Author: Kelvin Munene

The stablecoin market has lost about $10 billion since its May peak, including a $7.7 billion decline in June. Most of the drop came from USDT and USDC, reducing available crypto market liquidity. Despite the pullback, the decline remains far smaller than the contraction recorded during the 2022 crypto downturn The stablecoin market recorded its steepest monthly dollar decline in four years as digital-asset liquidity weakened. Total market value fell by $7.7 billion in June, marking the largest drop since the Terra-Luna collapse in May 2022. The sector has now lost about $10 billion from its May peak. That equals…

Bitcoin faces renewed market uncertainty as geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran, along with India’s crypto regulation concerns, weigh on sentiment. Meanwhile, returning Bitcoin ETF inflows provide short-term support as traders monitor inflation data and Federal Reserve policy signals. The cryptocurrency market faced fresh pressure this week as Bitcoin struggled to build on its brief move above $64,000. BTC traded near $64,127 on Friday, after touching an intraday low of $62,454, showing that buyers were still defending a key short-term range. The latest move came as traders weighed two major risks. The first was the renewed U.S.-Iran conflict, which…

Ripple has secured full MiCA authorization from Luxembourg’s financial regulator, allowing it to offer regulated crypto services across the European Economic Area. The approval follows the EU’s July 1 transition deadline and places Ripple among a smaller group of crypto firms with full CASP authorization under Europe’s new crypto rulebook Ripple has secured full authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, giving the company a clearer path to offer regulated crypto services across Europe. The blockchain payments company said Luxembourg’s financial regulator granted it a Crypto Asset Service Provider license. The approval completes Ripple’s MiCA compliance process and…

The CLARITY Act missed its July 4 target but remains active as Senate talks continue before the August 7 recess. Ethics rules tied to Trump’s crypto income, developer protections, and limited floor time remain key hurdles. The CLARITY Act missed the July 4 signing goal earlier floated by White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt, but the crypto market structure bill remains active in Congress. Lawmakers now face a tighter timeline before the Senate leaves Washington for its summer recess on August 7. The bill aims to set clearer rules for digital assets by defining when federal oversight falls under the…

X has launched X Money for eligible U.S. users, offering fiat payments, instant transfers, and banking features through Cross River Bank. Although crypto support has not been announced, the bank’s blockchain background has fueled speculation about possible future integration of XRP and stablecoin payments. Social media platform X has officially launched X Money for eligible users in the United States, expanding its financial services as part of Elon Musk’s long-term “everything app” strategy. While the platform currently focuses on traditional fiat payments, the rollout has renewed discussion about whether cryptocurrency payment options could follow in the future. Moreover, the service…

A CoinShares survey found that many European wealth advisors cannot see much of their clients’ cryptocurrency holdings due to restrictive firm policies. The report says MiCA implementation and wider access to regulated crypto investment products could improve digital asset oversight across Europe. European wealth managers are discovering that many clients already own digital assets, yet a large share of those holdings remains outside the advisory relationship. A new CoinShares survey found that internal company policies continue to limit advisors’ ability to discuss or manage cryptocurrency investments. The survey covered 261 wealth management professionals in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the…

A new cryptocurrency scam is targeting users who have forgotten their wallet seed phrases by offering fake recovery software that secretly installs malware. Security researchers warn that these programs steal passwords, personal files, and other sensitive data instead of restoring wallet access. Cryptocurrency users trying to recover lost wallet access are facing a new online threat. Security researchers have identified a scam that disguises malware as free wallet recovery software, targeting people who have forgotten the seed phrase needed to unlock their digital assets. Meanwhile, researchers say the campaign takes advantage of users who are under pressure to regain access…

Ripple has launched its RLUSD stablecoin in Japan through SBI VC Trade after receiving regulatory approval. The rollout gives retail and institutional users access to a dollar-backed token designed for payments, tokenization, and collateral management. Ripple has launched its US dollar-backed RLUSD stablecoin in Japan through SBI VC Trade. The rollout followed approval from Japan’s Financial Services Agency and gives institutional and retail users access through the VCTRADE platform. The launch expands Ripple’s presence in one of Asia’s most regulated digital asset markets. It also places RLUSD within Japan’s updated payment rules, which allow approved foreign stablecoins to operate as…

Secret Network’s Axelar-linked bridge lost $4.67 million after an attacker exploited a minting flaw to create unbacked wrapped tokens. The breach lasted seven days before detection, while Secret Network and Axelar disputed responsibility for the faulty contract. Secret Network’s Axelar-linked bridge has been suspended after an attacker drained about $4.67 million from a contract that handled wrapped assets. The attack began on June 10, 2026, and stayed undetected until June 17, when a cross-chain transfer failed due to an empty escrow account. Secret Network and Axelar disclosed the incident on June 19. Both teams said the breach affected a contract…

The EU will enforce stricter crypto AML rules from July 10, 2027, banning privacy coins and anonymous accounts on regulated platforms. Transactions of €1,000 or more will require customer checks, while self-hosted wallet transfers remain outside direct KYC rules. The European Union will introduce stricter anti-money laundering rules for cryptocurrency platforms from July 10, 2027. Exchanges, custodians and other regulated crypto firms will face new customer checks and limits on anonymity-focused services. Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 establishes a single set of AML standards for all member states. It also introduces new controls for cash payments, company ownership records and several industries…