News linked to both this project and an event.
According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) deputy Scott Allen Simpkins (34 years old) was sentenced by a federal court on July 13 to 18 months imprisonment and fined $10,000 for obstructing a judicial investigation. Simpkins was previously employed by a private security company under businessman Adam Iza, who claims to be the "godfather" of cryptocurrency. In August 2021, he witnessed Iza threaten party planner R.C. with bullets at his Bel Air mansion, forcing him to transfer $25,000. During the federal investigation in November 2024, Simpkins lied multiple times to the FBI and federal prosecutors, falsely claiming he did not witness the ammunition and financial transactions, thereby interfering with the criminal investigation into Iza. Iza has currently pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to violate rights, wire fraud, tax evasion, and suspected kidnapping and robbery involving Bitcoin, among others, and is awaiting sentencing. This case was jointly investigated by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
According to Crypto in America, White House Chief Crypto Advisor Patrick Witt will depart for the Georgia Army National Guard to participate in JAG (Judge Advocate General) training starting July 27, and is expected to conclude his work at the White House by next Friday. The timing of this departure is sensitive, coinciding with Senate Republicans accelerating the crypto market structure legislation, the CLARITY Act, striving to complete legislation before Congress's August recess; otherwise, this session of Congress may miss the window for passage. Witt had previously postponed the training originally scheduled to start in April to continue leading the CLARITY Act negotiations, including coordinating core controversies such as stablecoin yields, ethics clauses, and law enforcement agency concerns, but a second postponement is no longer possible. During his absence, Deputy Director Harry Jung will take over related responsibilities. Witt previously also led important policy issues such as the implementation of the strategic Bitcoin reserve and the enactment of the GENIUS Act; whether he will return after the training ends remains unclear.
According to Decrypt, New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte signed HB 639, the "Blockchain Foundation Act," last week, providing comprehensive legal protection for blockchain developers, miners, validators, and crypto users, and allowing for the establishment of a specialized blockchain dispute tribunal within the Superior Court. Keith Ammon, a state representative and the bill's primary sponsor, stated that this move aims to protect the fundamental rights of individuals to control digital assets through self-custody and to provide a clear legal framework for next-generation fintech enterprises, attracting entrepreneurs, investors, and developers to the state. Previously, New Hampshire became the first state in the U.S. to pass a strategic Bitcoin reserve bill in May 2025, allowing the state treasury to invest up to 5% of public funds in Bitcoin and precious metal assets such as gold and silver.
New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte signed HB 639 into law last week. Known as The Blockchain Basic Laws, the bill provides protections for cryptocurrency innovation and usage within the state and allows for the establishment of a special blockchain dispute docket in the superior court. Last year, New Hampshire passed a strategic Bitcoin reserve bill, allowing the state treasurer to invest up to 5% of public funds in Bitcoin, as well as precious metals such as gold and silver. Additionally, the state's Executive Council last week rejected a proposal that would have allowed the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority to promote Bitcoin-backed municipal bonds. (Decrypt)
Odaily Bitcoin has been declining since October last year, with its current price hovering around half of its all-time high of $126,000, indicating the market remains in a deep bear phase. Multiple industry analysts believe the current pressure on Bitcoin stems primarily from three factors: the four-year cycle, macroeconomic inflationary pressures, and market leverage liquidations.Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, stated that Bitcoin's long-standing "four-year cycle" continues to influence investor psychology. Historically, Bitcoin typically undergoes approximately three years of an upward cycle followed by a one-year correction period. Investors have developed cyclical expectations and began reducing some long-term holdings towards the end of 2025.Additionally, the macroeconomic environment is a significant drag on Bitcoin. Zach Pandl, Head of Research at Grayscale, pointed out that rising inflationary pressures in the US have weakened market expectations for interest rate cuts. Investors are shifting towards higher-yielding traditional assets, leading to capital outflows from risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. The short-term bottom is estimated to be around $58,000, with future trends still influenced by interest rate policies, corporate Bitcoin buying behavior, and progress in US crypto regulatory legislation.Excessive market leverage has also exacerbated this correction. As a large number of investors expanded their Bitcoin exposure through borrowing and financing during the bull market, derivatives open interest has declined as the market weakened. Digital asset treasury companies have also come under pressure. Strategy's stock price has fallen approximately 75% since October last year, and its previously promoted model of corporate Bitcoin accumulation is facing renewed market scrutiny.However, some analysts remain optimistic about Bitcoin's prospects. Adrian Fritz, Chief Investment Strategist at 21Shares, predicts that Bitcoin may bottom out this summer, rebound after interest rates shift towards easing and geopolitical conflicts ease, with a year-end price target of $100,000. (Fortune)
According to a report released by CryptoQuant analyst maartunn, Binance's monthly futures trading volume has climbed to $1.6 trillion, the highest level this year. Despite the current Bitcoin price still hovering in the mid-$60,000 range, generally cautious market sentiment, and multiple headwinds such as the European MiCA regulatory adjustment period and the summer trading off-season, momentum in Binance derivatives trading has not subsided, indicating that traders are still actively establishing futures positions.
