For years, Bitcoin miners were little more than leveraged bets on BTC prices. That’s changing fast. As mining margins tighten and demand for AI computing accelerates, the industry’s biggest players are discovering that access to power and data center infrastructure may be more valuable than hash rate.

That shift gained further validation this week as Nvidia reportedly prepared a $20 billion bond sale to finance the next phase of its AI expansion, reinforcing the multi-year investment cycle that Bitcoin miners are increasingly positioning themselves to serve.

Elsewhere, the tokenized real-world asset market continued to defy the broader crypto downturn, Ripple expanded its African payments push with an investment in Flutterwave and former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried failed to overturn his fraud conviction.

Nvidia’s $20 billion bond offering reinforces Bitcoin miner AI pivot

Nvidia wants to sell $20 billion-worth of bonds to finance the next phase of its AI expansion, reinforcing the growth trend that has prompted Bitcoin miners to pivot toward AI and data center infrastructure.

Bloomberg reported Monday that the chipmaker is pursuing a multi-part bond offering to fund AI-related investments and refinance existing debt. The longest-dated bonds are expected to offer considerably higher yields than comparable US Treasury securities.

The sustained AI buildout has created new opportunities for Bitcoin miners, many of which are repurposing their energy-intensive facilities and power infrastructure for high-performance computing and AI hosting as mining economics remain under pressure. Companies including HIVE Digital, Hut 8, CleanSpark and TeraWulf are increasingly positioning themselves as AI infrastructure providers.

Source: Cointelegraph

Tokenized RWAs defy crypto bear market

The tokenized real-world asset (RWA) market continues to grow despite broader crypto weakness, with the total value of onchain financial assets surpassing $43 billion — a 37% increase over the past six months, according to Token Terminal.

Tokenized funds make up the overwhelming majority of the RWA market, representing nearly 80% of all onchain financial assets, though commodities and tokenized stocks are gaining traction.

The sector’s momentum comes as major financial institutions forecast significant long-term growth. Standard Chartered expects tokenization to help drive decentralized finance toward a $2.7 trillion market capitalization by 2030, while Citigroup projects tokenized RWAs could reach $5.5 trillion over the same period.

Source: Token Terminal

Ripple invests in African payment company

Ripple has invested an undisclosed amount in Flutterwave, one of Africa’s fastest-growing remittance companies, in a deal that values the fintech startup at $3.3 billion.

The transaction will bring Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, Ripple Payments platform and XRP Ledger infrastructure to one of Africa’s largest payment providers, which operates across 35 countries, as blockchain-based remittances continue to gain traction.

The deal marks another step in Ripple’s push to expand its payments network across Africa, where demand for faster and lower-cost cross-border transfers is rapidly increasing. Last October, the company partnered with South Africa’s Absa Bank to provide institutional digital asset custody solutions, further strengthening its presence on the continent.

Source: Flutterwave

Sam Bankman-Fried loses appeal

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried failed to overturn his fraud conviction after a three-judge appeals panel in Manhattan upheld the verdict, finding that he received a fair trial.

“While he ‌was publicly reassuring customers, investors and regulators ‌that FTX customer funds were safe, he was simultaneously using FTX as his own personal piggy bank, spending customer funds ⁠on real estate, ⁠political contributions, and investments,” wrote Circuit Judge Barrington Parker.

Bankman-Fried was convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges tied to FTX’s collapse and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2024. As Cointelegraph reported, he has also formally applied for a presidential pardon from US President Donald Trump, with the request appearing on the Pardon Attorney website in early June.

Source: Toby Cunningham

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Bitcoin (BTC) is once again approaching its yearly low near $59,000 after a failed recovery attempt left bulls unable to reclaim key resistance levels. BTC traders are now anticipating new lows for 2026 as the price drifts back toward a major support zone.

However, exchange inflows from mid-sized investors across Binance and Coinbase recently dropped to their lowest levels since April 4, easing further selling pressure.

Liquidation data also shows more than $4 billion in leveraged positions concentrated near the $59,000 level, a setup that may lead to a downside liquidity sweep before a recovery rally towards the $68,000 range.

Bitcoin traders target liquidity pocket below $59,000

Bitcoin’s recovery attempt stalled before reaching the daily fair-value gap between $67,500 and $70,500. The sellers regained control near the 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages, which continue to act as overhead resistance.

The rejection pushed BTC below an ascending channel, confirming a bearish break of structure on the four-hour chart. The price is currently trading below the channel range, with internal liquidity support near $60,700 as the next area of interest, followed by the yearly low at $59,000.

BTC/USD, four-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The liquidation data adds weight to that zone. Around $4 billion in cumulative leveraged long positions is concentrated near $59,000. A move into that area could trigger forced selling and flush out late long positions. Beyond that level, the next major liquidity concentration is near $68,000, where more than $4.75 billion in cumulative positions are clustered.

The momentum conditions are also approaching an extreme. The relative strength index (RSI) is hovering near oversold territory. Another push toward yearly lows would likely drive the indicator below 30, a level that may precede a sharp relief bounce after liquidations.

Crypto analyst Killa said Bitcoin could still front-run the liquidity pool below $60,000 rather than fully sweeping it. The trader argued that markets often move in the opposite direction of levels that attract widespread attention, similar to how Bitcoin front-ran liquidity above $140,000 in October 2025. 

BTC trader LP also warned against becoming “too bearish here” in the short term, pointing to a potential bottom forming toward late June.

