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Trump Says US to Cancel Iran Attack Subject to a Rapid DealU.S. President Donald Trump said the US will hold off new strikes against Iran after the Islamic Republic and other Middle Eastern nations told him they are working toward a deal, Bloomberg reported. Trump said he had agreed to cancel the attack "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL," according to a social media post, adding that Israel had agreed to join him in the commitment. He said the US was asked to hold off in exchange for terms that would include the immediate and total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat.The move follows a report by Axios that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had urged Trump to refrain from new strikes, according to Bloomberg. The US military had been ordered to carry out fresh attacks as soon as this weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported, after Trump vowed at a Friday cabinet meeting to hit Iran "very hard" to end a war now dragging into its sixth month. US embassies across the Middle East warned Americans to prepare for flight cancellations and airspace closures. The stop-start conflict, which began Feb. 28 and has repeatedly disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, has driven sharp energy-price swings, with Brent crude ending the week above $90 a barrel, up from below $72 at the start of last month.

Trump Says US to Cancel Iran Attack Subject to a Rapid Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said the US will hold off new strikes against Iran after the Islamic Republic and other Middle Eastern nations told him they are working toward a deal, Bloomberg reported. Trump said he had agreed to cancel the attack "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL," according to a social media post, adding that Israel had agreed to join him in the commitment. He said the US was asked to hold off in exchange for terms that would include the immediate and total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat.The move follows a report by Axios that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had urged Trump to refrain from new strikes, according to Bloomberg. The US military had been ordered to carry out fresh attacks as soon as this weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported, after Trump vowed at a Friday cabinet meeting to hit Iran "very hard" to end a war now dragging into its sixth month. US embassies across the Middle East warned Americans to prepare for flight cancellations and airspace closures. The stop-start conflict, which began Feb. 28 and has repeatedly disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, has driven sharp energy-price swings, with Brent crude ending the week above $90 a barrel, up from below $72 at the start of last month.
OPEC+ Agrees to Small September Quota Hike, Delegates SayMajor OPEC+ nations have agreed in principle to another token increase in production quotas for September, according to Bloomberg. The move would complete the theoretical revival of supplies halted in 2023 and leave members room to add more barrels after the Middle East war ends.

OPEC+ Agrees to Small September Quota Hike, Delegates Say

Major OPEC+ nations have agreed in principle to another token increase in production quotas for September, according to Bloomberg. The move would complete the theoretical revival of supplies halted in 2023 and leave members room to add more barrels after the Middle East war ends.
Article
Market News: Trump Cancels Iran Strike Pending Rapid Deal — Hormuz Reopening Terms Would Be the Most Bullish Single Macro Event for Bitcoin Since the June CeasefireUS President Donald Trump agreed to cancel planned strikes against Iran "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL" after the Islamic Republic and other Middle Eastern nations signaled they are working toward an agreement, Bloomberg reported. Trump said Israel had agreed to join him in the commitment to hold off. The terms include the immediate and total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat — the two conditions that would simultaneously remove the oil risk premium that has kept Brent crude above $90 and eliminate the primary inflation channel that has been preventing the Federal Reserve from signaling a dovish rate path. The move follows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urging Trump to refrain from new strikes, per Axios, as the US military had been ordered to carry out fresh attacks as soon as this weekend after Trump vowed at a Friday cabinet meeting to hit Iran "very hard." Brent crude ended the week above $90 — up from below $72 at the start of last month — in a conflict that began February 28 and has now dragged into its sixth month, repeatedly disrupting Hormuz transit that carries approximately 20% of global oil and gas supplies.Why the Deal Terms Matter — Hormuz and Nuclear CombinedTrump's stated terms are the most comprehensive single settlement framework since the June 19 MOU ceasefire — and