RWA Overtakes DeFi as Top Web3 Founder Sector in 2026, Report Shows
Real-world assets and tokenization have become the leading sector for Web3 founders, surpassing decentralized finance according to a Proof of Talk report. The findings come from over 200 startup applications to Proof of Pitch 2026 and a survey of 13 active Web3 venture firms.
ECB’s Philip Lane puts tokenization and AI at the center of central banking’s future
ECB official Philip Lane identified tokenization and artificial intelligence as central to the future of central banking and financial systems. These technologies could influence global trade and monetary policy dynamics.
Binance to Limit Crypto Services for EU Users After Withdrawing MiCA License Bid in Greece
Binance will restrict cryptocurrency services for EU users starting July 1, 2026, after withdrawing its bid for authorization under the EU's Markets in Crypto Assets regulation in Greece. The exchange cited regulatory challenges and the need to focus resources on existing licensed operations.
JPMorgan's Kinexys Blockchain Hits $4 Trillion, Adds Five APAC Currencies
JPMorgan's Kinexys blockchain payments platform processed over $4 trillion in transactions and expanded to eight total currencies. The platform added five Asia-Pacific currencies including Australian dollar, Hong Kong dollar, Japanese yen, Chinese renminbi, and Singapore dollar for institutional clients.
JPMorgan Backs U.S. Crypto Bill, But Puts a Warning Label Front and Center as Senate Eyes August Deadline
JPMorgan supports passing U.S. crypto legislation while warning that insufficient oversight could create shadow-banking risks and threaten financial stability. The Senate is targeting an August deadline for advancing digital asset legislation with robust safeguards.
Fidelity Outlines 5 Factors That Could End the Bitcoin and Crypto Winter
Bitcoin's crypto winter could end through several catalysts including the four-year cycle, clearer regulation, Federal Reserve easing, new use cases, or increased institutional adoption. Fidelity identified these five factors as potential conditions that could reverse the current market downturn if historical patterns repeat.
CFTC Expands Polymarket Probe to Staged Trades and Fake Wins
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is investigating Polymarket for staged trades and fraudulent winning bets, expanding its probe beyond earlier concerns about influencer involvement. The investigation covers multiple forms of market manipulation on the prediction market platform.
DraftKings Launches Proprietary Prediction Markets Exchange With $3.4B Annualized Consumer Volume
DraftKings launched DKeX, a proprietary prediction markets exchange reporting $3.4 billion in annualized consumer volume. The platform enters a competitive market alongside existing exchanges including Kalshi, Polymarket, Meta Arena, and Robinhood.
OKX and Coinbase Race to Sign Up Binance's Displaced EU Users Before MiCA Deadline
OKX and Coinbase are offering deposit bonuses to European users being displaced by Binance's July 1 shutdown under MiCA regulations. OKX provides up to 8% deposit bonuses for EEA users while Coinbase launched transfer bonuses in eight European markets.
BNY Adds USDC to Institutional Custody Platform in Expanded Circle Partnership
BNY Mellon added USDC as the first stablecoin on its Digital Asset Custody platform, allowing institutional clients to store, transfer, mint, and redeem the token. The bank, which holds $59.4 trillion in assets under custody, expanded its partnership with Circle to support Circle's dollar-pegged stablecoin alongside traditional assets.
BlackRock Adds Ethena's Synthetic Dollar to Its $20T Aladdin Risk Management Platform
BlackRock's Aladdin risk management platform now lists Ethena's USDe synthetic dollar as an approved asset for its twenty trillion dollar institutional base. BlackRock's BUIDL fund will serve as primary backing for Ethena's whitelabel stablecoins.
Pump.fun surpasses Polymarket in 24-hour revenue, reclaiming its DeFi crown
Pump.fun generated more revenue than Polymarket in a 24-hour period, reclaiming its position as a leading DeFi platform. The shift highlights how revenue has become a more important metric than total value locked for measuring DeFi platform performance on Solana.
Cronos integrates native USDC and EURC for DeFi and payments
Native USDC and EURC stablecoins have been integrated into the Cronos blockchain for use in decentralized finance and payment applications. The integration includes two stablecoins, USDC and EURC, deployed directly on the Cronos network.
DeFi Development Corp. cuts ties with UK entity, ending first Solana treasury accelerator partnership
DeFi Development Corp. ended its partnership with a UK entity, terminating the first Solana treasury accelerator program. The split allows DFDV to concentrate its operations on the Solana blockchain ecosystem.
