Crypto World
Bitcoin Options Turn Call-Heavy Before July 8 FOMC Minutes: Will BTC Break $63,000?
Bitcoin (BTC) options expiring July 8 have turned call-heavy, with traders positioning for higher prices. The expiry lands the same day the Federal Reserve releases minutes from its June meeting.
Call volume has outpaced puts across the contracts. Glassnode says fading demand for downside protection could mark early optimism returning to the market.
Call Positioning Builds Into the Expiry
Call volume reached 6,258 contracts over 24 hours against 3,610 puts on Deribit as of this writing, delivering a put-call ratio of 0.58.
Open interest leans the same way, with 370 call contracts against 257 puts. Still, the expiry is small, holding about 628 contracts worth $39.3 million in notional value.
That is a fraction of the late-June monthly settlement, which cleared billions across Bitcoin and Ethereum. Its direct settlement impact is limited, so the signal lies in the positioning itself.
The heaviest call bets sit well above spot, including a large cluster near the $69,000 strike. Put open interest stays between $58,000 and $62,000, which points to lighter downside hedging.
Bitcoin’s spot price sat near $62,645 as of this writing, down 0.3% over 24 hours. The $63,000 has remained elusive for the pioneer crypto since the last week of June, with the weekend breaching proving short-lived.
Max pain marks the strike where the most options expire worthless, leaving sellers the smallest payout. The max pain theory suggests prices may drift toward the strike where option sellers face the smallest payout, but evidence for this effect is mixed.
As the Wednesday FOMC minutes and economic forecast report approaches, therefore, the Bitcoin price could drift toward the $63,000 level in quiet trade, though a small expiry exerts only a mild pull.
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FOMC Minutes Add Event Risk
The minutes from the June 16 to 17 meeting arrive at 2 p.m. ET on July 8. Policymakers held rates at 3.50% to 3.75%, the fourth straight hold.
The meeting was the first led by new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. His hawkish policy debut sent Bitcoin and gold lower on June 17.
Nine of 18 officials projected a rate hike later in 2026, and the statement dropped its easing bias. The minutes will show how firm that hawkish turn was.
Against that backdrop, Glassnode reads the options market as unusually calm. It frames the fading demand for downside protection as a possible turning point.
The options market is currently pricing in low future volatility for $BTC. While upside expectations remain unchanged we see less demand for short exposure. This could be the first sign of optimism returning to the options market,” analysts at Glassnode indicated.
Still, that calm cuts both ways. Light hedging means any surprise in the minutes could move price sharply into the expiry.
Whether Bitcoin holds above $63,000 into Wednesday may hinge on how traders read the minutes. The coming session will show whether call buyers or the Fed set the near-term tone.
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Crypto World
Meme Coin Dominance Falls to Two-Year Low as Holders Vanish
Meme coin dominance has slipped to 3.7% of the altcoin market, its lowest level since February 2024, according to CryptoQuant. Analyst Darkfost says the number of meme coin holders now sits at a three-year low.
The reading marks a steep retreat from November 2024, when a post-election trading frenzy pushed meme tokens above 10% of the altcoin market. Capital has since flowed elsewhere.
Capital Rotates Toward Utility Tokens
The dominance ratio weighs the combined value of meme tokens against the wider altcoin market. A falling reading shows the group losing ground to its rivals.
“Meme coin holders are becoming increasingly rare,” Darkfrost highlighted.
The rotation shows up in raw market value. Meme tokens are worth roughly $28 billion combined. Real-world asset (RWA) tokens, a sector now drawing capital, top $64 billion, more than double that, per CoinGecko data.
Analysts tracking the current altcoin narratives point to artificial intelligence (AI), RWA, and decentralized finance (DeFi) as the main draw.
Dogecoin (DOGE) remains the biggest meme coin, worth about $12.1 billion. That is close to half the entire sector’s value.
Long-Term Holders Feel the Squeeze
Few cases show the shift better than Murad Mahmudov. On the Token2049 stage in 2024, he pitched a meme coin supercycle, arguing culture-driven tokens would outrun Bitcoin and Ethereum.
He has held that meme coin portfolio for more than two years. On-chain data tracked by Arkham shows he has not sold a single token. The portfolio has still fallen about 81% from its peak.
