Ethereum price is consolidating below the $1,900 resistance against the US Dollar. ETH could attempt another increase unless there is a close below $1,825. Ethereum is trading in a range above the $1,850 level. The price is trading above $1,870 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a key bearish trend line forming with resistance near $1,890 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could start a decent increase if it clears $1,890 and $1,900. Ethereum Price Holds Support Ethereum’s price made another attempt to gain strength above $1,900. However, ETH failed to settle above the $1,900 resistance and remained in a range, similar to Bitcoin. There was a bearish reaction below $1,880. A low is formed near $1,862 and the price is now moving higher. There was a break above the $1,880 level. The price climbed above the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent drop from the $1,905 swing high to the $1,862 low. Ether is now trading above $1,870 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. Immediate resistance is near the $1,890 level. There is also a key bearish trend line forming with resistance near $1,890 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. Source: ETHUSD on TradingView.com The trend line is close to the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the recent drop from the $1,905 swing high to the $1,862 low. The first major resistance is near the $1,900 zone. A close above the $1,900 resistance could start a decent increase toward $1,955. The next major resistance is near the $1,975 level. Any more gains could send Ether toward the $2,050 resistance. Another Decline in ETH? If Ethereum fails to clear the $1,900 resistance, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1,870 level or the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is also a connecting bullish trend line at $1,870. The first major support is near the $1,845 level, below which the price might revisit the key support at $1,825. The next major support is near the $1,770 level. Any more losses could send Ether toward the $1,720 support level in the near term. Technical Indicators Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Level – $1,845 Major Resistance Level – $1,900

Polkadot’s DOT is moving higher from the $5.0 support against the US Dollar. The price could rally if it clears the $5.30 and $5.40 resistance levels. DOT is slowly moving higher above the $5.15 resistance zone against the US Dollar. The price is trading above the $5.20 zone and the 100 simple moving average (4 hours). There is a key bullish trend line forming with support near $5.10 on the 4-hour chart of the DOT/USD pair (data source from Kraken). The pair could gain bullish momentum if there is a close above the $5.30 resistance. Polkadot’s DOT Price Aims Higher After a sharp decline, DOT price found support near the $5.0 zone. A low is formed near $4.98 and the price is now attempting a fresh increase, similar to Bitcoin and Ethereum. There was a break above the $5.15 and $5.20 resistance levels. There is also a key bullish trend line forming with support near $5.10 on the 4-hours chart of the DOT/USD pair. The pair is now trading above the $5.20 zone and the 100 simple moving average (4 hours). Immediate resistance is near the $5.30 level. It is near the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $5.62 swing high to the $4.98 low. Source: DOTUSD on TradingView.com The next major resistance is near $5.40 or the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $5.62 swing high to the $4.98 low. A successful break above $5.40 could start a strong rally. In the stated case, the price could easily rally toward $5.60 in the coming sessions. The next major resistance is seen near the $6.0 zone. Dips Limited? If DOT price fails to continue higher above $5.30 or $5.40, it could start a downside correction. The first key support is near the $5.15 level and the 100 simple moving average (4 hours). The next major support is near the $5.10 level and the trend line, below which the price might decline to $5.00. Any more losses may perhaps open the doors for a move toward the $4.80 support zone in the coming sessions. Technical Indicators 4-Hours MACD – The MACD for DOT/USD is now gaining momentum in the bullish zone. 4-Hours RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for DOT/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $5.15, $5.10 and $5.00. Major Resistance Levels – $5.30, $5.40, and $5.60.