structurally more demanding. The June MOU required a cessation of hostilities. The current framework requires two additional conditions: immediate and total Hormuz reopening and an end to Iran's nuclear threat. The combination is significant because each condition addresses a different inflationary channel.Immediate Hormuz reopening is the oil market condition. Hormuz carrying approximately 20% of global oil and gas supplies has been the primary mechanism through which this conflict has driven Brent from below $72 at the start of July to above $90 at week's end and through $100 at multiple points during the escalation cycle. Full Hormuz reopening would immediately begin unwinding the approximately $18-25 oil risk premium that has accumulated since the conflict began, with Brent potentially retracing toward the $65-72 range that prevailed during the June ceasefire period. That oil decline would lower CPI expectations, reduce Federal Reserve rate hike probability, and provide the macro permission signal that Bitcoin's structural bid requires to push above $67,250 and toward the Bitfinex $68,500 short-term holder cost basis.The nuclear pledge addresses the longer-duration risk that has kept the conflict's terminal scenario — US or Israeli military action against Iranian nuclear facilities — priced into the oil market's tail risk. An Iranian commitment to end its nuclear threat, if formalized and verifiable, would reduce the probability of the most extreme escalation that the market has been partially pricing since February 28.The Stop-Start PatternThe six-month conflict has produced multiple prior ceasefire signals that failed. The June 19 MOU was a formal agreement that collapsed within weeks. Trump's July 28 deal-opening language — "now is a good time to reach an agreement," "I hope to avoid attacking bridges and power plants" — was followed within 36 hours by "we will hit them hard, they will be hit hard" and confirmation of the Iran-Jordan ballistic missile exchange. The most recent Friday cabinet meeting included Trump vowing to hit Iran "very hard" — the same session that generated the weekend strike orders that the current cancellation is reversing.The conditional framing — "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL" — preserves Trump's ability to resume strikes immediately if negotiations stall or if Iran fails to meet the Hormuz reopening and nuclear pledge conditions within a timeframe Trump considers rapid. The pattern of this conflict's diplomacy is that conditions change faster than oil markets can sustainably reprice. Every prior oil decline on ceasefire signals has been partially or fully reversed within 48-72 hours when the diplomatic signal proved premature.The Oil and Crypto Market Read-ThroughBrent crude's trajectory from below $72 at the start of last month to above $90 at week's end — with a peak above $100 during the escalation's most acute phase — has been the primary macro headwind for Bitcoin and crypto markets throughout July. The correlation is direct: higher oil drives CPI inflation, which drives Fed rate hike expectations, which strengthens the dollar, which through the DXY inverse correlation pressures Bitcoin. The 35% July FOMC hike probability, Bank of America's three-hike September-October-December forecast, and Citadel's explicit hike call all derive from the same oil-inflation channel.A credible Hormuz reopening deal that sends Brent from $90 toward $72 or below would simultaneously reduce near-term CPI expectations, reduce September rate hike probability from 63% toward 30-40%, reduce the DXY's rate-differential support against other major currencies, and remove the primary macro headwind that has kept Bitcoin in the $62,000-$66,000 range despite the strongest structural on-chain configuration — nine-year exchange supply low, 79% LTH supply record, whale accumulation ongoing — in the current cycle.The DeFi tokens that led Monday's risk-on session when Brent fell 7% on the prior strike pause — AAVE +9%, LDO +9.4%, ONDO +7% — are the highest-beta crypto assets to an oil decline catalyst. Bitcoin's own response to the June ceasefire was more measured than altcoins, with the structural bid providing a floor rather than a launch pad. If the deal signal holds through the weekend and oil markets open Sunday evening with Brent below $85, the crypto market's response will likely follow the same pattern: DeFi and altcoins leading, Bitcoin consolidating above the 200-week SMA at $62,873 and positioning for the move through $67,250 and $68,500.The FOMC Forward Guidance Re-PricingThe most significant medium-term crypto implication of a credible Iran deal is what it does to Federal Reserve forward guidance on the September rate decision. Bank of America's three-hike September-October-December forecast is explicitly premised on oil remaining elevated and CPI staying above the Fed's target through Q3. Capital Economics' 75 basis point forecast carries the same oil-inflation assumption. If Hormuz reopens and Brent retraces from $90 toward $70, the September 63% hike probability — the rate market's primary headwind for risk assets — would compress significantly. The combination of the 60% rule preventing a July hike (as BofA confirmed) and oil-driven inflation pressure dissipating would allow the Fed to maintain its hold posture through Q3 without the forward guidance hawkishness that has been suppressing Bitcoin since the conflict escalated.What Would Confirm the Deal Is RealThree conditions would confirm that the current Trump-Iran deal signal is structurally different from prior false ceasefire signals: formal Iranian acknowledgment through official state channels rather than anonymous diplomatic sources; a verifiable first step on Hormuz — a measurable increase in daily transits from the three-week low of 8 ships per day toward the pre-conflict 110 per day; and sustained oil decline below $85 for more than 48 hours, which would confirm that oil traders are pricing the deal as durable rather than temporary. The June ceasefire produced all three before collapsing — meaning none of these conditions individually or collectively is sufficient. But their absence would be a reliable signal that the deal signal is premature.Bitcoin at $63,026 at July's close — with the 200-week SMA at $62,873 holding every test, exchange inflows near multi-year lows, 5% spot concentration at 12% and building toward the 15% explosive breakout threshold, and the Coldcard exploit's market impact absorbed by structural demand — enters August with its most important geopolitical variable in active negotiation for the first time since June's MOU collapsed. The deal terms Trump has described — Hormuz reopening and nuclear pledge — are the most bullish single macro development the current recovery thesis requires if they materialize as a durable agreement.

Market News: Trump Cancels Iran Strike Pending Rapid Deal — Hormuz Reopening Terms Would Be the Most Bullish Single Macro Event for Bitcoin Since the June Ceasefire

US President Donald Trump agreed to cancel planned strikes against Iran "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL" after the Islamic Republic and other Middle Eastern nations signaled they are working toward an agreement, Bloomberg reported. Trump said Israel had agreed to join him in the commitment to hold off. The terms include the immediate and total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat — the two conditions that would simultaneously remove the oil risk premium that has kept Brent crude above $90 and eliminate the primary inflation channel that has been preventing the Federal Reserve from signaling a dovish rate path. The move follows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urging Trump to refrain from new strikes, per Axios, as the US military had been ordered to carry out fresh attacks as soon as this weekend after Trump vowed at a Friday cabinet meeting to hit Iran "very hard." Brent crude ended the week above $90 — up from below $72 at the start of last month — in a conflict that began February 28 and has now dragged into its sixth month, repeatedly disrupting Hormuz transit that carries approximately 20% of global oil and gas supplies.Why the Deal Terms Matter — Hormuz and Nuclear CombinedTrump's stated terms are the most comprehensive single settlement framework since the June 19 MOU ceasefire — and structurally more demanding. The June MOU required a cessation of hostilities. The current framework requires two additional conditions: immediate and total Hormuz reopening and an end to Iran's nuclear threat. The combination is significant because each condition addresses a different inflationary channel.Immediate Hormuz reopening is the oil market condition. Hormuz carrying approximately 20% of global oil and gas supplies has been the primary mechanism through which this conflict has driven Brent from below $72 at the start of July to above $90 at week's end and through $100 at multiple points during the escalation cycle. Full Hormuz reopening would immediately begin unwinding the approximately $18-25 oil risk premium that has accumulated since the conflict began, with Brent potentially retracing toward the $65-72 range that prevailed during the June ceasefire period. That oil decline would lower CPI expectations, reduce Federal Reserve rate hike probability, and provide the macro permission signal that Bitcoin's structural bid requires to push above $67,250 and toward the Bitfinex $68,500 short-term holder cost basis.The nuclear pledge addresses the longer-duration risk that has kept the conflict's terminal scenario — US or Israeli military action against Iranian nuclear facilities — priced into the oil market's tail risk. An Iranian commitment to end its nuclear threat, if formalized and verifiable, would reduce the probability of the most extreme escalation that the market has been partially pricing since February 28.The Stop-Start PatternThe six-month conflict has produced multiple prior ceasefire signals that failed. The June 19 MOU was a formal agreement that collapsed within weeks. Trump's July 28 deal-opening language — "now is a good time