According to Bitcoin.com, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis launched a nighttime special operation in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Department, seizing multiple luxury vehicles using forged or unregistered license plates, with drivers all claiming to be cryptocurrency and forex "traders". Among them was a Mercedes-AMG GLE valued at over $153,000 (approximately 2.5 million South African rand), which was fraudulently registered as a white BMW. Authorities pointed out that such "financial influencers" are accustomed to flaunting wealth with luxury cars on social media platforms like TikTok, luring victims into investing in fraudulent platforms. A report released in March had previously identified Cape Town and Johannesburg as hubs for organized crypto fraud, where criminal groups employ technologies such as deepfakes and cloned apps to commit fraud, and illicit funds are laundered through crypto wallets and physical assets. To address increasingly complex financial crimes, the mayor has established an independent Metropolitan Police Detective Unit to enforce the law independently, bypassing the under-resourced national police system.
Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad responded on X on July 11 to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren's criticism of the CLARITY Act, stating that the bill would not weaken national security but would instead bring digital asset platforms under stronger regulation. Elizabeth Warren had previously stated on July 8 that the current draft of the CLARITY Act could provide opportunities for evading sanctions. Faryar Shirzad stated that the bill would require crypto platforms to comply with stricter national security standards and allow platforms to freeze suspicious transactions upon request from law enforcement. U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis previously stated that the CLARITY Act includes 16 illicit finance safeguards and warned that the bill may represent the last major opportunity for the U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive digital asset rules before 2030. (Bitcoin.com News).
The Singapore Police Force's Anti-Scam Centre and Cybercrime Department, in a six-week joint anti-scam operation from April 16 to May 31, 2026, collaborated with Coinbase, Coinhako, Gemini, Independent Reserve, OKX, StraitsX, and Upbit. Using blockchain analysis tools from Chainalysis and TRM Labs, they identified potential scam victims and conducted over 145 targeted interventions via phone and in-person visits, preventing potential losses exceeding $4.2 million. Coinbase Singapore stated in a post on X on July 10 that it worked with the Singapore police to prevent over 145 individuals from losing a combined total of more than $4.2 million due to scams. The Singapore Police Force stated that it will continue to work with cryptocurrency exchanges and other private sector entities to combat cybercrime. (Bitcoin.com News).