SPX6900 (SPX) leads that book. The token trades near $0.40 and is down roughly 67% over the past year, well below its July 2025 high.
Political meme coins have fared worse. Official Trump (TRUMP), launched days before the January 2025 inauguration, spiked near $73 before collapsing. It now changes hands around $1.71, down about 98%, and most of its buyers sit underwater.
The pattern has precedent. The last time meme dominance sat this low, in early 2024, a sharp rally followed within months. Whether that repeats depends on retail traders returning, and for now a fresh meme coin season looks distant while money favors tokens with real-world uses.
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Crypto World
Lummis Says Clarity Act Could Redefine U.S. Crypto Finance
Senator Cynthia Lummis has renewed her push for Congress to advance the CLARITY Act, arguing that the bill could form the foundation for the next era of U.S. financial services.
Lummis said the legislation would “lay the foundation for the financial services of the 21st century,” according to a post shared by CryptoGoos. She added, “The CLARITY Act is this generation’s contribution to that legacy. Let’s finish the job.”
Source: https://x.com/cryptogoos/status/2073787988807409697?s=20
Her comments come as lawmakers face a limited window to move the bill forward before the August recess. The legislation has become one of the most closely watched crypto policy efforts in Washington because it seeks to define how digital assets should be regulated and which agencies should oversee them.
Senate Timing Remains The Main Hurdle
The CLARITY Act has already passed the House and cleared the Senate Banking Committee. However, it still needs a full Senate floor vote before it can move closer to becoming law.
That timing is now critical. If the Senate fails to act before the August recess, the bill’s path could be pushed into 2027. This makes July an important month for U.S. digital asset policy, especially as crypto firms, banks, and investors wait for clearer federal rules.
Lummis has also opened a final review window for updated bill text. Reports indicate that a revised version was expected around July 4, giving lawmakers and industry groups another opportunity to review possible changes before a Senate floor push.
However, several issues remain under debate. These include stablecoin yield products, ethics rules, and decentralized finance oversight. Those questions matter because Senate leaders need enough support to move the bill through a divided chamber.
SEC And CFTC Roles Would Be Redefined
The CLARITY Act aims to reduce the long-running regulatory conflict between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Under the proposal, the SEC would continue overseeing investment contract assets, while the CFTC would take a larger role in digital commodity spot markets. This would include greater authority over certain crypto exchange activities.
The bill would also define when a token should be treated as a security and when it should be treated as a commodity. Supporters argue that this could replace enforcement-led regulation with a clearer written framework.
Trading platforms, brokers, and crypto exchanges would also face new requirements, including rules requiring firms to separate customer assets from company funds. That measure is designed to reduce risks similar to those seen in past exchange failures.
Still, critics argue that the bill may not go far enough in protecting users or addressing the complexity of decentralized finance.
Fraud Funding Adds Enforcement Focus
The CLARITY Act also includes funding for enforcement. A separate report said the bill would allocate $150 million for crypto fraud investigations.
Lummis said the funding would help agencies “track down scammers and bad actors in the digital asset space.” That provision could help win support from lawmakers who want stronger consumer protection alongside market structure reform.
The bill would also bring some digital asset firms under Bank Secrecy Act obligations. This could increase reporting and compliance standards for platforms handling customer assets and transactions.
For now, the CLARITY Act remains close to a major Senate test but has not yet become law. Lummis is pressing lawmakers to move forward as the crypto industry waits for final text, a floor vote, and a clearer view of how U.S. digital asset markets may be regulated.
Crypto World
Dubai Tops Asian Crypto Hubs, India Isolates Banks From Crypto: Asia Express
India’s central bank revives push to isolate banks from crypto: Report
The Indian central bank reportedly urged lawmakers to keep banks insulated from crypto and private stablecoins while preserving room for regulated tokenization.
According to a report by The Economic Times, RBI Deputy Governor Rohit Jain and Executive Director P. Vasudevan presented the central bank’s position to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance on Thursday.
In a background note submitted to the panel, the RBI reportedly said prohibition remained a recognized policy option and recommended preventing the use of crypto in payments and settlements while restricting banking-sector exposure.
The central bank reportedly warned that applying traditional regulation to crypto could legitimize speculative assets and create a false perception of safety among users. However, it urged policymakers to distinguish crypto from tokenized government securities, corporate bonds and other regulated financial instruments so that restrictions would not hinder tokenization.

