Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire argued that USDC’s decade-long network of integrations, liquidity and regulatory infrastructure gives it a structural advantage over new stablecoin entrants, while challenging key elements of Open USD’s proposed business model.

In a Wednesday X post, Allaire described stablecoin networks as platform businesses driven by network effects, saying sustained investment in integrations, liquidity, regulatory approvals, banking relationships and reserve management creates competitive advantages that are difficult to replicate.

He also questioned whether permanently offering free, unlimited minting and redemption would remain sustainable at scale and said returning nearly all reserve income to partners risks “starving an infrastructure.”

The comments highlight intensifying competition among stablecoin issuers as new entrants seek to challenge USDC and USDT by offering businesses a greater share of reserve income and influence over governance. 

Open Standard announced Open USD (OUSD) on Tuesday, with support from over 140 payments, banking, technology and crypto companies, including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Coinbase, BlackRock and Google. The stablecoin is expected to go live later in 2026. 

Circle’s stock performance in the last five days. Source: Yahoo Finance

Circle shares closed Tuesday at $62.63, down 17.55% from the previous session, before rising 2.44% to $64.18 in premarket trading as of 11 am UTC on Wednesday, according to Yahoo Finance data. 

OUSD could challenge the Circle-Tether duopoly: Bernstein 

In a research note, analysts at Bernstein said OUSD could become the “strongest and first new entrant to challenge the duopoly of Circle and Tether,” citing its reach across payments, banking, technology and commerce.

However, Bernstein said governance, operational architecture and the revenue-sharing formula remain open questions, as coordinating more than 140 partners will require substantial work. Bernstein said Circle spends close to $500 million on marketing, infrastructure, technology and compliance, highlighting the amount of resources needed to scale a stablecoin network.

Related: MetaMask launches stablecoin yield account with card spending

Lorenzo Valente, director of research at ARK Invest, took a more skeptical view. In a post on X, Valente said that OUSD still faces the cold-start problem created by USDC and USDT’s entrenched liquidity across the crypto ecosystem. He called the announcement a “giant” letter of intent and said that many participants also support competing stablecoins or operate their own infrastructure. 

“The partners are backing rivals: Stripe owns Bridge and has its own stack, Coinbase is wedded to USDC, banks are building their own deposit tokens and the card networks support every token out there,” Valente wrote. 

Magazine: Japanese pension fund tips 1% in crypto, G7 urges action on NK hackers: Asia Express

Remittix has moved into a busier launch window, and one update is now taking priority across the community: airdrop registration.

The registration page is live through the official Remittix site, giving RTX holders a clear step to complete before token distribution moves closer. For presale buyers, the focus is shifting from simply watching updates to taking action, registering wallets and preparing for the next stage of the Remittix rollout.

The timing is important. Remittix is currently building toward several major updates, including the RTX launch price reveal expected in 3 days, the extended 350% RTX bonus, the approaching public platform launch and the $32 million milestone expected to unlock the official launch date reveal.

Why Airdrop Registration Is Now In Focus

The Remittix airdrop is connected to the distribution of RTX tokens purchased during the presale. It is not being presented as a separate free-token campaign. Instead, it is part of the process for helping holders prepare for token distribution.

To register, holders need to visit the official Remittix site, connect their wallet, submit their wallet address and complete the registration page. Users can also add optional notification details so they can receive future updates linked to the airdrop, distribution and launch process.

Once the process is complete, the page confirms that the holder has successfully registered.

This has made registration one of the most practical updates for the community. While launch headlines continue to build, wallet submission is the step holders can complete now.

Launch Updates Are Starting To Stack Up

The next few updates could be important for Remittix. The RTX launch price reveal is expected in 3 days, giving holders a clearer view of how the token will be positioned heading into launch.

At the same time, the project is closing in on the $32 million milestone, which is expected to unlock the official launch date reveal. This has added more attention around the current registration period, especially as holders wait for clearer launch timing.

The extended 350% RTX bonus is also still active, adding another incentive for users watching the final stretch before launch activity increases.

Platform Launch Adds A Utility Angle

Beyond token distribution, Remittix is still building its wider crypto-to-fiat payments story.

The platform is designed to let users send crypto while recipients receive fiat directly into bank accounts. Multiple community members have reportedly received fiat payments through the Remittix system, giving the project practical proof as public platform access moves closer.

