Author: James Wilson

The Senate shelved crypto’s market-structure bill for Russia sanctions and a nominations package. September lands weeks from a midterm election. Summary The Senate set the CLARITY Act aside this week to process a nominations package and a Russia sanctions bill, with Majority Leader John Thune declining to schedule floor action before the recess that begins August 8. Prediction markets repriced immediately, with passage odds falling to roughly 34%, down from above 80% in February, and Galaxy’s head of research describing the calendar as no longer an obstacle but the enemy. September offers about three weeks of floor time before members…

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only. Play-to-earn gaming is evolving beyond crypto rewards as developers prioritize sustainable economies, stronger gameplay, and long-term player retention. Summary Play-to-earn games are shifting toward gameplay-first models as developers focus on long-term sustainability over rewards. P2E gaming evolves beyond token rewards, with titles like RollerCoin emphasizing gameplay and player retention. Blockchain games are adopting traditional gaming mechanics to improve player engagement and long-term sustainability. The play-to-earn (P2E) genre of games has witnessed a lot of popularity since the 2021–2022 crypto…

The U.S. Senate confirmed former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence on July 28 in a 51-47 party-line vote.  Summary 51 senators confirmed Jay Clayton as intelligence director, while 47 opposed his nomination Tuesday evening. Clayton chaired the SEC when the agency filed its 2020 enforcement action against Ripple Labs. Ripple and the SEC dismissed their appeals in 2025, leaving the $125 million judgment intact. The appointment brings the official who led the SEC when it sued Ripple Labs in 2020 into a role coordinating the country’s 18 intelligence agencies. Clayton will replace acting…

Gate US joined BitGo’s Go Network Off-Exchange Settlement service on July 28, giving eligible institutional clients access to the exchange’s U.S. liquidity while their assets remain in custody at BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association. Summary Gate US clients can trade while assets remain segregated inside BitGo Bank and Trust custody. Ten named venues now appear on BitGo’s OES list after Gate US joins the network. BitGo Bank operates under an OCC national trust charter completed and effective in December 2025. The integration extends a broader partnership announced five days earlier. Gate US said BitGo would provide institutional custody, wallet…

Regulated Layer One, or RL1, began operations on July 28 as a Luxembourg-based European Cooperative Society owned by 10 financial institutions.  Summary Ten institutions launched RL1 as a Luxembourg cooperative for regulated tokenized markets and digital money. SWIAT’s production network processed more than 50 transactions worth over €700 million before RL1’s launch. NatWest is expected to join shortly, while KfW and L-Bank continue supporting network expansion efforts. The founding group includes ABN AMRO, Cecabank, Chartered Investment, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, DekaBank, DZ BANK, LBBW, Natixis CIB, SC Ventures and Seturion. Former SWIAT managing director Henning Vollbehr will lead the cooperative.…

ARK Invest’s director of digital assets research, Lorenzo Valente, said on July 28 that crypto is entering its deepest consolidation phase, with revenue and investment flowing toward fewer businesses.  Summary Hyperliquid and Pump.fun generate 67% of application revenue, according to ARK researcher Lorenzo Valente’s analysis. ARK’s Q1 report recorded application revenue falling 23% quarter-over-quarter to approximately $485 million across protocols. Storj’s Chapter 11 filing and BitMEX’s shutdown provide recent evidence of accelerating industry consolidation pressures. He said Hyperliquid and Pump.fun account for 67% of application revenue and that adding Ethena lifts the top-three share to almost 80%. Valente expects more…

Open interest in perpetual contracts tied to stocks, metals and oil has doubled since late May as major crypto exchanges expand beyond digital assets, CryptoQuant reported. Summary TradFi perpetual open interest has more than doubled to over $2 billion since late May. Binance, Bybit and Gate control about 70% of the emerging derivatives segment. Crypto perpetual open interest stands near $65 billion, around 20% below its previous peaks. TradFi perpetual open interest climbs above $2B TradFi perpetual contracts have become one of the fastest-growing areas of the crypto exchange market, according to CryptoQuant’s report. The products give traders continuous exposure…

Regional mediators are reportedly close to a proposal that could restart the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, although Tehran continues to deny seeking renewed talks with Washington. Summary Pakistan, Egypt and Qatar are reportedly pushing a plan to revive the US-Iran MoU. Iran and Oman have reportedly accepted a proposal addressing disputes over the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran denies requesting negotiations and wants greater control over shipping routes through the strait. Brent crude fell 4.8% to $84.09 as markets responded to reduced hostilities. Mediators push US-Iran MoU revival Pakistan, Egypt and Qatar have stepped up efforts to revive the US-Iran framework…

Florida Rep. Mike Haridopolos has renewed his push for the CLARITY Act as Senate delays narrow the bill’s path to passage before the August recess. Summary Haridopolos warned that continued delays could push US crypto businesses and investment overseas. Senate leaders prioritized 74 federal nominees and a Russia sanctions bill over the CLARITY Act. The bill needs at least eight Democratic votes to overcome the Senate’s procedural threshold. Haridopolos warns US crypto leadership is at risk Haridopolos, a Republican member of the House Financial Services Committee, defended the CLARITY Act during a July 28 appearance on Fox Business’ Mornings with…

Michael Saylor has warned that changes to Bitcoin’s consensus rules pose a greater long-term threat than rival cryptocurrencies, governments, or external competition. Summary Saylor called internal rule changes Bitcoin’s “gravest threat” after the asset gained broad market recognition. He argued that consensus rules protect property rights, scarcity, settlement, and limits on power. Saylor said proposals such as BIP-110 could weaken block-space scarcity and miners’ fee revenue. Strategy recently joined eight companies pledging $15 million toward Bitcoin security research. Saylor warns against capturing Bitcoin consensus Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor issued the warning in a series of X posts on Tuesday,…