforms can still become a focal point for cross-border investigations when authorities request account and transaction data tied to specific users.

Allegations tied to crypto donations and a banned organization

Russia’s Investigative Committee alleges that Belenkiy sent more than $700 in cryptocurrency between January 2023 and March 2024. The alleged transfers were described as supporting the Ukrainian military as well as a group Reuters identified as the Azov Brigade or the Azov Regiment depending on the naming used at different times.

In the Russian case framing, the presence of a sanctioned or “banned” organization is central to the terrorism-related characterization. While the underlying activity described involves cryptocurrency donations connected to Ukrainian efforts, the legal outcome will depend on how prosecutors interpret intent, recipients, and the status of those recipients under Russian law.

For crypto users and compliance teams, the case illustrates how closely surveillance and enforcement can track on-chain value flows—especially when exchanges are able to connect addresses to real-world identities through account verification data.

Why the exchange’s earlier Russia exit matters

Binance announced it would fully exit Russia in September 2023, selling its local business to CommEX. Reuters’ reporting suggests that despite that earlier decision, Binance remained within the reach of Russian law enforcement requests for data tied to customers and past activity.

This detail matters for market participants because it challenges a common assumption that an exchange’s exit from a jurisdiction ends its role in later investigations. From an investor and compliance perspective, the key question is not only where a company currently operates, but also whether it retains or can access customer records and transaction logs that may be requested later.

Binance response and the compliance line

Reuters reports that a Binance spokesperson declined to comment on specific confidential law enforcement requests or the details of individual cases.

In comments shared with Cointelegraph, Binance stated that it does not make or enforce the laws of any jurisdiction, does not determine charges, and does not decide how governments use information in legal proceedings. The company said it cooperates with lawful information requests from law enforcement globally, subject to applicable legal, privacy, and regulatory requirements.

That response reflects a broad compliance position commonly used by major crypto exchanges: cooperation is framed as process-based rather than judgment-based. However, cases like this also highlight the practical risks for customers—particularly when authorities obtain both transaction records and personal identification data.

Earlier coverage from Cointelegraph noted that Binance planned to restrict transactions involving HTX and other crypto platforms, showing that the exchange continues to adjust operational policies as enforcement and regulatory pressures evolve. In parallel, user data requests remain a separate but highly consequential compliance channel.

As this case proceeds, the next developments to watch are how Russian courts treat the evidence derived from exchange records and whether legal proceedings clarify the standards used to link donations to specific recipients and to organizations classified as banned. For the broader crypto ecosystem, the outcome may influence how exchanges consider the scope and safeguards around information requests tied to historic activity.

Bitcoin price rose nearly 2% to reclaim $64,000 on Aug. 17, but weak daily momentum and unusually compressed volatility leave the next major move uncertain.

Bitcoin price returns above $64,000

According to data from crypto.news, Bitcoin (BTC) price traded near $64,154 at press time after gaining about 2% during the daily session. The recovery followed an intraday low of $62,751 and carried BTC above the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $63,152.

The rebound also erased part of the decline recorded over the previous week, when Bitcoin repeatedly tested support between $62,500 and $63,000. Buyers defended that area again on Aug. 17, helping the price reach a session high of $64,227.

Jeff Mei, chief operating officer at crypto exchange BTSE, told crypto.news that recent exchange-traded fund flows contributed to the earlier weakness in Bitcoin and Ethereum.

“BTC and ETH pulled back a bit after some ETF outflows last week, with Bitcoin now sitting around $63,000 and ETH near $1,878.”

The 4-hour chart shows that short-term buying pressure strengthened during the latest recovery. BTC moved above the Bollinger Bands’ middle line at $63,173 and crossed the upper band near $63,774, showing that the rebound accelerated beyond its recent trading range.

Chaikin Money Flow on the same timeframe rose to 0.24, indicating that buying volume supported the move. A price holding above $63,774 would keep the immediate focus on the $64,700–$65,000 resistance area.

