Crypto World
A step-by-step guide for 2026
Buying your first crypto is simpler than the jargon makes it sound. This guide walks through every step, from choosing an exchange to securing what you bought, and the mistakes that cost beginners money along the way.
Summary
- Buying cryptocurrency typically involves choosing an exchange, verifying your identity, funding an account, and placing a buy order using regular currency.
- Market orders allow users to buy crypto immediately at the current price, while limit orders let buyers set a preferred purchase price.
- Security measures such as two-factor authentication and careful storage choices are presented as essential parts of the buying process.
Buying cryptocurrency for the first time feels intimidating, but the process is more straightforward than the acronyms and the noise suggest. At its core, buying crypto means opening an account on a platform that sells it, funding that account with regular money, placing an order for the crypto you want, and then deciding where to keep it.
Millions of ordinary people have done it, and you do not need a finance degree or any technical knowledge to do it safely. What you do need is to understand each step well enough to avoid the handful of mistakes that cost beginners money, and that is exactly what this guide provides.
This is a complete walkthrough for 2026: how to choose the right platform, how to set up and secure your account, how to fund it, how to actually place a buy order and the difference between the order types, how to store what you bought, and how to avoid the common traps.
It does not tell you what to buy or promise any returns, because no honest guide can, and crypto is volatile enough that you should only ever commit money you can afford to lose. What it does is give you the knowledge to make your own decisions and execute them without trusting strangers on the internet, which is the single most valuable thing a beginner can have.
Before you buy: a few things to settle first
A little preparation prevents most beginner mistakes, so it is worth settling a few things before you put any money in.
The first is the amount. The right starting amount is whatever you are completely comfortable losing, because the possibility of loss is real and crypto can fall sharply and fast. Many experienced investors suggest beginners start small, on the order of fifty to a hundred dollars, enough to learn the process without meaningful financial exposure, and most exchanges let you buy as little as ten or twenty dollars’ worth, so there is no need to commit a large sum to get started.
The goal of a first purchase is to learn the mechanics, not to make money, and treating it that way removes most of the pressure and most of the risk. The second thing to settle is your purpose: whether you are buying to hold for the long term, to trade actively, or simply to understand how it works, because that shapes which platform and which storage approach make sense.
It also helps to understand, before you start, that crypto markets are volatile and that this is a genuine investment risk, not a formality. Prices swing hard in both directions, exchanges and wallets can be targets for theft, regulations can shift, and most coins pay no dividend or yield, so the entire return depends on price.
None of this means you should not buy; it means you should buy deliberately, with money you can lose, after a little learning, instead of impulsively chasing something you saw pump on social media. The most reliable way beginners lose money is not a hack or a crash but buying into hype at the top, and the antidote is to start small, move slowly, and focus on understanding over quick gains.
Step one: choose an exchange
The first concrete step is choosing where to buy, and for most beginners that means a centralized cryptocurrency exchange.
A cryptocurrency exchange is a platform where you buy, sell, and trade crypto, the equivalent of a brokerage for digital assets. Centralized exchanges, run by companies, are the standard starting point because they are designed for ease of use: they let you fund an account with regular money from a bank or card, offer simple interfaces for buying, and handle the technical complexity behind the scenes.
Well-known examples include Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance, among others, and they require identity verification to comply with financial regulations. For a beginner, a reputable centralized exchange is almost always the right starting place, because it bridges the gap between the traditional banking system and crypto in a way that is hard to do otherwise.
Choosing among exchanges comes down to a few practical factors. Security and reputation matter most: favor established platforms with strong track records, real regulatory compliance, and a history of protecting customer funds, since the exchange will hold your money and, at least initially, your crypto. Fees matter, because exchanges charge for purchases and the rates vary, so it is worth comparing the cost of buying on different platforms.
Supported assets matter if you have a specific coin in mind, since not every exchange lists every cryptocurrency. Ease of use matters for a beginner, where a clean, simple interface is worth more than advanced trading features you will not use. And availability matters, because the exchanges open to you depend on where you live and local regulations. For most people starting out, picking a large, reputable, beginner-friendly exchange that operates in their country is the sensible choice, with the finer comparisons mattering more as you grow.
There is also the alternative of a decentralized exchange, or DEX, such as Uniswap, which lets you trade directly from your own wallet without an account or identity verification, using smart contracts instead of a company.
Decentralized exchanges are powerful and central to decentralized finance, but they are an intermediate-to-advanced tool: they require you to already have crypto and a self-custody wallet, they do not accept regular money from a bank, and they put the full burden of security on you. For a first purchase with regular money, a centralized exchange is the practical path, and the decentralized world is something to explore later once the basics are comfortable.
Step two: create and secure your account
Once you have chosen an exchange, setting up the account is straightforward, but the security steps you take here matter more than they appear.
Creating the account involves signing up with your email and a strong, unique password, then completing identity verification, often called KYC, for “know your customer,” which regulated exchanges require by law. Verification typically means providing your name, address, date of birth, and a photo of a government identification document, and sometimes a selfie, after which the exchange approves your account, usually within minutes to a day.
This step can feel intrusive, but it is standard and legally required for centralized platforms, and it is part of what makes them a safer on-ramp than unregulated alternatives. Use a password you do not use anywhere else, because an exchange account protects real money and a reused password is a common way accounts get compromised.