Bitcoin continues to dominate the market as it struggles to find a continued surge in price. In its latest weekly report, crypto exchange Bitfinex highlighted a key part of Ark Invest’s report to show growing support from strong holders and improved institutional sentiment toward Bitcoin. As of early July, 70% of the existing Bitcoin supply of 19.4 million BTC has remained unmoved for at least 12 months. This means that Bitcoin’s unmoved supply, that is, the amount of BTC that hasn’t been transferred in over a year, just reached an all-time high. Bitcoin Sees Growing Institutional Interest Institutional investors are taking interest in Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation. When major players put serious money into an asset, it signals they believe in its future value. According to the report, several factors have contributed to the increase in long-term confidence of Bitcoin investors. One major influence is the news of major investment companies filing for Bitcoin spot ETFs which seemed to have fueled more interest. Over-the-counter (OTC) trading reached a one-year high in June, surging by 60% in the past quarter alone. These OTC trading deals are now more popular with institutional investors, indicating BTC is becoming a preferred investment option. This surge in Bitcoin’s unmoved supply definitely means positive things for the price of Bitcoin. As more of the supply becomes locked up by long-term holders, the available supply in circulation decreases. According to the law of supply and demand, when supply goes down but demand remains the same or increases, the price goes up. It’s not all bullish for the asset though because, according to Bitfinex’s report, news of the spot ETF filing by BlackRock and other investment companies led to a surge of more than 38% in Bitcoin Open Interest. This suggests that derivatives traders may be dominating the current market momentum, which might negatively affect the price of BTC in the short term. Percent of Supply Last Active 5+ Years Ago Reaches All-Time High Following in the same vein as the Bitfinex report, on-chain data from Glassnode alerts also show that Bitcoin’s supply which has remained unmoved for more than 5 years recently reached an all-time high of 29.070%. Clearly, this shows that more people are holding Bitcoin as a long-term investment rather than trading or spending it. With Bitcoin having a fixed supply, the unmoved supply of the cryptocurrency is expected to continue to rise as long as investment institutions such as MicroStrategy continue to accumulate more of the cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin price is moving higher above the $30,500 level. BTC is showing signs of a fresh move toward the $31,000 resistance zone. Bitcoin is slowly moving higher above the $30,500 support zone. The price is trading above $30,400 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. There is a key bullish trend line forming with support near $30,500 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair could rise further toward the $31,000 resistance and then $31,400. Bitcoin Price Holds Ground Bitcoin price remained stable above the $30,000 support zone. A base was formed and BTC started a decent increase above the $30,200 level. The price was able to spike a couple of times above the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $31,020 high to the $30,215 low. However, the bears seem to be active near the $30,700 resistance zone. There is also a key bullish trend line forming with support near $30,500 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin price is now trading above $30,400 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. Immediate resistance on the upside is seen near the $30,720 level. It is close to the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $31,020 high to the $30,215 low. Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com The next resistance is near the $31,000 zone, above which the price could gain bullish momentum. In the stated case, BTC might rise toward the $31,400 resistance. The next major resistance is near the $32,000 level. Any more gains could open the doors for a move toward the $32,500 resistance zone. Another Decline in BTC? If Bitcoin’s price fails to clear the $30,700 resistance, it could start another decline. Immediate support on the downside is near the $30,500 level and the trend line. The next major support is near the $30,300 level and the 100 hourly Simple moving average, below which there could be a drop toward the $30,000 support zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $29,850 level in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $30,500, followed by $30,300. Major Resistance Levels – $30,700, $31,000, and $31,400.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on July 10 the unsealing of a four-count indictment against Soufiane Oulahyane for a scheme to impersonate the OpenSea marketplace to obtain unauthorized access to cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Oulahyane, currently in custody in Morocco for foreign charges, allegedly has stolen approximately $450,000 worth of cryptocurrency and NFTs. OpenSea NFT Theft According to the indictment filed by the US Department of Justice, Soufiane Oulahyane, the alleged hacker who stole $450,000 worth of cryptocurrency NFTs from a victim in Manhattan, sold several NFTs that belonged to the victim. The NFTs sold by Oulahyane included pieces from popular series like “Bored Ape Yacht Club,” “Meebit,” “Bored Ape Kennel Club,” and “CryptoDad.” Per the press release, Oulahyane allegedly used a scheme to “spoof” the login page to the OpenSea marketplace by creating a fake website that looked like the real one. He used paid advertisements on a popular search engine to direct users to his fake website, where he tricked them into entering their login credentials or other private information. The information was automatically sent to an email account controlled by Oulahyane, who used it to gain unauthorized access to the victims’ cryptocurrency wallets. Oulahyane is charged with wire fraud, use of an unauthorized access device, affecting transactions with an access device to receive something of value equal to or greater than $1,000, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Oulahyane could face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud, 10 years for using an unauthorized access device, 15 years for affecting transactions with an access device, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft. Moreover, according to the press release, the DOJ emphasizes that digital assets, such as cryptocurrency and NFTs, are not immune from cyber fraudsters. The charges against Oulahyane serve as a reminder that cybercrime techniques such as “spoofing” are still in use and can be adapted for use in the cryptocurrency space. The DOJ is committed to prosecuting these fraudsters in the US and abroad. This indictment shows that law enforcement agencies are taking cybercrime in the cryptocurrency space seriously and are prepared to pursue individuals who engage in fraudulent activities. It is essential for users to exercise caution when dealing with digital assets and to take necessary security measures to protect their cryptocurrency wallets and NFTs from cyber criminals. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView.com

Over the past few days, the Ethereum price has remained relatively stable, with minor gains seen on the daily chart. Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s indecisiveness has resulted in slower movement for altcoins. Despite this, Ethereum has risen on its chart, although the technical outlook suggests low demand and accumulation due to reduced buying strength. Despite the fall in buying strength, buyers still hold an advantage over sellers in the market. However, if Ethereum fails to move above its immediate resistance, the coin may retrace on its chart, potentially falling below its local support level and activating bearish sentiment. Investors are now looking ahead to the release of US CPI data, which analysts predict will significantly impact the market in the coming weeks. The market capitalization of Ethereum has fallen slightly, indicating slow demand for the altcoin. Ethereum Price Analysis: One-Day Chart At the time of writing, ETH was priced at $1,870. The daily chart indicated a potential breakout as the price approached the upper boundary of a rectangle pattern. The crucial overhead resistance for Ethereum was identified at $1,880. If the price managed to surpass this level, it could potentially exceed $1,900 and ultimately reach the milestone of $2,000. However, it was essential for ETH to surpass the $1,880 mark in the upcoming trading sessions. On the downside, there was a local support level of $1,820. A dip below this point could lead to a decline towards $1,770. Technical Analysis The inability to break through the $1,900 level had a detrimental impact on investor confidence, resulting in ongoing challenges for Ethereum regarding demand on the daily chart. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) remained positive, although it suggested a relatively low level of demand. Furthermore, Ethereum’s current position below the 20-Simple Moving Average line indicated a decline in buying strength, indicating that buyers were gradually losing control of the price momentum. In addition to the low buying strength, ETH also experienced a decline on capital inflows. This indicated a decline in investor interest, as evidenced by the Chaikin Money Flow indicator. Conversely, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) formed declining red histograms, suggesting a potential breakout in the upcoming trading sessions. The MACD is a useful tool for identifying price momentum and trend changes. The next trading sessions will be critical for ETH. It will determine whether the market will be driven by bears or bulls, ultimately influencing the price.