to reach an agreement," "I hope to avoid attacking bridges and power plants" — was followed within 36 hours by "we will hit them hard, they will be hit hard" and confirmation of the Iran-Jordan ballistic missile exchange. The most recent Friday cabinet meeting included Trump vowing to hit Iran "very hard" — the same session that generated the weekend strike orders that the current cancellation is reversing.The conditional framing — "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL" — preserves Trump's ability to resume strikes immediately if negotiations stall or if Iran fails to meet the Hormuz reopening and nuclear pledge conditions within a timeframe Trump considers rapid. The pattern of this conflict's diplomacy is that conditions change faster than oil markets can sustainably reprice. Every prior oil decline on ceasefire signals has been partially or fully reversed within 48-72 hours when the diplomatic signal proved premature.The Oil and Crypto Market Read-ThroughBrent crude's trajectory from below $72 at the start of last month to above $90 at week's end — with a peak above $100 during the escalation's most acute phase — has been the primary macro headwind for Bitcoin and crypto markets throughout July. The correlation is direct: higher oil drives CPI inflation, which drives Fed rate hike expectations, which strengthens the dollar, which through the DXY inverse correlation pressures Bitcoin. The 35% July FOMC hike probability, Bank of America's three-hike September-October-December forecast, and Citadel's explicit hike call all derive from the same oil-inflation channel.A credible Hormuz reopening deal that sends Brent from $90 toward $72 or below would simultaneously reduce near-term CPI expectations, reduce September rate hike probability from 63% toward 30-40%, reduce the DXY's rate-differential support against other major currencies, and remove the primary macro headwind that has kept Bitcoin in the $62,000-$66,000 range despite the strongest structural on-chain configuration — nine-year exchange supply low, 79% LTH supply record, whale accumulation ongoing — in the current cycle.The DeFi tokens that led Monday's risk-on session when Brent fell 7% on the prior strike pause — AAVE +9%, LDO +9.4%, ONDO +7% — are the highest-beta crypto assets to an oil decline catalyst. Bitcoin's own response to the June ceasefire was more measured than altcoins, with the structural bid providing a floor rather than a launch pad. If the deal signal holds through the weekend and oil markets open Sunday evening with Brent below $85, the crypto market's response will likely follow the same pattern: DeFi and altcoins leading, Bitcoin consolidating above the 200-week SMA at $62,873 and positioning for the move through $67,250 and $68,500.The FOMC Forward Guidance Re-PricingThe most significant medium-term crypto implication of a credible Iran deal is what it does to Federal Reserve forward guidance on the September rate decision. Bank of America's three-hike September-October-December forecast is explicitly premised on oil remaining elevated and CPI staying above the Fed's target through Q3. Capital Economics' 75 basis point forecast carries the same oil-inflation assumption. If Hormuz reopens and Brent retraces from $90 toward $70, the September 63% hike probability — the rate market's primary headwind for risk assets — would compress significantly. The combination of the 60% rule preventing a July hike (as BofA confirmed) and oil-driven inflation pressure dissipating would allow the Fed to maintain its hold posture through Q3 without the forward guidance hawkishness that has been suppressing Bitcoin since the conflict escalated.What Would Confirm the Deal Is RealThree conditions would confirm that the current Trump-Iran deal signal is structurally different from prior false ceasefire signals: formal Iranian acknowledgment through official state channels rather than anonymous diplomatic sources; a verifiable first step on Hormuz — a measurable increase in daily transits from the three-week low of 8 ships per day toward the pre-conflict 110 per day; and sustained oil decline below $85 for more than 48 hours, which would confirm that oil traders are pricing the deal as durable rather than temporary. The June ceasefire produced all three before collapsing — meaning none of these conditions individually or collectively is sufficient. But their absence would be a reliable signal that the deal signal is premature.Bitcoin at $63,026 at July's close — with the 200-week SMA at $62,873 holding every test, exchange inflows near multi-year lows, 5% spot concentration at 12% and building toward the 15% explosive breakout threshold, and the Coldcard exploit's market impact absorbed by structural demand — enters August with its most important geopolitical variable in active negotiation for the first time since June's MOU collapsed. The deal terms Trump has described — Hormuz reopening and nuclear pledge — are the most bullish single macro development the current recovery thesis requires if they materialize as a durable agreement.