The security step that matters most is enabling two-factor authentication, or 2FA, before you deposit any money. Two-factor authentication requires a second code, in addition to your password, to log in or withdraw, so that even if someone steals your password, they cannot access the account.
Use an authenticator app instead of text-message codes where possible, because app-based codes are harder for attackers to intercept than codes sent to your phone number, which can be hijacked. Setting up strong authentication before funding the account is a small step that dramatically reduces the chance of losing your money to a compromised login, and it is worth doing carefully instead of skipping in a hurry to buy. The few minutes spent on security here protect everything you do afterward.
Step three: fund your account
With a secure account ready, the next step is putting money in, and exchanges offer several ways to do it.
The most common funding methods are bank transfer, debit or credit card, and, if you already hold it, stablecoin or other crypto from another wallet. Bank transfer is usually the cheapest option, though it can take a day or two to clear, while card payments are near-instant but typically carry higher fees, so the choice trades speed against cost. For a first purchase, either works; many beginners use a card for the immediacy of seeing the process through, then switch to bank transfers for lower fees once comfortable.
The exchange will show your deposited funds as a balance in your account currency, ready to be used to buy crypto. Deposit only what you have decided to commit, the amount you are comfortable losing, rather than funding a large balance you might be tempted to overspend.
It is worth understanding the fees at this stage, because they affect what you actually end up with. Exchanges typically charge a deposit fee in some cases, a trading fee when you buy, and a withdrawal fee when you later move crypto off the platform, and these vary by exchange and payment method.
None of them is usually large enough to matter for a learning-sized first purchase, but knowing they exist prevents surprise, and comparing them becomes more worthwhile as the amounts grow. Reading the exchange’s fee schedule once, before you buy, is a small habit that saves money over time and removes the confusion of seeing a final crypto amount slightly smaller than the cash you put in.
Step four: place your buy order
Now the actual purchase, which is where the order types come in, and understanding them is the difference between buying confidently and buying blindly.
The simplest way to buy is a market order, which purchases the crypto immediately at the best price currently available. You specify how much you want to spend, say fifty dollars, and the exchange fills the order right away at the going rate, giving you the corresponding amount of crypto in seconds. Market orders are the natural choice for a first purchase and for anyone who simply wants to own the asset without managing the timing, because they are instant and require no price judgment.
The minor tradeoff is that you accept whatever the current price is, which in a fast-moving market can be slightly different from what you saw a moment earlier, but for a beginner buying a learning-sized amount, that difference is negligible, and a market order is the sensible, simple choice.
The alternative is a limit order, which lets you set the specific price you are willing to pay, and the order fills only if the market reaches that price. If you think the asset is slightly overpriced right now and you would rather buy a bit lower, a limit order lets you wait for your price, executing automatically if the market comes to you and remaining unfilled if it does not.
Limit orders give you control over the price at the cost of certainty, since the order may never fill if the market does not reach your level, whereas a market order guarantees execution but not price. For a first purchase, a market order is usually the right tool for its simplicity; limit orders become valuable as you grow more deliberate about entry prices.
Whichever you use, the exchange will show you the amount of crypto you are buying and the fees before you confirm, so review those, and then place the order. Congratulations, you own cryptocurrency.
Step five: store what you bought
Buying is not the end; deciding where to keep your crypto is a real choice with real consequences, and it is the step beginners most often neglect.
When you buy on an exchange, your crypto sits in the exchange’s custody by default, meaning the exchange holds the keys and you hold an account balance. This is convenient and fine for small amounts, and for crypto you are actively trading, because you can buy and sell quickly without moving anything.
But leaving significant or long-term holdings on an exchange carries real risk, because the exchange controls the keys, and exchanges can be hacked, can freeze withdrawals, or can fail, taking customer funds with them, as history has repeatedly shown. The phrase “not your keys, not your coins” captures it: crypto on an exchange is, in the strict sense, not fully under your control.
The safer approach for anything you intend to hold is to move it into a wallet you control, a non-custodial wallet where you hold the keys. A software wallet, an app or browser extension, is free and suitable for moderate amounts, while a hardware wallet, a physical offline device, is the gold standard for significant long-term holdings because it keeps your keys off the internet entirely.
The common practice is to keep small, active balances on the exchange for convenience and move long-term holdings into self-custody, mirroring how people keep spending money in checking and savings in a vault.
Whichever you choose, the cardinal rule of self-custody is to protect your wallet’s seed phrase, the master recovery key, by storing it offline, never sharing it, and never entering it into any website, because that phrase is the one thing standing between you and the irreversible loss of your crypto. For a first small purchase, leaving it on a reputable exchange while you learn is acceptable; as your holdings grow, moving to self-custody becomes the responsible choice.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most of what goes wrong for beginners is predictable, and knowing the traps in advance is the best protection against them.
The first and most common is chasing hype: buying a coin because it just surged hundreds of percent and is all over social media, which usually means the smart money has already taken its profits and a beginner is buying near the top. Focus on understanding what you are buying instead of reacting to a pump, and treat anything that sounds too good to be true as exactly that. The second is overcommitting: putting in more than you can afford to lose, often by funding a large balance and then feeling pressure to use it, when starting small and adding gradually is far safer.
The third is skipping security: failing to enable two-factor authentication, reusing a password, or leaving large holdings on an exchange, each of which is an avoidable exposure. The fourth is falling for scams: responding to unsolicited messages offering help or returns, clicking links to fake exchange sites, or, worst of all, giving away a seed phrase, since every unsolicited crypto message is effectively a scam and no legitimate party ever needs your recovery phrase.
