Crypto World
Insider Reveals Real Reason Ethereum Is Down 65% vs Bitcoin Since The Merge
A pointed critique from inside Ethereum’s developer ranks argues that ether’s 65% slide against Bitcoin (BTC) since the Merge stems from specific execution failures at the Ethereum Foundation, not from broad market cycles or coordination problems.
Reid, an ICO-era participant who still builds on Ethereum (ETH), published the indictment, framing the underperformance as accumulated execution debt with names, dates, and missed product calls.
A 65% Drop With Names Attached
Reid’s central data point lines up with public market data. The ETH/BTC ratio peaked near 0.085 around the Merge in September 2022.
It has fallen to roughly 0.028 by late May, capturing ether’s underperformance against Bitcoin. Ether currently trades below $2,000, down 21% over the past year.
Reid rejects Bankless co-founder David Hoffman’s framing of ether’s “deserved cap” as a noble ceiling. He argues the cap sits lower than bulls expected, for reasons with names and dates rather than coordination theory.
Reid covers credit and real-world assets at firms including Figure and Securitize, and discloses he is still long ether.
ESG Marketing and a Missing Staking Interface
Reid argues the Merge’s 99.95% energy-reduction message answered questions capital allocators never asked.
Institutions wanted yield, developers wanted finality, and users wanted cheaper transactions. Solana sold raw speed during the same window.
Proof-of-stake sat on the roadmap from 2015 and took seven years to ship. Solana launched mainnet beta in March 2020 and shipped wallets, decentralized exchanges, and money markets while Ethereum debated specs.
Vitalik Buterin’s writing through 2024 and 2025 shifted from Casper specs toward pluralism and network states.
Reid reads that tone as an established Ethereum cultural posture rather than an active competitive one.
The smoking gun, in Reid’s read, is the absence of a first-party staking app three years after the Merge.
The official path still requires running a validator with at least 32 ETH. Most users route through Lido, which holds about 24% of staked ETH despite repeated centralization warnings from developers.
“‘We don’t pick winners’ is what an organization says when it does not want to compete,” Reid remarked.
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Rollups as Managed Decline
The rollup-centric roadmap drained the base layer. EIP-4844 went live in March 2024 and pushed blob fees near 1 wei through most of 2024 and 2025.
Ethereum’s quarterly transaction fee revenue has fallen roughly 95% from a Q4 2021 peak of $4.3 billion.
Arbitrum has marketed 90% to 98% operating margins on its L2s. Base captured close to 70% of rollup profits by mid-2025.
Every major L2 issued its own token, fragmenting capital flows inside the ecosystem.
Reid contrasts this with Solana’s integrated L1, which has shown fee capture accruing directly to its native token.
The remaining question is whether Foundation product cadence shifts. The ETH/BTC ratio’s path through the rest of the cycle will reflect the answer.
The post Insider Reveals Real Reason Ethereum Is Down 65% vs Bitcoin Since The Merge appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Altseason Outlook Begins to Build on Strong Support From ALTSZN in Rotation
Altseason outlook is starting to build as ALTSZN consolidates close to support following a rally while altcoin cycles and increased volumes indicate the possibility of rotation taking place. Traders are eyeing key resistances ahead of any momentum.
Key Insights
- There has been consolidation close to support for ALTSZN following a small rally, with resistance currently testing $0.00520.
- Altseason cycles have always followed accumulation of OTHERS/BTC.
- No altseason signal yet, even as traders expect rotation.
Altseason Outlook Is Becoming Popular Amid the Consolidation in Market Structure
The altseason outlook has received considerable popularity as the structure of ALTSZN has consolidated in the wake of a previous uptrend. Having undergone a short-term rally, the token seems to be consolidating, meaning that there is tight action within the range bounded by the existing level of support and resistance. This pattern may be regarded as evidence of market indecision and hesitation in terms of further price movement.
At the moment, the token is changing hands at close proximity to its bottom level, with support ranging from $0.00460 to $0.00465. Resistance has shown its existence near $0.00485 and $0.00515 to $0.00520, and each attempt to reach above this level failed due to selling activity.
Altcoin Season Rotation Theory Gaining Momentum From the Larger Picture
While ALTSZN price performance alone supports the theory of an upcoming rotation season for altcoins, the broader picture of the market is another supporting factor. The OTHERS/BTC ratio continues to draw attention due to its similarities with trends observed during previous cycles in the market history.
Historically, a period of dominance of one asset tends to lead to a massive run-up in other coins once the capital is rotated away from that coin into other alternatives. This is something that analysts, who use data from past market cycles, point out when they describe two main phases, Altseason 1 (2017-2018) and Altseason 2 (2020-2021).
According to analysts’ observations, both events featured a long consolidation phase before massive bull runs in alternative coins took place. Once the rotation started, the price of other cryptocurrencies skyrocketed. Now the market structure implies that we might be observing a similar consolidation phase with the same future upside expectations.
