US, China Meet in London for Trade Talks
The US and China have launched a new round of negotiations in London in an effort to end their trade war. Issues such as rare earth elements and access to chip technologies are on the agenda in the talks, which include US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. A temporary agreement was previously reached in Switzerland and tariffs were reduced, but the sides subsequently accused each other of violating their commitments.
Washington argues that China is slowing down rare earth exports, while Beijing claims that the US is restricting access to chip technologies. In these meetings, which took place after a positive phone call between Trump and Xi, both sides aim to relax critical export controls with a symbolic compromise. Economists warn that rising trade barriers are negatively impacting global growth.
SEC Promises “Innovation Exemption” to DeFi Entrepreneurs
US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins announced that they are working on an “innovation exemption” for DeFi platforms. Speaking at the latest crypto roundtable meeting held on Monday, Atkins stated that developers should not be penalized for their software production.
Atkins told SEC staff that he is directing studies for rule changes or exemptions that will open the way for entrepreneurs who want to develop on-chain financial systems. Drawing attention to the decentralized structure of DeFi, Atkins said, “We should not be afraid of the future.” The SEC’s new approach aims to pave the way for decentralized finance while respecting the freedom of expression of coders.
Ethereum Staking Amount Reaches All-Time High
The amount of Ethereum locked in staking broke a record, reaching 34.65 million ETH. This corresponds to approximately 28.7% of the circulating supply. The increase shows that investors prefer to evaluate their ETH with staking returns rather than selling them. This development increased Ethereum’s confidence on Beacon Chain, while the price exceeded $ 2,700, reaching its highest point in the last 12 days.
On the other hand, the expectation of staking approval in spot Ether ETFs is also moving the market. If the SEC grants approval, it is expected to pave the way for staking in ETFs with the preparations of companies such as REX Shares. At the same time, BlackRock’s continued accumulation of ETH suggests that institutional demand is growing.
Apple, Google, X, and Airbnb Exploring Crypto Integration
Apple, Google, Airbnb, and X (formerly Twitter) are in early-stage talks with crypto firms to integrate stablecoins. The move aims to reduce transaction costs and offer cheaper international payment solutions, Fortune Crypto reported. Other tech giants like Meta and Uber are similarly considering the use of stablecoins.
Institutional interest in stablecoins is growing amid evolving regulation and investor appetite. The total market value of stablecoins reached $250 billion this month, while the monthly volume of Ethereum-based stablecoin transactions alone hit $1.42 trillion. These developments indicate that the technology sector may make radical changes to digital payment systems.
UK Moves to Provide Retail Investors with Crypto ETN Access
The UK’s financial regulator, the FCA, plans to re-allow individual investors to invest in exchange-traded securities (cETNs) based on crypto assets. This move will allow products that were only available to professional investors to now be available to individual investors. The FCA stated that the change was made in order to support economic growth and increase the competitiveness of the UK. Under the new rules, cETNs will only be traded on investment exchanges recognized by the FCA.
This move is part of the FCA’s strategy to expand the regulatory framework it has established for stablecoins and digital assets. This relaxation, which came after the crypto derivatives ban that has been in effect since 2021, was interpreted by industry representatives as “the market has matured.” While the FCA emphasized that its obligations to inform and protect consumers about high-risk products will continue, a clear timetable has not been announced for the date when the regulation will come into effect.
Strategy Purchases Another $110 Million in Bitcoin
Strategy, led by Michael Saylor, expanded its BTC reserve with the purchase of 1,045 Bitcoin. The average unit price in this purchase, which cost approximately $110.2 million, was $105,426. The company, which has returned 17.1% since the beginning of 2025, currently manages approximately $41 billion in assets by holding a total of 582,000 BTC.
This move once again reveals Saylor’s long-term belief in Bitcoin. Saylor, who believes Bitcoin is the best store of value for corporate treasuries, predicts that BTC could reach $1 million if Wall Street sets aside just 10% in reserves.
Metaplanet Makes a Massive $5.4 Billion Bitcoin Move
Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has announced a new $5.4 billion capital raise plan in order to accelerate its Bitcoin accumulation strategy. The company will gradually raise funds by issuing 555 million shares over the next two years and will use this source to increase its Bitcoin purchases. This initiative, dubbed the “555 Million Plan,” will be one of the largest capital raises in Japanese history.
Metaplanet’s goal is to join the elite “Bitcoin 1% Club,” which owns 1% of the Bitcoin supply by accumulating 210,000 BTC by the end of 2027. To this end, the company plans to use different financing instruments such as floating-price warrants, convertible bonds, preferred shares, and ordinary bonds. Metaplanet, which currently owns 8,888 BTC, has demonstrated that it continues its aggressive strategy by reaching its first 10,000 BTC target by 89% in five months.
The Blockchain Group’s $342 Million Bitcoin Purchase Plan
The Blockchain Group, Europe’s first bitcoin treasury company, has launched a new $342.5 million share issuance program. This at-the-market (ATM)-style program, which will be run in partnership with French asset manager TOBAM, aims to support the company’s strategy of increasing the bitcoin ratio per share. The program allows TOBAM to request new shares at the market price at the end of each trading day for six months, and is limited to 21% of daily trading volume.
Last week, the company announced that it purchased 624 BTC for $68.7 million, bringing its total bitcoin holdings to 1,471 BTC. This model is similar to the ATM programs popularized by MicroStrategy in the US; however, it is stated that TOBAM can hold the shares and act as a direct investor. The number of companies currently creating bitcoin treasuries has reached 144, with names such as Metaplanet, Tether-backed Twenty One, Trump Media and GameStop also standing out in this area.