A simple discipline avoids nearly all of these. Buy only what you can lose, on a reputable exchange, with strong security enabled, after a little learning, and ignore hype and unsolicited messages entirely. Use dollar-cost averaging, spreading purchases over time instead of trying to time a perfect entry, to reduce the risk of buying everything at a bad moment. And move serious holdings into self-custody while protecting the seed phrase above all else.
None of this is complicated, and following it puts you ahead of most beginners, who lose money not to bad luck but to avoidable mistakes made in haste.
You are ready to buy
Buying cryptocurrency reduces to five clear steps: choose a reputable exchange, create and secure your account with strong authentication, fund it with an amount you can afford to lose, place a buy order using a simple market order or a price-controlled limit order, and decide where to store what you bought.
None of the steps is difficult on its own, and together they take a beginner from the outside of crypto to confidently owning their first digital asset, which is a genuine accomplishment given how opaque the space can seem from a distance.
The deeper lesson underneath the steps is that crypto puts you in control, and control brings responsibility. There is no broker to undo a hasty purchase, no fraud department to reverse a scam, and no one to recover a lost key, so the safeguards a beginner needs are the ones built into good habits: start small, learn the mechanics, secure the account, ignore the hype, and move long-term holdings into self-custody you protect carefully.
Do those, and the volatility and the risk become things you manage, not things that manage you. The mechanics of buying are simple and now familiar to you; the discipline around them is what turns a first purchase into a safe and lasting entry into crypto. Take your time, keep learning, and never commit more than you can comfortably lose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do I need to start buying crypto?
Very little. Most exchanges let you buy as little as ten or twenty dollars’ worth, and many experienced investors suggest beginners start around fifty to a hundred dollars, enough to learn the process without meaningful exposure. The right amount is whatever you are completely comfortable losing, because crypto is volatile and the possibility of loss is real. The goal of a first purchase is to learn the mechanics, not to make money, so there is no need to commit a large sum.
What is the best way to buy cryptocurrency for the first time?
For most beginners, the simplest path is a reputable centralized exchange such as Coinbase, Kraken, or Binance. You create an account, complete identity verification, enable two-factor authentication, fund the account by bank transfer or card, and place a market order for the crypto you want. Centralized exchanges are designed for ease of use and bridge the gap between regular banking and crypto, making them the practical starting point before exploring more advanced options.
What is the difference between a market order and a limit order?
A market order buys immediately at the best price currently available, guaranteeing execution but accepting whatever the current price is. A limit order lets you set the specific price you are willing to pay, executing only if the market reaches that price, which gives you price control but no guarantee the order fills. For a first purchase, a market order is usually the simpler and more practical choice; limit orders become useful as you grow more deliberate about entry prices.
Do I have to verify my identity to buy crypto?
On a centralized exchange, yes. Regulated exchanges require identity verification, known as KYC (“know your customer”), by law, typically asking for your name, address, date of birth, and a photo of a government ID. This is standard and part of what makes regulated exchanges a safer on-ramp. Decentralized exchanges do not require verification but are an advanced tool that needs an existing wallet and crypto, not a practical first-purchase option.
Should I keep my crypto on the exchange after buying?
For a small first purchase while you are learning, leaving it on a reputable exchange is acceptable. But for significant or long-term holdings, moving it to a non-custodial wallet you control is safer, because the exchange holds the keys and exchanges can be hacked, freeze withdrawals, or fail. A software wallet suits moderate amounts, and a hardware wallet is best for large long-term holdings. Whatever you use, protect your wallet’s seed phrase rigorously.
How can I avoid losing money as a beginner?
The most common way beginners lose money is chasing hype, buying a coin after it has already surged because it is all over social media, which usually means buying near the top. Avoid that by focusing on understanding rather than quick gains, buying only what you can afford to lose, using dollar-cost averaging to spread purchases over time, enabling strong account security, ignoring unsolicited messages, and never sharing a seed phrase, and moving long-term holdings into self-custody.
This guide is educational information, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency is volatile and carries real risk; only commit money you can afford to lose, and verify platforms and security practices independently.
Peter Schiff has pushed back against Grant Cardone’s plan to combine real estate income with Bitcoin accumulation, arguing that the structure does not solve a real problem for property investors.
Summary
- Peter Schiff said real estate does not need Bitcoin because rental income can cover costs.
- Grant Cardone uses multifamily rental income to buy Bitcoin inside dedicated investment vehicles for investors.
- Cardone Capital bought 282 BTC recently, adding to a broader real estate-backed treasury strategy plan.
The gold advocate made the comments after Cardone promoted a fund model that pairs income-producing properties with BTC holdings.
“Combining real estate with Bitcoin solves nothing,” Schiff wrote on X.
He said Cardone’s argument rests on the idea that REITs need Bitcoin on their balance sheets so they can sell it later to pay for repairs and maintenance. Schiff rejected that view and said rental income already covers those ongoing costs.
Cardone fund pairs property income with BTC
Cardone Capital has been building a strategy that uses rental cash flow from multifamily properties to buy Bitcoin over time. The firm recently launched the $87.5 million 10X Space Coast Bitcoin Fund, which holds real estate and Bitcoin through a dedicated investment structure.