Consolidation of ALTSZN Is Due to Indecisiveness of the Market Participants
In terms of micro-analysis, one can see how ALTSZN is undergoing a regular consolidation process following a rally. In particular, after rising from the levels of $0.00445, the token managed to test the resistance at $0.00480 but could not push its way beyond it. Instead, this resulted in range-bound behavior, where price failed to make any gains above $0.00520.
So far, the price has not been able to continue rising due to selling pressure near the said resistance. On the other hand, price correction to lower levels has also been held back by buying pressure coming from around the support area of $0.00460 to $0.00465.
Market Outlook: Confirmation Still Needed
At this point in time, the general outlook for altseason is still unclear. Even as certain parallels exist from other cycles in the past, there is yet to be any definite breakthrough in terms of an altseason rotation. It is currently left to be seen if ALTSZN can break its way to higher resistances, or if the cycle of consolidation continues until another accumulation phase emerges. The prevailing attitude is still cautious, as more confirmation needs to be made first.
Crypto World
SpaceX defies Wall Street as valuation surges past $2.3 trillion
SpaceX’s market value has climbed past $2.43 trillion on the second day of its Nasdaq debut, pushing the stock far beyond several pre-listing valuation estimates and cementing its place among the world’s most valuable public companies.
Summary
- SpaceX’s valuation climbed to roughly $2.43 trillion as shares surged more than 16% on the second day of trading.
- The stock traded near three times Morningstar’s $63 fair value estimate, defying several pre-IPO valuation concerns.
- ARK Invest bought $444 million worth of SpaceX shares, while Michael Saylor highlighted the company’s 18,712 BTC holdings.
According to Yahoo Finance data, shares of Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company rose over 16% on Monday to $187.5 in afternoon trading. The move added about $26 per share in the session and lifted SpaceX’s intraday valuation to approximately $2.43 trillion.

Trading activity remained elevated during the stock’s second session. Yahoo Finance data showed the shares opening at $171.81 and reaching an intraday high near $188.80, while volume surpassed 196 million shares. The gains extended a rally that began immediately after the company’s historic market debut.
Wall Street valuation concerns have not slowed demand
Before the listing, several analysts and market commentators questioned whether SpaceX’s valuation could be justified given the company’s financial profile. Morningstar estimated a fair value of $63 per share, a figure that sat well below the company’s $135 offering price. SpaceX has since climbed to nearly $188, trading at almost three times that estimate.
Investor appetite has moved in the opposite direction. As previously reported, SpaceX raised roughly $75 billion by selling more than 555 million shares at $135 each in the largest IPO on record. The stock opened at $150 on its first trading day, climbed as high as $176.52, and finished more than 19% above the offer price.
Reports surrounding the offering also highlighted concerns that a deal of such size could struggle to attract sufficient demand. Instead, orders reportedly exceeded available shares by a substantial margin, helping SpaceX surpass a $2 trillion valuation during its first days as a public company.
Even with the rally, questions about fundamentals remain. Notably, SpaceX generated $18.7 billion in revenue last year while posting a loss of $8.7 billion between the beginning of 2025 and March 31, 2026. MarketBeat data places the average one-year analyst price target near $161.25, below the stock’s current trading range.
Institutional investors continue backing the stock
While some analysts remain cautious, several high-profile investors have publicly supported SpaceX’s valuation. Kevin O’Leary has argued that investors are assigning value based on the company’s future opportunities rather than its current earnings.
Institutional demand has also accompanied the rally. As previously reported by crypto.news, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest acquired 3,291,184 SpaceX shares across its exchange-traded funds on June 12, a purchase valued at roughly $444 million. The transaction ranked among ARK’s largest portfolio moves as the company entered public markets.
Meanwhile, SpaceX’s listing has drawn attention beyond traditional equity investors because of the company’s Bitcoin holdings. Commenting on the debut, Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said the IPO means 25% of the so-called Mag 8 companies now hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets. According to Bitcoin Treasuries data cited by crypto.news, SpaceX holds 18,712 BTC.
The listing has also strengthened Elon Musk’s position among the world’s wealthiest individuals. With SpaceX now trading publicly at a valuation above $2.4 trillion, the company ranks ahead of several established technology giants, including Meta, Samsung and Tesla, while remaining behind Nvidia by market value.
Crypto World
Spot HYPE ETFs Pull $153M in Net Inflows, Near $900M in Volume After First Month
TLDR:
- Spot HYPE ETFs have attracted $153 million in net inflows within their first month of trading.
- Cumulative trading volume across THYP, BHYP, and HYPG has approached $900 million since launch.
- All three ETFs hold HYPE directly and offer staking rewards at an annual rate of around 2.25%.
- About 97% of Hyperliquid trading fees fund an automatic HYPE buyback via the Assistance Fund.
Spot HYPE ETFs have recorded approximately $153 million in net inflows within their first month of trading. Cumulative trading volume across the three available products has approached $900 million since launch.