According to Odaily, Bitcoin is set to undergo two fork events in 2026. Developer Paul Sztorc plans to launch an intentional hard fork called eCash, expected to activate around August 21 at block height 964,000. Another controversial soft fork proposal, BIP-110, has the potential to inadvertently cause a chain split during the August signaling window. A Bitcoin chain split replicates the UTXO set, giving holders 1:1 assets on both ledgers. The usability of a forked coin depends on replay protection, mining difficulty, and market conditions. Self-custodial holders, who control their private keys at the time of the snapshot, can typically sign transactions on either chain; custodial holdings, where private keys are controlled by exchanges at the time of the snapshot, mean users' eligibility for the forked coin depends on the platform's policy. (Bitcoin.com News)
Galaxy 研究主管 Alex Thorn在 X 平台发文披露，围绕“Noah Doe”试图通过法律程序获得中本聪比特币所有权的遗弃比特币案件迎来重大进展，比特币政策研究所（BPI）已正式申请作为被告介入此案并寻求推动法院驳回全部诉讼。据悉，由律师事务所 White & Case 代理的 BPI 此次不仅申请介入案件，还提交了拟答辩文件、15 项积极抗辩理由并计划提出撤诉动议。 Alex Thorn 透露，BPI 称其具备介入资格，因为该机构长期自托管一部分计划无限期持有的比特币储备，而原告所主张的“长期未动用即构成遗弃”的理论，恰恰可能将类似资产纳入未来诉讼范围。如果本案的法律逻辑最终获得法院支持，未来可能成为剥夺长期自托管用户资产所有权的先例，所以这场诉讼不仅关乎中本聪相关资产，也关系到整个比特币自托管生态的法律基础。
Standard Chartered stated that it maintains its Bitcoin price prediction of reaching $100,000 by the end of 2026, believing that the recent market decline triggered by Strategy's (formerly MicroStrategy) related activities is not due to a deterioration in the company's balance sheet, but rather a strategic adjustment that the market has not fully understood.Geoffrey Kendrick, Head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered, noted in a report that Strategy's recent behavior is disrupting short-term market expectations for Bitcoin. The market had previously accepted the company's narrative of "never selling Bitcoin," but now Strategy appears to be shifting towards a more complex capital operation model. How clearly the company can communicate this change will determine when market pressure eases.Currently, Strategy holds 843,775 Bitcoins, representing approximately over 4% of the total 21 million Bitcoin supply. From 2020 to mid-2025, Strategy's mNAV (Market Value of Enterprise / Bitcoin Asset Value) was consistently above 1, allowing the company to raise funds through stock issuances to purchase Bitcoin and achieve shareholder value growth. The commitment to "never selling Bitcoin" was central to this model gaining market acceptance. However, with the current mNAV approaching 1, the leverage effect of this financing model is weakening.Kendrick believes Strategy is transitioning from a "Bitcoin accumulation tool" to a "Bitcoin credit support tool." This involves using its Bitcoin holdings as the credit basis for its perpetual preferred stock, STRC. Currently sized at approximately $10 billion, STRC is the largest financial instrument launched by Strategy, offering an annualized dividend rate of 12%, paid semi-monthly in cash, and is designed to maintain a price near its $100 par value through interest rate adjustment mechanisms.Standard Chartered indicated that STRC is currently trading around $90, while Strategy's dollar reserve for paying dividends stands at approximately $2.55 billion, covering an estimated 17.4 months of dividend expenses.Kendrick stated that Strategy's policy adjustment allowing for Bitcoin sales does not necessarily mean the company will continuously sell. He believes that as long as the market believes the new capital structure arrangement can stabilize the STRC price, Strategy may not actually need to sell Bitcoin. He compared this mechanism to a central bank's commitment to "do whatever it takes": mere restoration of market confidence may mean actual intervention never occurs. (The Block)
10x Research released a report stating that the market generally believes Bitcoin's core value lies in hedging against currency debasement, but this is not its true investment thesis. The report argues that the core constraint facing decentralized currency is not monetary policy, but physical conditions, including energy, heat dissipation, and geographical jurisdictional limitations.The report points out that with the development of space infrastructure, the constraints of heat, electricity, and geographical limitations faced by data centers could be alleviated in orbital environments. The connection between SpaceX, Starlink, and Bitcoin may represent a long-term strategic layout centered around future infrastructure construction.10x Research believes that technologies such as satellites, encryption technology, and artificial intelligence can both promote the decentralization of power and potentially reinforce resource concentration. The world is competing around two sets of infrastructure systems.The report also compares Bitcoin with China's digital yuan, suggesting they represent different paths for digital infrastructure. It also notes that as populations gradually move away from traditional network systems, the business models of companies like Palantir may also be affected.
Odaily News: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging that any version of the "Digital Asset Market Clarity Act" considered by the Senate retain Section 604 to protect non-custodial blockchain developers who do not control user assets. Ron Wyden stated that developers should not be considered money transmitters simply because they create or publish software that allows users to manage their own digital assets. Coin Center Executive Director Peter Van Valkenburgh, the DeFi Education Fund, and Galaxy Digital Head of Research Alex Thorn have expressed support for this stance. Alex Thorn also noted that supporting developer protections does not mean Ron Wyden will endorse the entire CLARITY Act. Ron Wyden further stated that the provision does not protect developers involved in illegal activities and can direct law enforcement resources toward criminals and unlicensed money transmission businesses, rather than neutral software developers. (Bitcoin.com News).