Meta restricts engineers’ use of Claude Code and Codex to protect AI training data
Meta has restricted its engineers from using Claude Code and Codex to prevent proprietary code from being incorporated into AI training data. The company is implementing internal controls to protect sensitive information while its engineers develop AI solutions.
Binance invested $500M in Elon Musk’s X to support free speech, CZ confirms
Binance invested $500 million in Elon Musk's X platform, with the investment framed as supporting free speech. The cryptocurrency exchange's move reflects efforts to align crypto ambitions with social media operations while navigating regulatory scrutiny and leadership transitions.
Strategy unveils capital framework to preserve Bitcoin exposure, pay dividends
Strategy announced a capital framework permitting Bitcoin sales to fund dividends, a $2.55 billion reserve, and share buybacks. The framework raises the STRC payout to 12% while preserving Bitcoin exposure through these mechanisms.
BlackRock partners with Ethena to bring USDe to Aladdin platform
Ethena's USDe stablecoin is now supported on BlackRock's Aladdin platform. The integration makes the stablecoin available to institutional users of BlackRock's investment management system.
Bitmine reaches 94% of ETH target as it joins Russell 1000
Bitmine has accumulated 94 percent of its Ethereum target and gained inclusion in the Russell 1000 index. The company's Russell 1000 membership may increase institutional investor participation in Ethereum markets.
Breez launches Bitcoin-to-stablecoin payments across more than 30 blockchains
Breez released an SDK feature enabling developers to route payments from Bitcoin balances directly to recipients receiving USDC and USDT across more than 30 blockchains. Users can send stablecoin payments without holding stablecoins themselves through the Bitcoin-to-stablecoin conversion.
Kalshi and Polymarket could become M&A targets as prediction markets consolidate: Bernstein
Prediction market platforms may become acquisition targets as operational consolidation blurs distinctions between exchanges, brokerages, and sportsbooks. Kalshi and Polymarket are specifically identified as potential M&A targets within this consolidating ecosystem.
Tom Lee blames crypto weakness on quarter-end 'window dressing' as Bitmine adds another $43 million of ETH
Bitmine purchased $43 million of ETH during a period when crypto prices weakened. Tom Lee attributed the weakness to quarter-end "window dressing" as investors reduced positions before the second half of the year began.
Strategy Could Sell Up to $1.25B of Bitcoin Under 'Digital Credit Capital Framework'
Strategy has approved a framework allowing it to potentially sell up to $1.25 billion of its Bitcoin holdings through a digital credit capital mechanism. Chair Michael Saylor described this as part of an "active capital management" approach for the firm.
Strategy (MSTR) Raises STRC Dividend, Authorizes $2B in Buybacks, and Unlocks Further Bitcoin Sales
Strategy raised its STRC dividend to 12% and authorized $2 billion in share buybacks. The company also permitted limited bitcoin sales to fund reserves, dividends, debt obligations, and stock repurchases.
JPMorgan sees limited institutional demand for perpetual futures
JPMorgan found that institutional investors show limited demand for perpetual futures, viewing them primarily as speculative trading instruments rather than hedging tools. The bank concluded these products are not well-suited to the hedging needs that institutional clients typically require.
XRP Ledger Sandwich Attack Risk: Ripple EX CTO Proposes a Fix
A reservation fix has been proposed to address sandwich attack vulnerabilities on the XRP Ledger. The issue was characterized as real but overstated by Ripple's former CTO David Schwartz.
Bitmine Buys Another 27,000 ETH Despite Market Slump, Nears 5% of Ethereum Supply
Bitmine acquired more than 27,000 ETH over the past week despite the current market downturn. The company is now approaching 5% of Ethereum's total supply through its ongoing accumulation strategy.
BNY Mellon integrates USDC as first stablecoin on Digital Asset Custody platform
USDC has been integrated as the first stablecoin on BNY Mellon's Digital Asset Custody platform. This integration allows institutional clients to hold and manage USDC through BNY Mellon's custody infrastructure.
Here’s Why Galaxy Just Slashed Clarity Act Odds In Half
Galaxy Digital reduced estimated CLARITY Act passage odds from an implied higher percentage to 50% on June 26. The reduction was attributed to a shrinking Senate calendar and increased competition for floor time before the August recess.
Strategy raises STRC dividend to 12%, locks in $3B reserve plan to cover preferred stock obligations
Strategy increased its STRC dividend to 12% and established a $3 billion reserve plan to cover preferred stock obligations. The reserve plan locks in funds specifically designated for managing preferred stock obligations.