The three issuers — 21Shares, Bitwise, and Grayscale — each hold HYPE directly and pass staking rewards to investors. Early data points to growing institutional appetite for regulated exposure to Hyperliquid.
Early Volume Data Points to Institutional Demand for Hyperliquid
Three regulated products currently offer brokerage-accessible exposure to HYPE. These are 21Shares’ THYP, Bitwise’s BHYP, and Grayscale’s HYPG.
Together, they have generated nearly $900 million in cumulative trading volume in roughly one month. Net inflows across all three have reached $153 million over the same period.
Trading activity across the products has not been evenly distributed. BHYP and THYP account for the bulk of volume recorded so far.
HYPG, the most recent entrant, is still in its early ramp-up phase. The gap likely reflects differences in launch timing and distribution reach rather than investor preference.
All three ETFs hold HYPE directly and distribute staking rewards to investors. Rewards accrue every minute, are distributed daily, and are automatically compounded. The current annual staking reward rate stands at approximately 2.25%, based on present staking levels.
Approximately 434 million HYPE tokens are currently staked, representing about 45% of the eligible supply. That staking participation rate reflects meaningful on-chain engagement beyond the ETF products themselves. Months two and three of trading will provide a more reliable read on sustained institutional conviction.
Fee Buyback Mechanism Sets HYPE Apart From Speculative Tokens
HYPE carries a structural characteristic that separates it from many other tokens in the market. About 97% of Hyperliquid’s trading fees flow directly into the Assistance Fund. This creates an automatic buyback mechanism tied directly to platform trading volume.
That fee-to-buyback link establishes a direct relationship between platform activity and token demand. As trading volumes on Hyperliquid grow, so does the programmatic demand for HYPE. This makes HYPE less dependent on speculative narratives than many comparable assets.
The ETF structure also adds a layer of accessibility for institutional investors who cannot hold crypto directly. Regulated brokerage exposure lowers the operational barrier for funds, family offices, and other large allocators. That accessibility may partly explain the strong early inflow figures.
For context, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs are approaching a $2 trillion cumulative trading volume milestone. That benchmark took years to reach and now serves as a reference point for newer crypto ETF products.
HYPE ETF performance in the coming months will determine how that comparison holds up.
Crypto World
Bitcoin breaks $67K after Trump signs Iran peace deal
Bitcoin has climbed above $67,000 after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the U.S. and Iran have signed a peace agreement, helping push the total crypto market capitalization to $2.37 trillion.
Summary
- Bitcoin climbed above $67,000 after Trump confirmed the U.S. and Iran had signed a peace agreement.
- The crypto market cap rose 4.7% to $2.37 trillion, while Ethereum gained over 10% and several altcoins posted double-digit advances.
- Oil fell more than 5% below $80 as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz appeared closer, lifting stocks, gold, and silver alongside crypto.
According to statements made by Trump ahead of a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, the peace deal has already been signed despite a formal signing ceremony still scheduled for Friday in Geneva.
Trump added that Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Friday and that vessels passing through the waterway will not be charged tolls for 60 days.
The latest comments followed an earlier Truth Social post highlighted by crypto.news, in which Trump claimed ships were already moving out of the Strait of Hormuz. Cryptocurrency prices extended their advance after the president later confirmed that the agreement had been signed.
Bitcoin (BTC) rose more than 5% on Monday to an intraday high of $67,217 before settling near $66,560 at press time.
Ethereum (ETH) outperformed Bitcoin, climbing more than 10% to $1,846. Other major cryptocurrencies, including XRP, Solana, and Hyperliquid, posted double-digit gains, while Zcash, Stellar, and Worldcoin led the market with advances of 23%, 21%, and 18%, respectively. These gains have helped push the total crypto market up by 4.7% over the past 24 hours to $2.37 trillion.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had previously stated that a public signing ceremony for the U.S.-Iran peace agreement would take place on Friday. However, Trump’s latest comments suggest the agreement has already been finalized. The president also said he was unsure whether he would attend the Geneva event.
Officials say both sides have signed the agreement
Additional details emerged after a senior U.S. official confirmed that both countries had already signed the agreement. According to the official, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance signed on behalf of the United States, while Iran’s parliamentary speaker signed for Iran.
The same official stated that the full agreement could be released within the next 48 hours. According to the official, the deal provides for the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz and includes the removal of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.
While the official noted that mines in the waterway would delay a full reopening, they said shipping traffic through Hormuz is expected to increase over the next one to two weeks.
Falling oil prices add support to risk assets
Commodity markets reacted sharply to the prospect of normal shipping activity returning to the Persian Gulf. Notably, crude oil fell more than 5% to below $80 per barrel, touching its lowest level in roughly two months after news of the agreement emerged.
Trump also stated that oil shipments from the Persian Gulf could resume soon, reinforcing expectations that supply disruptions in the region may ease.
The prospect of renewed shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz and lower energy costs coincided with gains across cryptocurrencies, U.S. equities, and precious metals.