Source: Chainalysis
Russia on track for digital ruble rollout on Sept. 1: Central bank governor
Russia’s central bank governor, Elvira Nabiullina, confirmed that the country was prepared to roll out its central bank digital currency (CBDC) in two months, following the timeline it laid out last year.
According to a Thursday report from Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti, Nabiullina said that “everyone is ready” for a Sept. 1 digital ruble launch. The CBDC will launch as a complement to Russia’s fiat currency, the ruble, and will initially be accepted by financial and credit institutions.
The digital ruble has already been targeted by preemptive sanctions from European Union authorities, which announced restrictions on the CBDC in April in response to Russia’s “war of aggression against Ukraine.”
SBI Crypto shuts Bitcoin mining pool after 5-year run
SBI Crypto, a cryptocurrency-focused division of Japanese financial conglomerate SBI, is shutting down its Bitcoin mining pool after a five-year run.
Data from SimpleMining shows SBI Crypto currently ranks as the 12th largest Bitcoin mining pool globally, with about 21.46 exahashes per second (EH/s) of hashrate and roughly 2.24% of total Bitcoin network share.
The company announced Wednesday that it will end mining pool operations on July 31 and will stop accepting mining shares at the same time. It did not provide its rationale for closing the pool.
SBI Crypto said miners should keep directing hashrate to the pool until the cutoff so final payouts can be calculated correctly before operations end. “We would sincerely appreciate your continued support by mining with us until the final day of operation,” it said.

Source: SimpleMining
OFAC sanctions 134 ISIS-K crypto wallet addresses as Tether freezes funds
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 134 cryptocurrency wallet addresses identified as belonging to terrorist group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K).
ISIS-K has historically solicited crypto through donation campaigns on various websites and messaging platforms. The wallet addresses were added to the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Wednesday.
Stablecoin issuer Tether has frozen the balances associated with 131 Tron addresses, while the remaining three sanctioned addresses were on the Monero network, blockchain forensics company Chainalysis said in a Wednesday report.
The development comes over a week after the OFAC’s previous round of sanctions against ISIS-supporting financiers using cryptocurrency. On June 22, the OFAC sanctioned three individuals and six entities across Europe, the Middle East and West Africa, including Syria-based MSB Bitcoin Xchange and Turkish MSB Spider.
OFAC said the previous round of sanctions targeted “key facilitators who enable ISIS to move funds among its regional affiliates.”
Metaplanet buys 2,823 BTC, surpasses 43,000 in Bitcoin holdings
Japanese investment company Metaplanet acquired 2,823 Bitcoin during the second quarter at a price below its average purchase price, as its holdings surpassed 43,000 BTC.
The company acquired its latest trove at an average price of about 12.71 million yen ($78,850 at current exchange rates), reducing its average acquisition cost to about $95,117 per BTC from $96,258, according to a Thursday announcement.
Metaplanet now holds 43,000 Bitcoin acquired for about $4.1 billion. It also reported about $10.95 million in revenue from its Bitcoin income generation strategy in the quarter, which earns premiums by selling cash-secured options and employing other Bitcoin-related yield strategies.
Meanwhile Nasdaq-listed South Korean company K Wave Media sold its remaining 88 BTC to repay $6 million in debt, exiting the Bitcoin treasury strategy, according to a Tuesday filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Dubai crypto market hits 50 licensed firms after new VARA approval
The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), Dubai’s crypto regulator, has granted its 50th virtual asset service provider (VASP) license.
On Thursday, VARA said its latest approval went to tokenized assets platform Tribe Tokenisation FZE.
The milestone provides one measure of the growth of Dubai’s crypto licensing regime, though license totals alone do not show how many firms are operational or the level of business they generate.
Against that backdrop, Dubai’s 50 licensed VASPs exceed the totals reported in Hong Kong (13) and Singapore (37).
Bank of Korea governor outlines tokenized bond vision, unified ledger plan
Hyun Song Shin, the governor of the Bank of Korea, praised tokenization for its ability to simplify the issuance and management of government bonds.