Cardone has argued that the model gives traditional investors exposure to Bitcoin without asking them to buy the asset directly. He has also said many investors in his Bitcoin-linked real estate funds did not previously hold crypto, making the structure a bridge between property investing and digital assets.
Meanwhile, the disagreement centers on whether Bitcoin adds value to a real estate model that already creates steady rental income. Cardone has criticized traditional real estate investment trusts because they must distribute at least 90% of taxable income to shareholders. In his view, that structure limits their ability to hold Bitcoin as a reserve asset.
Schiff disagrees with the reserve argument. He said property companies can use rental income for repairs, upkeep and maintenance instead of adding a volatile asset to the balance sheet. He also offered to debate Cardone on the topic, showing that the dispute has moved beyond a simple social media reply.
Broader Bitcoin treasury push continues
Cardone Capital has continued buying Bitcoin during market weakness. As previously reported by crypto.news, the firm bought another 282 BTC worth about $18 million as Bitcoin traded near $62,000. The purchase added to a position built through rental income from selected multifamily properties.
Moreover, as earlier reported, Cardone Capital held about 1,000 BTC after a $10 million purchase in January. The firm has targeted 3,000 BTC by the end of 2026 and 10,000 BTC over the longer term across multiple investment vehicles.
Real estate and Bitcoin remain a split topic
The debate reflects a broader split over Bitcoin treasury strategies. Supporters say Bitcoin can serve as a long-term reserve asset and may improve returns if property income funds steady purchases through market cycles.
Critics say the model adds price risk to an asset class that already has its own cash flow, debt, insurance and maintenance needs. For them, Bitcoin does not make real estate more efficient. It simply adds a new source of volatility.
Bitget, the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), has launched Stock+, a new feature under its Stocks 2.0 ecosystem that enables users to purchase real US stocks directly using USDC and other digital assets. The launch marks another step toward a future where crypto and traditional financial markets operate within the same account, allowing users to move between digital assets and equities without the fragmentation that has historically separated the two worlds.
For decades, access to US equities has depended on local brokers, bank transfers, account approvals, and jurisdiction-specific infrastructure. Stock+ introduces a different model. Users can fund their accounts with digital assets, convert them into USDC, and gain exposure to publicly listed companies through a streamlined, crypto-native experience. The result is a trading environment where global markets become increasingly accessible from a single platform.
Unlike synthetic products or derivatives, Stock+ provides ownership of underlying shares executed through regulated brokers. Users are eligible for cash dividends and stock split adjustments associated with their holdings, while trading hours remain synchronized with US pre-market, regular market, and after-hours sessions.
“Bitget was among the first exchanges to bring together crypto, tokenized assets, commodities, and equities under the Universal Exchange vision. Stock+ is the next evolution of that strategy,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “Access is important, but ownership matters too. Giving users access to real ownership of US-listed companies is how we actually bridge financial markets. The platforms that succeed will be the ones that combine access, ownership, and flexibility in a single experience.”
Stock+ also supports inbound stock transfers from participating brokers through standard transfer processes, allowing users to consolidate existing US equity holdings within a unified portfolio environment. Combined with crypto-funded purchasing, the feature expands the ways investors can access and manage traditional financial assets through Bitget.
With Stock+, Bitget adds direct ownership of US-listed equities to its growing suite of stock market products, further advancing its vision of a Universal Exchange where crypto and traditional financial markets coexist within a single platform.
In early June 2026, Bitget announced a major 2.0 upgrade to its stock-related services, kicking off with the launch of Reality, a regulated RWA protocol, and its issued tokenized stocks (rToken). To date, Bitget has listed over 500 leading US stocks and ETFs, including SpaceX, Tesla, and NVIDIA, with the Assets Under Management (AUM) of rToken exceeding $50 million. The introduction of Stock+ marks another pivotal step in the Bitget Stocks 2.0 evolution, offering users accustomed to traditional brokerage experiences a more seamless and intuitive interface for transfers and trading.
To celebrate the launch, Stock+ trading fees start from 0.1%, with a 50% promotional discount available through August 31, 2026.
To find out more, visit here.
About Bitget
Bitget is the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), serving over 125 million users and offering access to over 2M crypto tokens, 100+ tokenized stocks, ETFs, commodities, FX, and precious metals such as gold. The ecosystem is committed to helping users trade smarter with its AI agent, which co-pilots trade execution. Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships with LALIGA and MotoGP™. Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. Bitget currently leads in the tokenized TradFi market, providing the industry’s lowest fees and highest liquidity across 150 regions worldwide.
For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord
Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
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Crypto World
Bitcoin (BTC) price is forming a bear flag that may signal crash to $55,000, analyst says
A hawkish Fed. Rising bond yields. Concerns about Strategy (MSTR). Bitcoin already has plenty working against it. Now an ominous chart pattern is adding to the uncertainty.
The pattern is called a bear flag, and a breakdown could send the price of the largest cryptocurrency to as low as $54,000 initially, according to pseudonymous trader Doctor Profit, who called BTC’s bull-market peak at $126,000 and the subsequent selloff.
“Bitcoin is now forming a massive bearish flag on the daily timeframe,” the trader wrote on X. “My target is a dump to 54-56k region first before we move sideways once again and afterwards another leg down and the bottom is close in the region between 40-50k in my opinion.”