SINGAPORE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#assetservicing–Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS), the National University of Singapore’s School of Computing (NUS Computing) and Asian Institute of Digital Finance (NUS AIDF) today announced a series of research and industry development initiatives that will advance efforts to define the future of blockchain for institutional investors. The strategic partnership between Northern Trust, NUS Computing, and NUS AIDF includes: A joint research project on “Custody in the age of digital assets.” The project investigates different methods for maintaining control and possession of digital assets on third-party blockchains, and ways for clients to achieve a real-time view of assets across digital and traditional markets. The research is part of the Singapore Blockchain Innovation Programme (SBIP), a national-level partnership anchored at NUS Computing to explore institutional use of blockchain and the translation of new technology for the banking industry. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NUS AIDF, a university-level institute in NUS. The MoU signifies Northern Trust’s commitment to growing the Fintech ecosystem in Singapore. Northern Trust is currently providing mentorship to Insightic, a RegTech start-up incubated at AIDF, with a distinct focus on risk assessment for Web 3.0-based virtual asset service providers. Leveraging our expertise in blockchain, Northern Trust is helping them to refine their product-market fit and go-to-market strategies. An agreement between Northern Trust and NUS Computing to provide an industry-linked internship opportunity to a student in the Master of Digital Fintech program. The five-month program will expose the intern to critical market advocacy and digital development work that Northern Trust is spearheading in the Asia-Pacific region. Justin Chapman, global head of Digital Assets and Financial Markets, Northern Trust, said: “The financial markets will continue to evolve rapidly as we embrace technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. Our partnership with NUS is an important step in our strategy to provide thought leadership and develop future leaders who will shape the industry. I believe this is only the starting point of a productive collaboration between the two organizations.” Professor Ooi Beng Chin, Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professor and faculty member at NUS Computing, and Programme Lead of SBIP, said: “The multifaceted approach taken by Northern Trust and NUS Computing demonstrates the potential for business and academic institutions to join forces and drive the development of new digital marketplaces and blockchain solutions for the industry.” Northern Trust’s Digital Assets and Financial Markets is the bank’s single group unifying digital and traditional market functions focused on helping clients navigate the fast-developing digital markets and challenges of investing in digital assets alongside allocations to more traditional asset classes. This global group helps provide access to market-leading expertise, industry insights and continued innovations, and keeps Northern Trust clients at the forefront of change. Northern Trust has offices across Asia Pacific in Beijing, Bengaluru, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Melbourne, Pune, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. It has strong relationships with some of the region’s largest central banks, sovereign wealth funds, government agencies and corporations. About Northern Trust Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS) is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking to corporations, institutions, affluent families and individuals. Founded in Chicago in 1889, Northern Trust has a global presence with offices in 25 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., and across 23 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of March 31, 2023, Northern Trust had assets under custody/administration of US$14.2 trillion, and assets under management of US$1.3 trillion. For more than 130 years, Northern Trust has earned distinction as an industry leader for exceptional service, financial expertise, integrity and innovation. Visit us on northerntrust.com. Follow us on Twitter @NorthernTrust or Northern Trust Corporation on LinkedIn. Northern Trust Corporation, Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 U.S.A., incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Global legal and regulatory information can be found at https://www.northerntrust.com/terms-and-conditions. Contacts Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia-Pacific: Camilla Greene +44 (0) 20 7982 2176 [email protected] Marcel Klebba +44 (0) 20 7982 1994 [email protected] US & Canada: John O’Connell +1 312 444 2388 John_O’[email protected]