Shin said during a Wednesday panel discussion at the European Central Bank (ECB) Forum on Central Banking in Sintra, Portugal, that tokenized bonds would make it easier to verify collateral, credit the asset provider’s account and reverse transactions at the appropriate time.
“The big prize is tokenizing government bonds,” Shin said, adding that it is “much easier, much less prone to mistakes if you have everything tokenized.”
US Treasury debt is the largest tokenized real-world asset category, representing $14.6 billion, or about 46% of the $31.7 billion RWA market, according to data provider RWA.xyz.
Shin also outlined plans to bring tokenized government bonds, wholesale central bank digital currencies and tokenized commercial bank deposits on a unified ledger, as part of an extension to “Project Hangang,” a Bank of Korea-led pilot project testing a blockchain-based wholesale CBDC system.
Related: South Korea adds token securities to capital market overhaul
Taiwan’s legislature passes crypto, stablecoin regulations
Taiwanese lawmakers have passed a law to establish a regulatory framework for crypto, which includes licensing and rules for stablecoins.
Taiwan’s financial watchdog, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), said that the Legislative Yuan passed the law requiring all virtual asset service providers, or VASPs, to get approval from the regulator to operate.
The law also says stablecoins issued in Taiwan must get approval from the central bank and the FSC, and issuers must maintain sufficient reserves with a trustee and undergo regular audits.
The law is the first to regulate crypto and stablecoins in Taiwan, bringing it in line with other governments in the region, such as Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, that have long passed laws to regulate the sector in a bid to attract the industry.
Solana Company to back Kazakhstan’s $6B crypto megacity ambition
Nasdaq-listed crypto treasury firm Solana Company signed an agreement to support the development of Alatau City, Kazakhstan’s planned digital-first megacity.
The company signed an MOU to help build Alatau City’s blockchain and crypto infrastructure during the Alatau City Roadshow in Shenzhen and Hong Kong in June, which reportedly secured 30 cooperation agreements with a combined investment potential of over $6 billion.
“We look forward to deepening this partnership and expanding the Solana ecosystem’s footprint across the region,” said Solana Company chair and CEO Joseph Chee.
The deal further pushes Kazakhstan into Solana’s corner. Last year, Kazakhstan launched Central Asia’s first Solana Economic Zone in the country’s capital of Astana with the Solana Foundation.
The Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) launched its first Solana ETF last week, giving investors regulated exposure to Solana (SOL) through one of the biggest stock exchanges in Central Asia.

The village of Zhetygen will become Alatau. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Features: Has Strategy’s capital overhaul put an end to ‘death spiral’ fears?
Crypto World
French Minister Reveals 77 Crypto-Related Kidnapping Cases, Says New Security Plan Is Coming
France has recorded 77 cryptocurrency-related cases involving kidnappings, extortion, or attempted kidnappings since the beginning of the year.
Speaking to the Association of Digital Asset Holders (ADAN) on June 30, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the number had increased significantly from the 45 cases reported in 2025.
France Unveils Tougher Security Plan
While acknowledging the concerns within the sector, Nuñez described the incidents as serious but said emergency security measures introduced a year ago had delivered results. He revealed that around 200 people had been arrested either after attacks had taken place or before they could be carried out during the same period.
As a recent example, the minister said suspects linked to an incident in the Somme region on the previous Friday were apprehended within eight hours. He added that the victim had activated the dedicated emergency hotline created for members of the cryptocurrency sector.
According to Nuñez, 724 people in the industry are now registered on the government’s immediate identification platforms, representing an 11% increase in participation. While the full details of the government’s next steps have not yet been disclosed, the minister said all departments within the Interior Ministry had developed a new security strategy that is “more ambitious” than previous efforts.
The plan is built around three priorities. The first focuses on expanding intelligence sharing. Nuñez stressed that those directing these crimes are sometimes based outside France, which makes stronger intelligence gathering on criminal networks particularly important. The second priority aims to deepen cooperation with ADAN by creating a network of experts that connects cryptocurrency industry participants with relevant government officials.
The third priority seeks to improve operational coordination between law enforcement agencies to disrupt criminal groups more effectively while also strengthening cooperation with countries where those believed to be organizing the attacks are located.
