Solana Staking ETF, First in the US, Opens for Trading
The REX-Osprey Solana + Staking ETF (SSK), developed in collaboration with REX Shares and Osprey Funds, has become the first crypto staking ETF to start trading in the US. The fund, which started trading at $ 25.47 on the Cboe exchange, offers investors both exposure to the Solana (SOL) price and the opportunity to earn staking returns on the Solana network. The fund’s custody and staking services will be provided by Anchorage Digital, the only federally regulated institution.
Unlike classic Bitcoin and Ethereum spot funds, this ETF is regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and therefore assets must be held at an authorized custodian rather than directly with the fund issuer. Integrating the complex structure of staking, which requires technical knowledge, into traditional investment vehicles, this structure aims to bring crypto income models to a wider audience of investors. The launch of SSK is considered a harbinger of a new era in which crypto ETFs offer more functional solutions beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Ripple Applies for US Bank License
Crypto payments company Ripple announced that it has applied to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national bank license. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed the news via X, stating that if the license is approved, Ripple will be subject to both the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) and federal supervision, which will set a new standard of trust in the stablecoin industry.
This move comes just two days after Circle filed a similar application. Stablecoin issuers are turning to bank licenses in preparation for regulations due to the GENIUS Act, which recently passed the Senate. Ripple has already launched a dollar-pegged stablecoin called RLUSD and, if the license is approved, will be able to open an account with the Fed and hold reserves for the asset directly at the central bank. The developments herald Ripple’s plans to further integrate with the financial system.
Traditional Finance Takes Action Against Tokenized Stocks
The U.S.-based Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) said it was “gravely concerned” about some crypto companies seeking special exemptions from the SEC to offer tokenized stocks. The sector has been stirred by tensions over firms such as Coinbase and Kraken seeking to launch tokenized stocks through no-action or exemption applications. SIFMA demands that instead of such privileged approaches, a transparent process be carried out by obtaining public opinion.
The letter written to the SEC’s Crypto Task Force, established under the leadership of Hester Peirce, emphasized that these demands pose serious questions in terms of investor protection, regulatory oversight and market structure. On the other hand, the SEC is working on a “general listing standard” to speed up ETF applications covering cryptocurrencies such as XRP, SOL and DOGE. This standard could significantly speed up ETF approval processes by bypassing the classic 19b-4 process. All these developments make the question of how to integrate tokenized financial products with traditional structures even more pressing.
ECB Launches Blockchain-Based Euro Swap Pilot in 2026
The European Central Bank (ECB) announced that it will launch the “Pontes” initiative, which aims to integrate the euro zone’s payment systems with blockchain, into the pilot phase by the end of 2026. The new system will allow platforms using distributed ledger technology (DLT) to work in conjunction with the ECB’s TARGET payments infrastructure. The pilot, which will be developed with data from more than 50 experiments and trials with 64 participants in 2024, aims to securely and efficiently exchange central bank money for tokenized assets.
The long-term phase of the two-stage plan, called “Appia,” will aim to further integrate Europe’s financial infrastructure at a global level. The ECB also plans to establish dedicated market communication groups for both Pontes and Appia to gather feedback from industry representatives. The statement emphasized that these initiatives are progressing in line with the ECB’s commitment to supporting innovation without compromising financial security. DLT’s potential to reduce fragmentation and transaction complexity in capital markets was among the key findings of the ECB’s latest report.
Trump Family’s Bitcoin Mining Company Moves Forward to IPO
American Bitcoin Corp, backed by the Donald Trump family, has filed an updated S-4 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to merge with Gryphon Digital Mining. The new public company that will emerge from the merger is set to trade on Nasdaq in the third quarter of 2025 under the ticker symbol “American Bitcoin.”
The new company will be majority-owned by American Bitcoin Corp, which was founded by energy company Hut 8. Gryphon shareholders will receive just a 2% stake. Eric Trump will serve as the company’s chief strategy officer, while Matt Prusak will serve as CEO. The company aims to accumulate Bitcoin with a light asset model and low operational costs. This development stands out as the latest example of the increasing consolidation wave in the Bitcoin mining sector in the US after the halving.