That is why the airdrop registration update matters beyond wallet submission alone. It arrives at the same time as launch price news, platform momentum, the 350% bonus extension and the $32 million milestone.

For RTX holders, the next step is straightforward. Register through the official Remittix site, submit wallet details and stay ready as the next Remittix launch updates approach.

Discover the future of PayFi with Remittix by checking out their project here:

Website: https://remittixpresale.io

Airdrop Registration: https://airdrop.remittixpresale.io

FAQ

Why is airdrop registration important for Remittix holders?
Airdrop registration allows RTX holders to submit their wallet address and prepare for the upcoming token distribution process.

What major Remittix updates are approaching?
The main updates include the RTX launch price reveal in 3 days, the $32 million milestone for the launch date reveal and the approaching public platform launch.

What is the Remittix platform designed to do?
The Remittix platform is designed to let users send crypto while recipients receive fiat directly into bank accounts.

Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.

Key Points

• Christopher Delgado admits guilt in $400M cryptocurrency fraud operation
• Federal prosecutors reveal Ponzi-style structure using new investor funds
• At least $250M in verified losses connected to the fraudulent scheme
• Agreement includes forfeiture of luxury properties, vehicles, and high-end goods
• Federal sentencing scheduled for October 8 in ongoing fraud prosecution

Christopher Alexander Delgado, former chief executive of Goliath Ventures, has entered a guilty plea in connection with a massive $400 million cryptocurrency fraud operation in Florida. Federal authorities allege that Goliath collected investor capital by promising substantial returns through digital asset liquidity pool investments. Instead, investigators claim the funds financed payouts to earlier investors, extravagant personal purchases, and corporate entertainment expenses.

Executive Acknowledges Involvement in Fraudulent Operation

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Delgado entered guilty pleas on charges including conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. Each wire fraud charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years behind bars. The money laundering charge adds an additional maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

Delgado assumed leadership of Goliath Ventures following its earlier incarnation as Gen-Z Venture Firm. Federal prosecutors indicate that the Crypto Fraud scheme operated continuously from January 2023 until January 2026. Throughout this timeframe, the company marketed consistent monthly profits supposedly generated from cryptocurrency liquidity pool operations.

Federal authorities state that Delgado has acknowledged responsibility for investor losses totaling at least $250 million. Prosecutors further assert that Goliath collected approximately $400 million from defrauded victims. The executive now awaits his sentencing hearing scheduled for October 8.

Federal Investigation Reveals Luxury Asset Trail

Government prosecutors detail how Goliath employed incoming investor capital to satisfy withdrawal requests from previous participants. The organization simultaneously processed payouts and maintained outward appearances of legitimate investment activities. According to prosecutors, merely $1 million actually reached genuine cryptocurrency assets.

The Crypto Fraud investigation uncovered substantial luxury expenditures, based on federal court documents. Prosecutors documented purchases by Delgado including multiple residential properties, exotic automobiles, premium timepieces, designer handbags, upscale wallets, and fine jewelry. The spending spree encompassed Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce vehicles, Rolex watches, and custom-designed Tiffany & Co. jewelry pieces.

The plea arrangement mandates that Delgado surrender eight real estate properties and eleven luxury vehicles. Additional forfeitures include 30 high-end watches and over 50 designer bags and wallets. Delgado has also consented to relinquish no fewer than 29 pieces of jewelry.

Fraud Investigation Raises Questions About Financial Oversight

The investigation attracted significant attention even before Delgado’s guilty plea. Affected investors initiated a proposed class-action complaint against JPMorgan Chase in March. The legal action accused the banking institution of permitting questionable Goliath transactions through its banking infrastructure.

The civil complaint asserted that approximately $253 million flowed through a JPMorgan business account. Plaintiffs additionally claimed that roughly $123 million subsequently transferred to Goliath-controlled wallets at Coinbase. Independent federal filings documented additional transaction flows involving Bank of America accounts and Coinbase wallet addresses.

The Crypto Fraud prosecution underscores the disconnect between promotional representations and verifiable blockchain transactions. While liquidity pools function as legitimate DeFi mechanisms, companies must demonstrate transparent on-chain evidence. In this instance, federal prosecutors contend that Goliath exploited the liquidity pool concept to facilitate an extensive Crypto Fraud enterprise.

The seasonal pattern normally runs the other way. Across bitcoin’s full record, the fourth quarter has been its strongest by a wide margin, averaging a 77% gain with a median near 48%, the stretch that has repeatedly salvaged mediocre years.