The minister said cooperation with foreign authorities remains essential. As an example, he cited the June 2025 arrest in Morocco of a Franco-Moroccan man suspected of ordering a series of kidnappings targeting the crypto industry. One of the victims was Ledger co-founder David Balland. According to Nuñez, that arrest led to the sudden end of the attacks.
Wrench Attacks Persist
Similar attacks have continued to emerge elsewhere. In March, a crypto holder pseudonymously known as ‘Sillytuna’ said armed attackers forced him to hand over roughly $24 million in digital assets during a violent robbery. According to the victim, the assailants used weapons and threatened kidnapping and sexual assault unless he transferred control of his crypto holdings.
Blockchain investigators later tracked the stolen funds as they were moved across multiple networks and converted into privacy coins to make tracing more difficult.
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Crypto World
Coinbase Under Fire After AI Invents World Cup Result Before Match Begins
Coinbase faced sharp criticism this weekend after an AI-generated alert on its prediction markets reportedly declared a false World Cup result, saying Norway had beaten Brazil before the match was played.
The notification claimed Norway won 3-2, with striker Erling Haaland scoring twice, and framed the fabricated outcome as breaking news. Users flagged the alert on social media, where critics called it dangerous and irresponsible.
Coinbase AI Alert Draws Backlash Over Fake World Cup Result
Users accuse Coinbase of hallucinating results for a game that had not started, delivering factually incorrect alerts to millions of customers.
The knockout-stage fixture was set for Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Coinbase’s own market page listed the match under a weather delay, so no result existed when the alert went out.
Coinbase Chief Executive Brian Armstrong responded within hours, acknowledging the reports publicly.
“Taking a look with the team – thx for reporting it,” Armstrong responded in his first public comment on the error.
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Incident Tests Coinbase’s Truth-Seeking Pitch
The timing is awkward. Armstrong has promoted prediction markets as a reliable way to surface facts. He argues financial stakes produce better information than traditional media.
“Prediction markets are the ultimate form of truth seeking. When there’s skin in the game, the output is far more reliable,” Armstrong stated in January.
However, those words now sit beside an AI system that invented, or rather, “hallucinated” a result. Coinbase’s 2025 shareholder letter also calls being the “most trusted name in crypto” its core strategy.
That pitch has drawn scrutiny before. In late 2025, Armstrong read out words that traders had bet he would say on an earnings call. The move nudged a market tied to his own remarks.
“And I just want to add here the words Bitcoin, Ethereum, Blockchain, Staking, and Web3 to make sure we get those in before the end of the call,” Armstrong stated, blurting out the predicted words without any apparent context.
The mishap also lands as Coinbase leans hard into AI. Armstrong fired engineers in 2025 who refused to use new coding assistants.
He said in September that about 40% of daily code was AI-generated, with a target above 50%. The firm has since cut its AI costs while adding automated features.
Coinbase rolled out prediction markets across the US as part of its Everything Exchange. Early market flow was powered by Kalshi, a partner in the prediction market race.
The exchange has also fielded betting promotion concerns in its consumer app. In March, Armstrong addressed a separate targeting bug that pushed unwanted alerts.
“Looks like there was a bug on targeting for these push notifications – getting fixed now…The alternative is for us to apply a heavy hand and dictate what customers should or should not trade and I don’t think people want that either – too paternalistic, and anti free market,” he said.
Meanwhile, the error revives questions about AI safeguards in financial products used by millions.
The company will likely disable automated match alerts until it can verify outcomes. Past fixes suggest a patch and an apology could follow. Repeated failures, however, point to deeper product strain.
Coinbase and Armstrong did not immediately respond to BeInCrypto’s request for comment.
The post Coinbase Under Fire After AI Invents World Cup Result Before Match Begins appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Nvidia’s New Way to Profit From the AI Boom: Will Startups Pay Up?
Nvidia (NVDA) will let AI startups use its chips now and pay with a share of future revenue.
The company detailed the revenue-sharing program in a July 1 blog post. The move casts Nvidia as a financier of the AI buildout rather than a pure hardware seller.
From Chip Sales to Compute Royalties
Nvidia normally earns a single payment when it sells a graphics processing unit (GPU). This program adds a second, recurring stream on top.
Cloud partners buy Nvidia systems, then sell access to startups that lack the capital for their own data centers. In return, Nvidia takes a cut of the cloud revenue those chips generate.