U.S. equities moved higher, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining roughly 3%, the S&P 500 rising 1.7%, the Russell 2000 adding 1.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advancing about 1%.
Precious metals also joined the advance, with gold climbing around 0.8% and silver gaining roughly 1.2% during the session.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Crypto World
Robinhood opens AI-powered trading to all users, sending HOOD stock past $100
Robinhood stock has surged more than 7% and briefly crossed the $100 mark after the company opened its AI-powered Agentic Trading platform to all customers.
Summary
- Robinhood shares jumped more than 7% and briefly topped $100 after the company opened its Agentic Trading platform to all users.
- The new feature allows customers to connect AI agents that can research markets, execute trades, and rebalance portfolios.
- Bernstein expects Robinhood’s prediction market revenue to reach $586 million in 2026, while Goldman Sachs recently raised its HOOD price target to $108.
According to an update shared by Robinhood on X, users can now connect artificial intelligence agents through the company’s MCP server and assign them investing tasks such as market research, trade execution, and portfolio rebalancing.
The company said customers can create dedicated accounts for AI-driven investing while remaining in control of how much authority is delegated to automated systems.
The launch introduces AI agents directly into the investing process, allowing users to automate selected activities based on instructions they set themselves. Robinhood said the feature is now available across its customer base, expanding access beyond earlier testing phases.
Investor enthusiasm around the announcement helped lift Robinhood shares during Tuesday’s session. HOOD stock rose above $99 and reached an intraday high of $100.87 before pulling back slightly.
AI-powered investing reaches Robinhood’s full customer base
Through Agentic Trading, Robinhood customers can deploy AI agents to analyze markets, place trades, and manage portfolios within dedicated investing accounts.
According to the company, users retain oversight of their accounts while allowing automated systems to carry out specific tasks.
The rollout comes as financial firms increasingly explore AI tools for investment research and portfolio management. By opening Agentic Trading to all users, Robinhood is adding another technology-focused product to its growing platform.
Additional growth drivers support investor interest
Beyond its AI initiatives, Robinhood has continued expanding its financial services business.
As crypto.news reported earlier, chief executive Vlad Tenev recently disclosed that Robinhood Securities had received approval to act as an underwriter, allowing the company to participate directly in helping companies go public rather than only distributing IPO shares through its IPO Access program.
Analysts have also highlighted strong growth in the company’s prediction market business.
In a client note published Monday, Bernstein projected Robinhood’s prediction market revenue could increase to $586 million in 2026 from roughly $150 million in 2025, citing a surge in World Cup-related trading activity. The research firm estimated the segment could contribute about 17% of transaction-based revenue next year.
Wall Street has become increasingly positive on the stock as new products continue to roll out. Goldman Sachs recently raised its price target on Robinhood shares from $105 to $108. The firm’s analyst James Yaro also maintained a Buy rating on the stock, indicating that Goldman Sachs continues to see further upside potential despite Robinhood’s recent gains.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Crypto World
CFTC Adds SEC Crypto Task Force Adviser With Blockchain Forensics Skills
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has appointed Donald Battle as its new chief data innovation officer, a role that signals the regulator is placing more emphasis on data-driven approaches, including blockchain analysis and forensics, in its oversight of digital assets.
According to a notice from CFTC Chair Michael Selig, Battle brings experience spanning “data science, blockchain forensics, programming interfaces, and cutting-edge AI solutions.” Selig also pointed to Battle’s background across multiple U.S. government agencies involved in crypto-related enforcement and policy work.
Key takeaways
- Donald Battle will serve as CFTC’s chief data innovation officer, with responsibilities tied to data science and blockchain forensics, according to Chair Michael Selig.
- Battle previously worked with both the CFTC and the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, after serving as an adviser to the SEC’s crypto task force.
- The appointment arrives as lawmakers consider the CLARITY Act, which aims to reshape U.S. digital asset market structure and roles between the SEC and CFTC.
- The CFTC is simultaneously advancing a proposed framework for how sports event contracts are regulated, opening a public comment window.
- As the CFTC pursues enforcement through jurisdictional positions, observers may expect more technical monitoring and analytical capabilities.
What the CFTC appointment changes
Selig announced the hire in a Monday notice, naming Donald Battle as the CFTC’s chief data innovation officer. Battle is described as an adviser to the SEC crypto task force—an assignment he received in January 2025 alongside the incoming Trump administration—and as someone with prior direct involvement in blockchain data work at the CFTC.
Before that, the notice states that Battle worked as a blockchain data adviser for the CFTC and previously worked as a crypto enforcement specialist with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The combination of CFTC and Treasury experience matters because it suggests the CFTC intends to integrate forensics-grade analytics into how it evaluates digital asset activity, particularly where enforcement and market integrity concerns overlap.
Battle’s stated competencies—data science, programming interfaces, and blockchain forensics—also indicate that the role is not limited to internal reporting. Instead, it points toward improved systems for detecting patterns, tracing flows, and supporting investigations using large-scale data and technical intelligence.
