Today's Headlines:
XTAO, a listed company, holds $16 million in TAO, becoming Bittensor's largest public coin holder
The Ether Machine purchased nearly 15,000 ETH, with $407 million in available funds
SharpLink Gaming purchased another 11,259 ETH today, bringing its total holdings to 449,000 ETH
CBOE Submits Universal Listing Standards for Crypto ETPs; Sol and XRP ETPs Expected to Launch in Q4
According to the "Guidelines for the Supervision of Licensed Stablecoin Issuers" recently issued by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the guidelines (including the section on customer account opening and management) require licensed issuers to implement effective measures to mitigate the risk of customers using virtual private networks (VPNs) to disguise their true locations during identity authentication and daily operations. Specific measures include reviewing network protocols, device configurations, and comparing VPN service provider server addresses to strengthen the detection and management of VPN usage.
The Bank of Japan maintained its interest rate at 0.5%, in line with market expectations
The Bank of Japan maintained its benchmark interest rate at 0.5%, marking the fourth consecutive meeting on hold, in line with market expectations. CBOE Submits Universal Listing Standards for Crypto ETPs; Solana and XRP ETPs Expected to Launch in Q4 Ticoin Capital General Counsel Greg Xethalis stated on the X platform that the CBOE has submitted an application for universal listing standards for crypto ETPs, and the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are expected to follow suit soon. The new rules allow crypto ETPs whose underlying contracts have been listed on designated contract markets for at least six months to be listed on exchanges, and also support staking. The Solana ETP is expected to be approved by October 10th at the latest, with the XRP ETP expected to be approved slightly later. Both are expected to launch in the fourth quarter. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas retweeted that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released "listing standards" for crypto ETPs (exchange-traded products) through new exchange filings. Any token tracked by futures on the Coinbase derivatives exchange for at least six months will be approved, encompassing approximately a dozen major cryptocurrencies. Tokens without futures or emerging meme coins will be subject to additional regulatory procedures. Market expectations are for approval in September or October. Cboe BZX and NYSE Arca propose to SEC to streamline the crypto ETF listing approval process. According to The Block, Cboe BZX and NYSE Arca have submitted a new rule proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), proposing universal listing standards for cryptocurrency ETFs to expedite the approval process. Currently, exchanges must submit Form 19b-4, which can take up to 240 days to review. If approved, qualifying crypto ETFs would no longer require separate applications, potentially significantly reducing the time it takes to list. According to a Cboe spokesperson, the SEC could make a decision as soon as 21 days. NYSE Arca has also simultaneously filed a similar rule change application, aimed at improving market efficiency and promoting competition.
Widow of renowned American country singer George Jones loses $17 million in XRP scam
According to FinanceFeeds, Nancy Jones, the widow of the late American country singer George Jones, lost approximately $17 million in a cryptocurrency scam involving XRP. The case occurred in Tennessee, and Nancy Jones's ex-boyfriend, Kirk West, allegedly exploited his access to Nancy Jones's assets to steal over $400,000 in cash and a Ledger wallet containing over 5.5 million XRP tokens. Some of the stolen assets have been recovered, but approximately $1.5 million worth of cryptocurrency remains unaccounted for. Trump announces trade deal with South Korea: 15% tariffs + $350 billion in investment U.S. President Trump announced on social media that the United States has agreed to a comprehensive and complete trade agreement with South Korea. The agreement requires South Korea to pay $350 billion to the United States for U.S.-owned and controlled investment projects, which will be personally selected by me as President. Additionally, South Korea will purchase $100 billion in liquefied natural gas (LNG) or other energy products, and South Korea has agreed to invest a significant amount for its investment purposes. This amount will be announced during South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's visit to the White House in the next two weeks. Both sides also agreed that South Korea will fully open trade with the United States and accept American products, including cars and trucks, and agriculture. We have agreed to impose a 15% tariff on South Korea. No tariffs will be imposed on the United States. Invesco Galaxy Submits Solana Spot ETF Listing Application to Cboe According to a Cboe BZX exchange filing, Invesco Galaxy has submitted an application to the Cboe BZX exchange in the United States to list and trade the Invesco Galaxy Solana ETF (Spot SOL Fund). The fund will track the spot price performance of Solana (SOL) and operate as a trust, aiming to provide US investors with regulated and transparent SOL investment. The filing indicates that the fund's assets will consist solely of SOL, cash, and equivalents, with the option to stake a portion of SOL on-chain for rewards. The application is currently awaiting approval from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Viewpoint
According to CryptoQuant analysis, altcoin market activity has increased significantly since Bitcoin's price broke through its all-time high of approximately $120,000. Ethereum's price has risen 170% from its recent low, now only about 23% away from its all-time high of $4,871. SharpLink's recent $1.3 billion investment in 438,190 ETH has sparked market enthusiasm. Altcoin and Ethereum futures trading volume reached $223.6 billion, a five-month high, accounting for 83% of total futures trading volume. Bitcoin only...