On July 6, 2023, the Multichain Protocol was hit by a massive hack, resulting in the loss of over $125 million worth of cryptocurrency. The attack targeted the protocol’s Fantom bridge, resulting in the theft of valuable crypto assets like WBTC, USDC, DAI, wETH, and Link. The stolen funds amounted to a staggering $126 million, with WBTC accounting for $30.9 million, wETH for $13.6 million, and USDC for $57 million. This exploit is one of the biggest crypto hacks on record. Multichain Attack And Insider Threats According to a recent report by the analysis and data company Chainalysis, the attack is suspected to be an inside job since Multichain has recently experienced some notable issues unrelated to its protocol design, prompting public suspicions that insiders may have carried out this recent exploit. The disappearance of Multichain’s CEO, who is known by the alias Zhaojun, and the subsequent suspension of services for more than 10 chains, including DynoChain, Redlight Chain, and Public Mint has added fuel to this suspicion. Multichain’s smart contracts are secured by a multi-party computation (MPC) system, which functions similarly to a multi-signature wallet system. However, like multi-signature wallets, these systems are still vulnerable if an attacker possesses sufficient MPC keys. It is possible that the attacker gained control of Multichain’s MPC keys to pull off this exploit. Interestingly, the attacker did not swap out centrally controlled assets like USDC, which can be frozen by the issuing company (Circle, in the case of USDC), along with the addresses holding those assets. Most hackers typically seek to quickly swap funds for those not vulnerable to those security measures. In total, addresses frozen by Circle and Tether hold approximately $65 million in assets stolen from Multichain. What’s Next For The Protocol? After the attack, the Multichain team tweeted that they were beginning an investigation and urged users to pause transactions. A day later, on July 7, the team tweeted that the protocol would be stopping service indefinitely. Unfortunately, scammers also went on Twitter to spread a “phishing” link and impersonate the Fantom Foundation to trick affected users into claiming an “emergency FTM distribution.” Cross-chain bridge protocols have proven lucrative targets for hackers due to their experimental designs and the fact that they generally have large, centralized repositories of assets bridged by users to other blockchains. However, there may be several methods to mitigate risk and prevent similar exploits from occurring. According to Chainalysis, one way is through rigorous code audits to help developers standardize projects and investors evaluate protocol viability. While the Multichain hack appears to have resulted from compromised keys rather than faulty code, reputable audit reports often explicitly identify which parts of protocols are vulnerable to private key theft, which may help users better assess risk. Additionally, users of any protocol can research before they transact. The exploit suffered has left the blockchain community on edge, with many waiting for an official statement from the Multichain team. The team has not made any public pronouncements on the matter, leaving users and investors in the dark about the protocol’s future. Multichain’s native token, MULTI, has experienced a significant decline over the past 7 days, with a drop of over 27% in this timeframe. Currently, the token is trading at $2.387, representing a further decline of 3% in the last 24 hours. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView.com

Litecoin price is now back under $100, locked within an ever tightening trading range. The lack of notorious cryptocurrency market volatility in LTCUSD in recent weeks is reminiscent of late 2016 and early 2017 — right before an epic 100x rally. With the signal back, does this mean that another sizable surge is ahead? A Pre-100x Litecoin Signal Is Back Past performance is never a guarantee of future results, but technical analysis seeks out various signals and historical patterns in hopes of increasing the probability of success. What can be guaranteed, however, is that after a long period of low volatility, it ends with a bang and a breakout back into a highly volatile state. Combine this behavior with the more volatile crypto asset class, and you’ve got a recipe for some serious moves. So large in fact, that the lowest volatility that Litecoin ever reached, concluded with a breakout into a 100x rally. In less than a year’s time, LTCUSD grew from $3 to over $300. Now that signal is back again, and it could once again lead to a huge move in Litecoin. But it doesn’t necessarily mean up. Why Low Volatility Ends With A Bang The pre-100x signal in LTCUSD we are talking about is the 9-day Bollinger Bands, and Bollinger Band Width. The Bollinger Bands are the second-tightest in Litecoin history. The Bollinger Bands are a volatility-measuring tool using a simple moving average and two bands set at two standard deviations. They expand with high volatility and contract with low volatility. A low volatility state, called a squeeze, always ends with a significant move and turn to shocking volatility. But volatility is only the measure of price dispersion over a time period. This means a that the large move, when it finally arrives, could be down. However, several other technicals support price appreciation in the future so up is also an option. What isn’t an option, is remaining in this low volatility state for much longer, so buckle up, it’s about to get interesting soon enough. Furthermore, Bollinger Band Width has been contracting with lower highs for six full years. If the downtrend pattern breaks, the largest movement in half a decade might arrive.

Sumit Gupta has voiced his concern regarding the negative impact of taxes. He highlighted the adverse consequences of a 1% TDS on crypto transactions. In recent discussions on Twitter, industry experts and observers have raised concerns over the taxation policies implemented in India, particularly those affecting the crypto and gaming sectors. Sumit Gupta, CEO of CoinDCX, and Twitter user Ravisutanjani have voiced their apprehensions regarding the potential negative impact of taxes on these industries. Sumit Gupta highlighted the adverse consequences of a 1% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on crypto transactions, asserting that it has had a crippling effect on the Indian crypto industry. According to Gupta, this policy has inadvertently favored offshore crypto platforms that operate outside the purview of Indian tax laws, disadvantaging local businesses and hindering industry growth. Similarly, Gupta expressed concerns about the 28% GST levied on the entire face value of online gaming. He suggested that this tax rate could potentially decimate the Indian gaming industry, with illegal offshore platforms reaping the benefits at the expense of domestic companies. Tax Burdens on Indian Citizens Ravisutanjani further joined the conversation by pointing out the existing tax burdens on Indian citizens, including income tax rates of up to 30% and a 28% GST applicable to various goods and services. Ravisutanjani expressed frustration over the exclusion of fuel and alcohol from the GST ambit, while crypto and gaming face taxation. Additionally, Ravisutanjani drew attention to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which is classified as a charitable organization, implying perceived inconsistencies in the tax system. Both Gupta and Ravisutanjani argued that taxing emerging industries like crypto and gaming may lead to unintended consequences. They expressed concerns that such tax policies create arbitrage opportunities, benefiting illegal offshore platforms and causing detrimental effects on customers and startups. It is important to note that these perspectives represent the opinions of individuals on social media platforms and may not reflect the entire range of views on the subject. As the debate surrounding taxation in the crypto and gaming industries continues, stakeholders and policymakers will likely consider these concerns while crafting future tax policies.