Drawn on a chart, the pattern looks like a flag on a pole that’s been flipped upside down. Here’s how it works: An asset drops sharply and then sees a relief bounce. The slide represents the pole and the bounce becomes the flag. When the price drops below the lower end of the flag, it deepens the selloff, with the downward move roughly the same size as the initial decline.
Key Takeaways
- Beijing designated 10 American enterprises for export restrictions, notably MP Materials and USA Rare Earth
- Restrictions prevent dual-use item exports from China to the designated companies
- China’s Finance Ministry simultaneously prohibited Chinese entities from purchasing from 46 U.S. corporations
- Measures represent Beijing’s retaliation after Pentagon designated Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and other Chinese firms on its 1260H military roster
- Market experts characterize the restrictions as predominantly symbolic given minimal Chinese business ties for most affected firms
Beijing imposed export restrictions on 10 U.S. enterprises Monday, focusing on organizations connected to military operations, unmanned aerial systems, and critical mineral processing.
MP Materials and USA Rare Earth featured prominently among those designated. These organizations play crucial roles in the rare earth element extraction and magnet production pipeline, with MP Materials managing America’s sole operational rare earth mining facility.
The restrictions prohibit all dual-use merchandise exports from China to the designated enterprises. These items encompass products suitable for both commercial and defense purposes.
Additional companies facing restrictions include unmanned aircraft manufacturers Teal Drones and Jaia Robotics, electronic systems producer Aveox, Ball Aerospace and Technologies, plus Oshkosh Defense.
China’s Answer to U.S. Military Entity Designation
China’s Commerce Ministry justified the restrictions as necessary for protecting sovereign security interests and meeting global commitments. Officials characterized the decision as a response to Washington’s “antagonistic conduct.”
The Pentagon’s recent 1260H list update identified Chinese corporations allegedly supporting Beijing’s military apparatus. Notable recent inclusions featured Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and NIO.
Beijing’s action represents a calculated response to that designation.
Simultaneously, China’s Finance Ministry announced procurement prohibitions preventing Chinese purchasers from acquiring goods from 46 American corporations, predominantly defense industry participants. Foreign-invested enterprises operating domestically in China with connections to those organizations remain unaffected.
Financial Markets Show Minimal Response
Equity markets demonstrated little reaction to the announcement. MP Materials and USA Rare Earth stock prices remained essentially stable after the disclosure.
Industry observers suggest the concrete ramifications of these restrictions remain constrained. The majority of designated American enterprises maintain negligible or nonexistent commercial operations in China.
George Chen, a partner with the Asia Group, characterized Beijing’s action as “measured” and “predominantly ceremonial.” He observed that most designated organizations focus on defense applications and maintained minimal Chinese trade relationships previously.
Han Shen Lin, another Asia Group partner, supported this assessment, noting the affected enterprises possess “minimal or zero substantial Chinese business footprint.”
The restrictions don’t generate immediate financial losses for most designated organizations.
Nevertheless, policy trajectory remains significant for market participants. Beijing demonstrates capacity to counter American blacklists with reciprocal limitations, particularly regarding defense technology, unmanned systems, and strategic minerals.
Organizations involved with rare earth elements and military procurement networks might gain advantages from sustained American initiatives to diminish dependence on China for essential materials.
Yet the commercial landscape grows increasingly intricate as both nations continue expanding their national security mechanisms.
This development continues an established sequence of reciprocal trade measures between Washington and Beijing that has intensified during 2026.
That key is meant to stay sealed inside secure hardware so the proofs can be trusted. With it exposed, the attacker could enroll their own provers as legitimate and sign fraudulent proofs that Taiko’s verifier accepted, then fake a bridge withdrawal that released real assets on Ethereum.
.@taikoxyz was reportedly attacked, with losses exceeding $1.7M. Our initial investigation suggests the likely root cause was an exposed Raiko SGX enclave signing key on GitHub. Raiko is Taiko’s multi-prover stack for Taiko and Ethereum blocks, so an exposed Raiko SGX enclave key… https://t.co/8BIiEeNtYJ pic.twitter.com/eAq9Xjngz8
— BlockSec Phalcon (@Phalcon_xyz) June 22, 2026
Taiko urged all users to withdraw from every bridge on the network, asked centralized exchanges to suspend deposits of its TAIKO token, and had its block producers stop making new blocks during the investigation.
By about 2 a.m. ET it said the exploit was contained and withdrawals through the main bridge and token vault were fully stopped. The exploiter had already moved about 2 million TAIKO, worth roughly $170,000, to an account on the MEXC exchange.
The dollar loss is small, but the flaw came from the same DeFi mechanism that have caused hundreds of millions worth of losses this year.
Forged cross-chain messages drained $292 million from Kelp DAO’s bridge in April and $11.4 million from the Verus-Ethereum bridge in May, the same failure where one chain is tricked into trusting a fake instruction from another. Bridges have produced more than $340 million in losses across at least 14 exploits in 2026, making it the costliest target in crypto. Taiko’s damage stayed contained mainly because the team caught and froze it within hours.
XRP price traded near $1.13 on June 22 after briefly slipping to about $1.12 during Sunday’s session.
Summary
- XRP rebounded from $1.12 support, but remains trapped between $1.10 and $1.30 this month.
- MACD and RSI show improving momentum, though neither confirms a strong bullish reversal yet clearly.
- ETF inflows and derivatives activity improved, but sustained spot demand still needs confirmation from buyers.