SharpLink Makes $2 Million New ETH Investment
SharpLink Gaming has reinforced its confidence in Ethereum by investing $2 million worth of ETH into the liquid staking protocol lsETH. The company’s total Ethereum holdings have thus reached 165,000 ETH, equivalent to approximately $458 million. This aggressive staking strategy has been met with positive response in the market, with the company’s stock rising 28% in 1 day to $11.98.
With lsETH, SharpLink can earn staking rewards without locking up its ETH, which keeps it liquid for DeFi opportunities. Almost all of the company’s crypto treasury is held in lsETH, with only small amounts of ETH, DAI, CROAK, and BNB. According to Chairman Joseph Lubin’s statement, SharpLink could follow an Ethereum plan similar to Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin strategy with these reserves. The shift towards institutional-level liquid staking could reduce the supply of ETH, putting long-term upward pressure on the price.
New Bitcoin Forecast from Standard Chartered: $135K in Q3, $200K by Year-End
Standard Chartered Bank has painted an extremely optimistic picture for the price of Bitcoin for the rest of 2025. According to the bank’s head of digital assets research, Geoff Kendrick, BTC could reach $135K in the third quarter of the year and surpass $200K by the end of 2025, thanks to institutional treasury purchases and strong spot ETF inflows. Kendrick stated that the 18-month decline scenario seen in previous halving cycles will not be valid this time because ETF and institutional purchases disrupted this cycle.
Although price corrections after the halving have historically coincided with September-October, the situation is different this time, according to the bank. New market dynamics have emerged after the halving in April 2024, and these dynamics are affecting the price in a supportive way. On the other hand, Kendrick warned that volatility could increase again, especially at the end of the 3rd quarter and the beginning of the 4th quarter. Finally, he emphasized that a total demand of 245,000 BTC was created with ETF and company purchases in the second quarter alone, and that they expect this figure to be exceeded in the remaining quarters of the year.
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BITCOIN (BTC)
BTC is traded at $ 109,314 as of the morning hours with a 0.44% gain in value. The price is testing the short-term falling trend line with the increasing momentum.
If this level is exceeded, the $ 110,507 resistance will become the first target, while the $ 111,924 level may come to the fore if the upward movement continues. However, if the price stays below the trend line, the $ 107,827 level can be watched as short-term support. Below this level, the $ 105.984 and $ 104.750 zones can be followed as strong supports.
ETHEREUM(ETH)
ETH is priced at $ 2,591 as of the morning hours with a 0.80% gain in value. The price continues its upward movement with the reaction it received from the strong support area in the $ 2,466 band.
If this level is maintained, the $ 2,730 resistance stands out as the first target. If this area is exceeded, the price is likely to head towards the major resistance area in the $ 2,850–2,880 range. In downward movements, the $ 2,466 level is the first support. If it falls below this zone, the $ 2,392 and $ 2,285 levels stand out as important support areas to be followed, respectively.
RIPPLE(XRP)
XRP is priced at $ 2.26 levels with a 1.41% gain as of the morning hours. The price has approached the $ 2.2657 resistance, maintaining its upward momentum in recent days.
If this level is broken upwards, the first target in the continuation of the rise may be $ 2.3378. Above, $ 2.3944 is watched as a strong resistance. In case of pullbacks, the $ 2.2122 and $ 2.1709 levels should be followed as short-term support areas. If it falls below these levels, the $ 2.1304 and $ 2.0865 bands may come to the fore again.
AVALANCHE(AVAX)
AVAX is trading at $ 18.90 levels with a 2.16% increase in value as of the morning hours. The price exhibits a positive outlook by exceeding the $ 18.69 resistance and is moving towards the next important resistance area at $ 19.86.
If the rise towards this area continues, the $ 21.52 and $ 22.59 bands can be monitored as areas where strong selling pressure previously occurred. In pullbacks, the first support is at $ 18.69, below which the $ 17.61 and $ 16.44 levels are support areas that need to be followed carefully.
SOLANA(SOL)
SOL is traded at $ 155.15 levels with a 1.92% gain as of the morning hours. The price has climbed above the 149.10 resistance and approached the upper band at $ 157.75. This level stands out as the critical resistance to be monitored in the short term.
If the upward movement continues, the resistance zone at $ 164.12 may be the next target. In possible pullbacks, the 149.10 and 141.80 levels should be followed as the first support areas. In case of a drop below these levels, the 134.83 and 124.27 dollar bands may work as strong support areas.