New data from Kaiko on July 11 indicates that the correlation between Bitcoin and the Nasdaq Composite Index is at a two-year low. The correlation coefficient between these two assets dropped to less than 1% in early July. At this level, it is at July 2021 lows. The NASDAQ Composite Index tracks the performance of all stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Among stocks listed on this bourse include Coinbase’s COIN. Dropping Correlation Between Bitcoin And NASDAQ A correlation coefficient of around 0% signifies a weak negative relationship between Bitcoin and the NASDAQ. This implies that Bitcoin prices moved in the opposite direction or are unrelated to the NASDAQ Composite Index action. As of July 10, Bitcoin prices were relatively firm, oscillating around the $30,000 level and generally in an uptrend looking at price performance in Q2 2023. For context, Bitcoin is less than $2,000 away from 2023 highs of $31,400 registered in June 2023. Meanwhile, market data shows that the NASDAQ Composite Index is also at multi-month highs and firm, reflecting the broader market recovery in the United States. The dwindling correlation between Bitcoin and the NASDAQ may be attributed to several factors. One potential explanation is that investors are becoming more discerning in their investment choices. As the cryptocurrency market matures and regulations are drafted, investors might seek assets with low correlation with traditional finance instruments like stocks and indices. The other reason could stem from the recent action of the cryptocurrency market. In 2022, cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, fell from highs registered in 2021. After peaking at over $69,000, Bitcoin prices crashed in 2022. This was fast-tracked by the solvency of several centralized finance platforms offering crypto services, including Celsius. The collapse of FTX, a popular cryptocurrency exchange, forced prices even low. In November 2022, BTC prices crashed below $16,000. Like crypto assets, technology stocks like COIN listed on NASDAQ are relatively volatile and were also impacted by rising interest rates in 2021. Subsequently, the dump in asset prices might have forced investors to be more risk-averse and diversify their holdings, forcing the correlation between NASDAQ and Bitcoin even lower. Watching The US Federal Reserve Whether this correlation will fall in the months ahead remains to be seen. However, at the moment, the cryptocurrency market seems fragile. Bitcoin bulls have failed to break above June 2023 highs in continuation of bullish pressure in the past few weeks. At the same time, market participants closely track how the United States Federal Reserve will proceed with its monetary policy. After steadily increasing interest rates to tame rising inflation, the central bank paused rate hikes in Q2 2023. Whether they will slash rates in the coming months remains to be seen.

20M MATIC has been transferred from Polygon Staking wallet. Polygon’s team has not released any official statement regarding the transaction. In a surprising turn of events, a substantial amount of 20 million MATIC, equivalent to approximately 14,742,505 USD at current market rates, has been transferred from Polygon Staking to an unknown wallet. The transfer has left the cryptocurrency community and investors speculating about the motives and implications behind this mysterious transaction. Polygon, formerly known as Matic Network, is a popular layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum that aims to enhance scalability and improve user experience on the blockchain. The platform has gained significant attention in recent years, attracting numerous developers and users due to its efficient infrastructure. The sudden movement of such a substantial number of MATIC tokens has raised eyebrows among market participants. While the exact details surrounding the transfer remain unclear, it has sparked discussions and speculations about its potential impact on the cryptocurrency market and the Polygon ecosystem. Further Data On Matic Transaction The transfer of these tokens to an unknown wallet has led to concerns over the potential market volatility. And possible implications for Polygon’s staking community. Investors are eagerly awaiting further information to gain insights into the motive behind this transfer. And its potential consequences for the token’s value and market sentiment. Polygon’s team and community have yet to issue an official statement regarding the transaction. It is hoped that they will provide clarification and address any concerns that may arise from this event. Experts and analysts are closely monitoring the situation. In order to provide further insights into the implications of this transfer on the broader cryptocurrency market. As the cryptocurrency industry continues to evolve and mature, such events underscore the need for transparency and vigilance. Market participants are advised to exercise caution and closely monitor any developments related to this transfer.

CertiK completes successful security audit of XLS-30d, an AMM on the XRP Ledger. CertiK’s audit validates the robustness of XLS-30d, boosting investor confidence in XRP’s bullish potential. Ripple (XRP) is experiencing a surge in bullish sentiment as recent positive developments fuel optimism among investors. A comprehensive security audit of an Automated Market Maker (AMM) on the XRP Ledger, conducted by CertiK, has reinforced confidence in Ripple’s security measures, attracting more participants to the ecosystem. The audit’s successful completion validates Ripple’s commitment to maintaining a robust and trustworthy platform. In a significant milestone for the XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem, CertiK, a prominent blockchain security firm, has successfully concluded an extensive security audit of the Automated Market Maker (AMM) developed under the technical specification XLS-30d proposed by Ripple. This groundbreaking AMM aims to enhance the exchange functionality and utility for both XRPL token holders and builders on the XRP Ledger. Jason Jiang, Chief Business Officer at CertiK Said, Additionally, Ripple’s innovative solutions for cross-border payments and partnerships with financial institutions continue to drive positive market sentiment. With growing adoption and advancements in the XRP ecosystem, Ripple (XRP) is positioned for a bullish trajectory. Moreover, prompting increased investor interest and market activity. Read more about Ripple (XRP) Price prediction on this price prediction article.