Buyers stepped in near that level and pushed the token back toward $1.15 within hours, keeping attention on the lower end of the range.
The move kept XRP inside the broad $1.10-$1.30 band that has guided price action for most of June. The token was down over 4% for the week and more than 13% over the past month, showing that the short-term rebound has not erased the wider weakness.
crypto.news data showed 24-hour volume near $1.28 billion, with XRP ranked sixth by market value. Its market capitalization stood near $70.28 billion, while fully diluted value remained above $113 billion. Circulating supply was about 62.05 billion XRP from a maximum supply of 100 billion tokens.
The support test matters because XRP has already struggled to hold higher levels this month. A prior move below $1.15 turned that area into the first resistance zone. Bulls now need to regain $1.15, then $1.20, before a stronger recovery setup can form.
XRP indicators show early recovery signs
The MACD shows a mild bullish turn. The histogram is slightly positive near 0.0045, while the MACD line sits around -0.0379 and above the signal line near -0.0424. That setup points to weaker bearish momentum and a short-term recovery attempt.
The signal remains early because both MACD lines are still below the zero line. That means momentum has not moved fully back into bullish territory. XRP needs stronger follow-through before traders can treat the setup as a confirmed reversal.
The RSI stands near 40.51, slightly above its moving average of 39.81. This shows some improvement from weaker levels, but the reading remains below the neutral 50 mark. Buying strength is present, but still limited.
A move above 50 on the RSI would give bulls a cleaner technical signal. Until then, the chart still favors caution. The token is no longer showing heavy downside pressure, but it has not yet shown enough strength to confirm a new uptrend.
Flows and derivatives activity improve
Fund flows offer one of the more supportive signals for XRP. As previously reported, XRP-linked products recorded about $10.66 million in weekly net inflows for the week ending June 18. That was close to the prior week’s $10.68 million.
Cumulative net inflows rose to about $1.45 billion, while total net assets moved closer to $1 billion. These figures show that institutional-style demand has not disappeared, even as the spot price trades well below last year’s highs.
Derivatives activity also picked up. Coinglass data showed XRP volume rising 50.17% to $2.08 billion, while open interest increased 1.23% to $2.66 billion. Options volume rose 19.06% to about $609,170, and options open interest increased 0.75% to $65.47 million.
Higher volume and open interest can support sharper price moves, but they do not show direction by themselves. If long positions build while spot demand stays weak, volatility can rise on both sides. Traders will watch whether open interest grows with price recovery or with another failed bounce.
Analysts watch $1.36 and $1.08
Analysts remain split on whether XRP is building a base or forming another pause inside a downtrend. Javon Marks said XRP’s breakout remains valid and kept a long-term measured move target near $17. He wrote that traders are watching for “another >12X” move if the setup continues.
That target remains a projection, not a confirmed path. XRP would first need to clear several nearer resistance levels, including $1.15, $1.20 and $1.30. The larger bullish case becomes harder to defend if the token loses the lower range.
Another analyst using the name Batman pointed to a short-term compression phase. He said XRP still has an ascending demand trendline while descending resistance squeezes price action. He set the “breakout threshold” at $1.36 and the “invalidation” level at $1.08.
Those levels give traders a clear map. A move above $1.36 would suggest that buyers have taken control of the range. A loss of $1.08 would weaken the structure and could open the door to a deeper support test.
For now, XRP’s position remains mixed. The token has defended $1.12, flows have improved, and MACD is turning slightly higher. At the same time, RSI remains weak, price stays below neutral momentum levels, and the wider trend has not recovered.
The next move depends on whether buyers can turn the rebound into a sustained close above $1.15 and $1.20. If they fail, XRP may keep moving sideways near support. If selling returns below $1.10, the $1.08 invalidation level could become the next test.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
GhostSwap has launched a new public swap-rate API, which gives developers instant access to live crypto exchange rates without requiring an API key. The new endpoint exposes GhostSwap’s best available swap rates across more than 1,600 cryptocurrency pairs, along with minimum and maximum swap limits, through a simple, CORS-enabled interface optimized for fast integration.
For years, access to live crypto swap pricing has largely been reserved for partners, approved integrations, or developers willing to navigate API keys and onboarding processes before writing a single line of code. GhostSwap aims to change this.
No matter if you are building a wallet, a trading bot, a portfolio dashboard, or a crypto comparison website, accessing real-time swap data now takes minutes instead of days.
More importantly, this launch leads to open and permissionless infrastructure. GhostSwap is making its pricing layer publicly available, which allows builders of all sizes to experiment, prototype, and deploy crypto-powered applications without asking for access first.
The Technical Breakdown: What Developers Actually Get
The public endpoint is a direct evolution of GhostSwap’s existing aggregated liquidity engine. It is available immediately via a straightforward POST request to the /v1/quotes endpoint, accepting three primary parameters: from (the token you are selling), to (the token you are buying), and amountFrom (the amount to swap).
In response, the API returns the live best available rate alongside the minimum and maximum swappable amounts for that specific pair. This “min/max” data is crucial; it prevents developers from querying a rate that looks attractive but isn’t practically executable due to liquidity depth constraints. GhostSwap saves developers an extra validation step and makes sure the rate displayed is actionable.
