Total cryptocurrency liquidations topped $1 billion in a 24-hour period, driven by bitcoin plunging to a 2026 low of $59,018.

Crypto token memecore plummeted 76% in a single day, dropping from $2.64 to $0.50 before a minor rebound to $0.80. The crash wiped out nearly $3 billion in value, reducing its market cap to $900 million.

Crypto firms serving clients across the European Economic Area face shutdown risk if they fail to secure authorization under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) before enforcement begins. Regulators have ruled out extensions, leaving more than 1,200 previously registered firms with limited time to comply as only a small number have obtained full approval.

Atlas plans to launch USAFi, a regulated permissionless digital security backed by a Nasdaq-listed ETF, under Dubai’s VARA framework in Q3 2026. The project marks economist Nouriel Roubini’s first move into digital assets after years as one of crypto’s most prominent critics.

World has expanded access to Agentkit, a development framework that allows individuals to connect AI agents to a verified World ID.

The Curaçao Gaming Authority has issued its first detailed crypto rulebook for licensed online operators, mandating blockchain analytics, wallet segregation and an immediate ban on mixers – with a phased deadline that runs to mid-2027.

Mastercard wants payments to move beyond plastic by 2030, replacing traditional card numbers with unique transaction tokens and approving purchases with biometrics such as fingerprints and facial recognition. The company says the shift should speed checkout and reduce fraud, but it also raises worries about reliability in all-digital systems and accessibility for less tech-savvy users.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) sued Kentucky in federal court on June 23 to block the state’s crackdown on Kalshi and Polymarket – its ninth such suit since April, and the first against a state with a Republican attorney general.

Federal prosecutors are warning that fake government agents are pressuring victims into crypto ATMs, wire transfers, and cash handoffs. Reported losses reached $917 million, with scammers using spoofed calls, fake badges, and urgent threats to make people believe their money is at risk.

Binance is seeking a new EU licensing path after withdrawing its MiCA licence application in Greece shortly before its current permission expires. The exchange now faces an upcoming authorization deadline as it prepares to apply in another EU member state.

Gold’s recent pullback has strengthened Robert Kiyosaki’s wait-for-confirmation approach, with the investor monitoring technical charts before making new purchases. Peter Schiff, meanwhile, argued that gold’s drop reflects market expectations about interest rates that may not be enough to contain inflation.

Ripple executive Reece Merrick compared crypto payments to the early evolution of online shopping, arguing that crypto payments are moving through a similar infrastructure-building phase that preceded mainstream e-commerce adoption.

Peter Schiff pushed back against claims that bitcoin is undervalued following recent declines, arguing that the asset lacks conventional valuation benchmarks as Strategy-linked securities faced steep losses.

The price of bitcoin is down 40% over the last year and has spent the past week trading between $62,171 and $65,994. In one of our periodic AI prediction experiments, we asked leading artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to scan the market, weigh the pressure points and forecast where bitcoin could be headed next.

Senate lawmakers could release cryptocurrency tax legislation as early as this fall, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said, with the Montana Republican stating that a framework is already in place and broadly aligned with a parallel House effort.