Co-founders of Alienware lead funding round to support Gamercraft’s mission of empowering amateur gamers and enhancing the online competitive gaming experience MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gamercraft, the AI-driven, skill-based competitive gaming platform, has successfully raised $5 million in funding for the first part of its seed round. The funding was led by the co-founders of computer hardware giant Alienware (existing investors) and included participation from Le Fonds, Mistral Ventures, Quantic Fund, Stellaria Capital, and others. The company plans to use the proceeds to expand engineering & platform capabilities, introduce new games and genres in 2024, and expand growth marketing efforts. The Miami-based firm plans to close the seed round later this year. Established in 2020, Gamercraft’s mission is to accelerate the evolution of skill-based gaming economies into fundamental aspects of the overall video game industry. “We envision a future where gamers will no longer have to settle exclusively for passive gaming experiences, instead embracing experiences where their time and skills invested result in tangible returns for them,” said CEO, Jose Javier Garcia-Rovira. This ambitious vision forms the core of Gamercraft’s mission: to integrate skill gaming into the heart of future gaming economies. Gamercraft’s focus is driven by forming new markets around complex, highly strategic, player-versus-player (PvP) games, offering challenges, competitions, and robust anti-cheat detection to enhance gaming experiences and trust for all players. Building upon its growth and success to date from the AAA online titles already supported on its competitive PVP platform, new funding will allow Gamercraft to rapidly accelerate the development and launch of a library of new game genres and titles. The select collaborations up to now have allowed Gamercraft to attract an impressive user base composed of hundreds of thousands of passionate gamers across North America, Latin America, and Europe, with millions of new users forecasted via new product development. The accelerating adoption of Gamercraft’s platform highlights the rising demand for an accessible skill-based gaming economy and signals the potential for a new era of competitive gaming. At the intersection of blockchain and AI, Gamercraft is forging a unique path as a gaming infrastructure player. Where traditional anti-cheat models fall short, Gamercraft’s engineering talent has pioneered a new solution: an adaptive learning-based model to analyze the most granular details of player data. The platform leverages the AWS Quantum Ledger, a fully managed ledger database that provides a transparent, immutable, and cryptographically verifiable transaction log. Gamercraft’s innovative & proprietary scoring and player-tracking system meticulously analyzes hundreds of data points per game for each player and translates them into precise performance assessments and insights using AI. The precision of this model ensures fair play and paves the way for highly defensible, hyper-localized features such as personal AI coaching and player development. This blend of AI and blockchain technology sets Gamercraft apart in its commitment to delivering high-value competitive gaming experiences and analytics for players at all skill levels. The company plans to utilize a portion of its proceeds for further exploration and innovation in promising areas of competitive and blockchain gaming, aligning with its core mission. While maintaining its focus on the AI-driven gaming ecosystem, these strategic additions will further solidify Gamercraft’s role as a leader in the growing skill-based gaming market. About Gamercraft Gamercraft is an AI-driven, skill-based competitive gaming platform that empowers mobile, PC, and console gamers to compete against each other in tournaments for monetary rewards, complemented by a supporting portfolio of value-added services designed to improve player performance. The company is on a mission to revolutionize gaming by utilizing artificial intelligence to provide a trustworthy, fair, and robust set of competitive gaming experiences. Compete, improve your skills, and make your mark. http://www.gamercraft.com Contacts Athena Rosso, +1 617-286-2837 [email protected]

An address associated with the Ethereum co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, has moved 2,013 ETH to OKX, a cryptocurrency exchange, Lookonchain, citing Etherscan data, on July 11 shows. According to on-chain data, the stash is currently valued at over $3.76 million and has not transferred any funds to a cryptocurrency exchange for the first time. Vitalik Buterin Transfers The address has previously moved funds to Kraken, another cryptocurrency exchange. However, what’s evident is that the address, only identified as “0x9e92”, has been actively moving funds. Over the years, the address has received 22,300 ETH, approximately $41.6 million, from December 30, 2022, to May 18, 2023. Apart from today, the wallet only moved funds once 70 days ago when the whale transferred funds to Gemini. Whale and miner transfers to centralized cryptocurrency exchanges may be considered bearish. This is because users can readily convert crypto assets to fiat currencies like USD or stablecoins in these exchanges. As such, the more whales and miners transfer to centralized exchanges; the more retailers may choose to sell their coins, heaping more pressure on asset prices. Still, it has yet to be determined whether the address associated with Vitalik Buterin will sell. However, considering his past transfers, his deposit to OKX may not affect sentiment or adversely impact ETH prices. Ethereum Prices Choppy The recent deposit to OKX coincides with choppy price action across the cryptocurrency markets. Notably, major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, have been under pressure, with bears forcing prices lower over the past few months. In recent months, the overall value of the cryptocurrency market has decreased since the previous period of growth. During that time, the price of Ethereum surged to over $4,800 before plummeting to current levels. When writing on July 11, Ethereum prices were choppy and moving horizontally below the $1,900 and $2,000 resistance levels. Although traders are bullish, their confidence has not translated to strength since ETH prices are moving inside a bull flag with support at around $1,800, evident in the daily chart. Meanwhile, decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible token (NFT) activities remain suppressed, impacting ETH demand. In Ethereum, ETH, the native currency, is used to pay for gas fees and others. Gas fees rise during heightened activity, which may lift ETH prices. In early May 2023, the Ethereum Foundation sold 15,000 ETH on Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange. Their move coincided with a notable contraction of Ethereum prices in the first half of May. Therefore, whether the address associated with a potential Vitalik Buterin deposit to OKX might catalyze bears is yet to be seen.