Article
Crypto News: Coldcard Exploit Reaches $89 Million Across Three Waves — Small BTC Transfers Surge to FTX-Era Highs as Self-Custody Debate ReignitesThe suspected Coldcard hardware wallet exploit has expanded significantly since its initial disclosure, with Galaxy Research tracking three separate attack waves totaling 1,367 BTC — approximately $88.6 million — drained from 4,585 addresses. The third wave, flagged by Galaxy Research early Sunday, drained an additional 207.7 BTC from 1,912 addresses between Friday midday and Saturday morning UTC, with the attacker now targeting smaller balances and changing the onchain collection methodology to avoid the enumeration that made earlier waves easy to map. The root cause traces to a March 2021 firmware build that routed seed generation to a predictable software randomizer instead of the chip's dedicated hardware randomizer — leaving a bounded set of possible keys that anyone with the disclosure and sufficient compute can reproduce offline without ever touching a device. Bitcoin users responded: small-value transfers below 1 BTC reached 39,600 BTC in a single day — the highest daily level since November 2022's FTX collapse, just 300 BTC below the 39,900 BTC moved in the immediate aftermath of FTX's bankruptcy filing. The incident has reignited the fundamental Bitcoin self-custody debate, drawing responses from Galaxy Digital's Alex Thorn, Casa's Nick Neuman, and Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. The Three Attack Waves — How the Exploit Evolved Galaxy Research has tracked three distinct attack waves, each with different operational characteristics that suggest either the same operator adapting after public enumeration or a second operator independently grinding the same vulnerable key space. Wave one, on July 30, drained 1,083 BTC from 1,196 addresses in 41 minutes — averaging close to one full Bitcoin per victim and processing exactly one victim per transaction. The funds were routed to a small number of shared collector addresses, making the wave straightforward to map. Wave two represented a scaling of the same methodology with similar collector address patterns. Wave three departed significantly: Galaxy flagged it as draining 207.7 BTC from 1,912 addresses — averaging just over a tenth of a Bitcoin per victim — confirming that the attacker has moved to smaller balances as the more profitable end of the vulnerable key space has been picked over. Wave three sends each victim's coins to its own unique destination rather than shared collector addresses, uses pay-to-witness-script-hash outputs — a format capable of carrying multisignature or timelock conditions — instead of the plain single-key outputs used in earlier waves, and batches an average of six victims per sweep rather than processing one at a time. Wave three also scanned only the default derivation path rather than testing multiple branches per seed. Galaxy said it is confident each wave is internally consistent with a single operator but will not link the three waves to each other. The operational evolution across waves — reduced per-victim haul, changed collection architecture, modified output format — is consistent with an attacker who processed the highest-value targets first and is now systematically working through the remaining vulnerable key space at lower profitability per address. The Technical Root Cause — March 2021 Firmware's Predictable Randomizer The flaw traces to a specific March 2021 firmware build that routed Bitcoin seed generation to a predictable software pseudo-random number generator instead of the chip's dedicated hardware random number generator. Cryptographic security in seed generation depends entirely on the randomness of the entropy source — a hardware random number generator draws entropy from physical processes that are genuinely unpredictable, while a software pseudo-random number generator produces outputs that, while appearing random, are deterministic given knowledge of the algorithm and seed state. The March 2021 firmware's routing error left a bounded set of possible keys — a finite universe of seeds that the flawed software randomizer could have produced — that anyone with the firmware disclosure and sufficient compute can reproduce offline, testing every possible output of the flawed randomizer against every Bitcoin address that ever appeared on chain. The three-day persistence of the attack — with Galaxy's Alex Thorn warning Sunday that it remains active and urging users to move funds immediately — confirms that the bounded key space has not been fully exhausted. The declining average haul per victim across waves indicates the attacker is working through the key space in order of descending balance, having already cleared the largest wallets. 