The coverage is extensive. The endpoint supports more than 1,600 cryptocurrency pairs, spanning major assets like BTC, ETH, and SOL, across a wide variety of EVM-compatible chains and popular layer-2 networks. This makes it a one-stop shop for pricing data across the multi-chain ecosystem.
Perhaps most critical for modern web development is the CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) support. GhostSwap removes the need for developers to spin up a backend proxy just to fetch a price By enabling browser-based requests directly.
Why Eliminating the API Key Changes Everything
API keys are the standard gatekeepers of the web3 data economy, but they impose a hidden tax on development. Before a developer can even test a response, they must navigate account creation, email verification, credential generation, and secure storage.
For client-side applications, keys introduce the dangerous overhead of secret management. This forces teams to build server-side routes just to keep credentials out of the browser.
GhostSwap’s no-key method collapses this friction completely. The onboarding flow goes from a multi-day administrative chore to a thirty-second integration sprint.
This unlocks immediate value in three specific areas:
1. Browser-Based Builders and Frontends
Frontend developers can now embed live swap rates directly into their UI without managing a backend. No matter if it’s a portfolio tracker showing exit liquidity, a DeFi dashboard comparing rates, or a gaming app displaying token values, the data flows straight from GhostSwap to the user’s screen with minimal latency and zero infrastructure overhead.
2. Trading Bots and Automated Strategies
For arbitrage bots and algorithmic traders, speed and uptime are everything. By removing API key rotation, expiration handling, and authentication error states, GhostSwap provides a more resilient data stream. Bots can poll the public endpoint continuously, which basically means they react to market movements without the risk of a stalled authentication layer.
3. Price-Display and Comparison Sites
Aggregators and comparison platforms can now pull rates side-by-side with other exchanges to offer users transparent pricing. Because the endpoint requires no commercial agreement, these sites can deploy updates instantly, adding new pairs as GhostSwap supports them without waiting for contract renewals or partner approvals.
The “Open, Permissionless Rates” Philosophy
This launch is a philosophical statement about the nature of pricing data. In traditional finance and even in large swathes of crypto, exchange rates are treated as proprietary assets to be licensed, monetized, and controlled.
GhostSwap is rejecting that model. By releasing rates as a public utility, the company aligns its data layer with the ethos of its core product. This mirrors GhostSwap’s primary interface (a no-KYC crypto swap API and trading experience) which extends that permissionless ethos from the transaction layer to the information layer.
The implications for the broader ecosystem are significant. When pricing data is open, the barrier to entry for innovation drops dramatically. A solo developer at a hackathon has the same access to GhostSwap’s aggregated liquidity as a well-funded institutional partner.
AI agents and autonomous scripts can fetch rates without being pre-authorized, enabling a new class of dynamic, agentic applications that react to the market in real time. Analytics platforms can ingest the data for research without navigating lengthy data-licensing legal reviews.
Permissionless access promotes competition, transparency, and resilience. If a rate is public, it can be audited, compared, and challenged by the community. This open approach holds the provider accountable and gives users the confidence that the displayed price is fair.
Integrating in Minutes
For developers eager to get started, the process is refreshingly minimal. There’s no partner application to fill out, no “contact sales” button to click, and no secret key to paste into a .env file. Head over to the GhostSwap API documentation, structure your POST payload with the desired pair, and start parsing the JSON response.
The rate limits are designed to accommodate serious production traffic while preventing network abuse, making the endpoint suitable for both high-frequency polling and occasional user-triggered price checks.
A New Baseline for Crypto Data Access
All in all, GhostSwap is effectively setting a new standard for how swap-rate data should be distributed. They have turned their pricing engine into a foundational layer that anyone can build upon.
For the developer building a wallet on a weekend, the bot scanning for cross-chain arbitrage, or the site aiming to offer the most transparent price comparisons, the public swap-rate API removes the first and most frustrating hurdle.
The infrastructure is open and the rates are live. The only thing missing at this point might be your integration.
The post GhostSwap Opens a Public, No-Key Crypto Swap-Rate API appeared first on Cryptonews.
Financial regulators in South Korea are pushing for broader reporting requirements on crypto transfers to further align with global Anti-Money Laundering standards for digital assets.
South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) raised proposals to expand the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Travel Rule requirements to smaller crypto transfers during a plenary meeting in Paris last week, according to an announcement on Monday.
The crypto Travel Rule is a global AML standard that requires crypto exchanges to share sender and recipient information for transfers above certain thresholds. It is designed to improve the traceability of funds moving between platforms.
South Korea already applies Travel Rule requirements to crypto transfers above 1 million won ($650), and the latest proposal calls for extending those obligations to smaller transactions.
Ongoing gaps in global oversight and DeFi risks
The FIU said Travel Rule obligations should apply to both originating and receiving crypto asset service providers (CASPs) to close gaps in cross-border transfers.
The FIU also called for stronger action against offshore and unregistered crypto platforms, citing increased misuse in illicit finance cases and risks of regulatory arbitrage.
FIU Commissioner Lee Hyung Ju at the FATF plenary session in Paris. Source: FIU
Beyond the Travel Rule discussion, FATF also approved a new report examining risks associated with decentralized finance (DeFi), according to the FIU.
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FIU Commissioner Lee Hyung Ju welcomed the adoption of a DeFi-related report during FATF discussions. However, he said regulatory arbitrage across jurisdictions mainly stems from differences in licensing, supervision and offshore oversight.