The third quarter is the opposite, the weakest quarter on average and often flat. The calendar, in other words, would normally argue for a quiet third quarter and a strong fourth-quarter finish. In 2018 and 2022, that seasonal strength failed. The bear market overrode the calendar, and the fourth quarter, usually the best, became one of the worst.

A sample of two may tell little on its own and both of those years turned on specific collapses that have no exact equivalent today. The comparison does not mean 2026 must follow 2018 or 2022, but it does mean the only other times bitcoin started a year this weakly, the weakness was a symptom of something structural rather than a passing dip.

Whether 2026 belongs in that category depends on what is driving the selling, and the drivers look more like a grind than a panic.

U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have seen record outflows over the past month, the number of active users onchain has stayed near the low end of its range, and capital has rotated steadily into AI stocks, which just posted their best quarter in years while crypto fell.

Key Highlights

• Shares of JEM closed 267.59% higher during Tuesday’s regular session at $3.97, followed by an additional 154.41% gain after-hours to $10.10
• The explosive move followed news that Robin Hoksnes Karlsen was appointed as executive director, revealed before markets opened
• Volume exploded to 122.24 million shares — approximately 130 times the typical daily average of 940,600
• Directors greenlit exploration of an AI-powered blockchain supply chain system with a preliminary budget of $10–12 million across three years
• No funds have been allocated yet; any cryptocurrency payment trials require regulatory clearance in Hong Kong, the EU and compliance with FATF standards

707 Cayman Holdings (JEM) delivered one of Tuesday’s most dramatic market performances. Shares finished regular trading up 267.59% at $3.97, before climbing an additional 154.41% in extended hours to $10.10.

707 Cayman Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares, JEM

The dramatic rally was sparked by news that Robin Hoksnes Karlsen had been named executive director. The announcement arrived ahead of market open.

Karlsen is the founder of AMIHAN Innovations Ltd., a Web3 and technology firm, and brings over ten years of expertise spanning real estate investing, capital structuring and institutional Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization within decentralized finance ecosystems. His educational credentials include a master’s degree from the University of Hong Kong and an undergraduate degree from University College London.

Trading activity underscored the intensity of investor interest. The session saw 122.24 million units change hands — roughly 130 times JEM’s standard daily volume of 940,600.

With a market capitalization around $7.15 million, the company remains firmly within small-cap boundaries. JEM’s 52-week trading range spans $1.02 to $135, while its RSI currently registers at 67.99 after the dramatic price movement.

Company Unveils AI and Blockchain Supply Chain Strategy

Also on July 1, the board revealed approval to investigate a cutting-edge digital infrastructure merging AI capabilities, blockchain-based traceability and a cryptocurrency payment pilot designed to digitalize its worldwide apparel supply network.

The initiative responds to growing demand from European and North American customers for enhanced supply chain visibility, accelerated restocking cycles and authenticated ESG documentation.

Leadership presented a preliminary three-year funding framework of $10 million to $12 million for staged implementation. The roadmap encompasses AI-enhanced supply chain efficiency, AI design tools, blockchain-powered origin verification and a crypto transaction pilot program.

The board emphasized that no capital commitments have been finalized. The schedule and extent of any cryptocurrency payment operations hinge on securing regulatory permissions in Hong Kong, the EU and meeting FATF compliance requirements.

Karlsen’s expertise in blockchain tokenization and real estate finance is being highlighted as strategically aligned with this expansion trajectory.

Short Position Data and Historical Performance

Some broader perspective deserves attention here. While Tuesday brought explosive gains, JEM remains down 96.17% across the trailing twelve months. The six-month performance shows a gain of 12.15%.

Short interest currently represents 36.2% of available float. Such elevated short positioning can magnify price swings in either direction when traders rush to close positions.

Technical analysis signals from TipRanks currently indicate a sell rating for the stock.

JEM’s market capitalization stays modest at $5.6–7.15 million based on different measuring points. This means even moderate purchase activity can generate disproportionate price reactions.

The company’s typical daily trading activity before Tuesday stood at merely 940,600 units, contrasting sharply with the 122.24 million shares that traded during the session.

Ethereum has remained pinned near the $1,500 support zone after quarter-end selling, whale distribution, and weak institutional flows kept the second-largest cryptocurrency under pressure despite continued corporate treasury accumulation.