In a stunning development that has reverberated throughout the cryptocurrency community, a massive whale transaction involving $35 million worth of BNB deposits has sent shockwaves through the upcoming ARKM token sale on Binance. Unveiling the Whale’s Enormous BNB Deposit for ARKM Token Sale Lookonchain, an on-chain smart money analytical platform, has shed light on this extraordinary event, revealing that the whale strategically divided the deposits into four batches across different Binance deposit addresses. The timing and magnitude of this transaction have ignited speculations about the whale’s intentions and its potential impact on the ARKM token sale, heightening anticipation within the industry. Related Reading: Solana (SOL) Outperforms Top Coins With 14% Gains In Last Week Lookonchain’s report highlights the staggering scale of the whale’s deposit, amounting to a remarkable 141,835 BNB tokens valued at an astounding $35 million. As industry observers dissect the implications of this massive deposit, the crypto community eagerly awaits further developments surrounding the ARKM token sale. Strategic Maneuvering to Surpass ARKM Limit per User The timing and nature of the whale’s deposit suggest a calculated strategy to bypass the imposed ARKM limit per user. Lookonchain’s analysis posits that by utilizing multiple Binance accounts, the whale aims to acquire a larger allocation of ARKM tokens than the prescribed limit of 300,000 per participant. This crafty maneuver has sparked conversations about the potential impact on the token sale’s dynamics and has set the stage for an intriguing battle between the whale and the established rules of participation. In preparation for the highly anticipated ARKM token sale, Binance has unveiled a comprehensive four-step plan that ensures a fair and transparent process for all participants. The stages include a meticulous calculation of participants’ balances during the preparation period, followed by a subscription period where users commit their BNB tokens by signing a Token Purchase Agreement. Subsequently, the calculation period concludes the subscription phase and marks the initiation of token allocation calculations. Finally, the token sale culminates with the Final Token Distribution stage, where BNB tokens are deducted and users receive their ARKM and remaining BNB tokens. The implications of the whale’s actions on the allocation process and the overall dynamics of the sale remain uncertain. But with Binance’s carefully orchestrated four-step plan in place, the industry is bracing itself for a high-stakes showdown that could reshape the landscape of this eagerly anticipated token sale.

At the beginning of July, Binance announced its latest collaboration with soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. The partnership will launch a new non-fungible token (NFT) collection called “Forever CR7: The GOAT,” featuring 20 unique designs spread across four levels of rarity. The collection will celebrate some of the most iconic moments from Ronaldo’s illustrious career, with each NFT representing a significant goal or milestone. Cristiano Ronaldo’s NFT Collection On Binance The “Forever CR7: The GOAT” collection is significant because it marks a major milestone in the convergence of sports and NFTs. The partnership between Binance and Ronaldo is expected to generate significant interest within the crypto and sports communities. Binance’s CEO, Changpeng Zhao, commented on the partnership, saying they are thrilled to partner with Ronaldo on this new NFT collection. Ronaldo is one of the greatest soccer players of all time and a global icon with an enormous fan base. They believe the Forever CR7 collection will be a huge success and milestone in the sports and NFT industries. The growing trend of athletes monetizing their brands through digital collectibles is evident in the NFT collections released by other sports stars. For example, American football quarterback Tom Brady partnered with NFT platform Autograph to release a collection of digital collectibles in 2021, while basketball player JaVale McGee released a collection of NFTs called “Mint Condition” through the NFT marketplace, OpenSea. Other sports stars who released NFTs include soccer players Gerard Pique, Mesut Ozil, and boxer Tyson Fury. But there is a possibility of another battle between two of soccer’s greatest players, often considered the GOATs in the sport, but this time off the pitch. Will Lionel Messi enter the NFT marketplace and release his collection in collaboration with a major exchange like Binance to compete with Cristiano Ronaldo? Messi Vs. Ronaldo, Is An NFTs Showdown On The Horizon? Lionel Messi has already made his mark in the NFT world by releasing his latest collection in collaboration with Ethernal Labs. The collection features five digital collectibles commemorating Messi’s international career, and they are available for purchase using Ethernity’s native crypto token, ERN. In a statement, Messi expressed his excitement about his latest NFT collection and his partnership with Ethernal Labs: There is a possibility that Messi may collaborate with a major exchange such as Binance or with a different company or project to expand his NFT venture further and compete with Ronaldo’s offerings. Such a collaboration would give Messi access to a broader market and allow him to reach a more extensive fan base. This prospect is even more interesting because Binance currently sponsors the Argentinian National soccer team. This link between the exchange and Messi’s home country could provide the perfect opportunity for the two parties to come together and create something extraordinary. Binance’s Argentinian National soccer team sponsorship could also provide a unique marketing opportunity for the exchange. By collaborating with Messi, Binance could tap into the massive fan base of the soccer star and reach a wider audience in Latin America and beyond. Messi’s popularity and success in the NFT space and Binance’s reputation and sponsorship of the Argentinian National soccer team make this collaboration a natural fit. The soccer star’s latest NFT collection with Ethernal Labs has already shown his potential to succeed in the NFT market, and a partnership with Binance or with a different project could take his NFT offerings to the next level. Featured image from Cristiano on Twitter, chart from TradingView.com