Project News
Binance Alpha Points: Earn 228 or More in Phase 1 to Claim a 500-NAORIS Airdrop
Binance Alpha will be the first platform to list the Naoris Protocol (NAORIS). Trading on Alpha will begin at 8:00 PM Beijing Time on July 31st, while Binance Futures trading will begin at 8:30 PM. Eligible users can claim the 500-NAORIS airdrop using Alpha Points within 24 hours of trading opening. The airdrop will be conducted in two phases: the first (first 18 hours) requires a minimum of 228 points, and the second (last 6 hours) requires a minimum of 200 points. Distribution will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The point threshold will automatically decrease by 15 points each hour if all rewards remain.
Stablecoin ATMs supporting USDT cash redemption have been launched at some tourist and retail locations in South Korea. These ATMs are operated jointly by South Korean blockchain company DaWinKS and the Kaia DLT Foundation and support Kaia-issued USDT. Users can withdraw funds into 85 fiat currencies or load them onto local transportation cards. While not available to local residents, this move reflects South Korea's growing acceptance of digital asset payments. Currently, South Korea's regulatory framework for stablecoins has yet to be unified, and the ruling and opposition parties are debating related legislation. The proposed Digital Asset Infrastructure Act, promoted by President Lee Jae-myung, would allow qualified companies to issue won-pegged stablecoins to control capital outflows. Binance: Users with at least 200 Alpha Points can claim a 1,600 PLAY token airdrop. Binance announced that users with at least 200 Binance Alpha Points will receive a 1,600 PLAY token airdrop on a first-come, first-served basis. If all rewards are not distributed, the point threshold will automatically decrease by 15 points every hour. Claiming the airdrop will cost 15 Alpha Points, and users must confirm their claim within 24 hours on the Alpha Events page; otherwise, the airdrop will be forfeited.
Binance Alpha to List OLAXBT (AIO) on August 2
Binance Alpha will first list OLAXBT (AIO) on August 2. Eligible users can claim the airdrop using Binance Alpha Points after trading opens on the Alpha Events page. More details will be announced soon.
DoubleZero Launches 3 Million SOL Staking Pool and Releases Staking Token dzSOL
Fiber optic network provider DoubleZero announced the establishment of a 3 million SOL staking pool to accelerate the growth and performance of validators in the Solana ecosystem. The staking pool will support early participants in the DoubleZero testnet and lay the foundation for the global decentralization of the mainnet-beta this fall. In the first stage, staking will be allocated to Solana validators active on the DoubleZero testnet. After the mainnet-beta is launched, it is planned to further support the expansion of geographically diverse validators. DoubleZero co-founder Austin Federa said that this move will help expand market access, improve the fairness and resilience of the blockchain network, and prevent a single region from dominating or interfering with the network. Currently, the DoubleZero testnet has connected 142 nodes, accounting for 3.29% of Solana's total stake. In addition, DoubleZero has also launched the token dzSOL, which represents the network's delegated stake. Related reading: A quick overview of DoubleZero: How to use cables to build a new Internet? Coinbase to List Bio Protocol (BIO) According to Coinbase Assets, Coinbase will list the Bio Protocol (BIO) on the Ethereum network (ERC-20). Transfers of the asset are now available in regions supported by Coinbase and Coinbase Exchange. The BIO-USD trading pair will launch in phases starting at 9:00 PM Pacific Time on July 31st, subject to liquidity requirements. Limited availability may apply in some regions. Coinbase to List ResearchCoin (RSC) According to Coinbase Assets, Coinbase will list ResearchCoin (RSC) on the Base network. Transfers of this asset are now available in regions where Coinbase and Coinbase Exchange support trading. Subject to liquidity requirements, the RSC-USD trading pair will launch in phases after 9:00 AM Pacific Time on July 31st. Restrictions may apply in some regions. Furthermore, ResearchCoin is an independent research organization and is not affiliated with Coinbase. Important Data Smart money that established an ETH position in September 2020 is suspected of selling over 11,000 ETH in the past two weeks, with the initial investment cost as low as $906.5. According to monitoring by ai_9684xtpa, address 0x306...6Ab84 is suspected of selling 11,185 ETH recently, with the initial investment cost as low as $906.5. A sell-off would have yielded a profit of approximately $31.35 million. Six hours ago, this address deposited 5,000 ETH (worth $19.21 million) to Binance and initiated a redemption request for 6,383.53 ETH from Lido. This address has made two large deposits to exchanges this month, the last of which was 6,185 ETH (approximately $22.28 million) two weeks ago. Between September 2020 and February 2025, this address accumulated 39,546.52 ETH at an average price of $906.50, and currently holds 10,513.14 ETH. NFT sales reached $574 million in July, the second-highest in the year. According to CryptoSlam data, NFT sales reached $574 million in July, a 47.6% month-over-month increase, the second-highest in 2025, second only to January's $679 million. Although the number of transactions decreased by 9% from 5.5 million to 5 million, the average sales price rose to $113.08, the highest in six months. The number of unique buyers decreased by 17% to 713,085, while the number of sellers increased by 9% to 405,505, indicating a trend of buyer concentration and an increase in the value of each transaction. The total market capitalization of the NFT market has exceeded $8 billion, a 21% increase from $6.6 billion on July 24. Ethereum continued to dominate the NFT market, with sales reaching $275 million in July, a 56% month-over-month increase. CryptoPunks led the NFT market with $69.2 million in trading volume, followed by Pudgy Penguins with $55.5 million and Polygon's Courtyard NFTs with $23.8 million. Pudgy Penguins saw a 65.44% increase in floor price, outperforming other blue-chip NFTs such as BAYC and MAYC. Furthermore, Cardano saw the strongest performance, with NFT sales increasing by 102%, while Polygon and BNB saw sales decrease by 51.1% and 54%, respectively.
