Author: James Wilson

The stablecoin market has lost about $10 billion since reaching a record high in May 2026. Total supply fell by $7.7 billion during June to about $312 billion, marking the largest monthly decline in dollar terms since the TerraUSD collapse in May 2022. The decrease equaled roughly 2.4% for June and about 3% from the May peak.  Summary Stablecoin supply lost $10 billion since May as USDT and USDC redemptions reduced crypto liquidity. June recorded the largest monthly dollar decline since Terra, but the market contracted only 3%. Transaction volumes remained strong while tokenized assets expanded, showing blockchain finance activity…

Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority Chairman Bilal bin Saqib has called for continued discussion on digital assets under Islamic law. His statement followed a meeting with scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani on July 11. Saqib said both sides shared one aim: protecting Pakistanis from fraud, exploitation, and financial harm. Summary Pakistan’s crypto chief seeks technical and Shariah reviews instead of one broad digital asset ruling. Mufti Taqi Usmani’s ruling rejects crypto purchases because tokens allegedly lack recognised Shariah wealth status. Pakistan continues licensing crypto firms while religious concerns add another layer to its regulatory rollout. In his public statement, Saqib said…

Thailand’s central bank plans stricter checks on large cash deposits and high-value stablecoin transactions as part of a campaign against hidden capital flows. The Bank of Thailand will require customers depositing 5 million baht, about $150,000, or more in cash to explain and document where the money came from. Officials expect the rules to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Summary Thailand will require source checks for cash deposits worth five million baht or more nationwide. Regulators are reviewing large USDT trades for hidden ownership and bypassed domestic remittance channels now. Existing withdrawal checks cut high-value cash activity, prompting…

Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad has rejected claims that the CLARITY Act would weaken U.S. national security. In a July 11 post on X, he said unclear crypto rules give bad actors room to operate outside firm regulatory boundaries. Shirzad argued that the bill would move more digital asset activity into a federal compliance system rather than leave it under fragmented oversight. Summary Shirzad says CLARITY Act applies bank-style AML rules and gives Treasury stronger enforcement tools nationwide. Warren warns current language could preserve crypto loopholes that foreign actors use for sanctions evasion. Senate negotiators target a merged draft…

Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor described Bitcoin as an “emergent network” shaped by three groups. In a post on X, he said wallets carry weight through the satoshis they hold. Nodes gain weight through the commerce they serve, while miners gain weight through the hashrate they provide. He added that capital, consensus, and security remain in “dynamic equilibrium.” Bitcoin is an emergent network of wallets weighted by satoshis, nodes weighted by commerce, and miners weighted by hashrate, with capital, consensus, and security held in dynamic equilibrium. $BTC— Michael Saylor (@saylor) July 12, 2026 Summary Saylor says Bitcoin balances holder capital,…

EDX Markets closed a $76 million Series C funding round led by Japan’s SBI Holdings. The Chicago-based company announced the deal on July 7, 2026. EDX said it will use the capital to expand trading, clearing, and settlement services. It also plans to speed up product development and grow its operations outside the United States. Summary SBI led EDX Markets’ $76 million round to expand institutional crypto trading and clearing worldwide. EDX will fund product growth, global expansion, settlement services, and its planned national trust bank. Ripple Prime integration gives institutions unified access to EDX spot markets and perpetual futures…

Bitcoin closed the worst half-year in its recent history near $60,000, down from $93,000 in January and fresh off a 21-month low, and almost none of the damage came from crypto itself. The Federal Reserve and record ETF outflows did it, and the same two forces meet again at the July 28-29 policy meeting that will likely decide whether the bottom is in or another leg waits below. These are the levels, the scenarios, and the honest case on both sides. Summary Bitcoin enters July near $60,000, with the July 28–29 Fed meeting expected to determine whether the recent sell-off…

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has launched a supervisory review of MiCA-authorized crypto custodians, moving its focus from licensing to testing how firms handle operational risks in practice. Summary ESMA has launched a review of MiCA-authorized crypto custodians’ operational resilience. Regulators will examine custody controls, key management, incident response and third-party risks. The review comes as the EU prepares to revisit parts of MiCA following the U.S. GENIUS Act. According to the European Securities and Markets Authority, the regulator has started a Common Supervisory Action (CSA) covering a sample of authorized crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) under the European…

Vitalik Buterin has called on Elon Musk to reshape X into a platform where ordinary users can help coordinate global AI governance instead of leaving key decisions to governments and large institutions. Summary Vitalik Buterin urged Elon Musk to turn X into a platform for global AI governance coordination. Buterin proposed predefined AI slowdown triggers while backing open participation over centralized control. The proposal comes as SpaceXAI prepares Grok 4.5 and OpenAI readies GPT-5.6 for release. According to a July 11 thread published by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin on X, the social media platform could become a place where people…

Empery has sold 1,400 Bitcoin for about $87.1 million since May, using the proceeds to reduce debt, fund acquisitions, cover legal costs, and strengthen its cash position while scaling back part of its Bitcoin treasury. Summary Empery sold 1,400 BTC for $87.1 million to reduce debt and fund operations. The company now holds 1,514 BTC and about $73.9 million in cash. Capital B and Nakamoto are pursuing different Bitcoin treasury strategies through financing and refinancing. Bitcoin sales have strengthened Empery’s balance sheet According to Empery, the Nasdaq-listed company sold the 1,400 BTC between May 7 and July 10 at an…