The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has directed unauthorized crypto asset service providers to stop accepting new EU clients and begin exiting the market before MiCA’s transitional framework expires.

Web3 security firm Certik has signed a memorandum of understanding to become an institutional masternode validator for the XDC Network.

Asset manager Bitwise deposited 1.775 million HYPE worth about $114 million into Hyperliquid and subsequently staked the same tokens. The move expands a position the firm has been building since launching a spot Hyperliquid fund in May.

Framework Ventures has raised $400 million for its fourth fund, an oversubscribed vehicle the crypto-focused firm plans to deploy beyond digital assets into artificial intelligence, robotics, and energy. The cofounders are betting that “frontier technology,” not crypto alone, will define the next investment cycle.

China could gain influence over digital-asset standards if Congress fails to pass the CLARITY Act. A strategist has warned that U.S. hesitation could affect financial infrastructure, dollar dominance, and global rulemaking.

Grayscale sees two clear paths out of the bear market, giving investors a sharper playbook instead of dwelling on past losses. The next moves will decide whether bitcoin is bottoming or heading lower, making this a pivotal moment for long-term positioning.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said he remains bullish on bitcoin while distancing that view from Strategy’s approach, adding that Michael Saylor and Strategy were not focused on the right priorities and that this has hurt the overall market.

Robert Kiyosaki says gold may be entering a bull run after he bought and saw prices jump. He pointed to Jim Rickards’ bold forecast and warned that debt, inflation, and a weakening dollar could keep driving investors toward gold.

Grayscale said bitcoin could face more pressure if the CLARITY Act stalls, as Senate delays and tighter rate expectations weigh on crypto sentiment.

According to onchain data, the publicly listed firm Sharplink Gaming received roughly 5,000 ether this week, marking its first such inflow since last year. Onchain analysts at Lookonchain flagged the transaction, noting that Sharplink holds 876,285 ETH on its balance sheet.

A Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP-110) pushing to ban Ordinals-style data inscriptions at the consensus level is barreling toward an activation window in early August, with less than 1% of mining hashrate behind it, raising legitimate concerns about a persistent chain split.

The European Union has issued around 230 licenses under its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation as a hard July 1 deadline approaches, with Germany leading the bloc on 56 authorizations. Spain’s securities regulator has ruled out any extension, leaving non-compliant exchanges facing restrictions across the EU.

Bitcoin’s difficulty climbed sharply this week, rising 7.15% and notching the second-largest upward adjustment of the year. Although the network has recorded six increases in 2026, downward adjustments have remained the prevailing theme.

Strategy leaders reinforced the company’s bitcoin treasury strategy as volatility pressured the company’s securities. Michael Saylor emphasized discipline and credit quality, while Phong Le said the firm accumulated 4% of the world’s “apex digital asset” for periods of market stress.

The exchange will deliver these funds by distributing $20 USDT vouchers to users in the areas affected by the recent earthquakes. Binance is also eliminating P2P transaction fees for Venezuelan bolivars until July 2, and waiving Binance Pay fees.