Why it matters amid SEC–CFTC policy pressure
The CFTC appointment comes at a time when Congress is working through legislation aimed at clarifying digital asset responsibilities across U.S. agencies. The notice ties the hire to a broader push to address both crypto regulation and enforcement more systematically, in the context of the CLARITY Act—a digital asset market structure bill described as seeking to overhaul how the SEC and CFTC define and handle roles.
At the same time, the CFTC has recently faced continued scrutiny over how far it can go in regulating certain digital asset-adjacent markets. Chair Selig remains the CFTC’s sole commissioner, a fact that matters given how legal authority and institutional capacity can affect enforcement approaches.
Under Selig, the CFTC has argued for exclusion jurisdiction in matters involving prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, according to prior reporting cited by the article. That stance has contributed to lawsuits against state-level authorities that sought to crack down on what they characterized as illegal gambling.
In practical terms, a data innovation officer with blockchain forensics expertise could help the agency build more durable technical evidence and monitoring capabilities—especially relevant in cases where regulators must demonstrate how a platform’s structure, trading mechanics, or information flows fit within federal frameworks.
Public comment opens for sports event contract rules
While the CFTC hires for data innovation, it is also actively shaping regulatory boundaries through rulemaking. The CFTC released a proposed rule last week that would help distinguish certain sports event contracts—offered on platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket—from what it called “games of random chance,” a framing associated with gambling.
As reported, the public has 45 days to submit comments on the draft rule. The proposal could influence how the CFTC addresses sports event contracts and betting at both state and federal levels, particularly as regulators and courts continue to grapple with how prediction markets should be classified.
For market participants, this matters because the comment period affects how quickly the agency might move from contested jurisdictional claims toward a clearer, rules-based framework. For state regulators and legal challengers, it also sets the stage for arguments over how federal and state authority should interact when these platforms operate across jurisdictions.
Signals of a more technical enforcement posture
None of the CFTC’s announcement directly states that Battle’s appointment will result in new enforcement targets or a specific regulatory product. Still, the emphasis in the notice—especially on blockchain forensics and AI solutions—suggests the agency wants stronger technical tools as it navigates complex digital asset market categories.
That direction may be particularly important given the CFTC’s ongoing legal posture in prediction market disputes, where enforcement outcomes often hinge on detailed assessments of product design, participant access, and how rules are implemented in practice.
Investors, traders, and builders operating in adjacent areas such as sports event derivatives and prediction markets should watch how the proposed sports event contract framework evolves through the 45-day comment period, and whether the CFTC’s enhanced data capabilities coincide with changes in how it frames market classification and jurisdiction.
Beyond the immediate hire, the next key question for the CFTC will be whether its data-focused modernization translates into more consistent regulatory guidance—especially as Congress considers the CLARITY Act and as courts and agencies continue to test the boundaries of federal authority over prediction-style markets.
Crypto World
Trump Crypto Firm’s USD1 Stablecoins Fund UFC Bonus Payments
World Liberty Financial has confirmed that some fighters taking part in Sunday’s UFC event on the White House lawn will receive bonuses in the company’s USD1 stablecoin. The payment structure, disclosed after UFC previously signaled a similar arrangement, ties a mainstream sports promotion to a politically sensitive stablecoin project tied to the Trump family.
According to a Business Wire confirmation from World Liberty Financial on Monday, UFC would pay bonuses of up to $250,000 using USD1, the US dollar-pegged token issued by the company. USD1 was trading above $1 on June 12 and remained there as of the latest look, with CoinMarketCap data showing trading volume up more than 93% over the prior 24 hours to $2.38 billion.
Key takeaways
- UFC bonuses for the “UFC Freedom 250” event can be paid in World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin, up to $250,000 per arrangement.
- World Liberty confirmed the payment mechanism on Monday after similar messaging ahead of the event.
- CoinMarketCap data cited by the announcement period shows USD1 trading slightly above its $1 peg and sharply higher 24-hour volume.
- The USD1 rollout comes amid broader political scrutiny of World Liberty and related stablecoin efforts in the US.
- World Liberty is also facing litigation, including a lawsuit filed by Tron founder Justin Sun alleging token freezes.
Stablecoins enter UFC’s White House spotlight
The UFC event, known as UFC Freedom 250, took place on the White House’s south lawn as part of US government celebrations connected to the country’s semiquincentennial. Sponsors included World Liberty, prediction market platform Polymarket, and cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com, which said it would provide $1 million in bonuses for fighters based on its Cronos (CRO) token.
The stablecoin-based bonus program adds another layer to a promotional effort that has drawn criticism in Congress, including concerns around an alleged $60 million price tag reported by ABC News. For stablecoin markets, high-profile sponsorships can translate into visible, short-term flows—particularly when mainstream audiences and large institutions observe the token’s behavior around major moments.
