Category: Cryptocurrency News

Infamous bitcoin sceptic and proud gold bug Peter Schiff posted a curious message to his 1.1 million X followers on Monday afternoon, urging them to sell ether ( ETH) and use the proceeds to buy bitcoin ( BTC). Schiff, who once compared the dominant cryptocurrency to the bulbs of the Dutch Republic’s 1634 “tulip mania,” […]

Bitcoin’s upward price trajectory has slightly cooled, with the asset now trading just below the $119,000 mark, reflecting a 3% decline over the past week. The dip follows a sustained upward trend that has seen significant interest from both institutional and retail participants in recent months. The current pause in momentum may suggest a temporary rebalancing, with market participants potentially reassessing their positions. As price movement stabilizes, on-chain analysts have begun to highlight deeper structural shifts within Bitcoin’s blockchain activity. According to CryptoQuant contributor Avocado onchain, one key trend gaining attention is the continued decline in Bitcoin’s Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) count. While at first glance this might seem related to falling transaction volumes, the underlying cause points to a more strategic restructuring by institutional participants. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whale Metrics Flash Mixed Signals: Monthly Inflows Rise And Daily Outflows Start Slowing Institutional Consolidation Reshaping On-Chain Structure Avocado explained that since December 2024, Bitcoin’s UTXO count has steadily decreased, a development he attributes to growing over-the-counter (OTC) activity and consolidation efforts by large holders. These entities, primarily whales and institutional investors, are reportedly merging multiple UTXOs into fewer addresses, a process that increases on-chain efficiency and reflects a preference for long-term custody. “The post-ETF approval environment has driven more assets into secure wallets, moving funds off exchanges into institutional-grade custody,” he wrote. This structural shift suggests that long-term holders are preparing for extended exposure rather than immediate market participation. Instead of dispersing funds for frequent trades, these institutions are consolidating their Bitcoin holdings into larger ones, indicating reduced near-term liquidity but possibly greater long-term market stability. The impact is visible in the on-chain footprint, where the number of active UTXOs has not kept pace with prior bull cycles. Bitcoin Muted Retail Activity and Future Market Signals While institutional activity appears to be solidifying, retail investor behavior remains subdued. Avocado noted that, unlike previous cycles where retail-driven volume increases contributed to UTXO growth, the current rally lacks that widespread grassroots engagement. The number of newly created UTXOs has remained relatively flat, reinforcing the view that retail participation is yet to catch up. Looking ahead, the analyst suggests that any renewed wave of short-term speculation, often sparked by sharp price movements, could reignite retail interest. This would be reflected in increased UTXO creation, exchange activity, and possibly greater volatility. Until then, the market appears to be led primarily by long-term strategic accumulation. Related Reading: The Final Bitcoin Act: Here’s What To Expect As BTC Trends Sideways Despite the current slowdown in price, underlying metrics remain constructive. Exchange inflows are moderate, long-term holders continue to accumulate, and institutional capital flows persist. These factors suggest that the market is still in a consolidative phase, rather than signaling a reversal. Should retail participation return and on-chain activity broaden, Bitcoin could see renewed upside supported by both foundational demand and speculative inflows. Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView

Tornado Cash co-creator Roman Storm, facing 45 years behind bars, could move for a mistrial after claiming that a scam victim’s testimony wasn’t connected to the crypto mixer.