BTC/USD, one-day chart analysis by LP. Source: X

Related: Bitcoin’s deeply discounted versus AI-stocks, but hawkish Fed risk lingers: Bitwise

BTC exchange inflows continue to decline

According to CryptoQuant analyst Amr Taha, inflows from mid-sized Bitcoin investors declined simultaneously across Binance, Coinbase, and Coinbase Prime on June 19. Binance recorded roughly 3,500 BTC in inflows, Coinbase nearly 3,000 BTC, and Coinbase Prime about 1,700 BTC, the lowest readings since April 4.

BTC exchange inflow structure by mid-size investors. Source: CryptoQuant

Exchange inflows are commonly tracked as a measure of potential selling intent. Lower deposits mean fewer coins are being positioned for immediate sale. This indicates one source of near-term sell pressure has eased.

The trend does not signal new demand on its own. It shows that mid-sized holders are reducing transfers to trading venues as Bitcoin trades near $62,000. For now, the flow data points to lighter exchange-side pressure even as price tests a major liquidity concentration near yearly lows.

Related: Bitcoin tipped for Q3 ‘macro bottom’ near $50K as major liquidity grab looms

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been threatened with a referral to the UK’s parliamentary authorities after he allegedly under-declared a private jet donation from billionaire crypto investor Christopher Harborne.

The threat came from Labour Chair Anna Turley, who wrote to Farage claiming that the donation he declared doesn’t match the market rates of private jet flights. 

Farage took the private jet to the Chagos Islands earlier this year, where he attempted to undermine a UK sovereignty deal. He originally declared Harborne’s donation as £12,500 ($16,500), but later adjusted it to £25,000 ($33,500). 

Turley claims that the cost of hiring the jet, and the 23-hour duration of his flight, mean his trip should’ve cost anywhere between £189,000 ($250,000) and £529,000 ($700,000).

She told Farage, “If you fail to provide anything less than a full and accurate account, I will be obliged to raise the matter with the Parliamentary authorities.”

Farage lobbied the Bank of England on crypto regulation

Turley then went after the controversial right-wing politician again, reportedly referring him to a UK financial regulatory body. 

In this case, during a private meeting in September 2025, he allegedly urged Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey to shelve plans for a state-backed stablecoin dubbed “Britcoin.”

One month later, Farage said at the crypto event Zebu Live that he would be “prepared to go to prison” in order to stop Britcoin, describing the plans for a state-backed stablecoin as  “total and utter horror.”

The introduction of a state-backed stablecoin would dilute the private stablecoin market and, in doing so, reduce the value of Harborne’s 12% stake in multi-billion-dollar stablecoin giant Tether.

The CLARITY Act has entered another round of Senate negotiations, with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman saying that limited understanding of the bill among lawmakers remains one of the biggest obstacles to its progress.

According to a report from Punchbowl News, senators met on Thursday, June 18, to discuss the next phase of work on the crypto market structure legislation. Much of the proposal falls under the jurisdiction of the Senate Agriculture Committee, placing the panel at the center of efforts to move the bill toward a floor vote.

Speaking after the meeting, Boozman said discussions were advancing but acknowledged that many lawmakers are still unfamiliar with the legislation. He stated that most members do not fully understand the bill, describing that knowledge gap as a challenge as negotiators attempt to build support across the Senate.

The comments arrive as congressional leaders face increasing pressure to resolve remaining issues before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess. Several last-minute meetings have been scheduled as Senate offices continue working through outstanding provisions tied to digital asset regulation.

Senate support appears stronger than public debate suggests

While Boozman highlighted concerns about member awareness, separate discussions on Capitol Hill suggest that disagreements over the substance of the legislation may be narrower than they appear.

As previously reported by crypto.news, David Nage, managing director and portfolio manager at Arca, said conversations with Senate offices led him to conclude that lawmakers and industry participants are roughly 80% to 85% aligned on the core elements of the bill.

In Nage’s assessment, stablecoin yield provisions no longer rank among the most contentious issues, despite continued criticism from JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon. Instead, Nage said attention has increasingly turned toward ethics and conflict-of-interest rules governing government officials involved in crypto-related business activities.

Following discussions with congressional staff, Nage stated that lawmakers are largely debating how such restrictions should be implemented rather than whether they should exist. He described the remaining divide as a political and enforcement matter rather than a disagreement over digital asset market structure itself.

Under Nage’s base-case scenario, lawmakers would settle the ethics language and reconcile competing proposals in the coming weeks, allowing the legislation to reach the Senate floor after Congress returns from recess on July 13.

Senate timeline remains the key uncertainty

Despite growing optimism from some supporters, the expected timing of passage remains unsettled.

During a recent interview with FOX Business, Senator Bill Hagerty said he hopes Congress can complete work on the legislation before the July 4 recess. Hagerty argued that the measure would provide the regulatory certainty needed for the U.S. digital asset sector to expand domestically rather than abroad.

Earlier, White House crypto advisor Patrick Witt also expressed optimism that lawmakers could approve the bill by Independence Day.

Other lawmakers have pointed to a longer timeline. Senator Cynthia Lummis has said a Senate floor vote before the August recess appears more likely than passage before July 4. Lummis has also noted that the legislation includes $150 million in funding intended to combat illicit cryptocurrency activity.

Supporters of the proposal contend that the bill would define the responsibilities of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission while establishing compliance standards for digital asset firms.

Lummis has further warned that if Congress fails to advance market structure legislation during the current legislative window, meaningful action on the issue could be postponed until 2030.