According to The Block, JPMorgan analysts pointed out in their latest report that although Strategy's Bitcoin selling plan has triggered market attention, it is not the core risk facing Bitcoin. The real structural threat lies in the fact that blockchain applications such as tokenization, payments, and settlements are increasingly occurring on permissioned chains (Permissioned Blockchain), rather than on public chains such as Ethereum. If this trend continues, the public chain ecosystem will face issues such as declining liquidity and weakened capital inflows, ultimately dragging down Bitcoin valuations. The analysts also warned that the proliferation of bank-built blockchain infrastructure and tokenized deposits could undermine the position of stablecoins in institutional payments; regulated alternatives such as SWIFT's blockchain plan, the digital euro, and the digital yuan also constitute competitive pressure. However, the analysts also pointed out that if hybrid public-private chain models emerge, stablecoin regulation becomes clearer, or Bitcoin continues to be held as "digital gold", the aforementioned risks may be mitigated.
监管文件显示，MARA Holdings 子公司 Volt Texas 与 HIF USA 签署协议，收购持有德州数据基础设施园区项目的 MAT 1177 LLC 大部分股权，仅保留卖方一部分少数股权。该项目公司拥有与电力公司签署的意向书，计划为园区提供最高 2000 兆瓦电力，用于建设可支持高性能计算与 Bitcoin 挖矿的大型数字基础设施园区。交易对价以里程碑方式分期支付，若所有开发里程碑完成，累计收购金额最高达 6 亿美元，相关土地收购、电力接入和后续数据中心租约执行将触发分期付款义务。
Kraken parent company Payward has asked the Delaware Court of Chancery to enter a final judgment against Mazars USA after an arbitrator ruled in its favor, awarding $22 million in damages. Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi stated that the case involves debanking, regulatory pressure, and the need for clear rules in the U.S. crypto market, and called on Congress to pass the CLARITY Act. (Bitcoin.com News).
a U.S. federal court has refused to pause Tennessee's cryptocurrency ATM ban before its effective date of July 1. Public Chapter 766 remains enforceable while the constitutional lawsuit filed by CoinFlip and Private IT Corporation is ongoing. The law classifies the intentional installation, permitting, placement, or operation of virtual currency kiosks in Tennessee as a Class A misdemeanor. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti stated that cryptocurrency ATMs are tools used by scammers targeting vulnerable Tennessee residents and are rarely used for near-legitimate purposes. CoinFlip operates over 5,500 Bitcoin ATMs across 48 U.S. states and multiple countries. Private IT Corporation, a smaller operator, joined the lawsuit after the Tennessee ban threatened its local business.
Coinbase stated it has obtained UK investment service authorization, allowing it to offer cryptocurrency, stock, and derivative services under the same platform and login system. The authorization was granted by the UK Financial Conduct Authority under the MiFID framework, permitting regulated companies to provide investment services and trade financial instruments, including stocks and derivatives. Coinbase said that advanced traders will be able to access perpetual futures related to cryptocurrencies, stocks, and commodities, while retail investors will be able to trade stocks. Stablecoin payments, savings, lending, cryptocurrencies, derivatives, and stocks will also be available on Coinbase, and tokenized real-world assets are on its roadmap. Coinbase also holds a UK Electronic Money Institution license and a crypto asset service provider registration. (Bitcoin.com News).
According to Protos, the stock price of Bitcoin treasury company Hyperscale Data (NYSE: GPUS) closed below $0.14 on July 7, 2026, representing a drop of nearly 100% compared to its historical peak during the 2000 internet bubble (adjusted price over $2.1 billion). The company was formerly an electronics manufacturer established in 1969, Digital Power Corporation, and has since undergone six name changes, five reverse stock splits (cumulative compression ratio exceeding 200 million to 1), and multiple transformations—sequentially involving Bitcoin mining and Michael Saylor-style BTC accumulation strategies. In September 2025, the company announced the launch of a $100 million BTC purchase plan, at which time the stock price was $0.72, and has since fallen cumulatively by over 80%. The company's Executive Chairman Milton "Todd" Ault III was fined and suspended by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in 2012, and the company also reached a $700,000 settlement with the SEC in 2023.