What USD1 trading signals during the announcement window
While stablecoins are expected to maintain tight price alignment with the US dollar, the token’s behavior in the lead-up to and during the promotion remains closely watched. At the time referenced by the report, USD1 had moved above $1 on June 12 and continued trading at that level, based on CoinMarketCap data.
The same CoinMarketCap-based snapshot showed 24-hour volume rising more than 93%, reaching $2.38 billion “at last look.” Elevated volume around high-visibility events can reflect increased buying pressure, trading activity related to the bonus program, or broader market reaction to the World Liberty-UFC link. Still, the peg itself is the key operational benchmark investors typically focus on—especially during periods where headlines may drive rapid attention and liquidity shifts.
As another indicator of how unusual the moment was, the report notes that USD1 had traded below $1 for most of the previous month, citing CoinMarketCap. Readers should treat short-term deviations from a peg as situational until confirmed with sustained price behavior, reserve transparency updates, or other operational disclosures—none of which were detailed in the coverage being summarized.
World Liberty’s political baggage and regulatory path
World Liberty Financial launched in 2024 with backing from members of the Trump family and others who have since been associated with his administration. The company has become a recurring target of corruption-related allegations aimed at President Donald Trump, and critics have questioned whether stablecoin partnerships and mainstream endorsements create improper incentives.
In May 2025, a UAE company said it planned to use USD1 to settle a $2 billion investment involving Binance. The coverage also notes that World Liberty has a pending application with the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust charter, a step that—if successful—could shape how the project is structured and overseen.
Beyond World Liberty specifically, the broader policy environment has also been in flux. The report references a GENIUS Act signed into law by Trump, establishing a framework for payment stablecoins in the US amid criticism from Democratic lawmakers about potential conflicts of interest. The same set of concerns has continued to frame how new stablecoin use cases are received—especially when payments appear tied to public-facing institutions.
Trump’s financial disclosures filed in January 2025 reportedly listed his holdings in World Liberty as worth more than $50 million. A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, told Cointelegraph that there are “no conflicts of interest,” stating that Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children.
Legal pressure: Justin Sun’s token-freeze dispute
Separately from the UFC announcement, World Liberty is also embroiled in legal conflict. In April, Tron founder Justin Sun filed a lawsuit against World Liberty alleging the company froze his tokens and threatened to destroy them “without any proper justification.” Sun is described in the coverage as a Trump supporter and one of the largest holders of the president’s TRUMP memecoin.
The report also states that World Liberty countersued Sun weeks later, meaning the dispute is actively contested rather than a one-sided allegation. For token holders and market participants, litigation risk matters in practice: it can affect token availability, legal uncertainty around custody or transfer restrictions, and the operational reliability of any system that traders assume will be fungible and freely movable.
While the UFC bonus program is unlikely to resolve the underlying legal issues, it does heighten the need for clarity. When stablecoins are used in payment contexts that are visible to the public, any operational uncertainty—whether due to reserve mechanics, redemption pathways, or court-ordered constraints—can quickly become a reputational and liquidity concern.
As attention remains on USD1’s behavior during and after the UFC Freedom 250 weekend, investors and users should watch whether the token sustains peg stability beyond the headline-driven window, and whether regulators or the courts bring updates to World Liberty’s trust application and ongoing litigation.
Crypto World
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong Says Bitcoin Has Likely Bottomed Around $60K
TLDR:
- Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes Bitcoin likely bottomed near $60K, citing the four-year halving cycle.
- Bitcoin dropped to $59,743 on June 5 before rebounding above $66,000 following a US-Iran Strait of Hormuz deal.
- Armstrong remains long on Bitcoin and expects prices to be significantly higher by the year 2030.
- CryptoQuant warns demand conditions stay negative and ETF flows remain unstable despite Bitcoin’s value zone entry.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has suggested that Bitcoin likely found its price floor near $60,000, though he stopped short of making a definitive call.
Armstrong shared the view in a video posted on X, pointing to Bitcoin’s historical four-year halving cycle as context.
The token had dropped to $59,743 on June 5 before recovering above $66,000. Armstrong remains long on Bitcoin and expects prices to climb significantly by 2030.
Armstrong Points to Halving Cycle as Market Compass
Brian Armstrong shared his read on Bitcoin’s current position in a video posted to X on Monday. He stated, “My instinct is we probably have bottomed at this point, maybe at the sixty K number, but nobody can say for sure.” The Coinbase CEO framed his view around the asset’s well-known four-year halving cycle.
That cycle has historically alternated between bull and bear markets at regular intervals. Bitcoin is currently trading roughly 50% below its October 2025 all-time high of approximately $126,000. Armstrong used this drawdown as a reference point for assessing where the market stands today.
Armstrong also reinforced his long-term conviction in the asset’s fundamentals, stating plainly, “I think bitcoin is the new digital gold.”
He expects Bitcoin prices to be meaningfully higher by 2030, reflecting a broader thesis on the asset’s role in the global financial system.