Last week bitcoin didn’t just tiptoe past its former highs, it obliterated them, surging to an unprecedented $118,000 and triggering over $1 billion in short liquidations. With psychological resistance cleared and strong hands in control, the path to $250K may be wide open. This editorial is from last week’s edition of the Week in Review […]

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Wyoming’s Republican Senator has criticized the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank over its role in Operation Choke Point 2.0, and now she’s calling for the Fed Chairman to step down. Lummis Ramps Up Pressure, Calls for Powell’s Resignation Fed Chair Jerome Powell has had a rough year. He has been taunted by the president, accused of […]

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Ethereum’s derivatives market has erupted in the past seven days, and the trading desk at Singapore-based QCP Capital argues it is the clearest evidence yet that a long-anticipated altcoin season is finally under way. In a note to clients on Monday, the firm says total perpetual open interest (OI) in ether futures has vaulted from “under $18 billion to more than $28 billion in just a week,” a jump large enough to drag the composite “altcoin-season index” above the critical 50-point threshold for the first time since December. Altcoin Season Ignites As Ethereum Outpaces BTC While it’s no surprise that retail may be chasing the momentum, it’s becoming increasingly clear that institutions are leading the charge this cycle, driven by a shift in narratives and structural developments,” QCP writes, pointing to the unusually large sizing of recent block trades on CME and Binance. Related Reading: Ethereum Set To Hit $10,000, Elliott Wave Analysis Predicts QCP singles out last Friday’s signing of the GENIUS Act as the pivotal spark behind the rotation. The law creates a comprehensive federal regime for dollar-backed stablecoins, forcing issuers to hold 100 percent short-term Treasury or cash reserves and submit to Bank Secrecy Act oversight. The White House cast the statute as “historic legislation that will pave the way for the United States to lead the global digital-currency revolution.” With regulatory clarity finally in hand, corporate treasuries “are racing to build their stockpile,” QCP says, treating ether and other smart-contract platforms—Solana, XRP Ledger and Cardano among them—as the infrastructure layer that will benefit most from an explosion in stablecoin issuance. The desk compares the emerging strategy to the hard-money playbook adopted by publicly listed bitcoin bellwethers such as MicroStrategy and Japan’s Metaplanet. The note argues that the policy tailwind is already reshaping capital flows. Spot ether ETFs attracted $602 million on July 17, out-pulling bitcoin ETFs’ $522 million and marking the first daily flow victory for ETH in the eighteen-month history of US crypto ETPs. BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust recorded the single largest subscription and, according to QCP, is “broadcasting confidence” that its pending amendment to allow on-chain staking will secure SEC approval later this year. Industry analysts concur: the agency is widely expected to rule on the batch of staking amendments before year-end despite BlackRock’s late filing. Related Reading: Tom Lee Predicts $30,000 Per Ethereum As Treasury Frenzy Begins Derivatives positioning mirrors the spot-market exuberance. QCP highlights “aggressive” demand for out-of-the-money call spreads such as the ETH-26 Sep 25 $3,400/3,800 and ETH-26 Dec 25 $3,500/4,500 structures, along with a persistent bid for call-side risk reversals across all listed tenors. Implied volatility skews now favour calls by their widest margin since the April 2024 meme-coin frenzy, signalling traders’ willingness to pay up for upside exposure through the fourth quarter—precisely the window in which ETF staking approval could drop. The Ether surge has already carved four percentage points out of bitcoin’s market-share lead, driving BTC dominance down to 60 percent while lifting ETH’s share from 9.7 percent to 11.6 percent, QCP notes. If that trend holds—and the firm stresses that sustained follow-through in the options market is a key litmus test—“the next leg of altcoin season may already be in motion.” For now, QCP is monitoring three metrics: perpetual OI growth, the altcoin-season index, and relative ETF flows. A decisive break of bitcoin above $121,000 could delay rotation, the desk concedes, but the structural forces unleashed by the GENIUS Act and the prospect of yield-bearing ether ETFs give institutions a tangible reason to diversify. As QCP puts it, “we’ll be watching these signals closely—and if anything else confirms the thesis, you’ll be the first to know.” At press time, ETH traded at $3,846. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

High-profile trader Dave Portnoy recently revealed that he sold his XRP holdings at $2.40 just two weeks before the asset reached a new all-time high of $3.66. The Circle Factor Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, recently said he sold his XRP holdings at $2.40 two weeks before the digital asset hit a new […]