Seven years after FATF extended Travel Rule scope to crypto
The proposal was part of broader discussions on the implementation of FATF Recommendation 15, the international standard updated in 2019 to apply AML measures to crypto assets and CASPs.
Seven years after FATF extended its AML framework to cover crypto assets, global implementation of Recommendation 15 remains uneven, according to a targeted update by FATF in 2025.
Source: FATF
The FATF assessment found that 49% of jurisdictions were only partially compliant with requirements for CASPs, while 21% remained non-compliant as of April 2025, leaving only about 29% of jurisdictions rated largely compliant or compliant.
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Bitcoin traded near $64,000 on Monday after a volatile weekend tied to U.S.-Iran headlines.
Summary
- Bitcoin held near $64,000 as traders watched ETF outflows, Iran headlines and PCE inflation data.
- PCE, GDP, new home sales and sentiment data could guide Fed rate bets this week.
- Ether stayed near $1,750, while Solana neared $75 and large-cap altcoins remained stable overall Monday.
According to crypto.news market data, Bitcoin traded near $64,217, while Ethereum traded near $1,747. Bitcoin dipped toward $63,300 after fresh uncertainty around peace talks, then recovered toward the middle of its short-term range.
Meanwhile, traders are still watching $62,000 as the main support area and $67,000 as the level bulls need to reclaim. The broader market stayed near $2.29 trillion, showing stability but not strong demand.
PCE and GDP data set macro tone
The main U.S. economic event this week is the May Personal Consumption Expenditures report, due Thursday. PCE is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, so a hot reading could reduce hopes for rate cuts and weigh on risk assets.
The calendar also includes June S&P Global flash PMI data on Tuesday, May new home sales on Wednesday, and first-quarter GDP data on Thursday. The University of Michigan sentiment update and inflation expectations data are due Friday. Together, those reports will give traders a fresh view of growth, consumer demand and price pressure.
Iran headlines and ETF flows add pressure
Middle East risk remains another market driver. Hopes for a U.S.-Iran deal helped calm oil markets last week, but the tone shifted again after new warnings from President Donald Trump.
President Trump wrote that “Iran must immediately stop” its proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble, warning that the U.S. could hit Iran “very hard again” if the attacks continue. Any renewed threat to shipping or oil supply could raise inflation worries and keep crypto traders cautious.
Bitcoin also faces pressure from spot ETF outflows. As previously reported by crypto.news, Galaxy Research said U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $6.35 billion in net outflows over the latest 30-day window, the largest such outflow in its tracked data.
Weak ETF demand does not always push BTC lower right away, but it removes a key support that helped earlier rallies. If outflows continue while macro risks rise, traders may wait for a stronger close above resistance before adding exposure.
Altcoins stay mixed ahead of catalysts
Large-cap altcoins were mostly steady. Ether held near $1,750, while Solana moved close to $75. BNB stayed near $600, XRP remained below $1.15, and the total crypto market value hovered around $2.29 trillion.
For now, the week’s setup depends on four catalysts: PCE inflation, GDP data, Iran headlines and ETF flows. A softer inflation reading, calmer oil markets and slower ETF outflows could help Bitcoin test $67,000 again.
A hotter PCE report or renewed Middle East stress could bring $62,000 back into focus. If that level fails, the $60,000 area may become the next test. Until then, crypto markets look stable but fragile, with Bitcoin still setting the tone for altcoins. Traders may need confirmation from both macro data and fund flows before the next clear move.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Bitcoin experienced some volatility on Sunday evening after the unsuccessful conclusion of the peace talks in Switzerland, but it rebounded from $63,300 and was stopped at $64,800.
Most larger-cap altcoins have remained stable as well, with ETH closing at $1,750 and SOL aiming at $75.
BTC Back at $64K
It was a week ago when US President Donald Trump said his country and Iran had reached a deal that was supposed to be signed by June 19. Bitcoin rocketed on the news, going from under $64,000 to over $67,000 within a day. However, it couldn’t maintain its run and dipped to its starting point ahead of the latest FOMC meeting.
Before and after the Fed’s expected announcement of keeping the rates unchanged, the cryptocurrency went to $66,400 before it plunged by four grand, especially since the new Chairman of the central bank remained hawkish.
The bulls finally intervened at this point and helped BTC recover some ground. The asset climbed to $63,000-$64,000 over the weekend and remained there for the most part aside from a brief deviation to $63,200 and $64,800. That came after the new threats from Trump against Iran and the conclusion of the meeting between the two sides in Switzerland.
Nevertheless, BTC has returned to $64,000 as of press time. Its market cap is at $1.285 trillion, while its dominance over the alts is still at 56.2% on CG.
Alts Stable Too
Most larger-cap alts have produced little to no volatility in the past 24 hours. Ethereum is slightly in the green and sits close to $1,750. Binance Coin remains close to $600 after a minor increase. XRP is still below $1.15, while SOL has neared $75 after a 1.2% increase.
HYPE is down by 2% daily, while ZEC and CC have lost around 3% of value. In contrast, WLD has gained 6.5% in the past 24 hours and sits close to $0.65. Other notable gainers over the past day include VVV (8%), ADI (3.2%), and M (3%).
The cumulative market cap of all crypto assets has remained at essentially the same level as yesterday at $2.290 trillion.
The post Altcoins Keep Steady as Bitcoin (BTC) Defends $64K Level: Market Watch appeared first on CryptoPotato.
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