According to data from crypto.news, Ethereum (ETH) traded around $1,580 at the time of writing, down roughly 5.3% over the past seven days and about 25% for the quarter. The decline completed Ethereum’s first-ever streak of three consecutive quarterly losses.

Selling pressure also intensified after the Ethereum Foundation announced a restructuring on June 23 that included a 20% workforce reduction and a 40% budget cut, raising fresh concerns about development spending while large holders continued reducing exposure.

Corporate buyers, however, have continued to accumulate into the weakness. SharpLink disclosed another purchase of 10,000 ETH at an average price of $1,611, spending about $16.1 million to expand its treasury. Separately, Bitmine added 27,084 ETH during the past week, lifting its holdings above 5.7 million ETH. Those purchases have so far failed to offset persistent selling from whales and institutional investors.

Bitmine, however, framed the quarter-end weakness as partly technical rather than purely fundamental. In a June 30 post on X, the company said “window dressing is taking place,” adding that institutions often sell underperforming assets toward the end of a quarter. Bitmine noted that Bitcoin was down 13% and Ethereum was down 25% for the quarter, saying crypto was “being sold” into the reporting period.

On-chain activity has remained mixed. According to Ali Martinez, Ethereum whales sold roughly 550,000 ETH over the past week, adding substantial supply to the market. Lookonchain separately reported that one whale exited a 2,468 ETH position after holding it for more than five months, realizing a loss of about $4.33 million after selling near $1,572.

FG Nexus has also struggled with its Ethereum treasury strategy. According to Lookonchain, the company has realized about $86.6 million in losses after buying ETH near the 2025 highs and later selling at much lower prices.

Meanwhile, institutional demand has yet to recover. Spot Ether ETFs have recorded approximately $274 million in cumulative net outflows across consecutive sessions without posting a single day of positive inflows. At the same time, capital has continued flowing into U.S. artificial intelligence stocks and the recently launched SpaceX IPO, leaving fewer buyers available to absorb Ethereum’s selling pressure.

Technical structure leaves Ethereum trapped between $1,500 and $1,650

Ethereum’s daily chart continues to trade below a descending trendline that has capped every recovery attempt since May. The asset also remains below the daily Supertrend resistance near $1,644, while the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement around $1,695 forms the next major resistance level should buyers regain control.

Momentum indicators have yet to confirm a reversal. The daily RSI remains near 36, keeping Ethereum in bearish territory despite stabilizing above recent lows. MACD has begun flattening after weeks of decline but has not produced a decisive bullish crossover. On the 4-hour chart, Chaikin Money Flow has climbed back above zero, suggesting buyers have started returning, although the recovery remains limited while price stays below key resistance.

Derivatives positioning also presents a mixed picture. CoinGlass liquidation data shows the largest short liquidation cluster sitting around $1,590-$1,600, while a much larger concentration of long liquidations has built between roughly $1,530 and $1,545. A break above the upper cluster could trigger a short squeeze toward the $1,640-$1,700 region, whereas losing the lower liquidity pocket could accelerate selling into the psychological $1,500 support.

Commenting on the market structure, crypto analyst Ted Pillows wrote: 

“ETH is holding better than BTC now… Until Ethereum reclaims the $1,700 level, the chances of a new low will go up.”

His view aligns with the current technical picture, where reclaiming $1,700 would invalidate the series of lower highs that has controlled price action for nearly two months.

Loss of $1,500 support could expose another leg lower

The bearish case strengthens if Ethereum fails to defend the $1,500-$1,510 support band, which also aligns with the recent swing low on the daily chart. A breakdown below that region would invalidate the current consolidation and expose the next downside targets near $1,400 before attention shifts toward the $1,200 area discussed by several market participants.

Macro conditions continue to add uncertainty. Sticky U.S. inflation, expectations for higher interest rates, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and weaker decentralized finance activity have reduced risk appetite across digital assets.

Unless ETF flows stabilize, whale selling eases, and Ethereum reclaims resistance above $1,640 and eventually $1,700, quarter-end weakness may continue to weigh on price even as corporate treasuries keep accumulating ETH.

Cryptocurrency markets headed into the third quarter of 2026 with a notable reset in leverage, but also with noticeably thinner liquidity. A wave of liquidations in Q2 cleared out a large portion of leveraged positioning, even as key demand drivers weakened into the same period, according to Talos data cited in a market update.