Bitcoin climbed above $66,000 on Monday, gaining nearly 3% over 24 hours. The recovery came after the US and Iran reached a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which eased broader market concerns and lifted risk assets.
On-Chain Data Paints a More Cautious Picture
Armstrong also addressed the wider crypto market in a post on X on June 5, the same day Bitcoin hit its recent low.
He wrote, “Derivatives, stablecoins, prediction markets are all up,” adding that it would “take some time for this to sink in.” The post pointed to strength beneath the surface despite Bitcoin’s price weakness.
On-chain analysis firm CryptoQuant offered a more measured view of the situation. The firm noted that Bitcoin has entered a historical value zone near its realized price of around $53,600. However, demand conditions remain deeply negative, and ETF flows have not yet stabilized.
CryptoQuant’s data draws a clear distinction between a price floor and a confirmed recovery. Traders will need to see sustained macro catalysts before a clearer directional trend can be established. A single bounce does not confirm a cycle bottom.
The broader context matters here. Armstrong’s bottom call carries the same uncertainty that on-chain data reflects.
Market participants continue watching macro developments alongside technical signals before committing to a recovery narrative.
Crypto World
Bybit Adds PIMCO Tokenized Bond Funds to Expand RWA Offerings
Bybit is rolling out a new real-world assets (RWA) offering that extends its push beyond tokenized Treasuries into tokenized bond funds from major traditional asset managers. The exchange says its new RWA Earn platform will give eligible customers access to two PIMCO- and China Merchants Bank International (CMBI)–managed funds, with tokenization carried out through DigiFT and onchain subscription and allocation supported by Plume.
The launch highlights how tokenized credit products are becoming more than a niche “yield” wrapper for crypto investors—moving toward mainstream distribution models while integrating established finance partners and regulated tokenization infrastructure.
Key takeaways
- Bybit’s RWA Earn platform launches with two tokenized bond funds managed by PIMCO and CMBI Investment Management.
- The funds are tokenized through DigiFT, with Plume providing onchain infrastructure for subscriptions and fund allocation.
- Users can subscribe using USDC, and Bybit states there are no subscription, redemption, or onchain transaction fees—but returns are not guaranteed.
- RWA.xyz data shows the Plume network has processed more than $512 million in RWA transfer volume over the past 30 days and supports 210+ tokenized assets.
- Tokenized assets overall are valued at $31.8 billion (as of June 12), with US Treasury products still the largest segment.
Bybit’s RWA Earn adds tokenized bond funds
According to Bybit’s announcement, the RWA Earn program begins with two specific tokenized funds:
- PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund (PDO), which invests across fixed-income sectors including corporate debt, mortgage-backed securities, and government bonds.
- CMBI Investment Grade Bond Fund, focused on investment-grade credit across Asian and global markets.
Bybit said the tokenization process is handled by DigiFT, which it describes as a digital asset exchange regulated in Singapore and Hong Kong. Plume, meanwhile, is positioned as the provider of the onchain infrastructure used for subscriptions and fund allocation.
For investors, this matters because the structure signals a typical split of responsibilities in today’s tokenized securities stack: one party manages the fund/token wrapper and distribution interface, while separate rails help deliver the onchain lifecycle (subscriptions, allocations, and transfers) that can reduce operational friction versus purely off-chain processes.
How subscriptions work and what users should know
Bybit stated that eligible users can subscribe to the products using USDC. It also said customers will not pay subscription fees, redemption fees, or onchain transaction fees. However, Bybit emphasized that the funds are not principal protected, and returns are not guaranteed.
That combination—fee-free participation alongside non-guaranteed investment terms—may appeal to active crypto users, but it also underscores that these products remain investment vehicles linked to underlying credit and fixed-income performance rather than capital-preservation instruments. Traders and allocators typically should treat tokenized bond funds as they would any other credit exposure: risks can still exist, even if tokenization changes custody, settlement, and transfer mechanics.
Plume network traction behind the scenes
Bybit’s partnership stack also points to the growing importance of infrastructure networks for tokenized RWA distribution. RWA.xyz data cited in the announcement says Plume has:
- more than 250,000 RWA holders, and
- support for over 210 tokenized assets.
- processed $512 million+ in RWA transfer volume over the last 30 days.
Those metrics matter because subscription growth is only one side of the story; onchain transfer volume and holder counts reflect whether tokenized assets are seeing real circulation rather than remaining locked in a buy-and-hold pattern. In other words, infrastructure adoption can be a leading indicator of liquidity development—at least at the token/settlement layer, even if underlying market liquidity still depends on the fund structure and investor behavior.
Tokenized assets broaden beyond Treasuries
The Bybit launch arrives as tokenized real-world assets continue to expand in scope across both traditional finance and crypto-native distribution.