Five Satoshi-era wallets transfer 250 Bitcoins after 15.3 years
According to Onchain Lens, five Satoshi-era wallets, after being dormant for 15.3 years, are suspected to be owned by the same person. They recently transferred 250 Bitcoins (approximately $29.64 million) to two new wallets.
Ethena's TVL surged 50% to $8.5 billion in the past 30 days
Defillama data shows that Ethena's total locked value (TVL) surged 50% in the past 30 days, reaching a record high of $8.5 billion, marking the fastest growth in the project's history.
A new address continues to accumulate Ether, accumulating over 110,000 ETH in six days
According to Aunt Ai, another new address, 0x286…2aEa4, whose ownership remains unclear, has recently been accumulating ETH. Over the past six days, this address has withdrawn a total of 113,028.97 ETH from FalconX. Based on an average price of $3,752, this total value reaches $424 million, with a current paper profit of approximately $12.044 million.
FTX/Alameda Wallet Just Stakes Over 20,000 ETH into Ethereum PoS
According to Ember, 10 minutes ago, an FTX/Alameda Research wallet deposited 20,736 ETH (approximately $78.96 million) into Ethereum PoS for staking.
A Whale Address Received Nearly 32,900 ETH from FalconX Again, Total Holdings Exceeding $430 Million
According to Onchain Lens, a whale or institutional address received another 32,855 ETH from FalconX, valued at approximately $124 million. The wallet currently holds a total of 113,029 ETH, with a total value of approximately $430 million. Fosun Wealth International Holdings Co., Ltd., a digital wealth management platform under Fosun, and its incubated subsidiary, Star Road Fintech Holdings Co., Ltd., announced that Star Road Technology has completed nearly $10 million in Series A funding. Investors include the Solana Foundation, Web3 industry organizations, and wealth management companies. It is reported that Fosun Wealth International Holdings, a subsidiary of Fosun International, recently registered trademarks in Hong Kong for "Fosun International Crypto," "Fosun Wealth RWA," and "Star Coin," indicating that Fosun International will strengthen its involvement in the cryptocurrency and virtual asset industries.
Web3 role-playing game Aria secures $5 million in funding
Web3 role-playing game Aria (ARIA) announced it has successfully raised $5 million in its latest funding round. This round was led by Folius Ventures, The Spartan Group, and Beam FDN, with participation from Animoca Brands, Galaxy, and others.
Institutional Holdings
According to Ember Monitoring, SharpLink Gaming spent $43.09 million today to purchase 11,259 ETH, following its $290 million purchase of 77,000 ETH last weekend, at an average price of approximately $3,827. Since adopting the microstrategy model for ETH reserves in early June, SharpLink Gaming has accumulated 449,000 ETH, totaling $1.74 billion, at an average price of approximately $3,011, resulting in a current floating profit of approximately $386 million.
XTAO, a publicly listed company focused on Bittensor, announced it holds 41,538 TAO tokens, valued at approximately $16 million, making it the largest publicly listed company. Led by Karia Samaroo, founder of the crypto exchange WonderFi, xTAO will use its TAO holdings to expand validator operations and develop Bittensor's ecosystem infrastructure. By staking TAO, xTAO can earn an annualized return of approximately 10%. Bittensor reportedly combines AI and cryptography, allowing users to contribute intelligence to optimize the AI system and earn TAO rewards. Last week, xTAO, a Bittensor ecosystem company, announced it would go public in Canada, raising $22.8 million from DCG and other institutions.
The Ether Machine Purchases Nearly 15,000 ETH, Remaining with $407 Million in Funds
The Ether Machine (NASDAQ: DYNX), a publicly traded company focused on generating returns from Ethereum staking, announced the purchase of nearly 15,000 ETH as part of its long-term accumulation strategy. This brings the total amount of ETH purchased and committed to 334,757, with up to $407 million remaining available for further ETH purchases.