Glassnode warns of a low-volatility trap

Bitcoin’s rebound comes as the options market prices in one of the quietest trading environments in its history.

Glassnode co-founder Rafael Schultze-Kraft said in an X post that Bitcoin’s implied volatility had fallen into the lowest 2% of its historical distribution. Implied volatility measures the degree of future price movement expected by options traders rather than the direction of that move.

Despite reaching a historical low, implied volatility remains around 1.5 times higher than Bitcoin’s recent realized volatility, according to Schultze-Kraft. The gap means options traders are still paying a notable volatility premium even though actual price movements have been unusually narrow.

Glassnode’s volatility trap score has consequently climbed to 91 out of 100, its highest reading in more than three and a half years. Schultze-Kraft cautioned that low implied volatility alone does not automatically make options cheap because realized volatility has fallen even further.

Past periods of severe compression have often preceded larger price swings, but the Glassnode data does not indicate whether the next expansion will be higher or lower. Capital flows, macroeconomic policy and new market catalysts could determine the direction.

Bitcoin’s recent range reflects that uncertainty. BTC has largely traded between $62,000 and $65,000 since late July despite several brief moves outside those levels.

BTC daily indicators remain weak

Bitcoin’s daily chart has not yet confirmed a broader bullish reversal, even after the latest rebound.

The daily moving average convergence divergence indicator remains below its signal line. The MACD reading stood near minus 183, compared with a signal-line reading near minus 101, while the histogram remained negative at around minus 82. The readings show that bearish momentum from the recent decline has not fully cleared.

Daily Chaikin Money Flow also remained slightly negative at minus 0.05. The contrast with the 4-hour reading of 0.24 suggests that buyers have returned in the short term, although broader capital flows remain weak.

A daily close above $64,000 would strengthen the recovery and open a path toward $65,000. The next larger upside level sits near $67,357, corresponding with the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of Bitcoin’s decline from $82,825 to $57,796.

Failure to hold the $63,152 Fibonacci level would put $62,500 back in focus. A deeper breakdown could expose the $60,000 area, while the full retracement low near $57,796 represents the broader bearish level visible on the daily chart.

Liquidation levels place BTC between $62,200 and $64,700

CoinGlass’ one-week liquidation heatmap shows large concentrations of leveraged positions on both sides of Bitcoin’s current price.

The nearest strong overhead cluster sits around $64,000, with a larger concentration near $64,700. A move through those levels could force short sellers to close positions, adding buying pressure and potentially pushing BTC toward $65,000.

Downside liquidity is concentrated near $62,700 and $62,200. A rejection from the current level could draw the price back toward those zones and trigger liquidations among leveraged long traders.

The heatmap therefore supports a near-term range between roughly $62,200 and $64,700. Glassnode’s volatility data suggests that Bitcoin may not remain inside such a narrow range indefinitely, but it does not establish which boundary will break first.

Fed minutes and CLARITY Act could guide Bitcoin

Mei said traders will monitor the Federal Open Market Committee minutes for clues about the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate outlook. Expectations for lower rates matter to crypto markets because easier financial conditions can increase the liquidity available for risk assets.

“The big things to keep an eye on this week are the FOMC minutes, which’ll give us a peek into what the Fed’s actually thinking on rates, and whether the CLARITY Act gets any attention in the Senate before they head out for recess,” Mei said.

The BTSE executive argued that uncertainty over the CLARITY Act has held back some large institutional investors. He also said traders continue to favor artificial intelligence stocks, leaving crypto in need of stronger institutional inflows or greater macro liquidity to support another sustained advance.

According to Mei, such a shift would likely require clearer evidence that the U.S. economy is slowing enough to justify rate cuts. Until ETF demand strengthens or the Federal Reserve signals easier policy, Bitcoin’s recovery may remain vulnerable near the upper end of its recent range.