ETF Applications Arrived as Circle Shares Rise
Circle’s strong performance after the IPO has mobilized investment product issuers. ProShares and Bitwise have filed applications for single stock ETFs based on Circle (CRCL) shares. These ETFs will be indexed to the performance of the company behind USDC, the world’s second-largest stablecoin.
ProShares Ultra CRCL is designed as a leveraged ETF that will reflect roughly twice the daily movement of Circle shares. Bitwise’s CRCL Option Income Strategy ETF will operate with a covered call strategy focused on generating dividend income. Both products are expected to go into effect on Aug. 20, 2025. Circle stock surged nearly 200% in minutes after the IPO, from $31 to $115; which gives the company a market cap of around $25 billion.
Ripple’s RLUSD Stablecoin Surpasses $300 Million, Expands to Middle East with UAE Approval
Thanks to regulatory approvals from the US and the UAE, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin increased its circulating supply by 29% to $320.6 million. This growth represents a sixfold growth since RLUSD’s launch. In the same week, transfer volume also increased by 38% to $648.1 million, almost hitting the token’s all-time weekly record.
RLUSD’s rapid growth comes on the heels of Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) approval of the token. Ripple plans to offer RLUSD to 7,000 local companies and integrate it with the digital economy in the UAE. This development gives RLUSD international regulatory legitimacy, placing it in the same league as leading stablecoins like USDT and USDC.
MapleStory Driven Avalanche Reaches 1 Million Daily Transactions Twice
The Avalanche blockchain saw a major increase in transaction volume following the Web3-based launch of the MapleStory N game on May 15. The network processed over 1 million daily transactions on June 1 and June 7, and had its busiest week in a year with a total of 5.8 million transactions the week of June 2. This suggests that MapleStory N is attracting Web3 gamers to the Avalanche network.
The nostalgic value of MapleStory and Nexon’s strong gaming history are driving this interest, with players now able to trade in-game digital collectibles, earn rewards, and share their own content on the blockchain. This development has the potential to create both technical and community momentum for Avalanche.
SUI DEX Cetus Protocol Relaunches After $233 Million Attack
Cetus Protocol, the largest decentralized exchange on the Sui blockchain, has resumed operations following the $233 million oracle attack in May. After the attack, pools experienced serious liquidity losses, but the platform regained liquidity rates between 85% and 99% with a $30 million loan from the Sui Foundation, $162 million recovered through community voting, and its own cash reserves.
Cetus has launched a compensation plan that includes 15% of CETUS tokens to compensate users who suffered losses. Users will be able to claim these tokens starting Tuesday. The first 5% will be opened immediately, while the remaining 10% will be distributed gradually over a year. The platform also stated that any additional funds recovered will be returned directly to the user in the future. Cetus has faced criticism for its response to the attack, but the Sui Foundation has defended it as “coordinated decentralization.”
Visa and Chainlink Successfully Complete CBDC and Stablecoin Swap Between Hong Kong and Australia
Visa and Chainlink have completed a cross-border transaction using a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and stablecoin under the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s (HKMA) e-HKD+ pilot program. The trial allowed an Australian investor to convert his A$DC stablecoin into e-HKD and invest in a tokenized money market fund in Hong Kong. The process was conducted using Chainlink’s CCIP protocol and Visa’s Tokenized Asset Platform, and the transactions were completed almost instantly.
The pilot demonstrated the potential to speed up international investment processes and increase transparency by eliminating intermediaries. It has been successfully tested in areas such as inter-chain compatibility, payment matching with smart contracts (PvP, DvP), identity verification, and compliance with regulatory standards. The project is seen as an important step for the global spread of tokenized financial infrastructure and is expected to contribute to the shaping of future regulatory frameworks.
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BITCOIN (BTC)
On the BTCUSDT side, the price broke the 107.319 level in volume and moved towards the 111.861 resistance, but a small pullback is observed after this region was tested. If persistence is achieved above the 109.500 level, the 111.861 region can be tested again. Otherwise, a short-term correction up to the 107.300 support may be possible. The trend still looks upward in the medium term.
ETHEREUM(ETH)
It is seen that the 2.680 resistance has been exceeded in the ETHUSDT parity and the price is trying to stay above this level. If it is maintained above this area, it will be a positive signal for the continuation of the upward trend. The 2.800 level can be watched as the next strong resistance zone. In case of pullbacks, the 2,600 region can work as support.
RIPPLE(XRP)
In the XRPUSDT parity, the price reacted upwards by finding support in the 2.28 region and is approaching the 2.36 resistance. This level can be watched as a short-term resistance. If 2.36 is exceeded, 2.47 will be the next target. However, the current pricing seems to be stuck in the 2.28 – 2.36 range. Candles thrown out of this band may be decisive in terms of direction.
AVALANCHE(AVAX)
In the AVAXUSDT chart, the price rose with the strength it received from the 20.25 support and reached the 21.80 levels. Maintaining persistence above 21.48 may allow the movement towards the 22.79 resistance to continue in the short term. Above 22.79, 24.35 can be targeted. However, if daily closes come below the 21.48 level, it may be considered that the rise has weakened and a pullback towards the 20.25 level may be observed.
SOLANA(SOL)
In the SOLUSDT parity, the price rose from the 143-150 dollar band, where it had previously received a strong reaction, and reached the 159 levels. Following this rise, a horizontal resistance was encountered around 159.27. For the continuation of the upward movement, it is critical to overcome the 166.26 resistance in the first stage. This level is an important region that has experienced support-resistance transformation in the past. If this level is broken, the 176.27 and 184.94 levels can be targeted respectively. In downward corrections, the $ 150-143 range may work as support again.
