Big week for crypto and a big one for regulation!
The U.S is making fast decisions, Ripple vs SEC is back to make headlines, and fresh momentum built around some of the industry’s biggest tokens.
There’s policy, price action, and just enough controversy to keep things interesting.
If you missed anything, don’t worry – I’ve put the key updates in one place.
Let’s dive in.
It’s official: the U.S. just passed its first real stablecoin law.
The GENIUS Act, a long-awaited bill to regulate dollar-backed stablecoins, was signed into law by President Trump after clearing the House with bipartisan support (308-122). The new rules require stablecoins to be backed by liquid assets like U.S. dollars and short-term Treasuries, with monthly public reserve disclosures.
Trump called it “a giant step to cement the American dominance of global finance and crypto technology.”
It’s the clearest signal yet that stablecoins are going mainstream; now with rules to match.
Donald Trump is preparing to open up America’s $9 trillion retirement savings market to crypto, gold, and private equity. A new executive order, expected this week, would push regulators to clear the way for 401(k) plans to include alternative investments, not just stocks and bonds.
The White House says Trump is focused on “restoring prosperity for everyday Americans.”
It’s also a major win for crypto, coming after Trump backed multiple digital asset bills and rolled back restrictions on crypto in retirement accounts.
Standard Chartered just became the first global bank to offer spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum. The service, rolled out via its UK subsidiary, is aimed squarely at institutions. Clients can now trade BTC and ETH on the same system they already use for currencies.
This is part of a much bigger strategy that’s been years in the making, from Zodia Custody to Libeara. As CEO Bill Winters put it: “Digital assets are a fundamental part of the evolution of financial services.”
June’s inflation data came out this week.
Consumer prices in the U.S. rose 0.3% from May, pushing the annual inflation rate to 2.7%, the highest since February. Core inflation (excluding food and energy) held steady at 2.9% year-over-year, in line with forecasts.
That might sound mild, but it’s enough to keep the Fed cautious. Some categories, like household goods and electronics, saw sharp price jumps, likely reflecting new tariffs.
The takeaway is that rate cuts are still likely, but probably not before September. Bitcoin reacted with a quick drop but steadied itself.
A viral tweet from anonymous user @TOOFAANARMY is raising eyebrows: over ₹1,500 crore worth of XRP was moved from a WazirX-linked wallet just before the platform’s ₹2,000 crore hack.
WazirX CEO Nischal Shetty tells Coinpedia it was routine user activity and cold wallet consolidation, not unusual. “We don’t have an account with Binance,” he added, pushing back on claims of direct transfers.
The wallet was public on their Proof of Reserves page. For now, the claim remains unverified.
The crypto investment firm has filed a confidential draft registration with the U.S. SEC, signaling plans for an IPO. For now, details like the number of shares and pricing are still undecided. The move won’t go forward until the SEC review is complete and market conditions are right.
By choosing a confidential filing, Grayscale keeps its early plans private while testing investor interest behind the scenes. If the IPO goes ahead, it could help the company reach more investors and grow its role in traditional finance.
Crypto had a massive day on Friday!
The total market cap inched close to $4 trillion, driven by sharp gains in Ethereum and XRP after the U.S. House passed three major crypto bills. Bitcoin crossed $120,000 again, but ETH jumped 8% to hit $3,600, and XRP soared 20% to a new yearly high of $3.64.
Binance’s CoinMarketCap puts total market cap at $3.8T, while TradingView shows $3.9T – higher than the last peak in December.
As LVRG’s Nick Ruck put it, “We’re optimistic… as institutions race to advance integration with the crypto industry.”
Ripple has paid the full $125 million SEC penalty and it was all in cash, not XRP. That clears up recent rumours about a crypto payout.
Former SEC lawyer Marc Fagel confirmed the court required a cash-only settlement. But the lawsuit isn’t over yet. Both Ripple and the SEC still need to withdraw their appeals before the case officially closes. Until then, the money stays locked in escrow.
Meanwhile, XRP has jumped 29% this week and is trading above $3.15, showing strong momentum.
Bitcoin finally stole the crown! With a $123,000 price peak this week and a 30% year-to-date surge, BTC overtook gold to become 2025’s best-performing asset.
But behind the breakout is a far deeper signal.
As Charlie Bilello put it, “We’ve never seen these two in the number one and number two spots.” When Bitcoin and gold lead together, it might seem optimistic but it’s warning signs.
People are scared and running to shelter. Something to think about…
Crypto crime is getting harder to stop and bigger in size.
A new report from Elliptic shows criminals moved over $21.8 billion through DEXs, cross-chain bridges, and swap tools this year – three times more than in 2023. Around $2.5 billion is linked to North Korean hackers, with another $300 million tied to Iranian services under U.S. sanctions. One in three investigations now involve more than three blockchains.
As scams and laundering move across networks, Elliptic says full-chain visibility is the only way to keep up.
Here’s a few quick hits you shouldn’t miss!
Citi Joins the Stablecoin Race: Jane Fraser confirms the bank is exploring its own digital token, with crypto custody and tokenized deposits also on the table amid new support from Trump’s Genius Act and relaxed Fed rules.
PUMP Token Raises $600M in 12 Minutes: Solana-based platform Pump.fun launched its memecoin with explosive demand, triggering high-volume trading and speculation across spot and derivatives markets as traders scramble for exposure during the token’s distribution phase.
Trump Denies Plan to Fire Fed Chair Powell: Despite reports of a draft termination letter, Trump says he’s “highly unlikely” to remove Jerome Powell, unless it’s over fraud, but criticism of rate policies continues to mount.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin Holdings Top $760M: Despite past criticism, the country’s BTC stash has tripled in 2025, with over 6,200 coins now worth more than $760 million as Bitcoin pushes new all-time highs.
DOJ Ends Polymarket Probe in Win for Crypto Bets: The betting platform is no longer under investigation by U.S. regulators, after months of scrutiny following the 2024 election and an FBI raid on CEO Shayne Coplan’s home.
Major shifts to expect ahead
That’s all for now but the next shake-up is never far in crypto. Catch you next week!
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