RWA.xyz data referenced in the article places the tokenized asset market at $31.8 billion as of June 12. That total remains led by tokenized US Treasury products, which account for roughly $14.9 billion in assets. Outside of Treasuries, the same dataset shows:
- Commodities: about $4.7 billion
- Asset-backed credit: around $2.2 billion
- Tokenized stocks: approximately $1.5 billion
While Treasuries are still the dominant bucket, the direction is clear: exchanges and platforms are increasingly attaching tokenization rails to a wider set of fund types and cash-flow mechanics. In April, for example, OKX integrated BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized Treasury fund into its collateral framework, enabling eligible institutional clients to use the yield-bearing asset as trading margin. Separately, Archax introduced a system on Hedera for real-time interest payments for tokenized securities, aiming to let cash flows track asset transfers onchain.
Institutional interest is also building. In May, JPMorgan filed to launch a tokenized money market fund on Ethereum.
Taken together, these developments suggest tokenization is evolving from simple “digital wrapper” products into systems that can support settlement, collateral usage, and potentially automated income flows—capabilities that may ultimately make tokenized RWA exposure easier to manage for both investors and market operators.
Bybit’s next test will be adoption: whether the exchange’s eligible user base converts interest into sustained subscriptions and whether the tokenized bond funds gain measurable circulation on the underlying token infrastructure. Investors should also watch how fee structures, eligibility rules, and performance disclosure evolve once more products beyond initial bond funds are added to the RWA Earn lineup.
Crypto World
Michael Saylor says Bitcoin could jump from $70K to $7 million
Bitcoin has extended its recovery above $66,000 as Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor has predicted that the crypto asset could eventually rise from roughly $70,000 to as much as $7 million per coin.
Summary
- Michael Saylor says Bitcoin could eventually rise from around $70,000 to $7 million per coin.
- He argues that Bitcoin still represents a tiny share of global wealth, leaving significant room for growth.
- Strategy added another $100 million in Bitcoin as Saylor highlighted rising institutional adoption and new Bitcoin-linked financial products.
According to remarks delivered by Saylor during his keynote speech at BTC Prague 2026, Bitcoin remains in the early stages of absorbing global capital despite its growth over the past decade.
Presenting one of his most ambitious long-term forecasts, Saylor argued that Bitcoin’s network value could eventually reach $100 trillion.
“The Bitcoin network is going to expand to be a hundred trillion network,” Saylor said. “Bitcoin goes from 70,000 to 700,000 to $7 million a coin. It’s inevitable.”
His comments arrived as Bitcoin continued to benefit from improving market sentiment.
As crypto.news reported earlier, Bitcoin climbed more than 11% from its early June low after a U.S.-Iran peace agreement reduced concerns over energy supply disruptions, inflation pressures, and escalating geopolitical tensions.
On-chain analytics firm Santiment said the development encouraged investors to rotate back into risk assets, helping lift Bitcoin above $66,600 while pushing the total crypto market capitalization beyond $2.36 trillion.
Most global wealth remains outside Bitcoin
During the presentation, Saylor based his forecast on the gap between Bitcoin’s current size and the amount of wealth held across traditional financial markets.
According to Saylor, Bitcoin currently accounts for about $1 trillion of an estimated $1,000 trillion in global capital, leaving most of the world’s wealth outside the network.
“If we want Bitcoin to grow, Bitcoin has $1 trillion out of 1,000 trillion of capital,” Saylor said. He added that roughly 99.9% of economic wealth has yet to enter the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Particular attention was given to institutional capital controlled by banks, wealth managers, pension funds, and insurance companies. Saylor argued that regulatory and operational restrictions continue to prevent a large portion of those funds from gaining exposure to Bitcoin.
“Banks, advisory, wealth advisors, believe it or not, have control over $156 trillion,” Saylor said. “If the bank can’t buy anything related to Bitcoin, there’s $200 trillion we’re never going to get.”
Under Saylor’s framework, wider institutional access could unlock significant demand and contribute to the type of long-term appreciation he described.
Bitcoin-linked financial products are expanding access
Alongside direct ownership of Bitcoin, Saylor highlighted the growing role of digital financial products tied to the cryptocurrency.
According to Saylor, instruments built around digital credit and digital money are creating new ways for investors to gain exposure while using structures that resemble traditional financial products.
“Digital credit and digital money are actually killer apps that are strengthening the Bitcoin network right now,” Saylor said.
Elsewhere in the market, Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has discussed plans to develop Bitcoin-backed yield products, adding to a growing list of companies exploring financial services linked to the asset.
Saylor also pointed to Strategy’s own offerings. He described the company’s STRC security as a short-duration, high-yield fixed-income product designed for U.S. investors seeking Bitcoin-related exposure without directly holding the asset.
For investors willing to take on more volatility, Saylor characterized Strategy’s stock as an amplified version of Bitcoin, offering greater sensitivity to movements in the cryptocurrency’s price.
The comments came shortly after Strategy disclosed another Bitcoin purchase worth approximately $100 million, extending the company’s position as the largest corporate holder of the cryptocurrency.
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