That combination—less leverage clearing the system but less depth to cushion future selling—sets up a market that may be less prone to immediate forced cascades, while still capable of sharp price swings when large orders hit thin order books.

Key takeaways

• Q2 liquidation totals were substantial: Talos reports $8.35 billion in combined Bitcoin and Ether long liquidations.
• Derivatives leverage fell: Bitcoin open interest dropped to $33.5 billion (down 32% from its Q2 peak) and Ether open interest fell to $16.2 billion (down 40%).
• Liquidity thinned: Bitcoin order-book depth slipped to roughly $35–$40 million by late June from around $70 million in early May.
• Demand pressures aligned with deleveraging: Talos links the liquidation wave to spot Bitcoin ETF outflows, reduced buying by Strategy, and contraction in stablecoin supply.

Deleveraging cleared leverage, but market depth fell

Talos’ update points to Q2 as a period where speculative positions were largely unwound. Long liquidations for Bitcoin and Ether totaled $8.35 billion, a move that Talos describes as contributing to a more stable environment entering Q3.

However, stability after a liquidation event does not automatically translate into resilience. Talos warns that reduced order-book depth—meaning there is less buy and sell liquidity near current prices—can leave the market less able to absorb renewed selling pressure. In practical terms, fewer resting orders can raise the odds of abrupt moves when market participants try to exit at once.

By midweek, Bitcoin was trading at $58,656, after hitting an intraday low of $57,742. That level was its lowest since Sept. 17, 2024, underscoring how the post-liquidation reset did not eliminate downside pressure.

Open interest drops: a gauge of how much leverage remains

One of the clearest signals that leverage was reduced in Q2 is open interest, which tracks the notional value of outstanding derivatives positions. Talos reports that Bitcoin open interest fell to $33.5 billion, down 32% from the Q2 peak. For Ether, open interest declined to $16.2 billion, a 40% drop.

Lower open interest generally means fewer leveraged bets remain outstanding. That can reduce the likelihood of rapid liquidation spirals if prices move sharply. Still, the other side of Talos’ caution is liquidity: if trading activity remains weak and depth stays shallow, markets can still experience large price swings even without the same level of leveraged positioning.

Stablecoins, order books, and spot volumes: the liquidity picture

Alongside the deleveraging, Talos highlights a market that is trading with less capacity to absorb shocks. Bitcoin’s 2% order-book depth—the aggregate value of orders within 2% of the market price—fell to about $35–$40 million by late June from approximately $70 million in early May.

Spot activity also weakened. Talos reports spot exchange volume declined 28% quarter-over-quarter to $2.32 trillion. When both order-book depth and spot volumes contract, traders often face a market that clears faster but with less friction—meaning fewer participants are absorbing size, and price can move more quickly on incremental flow.

Demand softening: ETF outflows and Strategy’s slower buying

Talos ties the deleveraging period to weakening spot demand during Q2. The report points to spot Bitcoin ETF outflows and reduced Bitcoin purchases by Strategy, alongside a contraction in stablecoin supply.

ETF flows illustrate that demand did not hold steady. Cointelegraph previously reported that US spot Bitcoin ETFs logged $696.3 million in net outflows on June 25. Earlier coverage also noted that June saw roughly $4.5 billion in outflows, which pushed year-to-date outflows to $5.5 billion (as reported by Cointelegraph in links cited above).

Strategy’s buying pace also slowed materially over the same quarter window. Company disclosures cited in the original coverage indicate Strategy purchased about 3,600 BTC in June—down from roughly 25,000 BTC in May and more than 50,000 BTC in April. The same set of disclosures indicated a net sale of 32 BTC earlier in June and a June ending treasury of 847,363 BTC, bought at an average price of $64,103 per coin (details referenced in the cited Cointelegraph links).

The significance for investors and traders is straightforward: when spot demand is weaker, the market has less “natural” buyer absorption during selloffs. That doesn’t guarantee a downtrend, but it can change how quickly prices react to negative catalysts—especially when liquidity is already thinning.

What to watch next: depth, flows, and leverage metrics

The key question heading deeper into Q3 is whether liquidity and demand stabilize at current levels. Talos’ data suggests the market may be less leveraged but also less buffered, so traders should monitor order-book depth, spot volumes, ETF net flows, and open interest for signs of either renewed fragility—or a return of steadier participation.