“This structure … provides NVIDIA with a recurring, usage-linked earnings stream,” read an excerpt in the blog, co-authored with Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress.
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The plan builds on Nvidia’s new AI compute model. It also widens the base beyond big buyers now trimming their orders.
A Deeper Moat, and Rising Competition
Startups that take the credits stay tied to Nvidia’s chips and software for years. Sharon AI will install up to 40,000 Grace Blackwell GB300 chips under the program.
Firmus is building a 360-megawatt campus in Batam, Indonesia, for up to 170,000 more GPUs. Sharon AI frames its buildout as sovereign compute for markets outside the United States.
The lock-in matters as rivals gain. China recently trained a large model without Nvidia chips, and buyers keep testing cheaper options.
A Bigger Bet on the AI Boom
The design echoes what critics call circular financing. Nvidia has pledged up to $100 billion to OpenAI. It also owns about 7% of CoreWeave, a customer that buys its chips.
Analysts liken the loop to vendor financing from the dot-com era. Michael Burry and other skeptics see the setup feeding AI bubble fears.
The sums are vast. Morgan Stanley expects Big Tech’s AI capital spending to top $800 billion in 2026. That figure could reach $1.1 trillion in 2027, rivaling the US defense budget.
Meanwhile, markets stayed calm. NVDA closed at $194.69 on July 2, the last session before the holiday break. Its value sits near $4.8 trillion, still below its 52-week high.
The coming quarters will show how much revenue the program adds. They will also reveal whether startups treat Nvidia as a partner or a landlord.
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Crypto World
Kraken lets tokenized stocks power leveraged crypto trades
Kraken has started allowing eligible users to use select tokenized stocks and ETFs as collateral for futures and margin trading on Kraken Pro. The update gives traders a way to support leveraged crypto positions without selling those tokenized holdings first.
Summary
- Kraken allows ten xStocks as collateral, widening capital use for eligible non-US traders globally today.
- Broad-market ETFs carry lower haircuts, while volatile names like MSTRx and HOODx receive higher discounts.
- Related coverage shows Kraken moving tokenized assets toward collateral, cash management and institutional credit products.
The exchange said 10 xStocks assets are eligible at launch. The list includes SPYx, QQQx, AAPLx, GOOGLx, TSLAx, NVDAx, HOODx, MSTRx, GLDx and CRCLx.
The feature applies only to eligible users outside the United States. Futures collateral is available to eligible clients outside the U.S., including in the European Economic Area. Margin collateral is available to eligible clients outside the U.S., excluding the EEA.
Tokenized shares gain trading use
Tokenized stocks and ETFs are blockchain-based products that track traditional securities. Kraken’s xStocks product gives users exposure to U.S. names such as Apple, Tesla, Nvidia and broad-market ETFs through digital tokens.
Earlier xStocks coverage reported that Kraken has been trying to turn tokenized equities into parallel market rails. The product was described as offering more than 60 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs, backed 1:1, with 24/5 trading.
The latest update changes how traders can use those assets. A user who holds NVDAx, for example, may keep that exposure while using the same holding to support a leveraged position, subject to Kraken’s rules.
Kraken said eligible xStocks are recognized automatically as collateral wherever futures and margin trading are available on a user’s account. That means users do not need to move assets into a separate product before using them.
Haircuts and limits control risk
Kraken applies haircuts and collateral limits to each eligible asset. Broad-market ETFs such as SPYx and QQQx have a 10% haircut and a maximum collateral value of $1 million.
Most individual stocks, including AAPLx, GOOGLx, TSLAx and NVDAx, have a 20% haircut and a $250,000 collateral cap. Higher-volatility names such as HOODx and MSTRx carry a 30% haircut, while GLDx and CRCLx have lower collateral limits.
The exchange said these limits and haircuts may change over time. That gives Kraken room to adjust collateral treatment if market volatility, liquidity or risk conditions change.
Kraken also warned that leverage remains risky. The company said, “This is not a risk-free way to access leverage.” If collateral value falls, users may face margin calls or liquidation.
Tokenization push keeps widening
The move fits a wider push to bring traditional assets into crypto trading systems. A recent hackathon report said tokenized stock markets had reached roughly $1.2 billion in market cap, while xStocks had logged more than $25 billion in total transaction volume.