According to Poppe, LTC has to surpass the $98.50-$99.50 levels to go forward quickly. The halving will take effect on August 2nd, and miners will only be able to create 6.25 LTC. Michael van de Poppe, a well-known cryptocurrency trader, and analyst, recently tweeted a graphic predicting the future value of Litecoin. According to the expert, Litecoin (LTC) has a “nice sweep of the low” on the LTC chart. According to Poppe, LTC has to surpass the $98.50-$99.50 levels in order for things to go forward more quickly. The quantity of LTC created (and hence the value of miners’ incentives) will be halved in a predetermined event called a “halving” that occurs every four years. For this reason, it is referred to as “halving” or “halvening.” The change will take effect on August 2nd, and miners will only be able to create 6.25 LTC instead of the current 12.5 LTC. High Volatility Expected In April or May of 2024, Bitcoin, the most popular digital currency, will halve its mining reward. The deflationary and scarcity effects of halving might theoretically lead to a price increase for crypto. On May 10, 2021, the price of Litecoin hit $412.96, marking a new all-time high. As of writing, LTC is exchanging hands at $96.44, up 1.53 percent in the past 24 hours from its previous price on CoinMarketCap. This is 76.58% less than its all-time high. Santiment recently revealed that the number of LTC whale addresses has been growing in tandem with the approaching halving event. The number of LTC millionaire addresses has grown over the previous five months, with 32 new wallets containing 10,000 LTC or more appearing. Furthermore, IntoTheBlock reports that Litecoin holders have shown a lot of faith in LTC since almost 13% of all LTC in circulation have not changed hands in over five years. Highlighted Crypto News Today: Robert Kiyosaki Predicts Bitcoin To Reach $120,000 by 2024

Algofi has announced its decision to shut down due to various challenges in maintaining the protocol’s desired quality level. The platform, known for its lending, borrowing, and trading services, will soon transition into a withdrawal-only mode. Algofi was established during a bullish market period when the value of Algorand (ALGO) was trading at $1.85 Algofi, a decentralized finance protocol operating on the Algorand blockchain, has announced its decision to cease operations due to a combination of factors that have made it challenging to maintain the protocol at its desired level of quality. The platform, which facilitates lending, borrowing, and trading, will soon transition into a withdrawal-only mode, as stated in a blog post. Algofi expressed its unwavering belief in the strength of Algorand’s technology and innovative consensus algorithm. Algofi to shut down Algofi was established during the peak of the previous bullish market when the value of algorand (ALGO) was trading at $1.85. However, the subsequent prolonged decline in the cryptocurrency markets led to ALGO’s value plummeting to as low as $0.09 last month. This decline, coupled with the recent classification of algorand as a security by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has impeded the growth of decentralized finance projects on the previously highly anticipated blockchain. According to DefiLlama data, the total value locked (TVL) on Algorand currently amounts to $59 million, a significant decrease from the over $200 million recorded in February.

MetaMask developer ConsenSys plans to deploy its layer-2 network, Linea, on the main Ethereum network this week. Linea incorporates the use of zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography, which is regarded as one of the most significant blockchain trends of the year. Zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography, provides more cost-effective and expedited blockchain transactions. This layer-2 network aims to improve scalability and transaction processing on Ethereum, addressing network congestion and high gas fees. According to ConsenSys, the fee rates for transactions on Linea will be 15 times lower than those on Ethereum main network. The roll-up network implemented by Linea is commonly referred to as zkEVM, which stands for zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine. This roll-up network is designed to be fully compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) programming environment. Roll-ups are also regarded as a crucial component of Ethereum’s development plan. Related Reading: Bulls Remain Resilient Despite Litecoin’s Fall Below $100, Key Levels To Watch Linea is being launched following a successful testnet phase, during which 5.5 million unique wallets performed over 46 million transactions in three months. According to ConsenSys, this achievement makes Linea one of the most active initiatives on Ethereum’s Goerli testnet. App developers can deploy their projects to Linea’s “alpha” network on Friday, and the general public will have access to it starting next week. Key Features Of Linea’s Alpha Mainnet Phase Linea has introduced several significant upgrades with the release of its alpha mainnet stage. This includes a new outer-proof system and a dynamic fee mechanism. Linea’s alpha mainnet stage includes a feature called batch conflation. This feature optimizes the number of layer-2 transactions and blocks that can fit into a layer-1 submitted batch. By doing so, Linea is able to reduce the fixed costs associated with layer 1 and provide a more cost-effective transaction experience. In addition to the lower transaction fees, the launch of Linea’s alpha mainnet stage is expected to reduce friction for developers and improve onboarding with fast finality, a capital-efficient bridge, and inherited Ethereum security. These upgrades will enable Linea to offer transaction costs that are substantially cheaper than Ethereum’s base layer. MetaMask To Include Linea Support As Well MetaMask, a wallet offered by Consensys, will also support Linea soon. It will allow users to access the network through MetaMask Portfolio and its Bridge, Swap, and Buy features. The integration is expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks and MetaMask users will be able to interact with Linea’s decentralized applications and protocols with ease. Related Reading: Dogecoin (DOGE) Price Downtrend Set To Persist – What To Expect ConsenSys has also announced the Linea Ecosystem Investment Alliance (EIA). The EIA aims to support developers and builders by providing funding and resources, in addition to the launch of Linea Mainnet Alpha.