Kraken has also been building collateral and credit products beyond tokenized stocks. In May, Payward and Franklin Templeton announced a partnership to bring tokenized money market products into Kraken’s platform as collateral and cash management tools.
In June, Kraken and Maple launched an institutional lending model using a bankruptcy-remote vehicle for crypto-backed loans. That product focused on structured credit, while the new xStocks update focuses on trader collateral.
The result is a broader trading stack where tokenized assets can do more than track prices. For now, Kraken’s new feature gives eligible users another way to manage collateral, but it also adds leverage risk that traders must monitor closely.
Crypto World
Rare FIFA Article 27 Decision Clears Balogun for Belgium, Sending Polymarket Into Overdrive
FIFA cleared United States striker Folarin Balogun to face Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16, suspending his automatic one-match ban. On Polymarket, odds that he would play jumped to about 97%.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee invoked Article 27 of its code, placing the ban on a one-year probation instead of enforcing it. The move reversed a red card that many US fans called unfair.
Why FIFA’s Article 27 Call on Balogun Was Rare
Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute of the USA’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1. A VAR review flagged him for stepping on defender Tarik Muharemović’s ankle, ruling it serious foul play.
US Soccer had no way to appeal the automatic ban. Red cards at the World Cup almost never get reversed.
Article 27 gave the committee another route. It lets FIFA suspend a punishment on probation, so the ban applies only if Balogun reoffends within a year. FIFA set out the terms in its ruling.
“By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
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FIFA used the same power weeks earlier on Cristiano Ronaldo. He was sent off in a World Cup qualifier, his first red card in 226 internationals. FIFA deferred two games of his three-match ban on probation, keeping him available for 2026.
The reprieve also moved crypto-based prediction markets, which have tracked lucrative World Cup trades all tournament.
Polymarket Jumps as Trump Hails the Balogun Ruling
Traders have priced everything from match outcomes to FIFA’s mystery halftime act. The World Cup has been a windfall for the sector. It pushed Polymarket to a record $10.8 billion in monthly volume in June, CNBC reported.
On Polymarket, Yes shares on Balogun playing Belgium sat near zero for days. They jumped to about 97% within hours of the ruling, on roughly $19,000 in volume.
Most contracts never get that busy. Roughly 70% of the platform’s closed prediction markets have traded under $10,000, and Balogun’s stayed dormant until the news gave traders something to price.
“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” President Donald Trump wrote, welcoming the outcome on Truth Social.
Several sports outlets reported that the White House called FIFA and asked President Gianni Infantino to review the card.
BeInCrypto could not verify whether this appeal happened.
However, FIFA pointed to its independent committee and said Article 27 gave the panel full authority, denying outside influence.
Balogun is the United States’ leading scorer with three goals. He is now free to face Belgium on Monday in Seattle, the side that ended the US run in 2014. The winner reaches a quarterfinal the Americans last saw in 2002.
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Crypto World
Ripple Price Analysis: What Are XRP’s Next Targets After 8% Weekly Surge?
Ripple’s XRP has delivered a strong recovery from its recent lows, validating the bullish divergence that developed near support. While the broader market structure remains corrective, the latest rally has pushed the price back toward a critical technical inflection point where the next directional move could be determined.
Ripple Price Analysis: The Daily Chart
The daily timeframe continues to show XRP trading inside a long-term descending channel, remaining below the major moving averages and the channel’s upper boundary. Despite the broader bearish structure, the recent price action has improved considerably.
The bullish RSI divergence that formed around the $1.02-$1.05 support zone has played out as expected. While the asset was making lower lows, momentum was printing higher lows, signaling weakening selling pressure. Since then, XRP has rebounded sharply and reclaimed the lower support region around $1.02-$1.06.
The recovery has now carried the price toward the first major resistance zone between $1.17 and $1.24. This area previously acted as support before the latest breakdown and is now functioning as supply. The RSI has also pushed back above the midline, confirming improving momentum and strengthening the case for a continued recovery attempt.
However, the broader trend remains bearish as long as the token trades beneath the descending channel resistance and the major moving averages overhead. A successful reclaim of the $1.17-$1.24 region would be the first sign that the market is attempting to build a larger reversal structure.
XRP/USDT 4-Hour Chart
The 4-hour chart provides a clearer view of the recent breakout. XRP spent several days consolidating inside the $1.02-$1.06 demand zone before buyers aggressively stepped in and triggered a sharp rally toward the descending trendline resistance.
The move has already reclaimed the local support area and pushed price directly into the trendline that has capped lower highs since mid-June. XRP is now testing this dynamic resistance as it approaches the lower boundary of the broader $1.21-$1.29 supply zone.
This creates a pivotal setup. A confirmed breakout above the descending trendline would likely open the door for a move into the upper resistance region, where sellers may attempt to regain control. Such a breakout would also confirm a short-term structural shift after weeks of lower highs and lower lows.
On the other hand, failure to break through the trendline could trigger a temporary pullback toward the recently reclaimed support zone. As long as the asset remains above the $1.02-$1.06 area, the current recovery structure remains intact.
For now, momentum favors the bulls in the short term, but the market is approaching a major resistance cluster where a decisive breakout is needed to confirm that the recovery is evolving into something more significant than a relief rally.
The post Ripple Price Analysis: What Are XRP’s Next Targets After 8% Weekly Surge? appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Crypto World
Peter Brandt Eyes Selling Bitcoin to Invest in Gold, and Here is Why
Veteran trader Peter Brandt is eyeing a move from Bitcoin into gold, citing a technical breakout in the XAU/BTC ratio. His call has reignited the store-of-value debate, drawing sharp pushback from analysts.
Here is what his chart shows, why the timing matters, and how other analysts read the same setup.
What the XAU/BTC Ratio Breakout Actually Means
The XAU/BTC ratio measures how many BTC one ounce of gold can buy. A rising ratio means gold is outperforming Bitcoin, while a falling ratio signals the opposite across the market cycle.
Brandt, a respected chartist with over 50 years of experience, sees the ratio turning. His monthly chart shows the pair near 0.067, curling upward from a multi-year base.
Furthermore, he believes gold is poised to gain substantially as the ratio breaks out of a falling channel.
The price math explains the timing. Bitcoin now trades around $62,658, roughly 50% below its October 2025 peak of $126,000.
Meanwhile, gold hovers near $4,175 despite a 25% retracement from its record above $5,600, according to TradingView data.
His view rests on classical technical analysis, not ideology. Brandt has stayed cautious on Bitcoin throughout 2026.
Previously, he outlined potential lows in the $40,000 to $60,000 range before any move toward a much higher $250,000 target.
Follow us on X to get the latest news as it happens.
Why Not Everyone Agrees With the Rotation Trade
Not all market participants accept Brandt’s rotation thesis. Michael Saylor argues Bitcoin’s underperformance stems from liquidity diversion toward AI infrastructure, not a shift into gold. On-chain data supports a more nuanced read of the market.
While ETF outflows made headlines, long-term holders absorbed supply. In fact, they added roughly 125,000 BTC during the dip. As a result, the pattern suggests accumulation by strong hands rather than broad distribution across the market.
Analyst Michaël van de Poppe pushed back directly on the chart. “Until Bitcoin doubles, then this entire chart is worthless,” he wrote. His comment underscores the view that Bitcoin’s growth potential could quickly invalidate any relative weakness against gold.
Trader Pablo Heman offered a more balanced take, holding both assets. He sees near-term upside for Bitcoin if it holds above $55,000. However, he stays long-term bullish on gold, citing China’s push to challenge the LBMA pricing structure.
“Wow, Short Bitcoin Long Gold?! What a ballsy call! I hold both, and think BTC at least has a big bounce coming for next few months. As long as BTC stays above 55K it should have a big bounce. But Gold (and silver) I am bullish on for the Long term, like the next 5-10 year, maybe even more! China will now take on LBMA (London) and try to set the spot good price in HK. Most people probably don’t know how much this will change the world of commodities!,” Herman said on X.
For now, the XAU/BTC ratio serves as the clearest scoreboard. A sustained breakout would bolster the gold-over-Bitcoin narrative. However, a rejection could signal Bitcoin regaining momentum, especially as fresh weekly data shows crypto outperforming both gold and equities.
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The post Peter Brandt Eyes Selling Bitcoin to Invest in Gold, and Here is Why appeared first on BeInCrypto.
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