39,600 BTC in Small Transfers — The FTX Comparison CryptoQuant head of research Julio Moreno's disclosure that Bitcoin transfers below 1 BTC reached 39,600 BTC in a single day — the highest since November 16, 2022's 39,900 BTC moved in the immediate aftermath of FTX's bankruptcy — is the most significant market-structure signal from the incident. The FTX comparison is precise: November 16, 2022 was the day when retail Bitcoin holders reacted to the collapse of a centralized exchange by moving their coins out of exchanges and into self-custody at the highest rate ever recorded for small-value transfers. Friday's response — retail holders moving coins out of potentially compromised Coldcard wallets to new addresses or alternative custody arrangements — is the same behavioral signature applied to a hardware wallet failure rather than a centralized exchange failure. Moreno said he was encouraged to see users "taking action" — the 39,600 BTC in small transfers represents proactive risk response rather than passive exposure to ongoing losses. Casa CEO Nick Neuman estimated that potentially 10 times more Bitcoin was protected through self-custody action than was stolen, suggesting that the public disclosure and user response may have preserved significantly more value than was lost. The Self-Custody Debate — Three Positions The Coldcard incident has produced three distinct positions in the self-custody debate. Casa's Nick Neuman pushed back against claims that "self-custody is over," arguing that self-custody's distributed nature gave users time to react — a centralized exchange failure is instant and total, while a hardware wallet vulnerability allows users who become aware to move funds before the attacker reaches their specific address in the vulnerable key space. The 39,600 BTC in small transfers is Neuman's argument made numerically: users who took action protected their funds. Bloomberg's Eric Balchunas argued that Bitcoin ETFs — backed by a mature regulatory framework, institutional custody, and the operating history of the ETF industry — provide a safer alternative for users who lack the technical sophistication to manage self-custody security. The ETF argument is not that self-custody failed but that the complexity of managing hardware wallet firmware versions, derivation paths, and seed generation entropy sources is beyond the reasonable expectation of most retail investors. Industry insiders offered the most technically precise position: the Coldcard incident reflects issues with a single wallet provider's specific firmware build from March 2021 rather than a failure of the self-custody model itself. The Bitcoin protocol's security is uncompromised. The vulnerability is in Coldcard's implementation of key generation — a product-level failure that is categorically distinct from a protocol-level failure. What the Exploit Means for Bitcoin's Market Structure The 39,600 BTC in sub-1 BTC transfers arriving simultaneously with the CoinDesk 20's 8.7% July gain and Bitcoin closing July at $63,026 describes a market where retail users are actively managing hardware custody risk while institutional capital continues its ETF-channel accumulation. The behavioral divergence — retail self-custody reassessment, institutional ETF inflows — is the specific dynamic that Eric Balchunas' observation captures: the Coldcard incident may accelerate the bifurcation between retail users who choose ETF custody for simplicity and Bitcoin holders who maintain direct self-custody with enhanced security hygiene. For the price, the exploit's market impact has been absorbed by the structural demand configuration. Galaxy's Thorn continues to track active sweeps and has urged immediate fund movement for any user with a Coldcard wallet generated on firmware from the March 2021 period or thereabouts. The bounded key space means the attack has a finite endpoint — but that endpoint has not yet been reached as of Sunday's reporting.

Crypto News: Coldcard Exploit Reaches $89 Million Across Three Waves — Small BTC Transfers Surge to FTX-Era Highs as Self-Custody Debate Reignites

The suspected Coldcard hardware wallet exploit has expanded significantly since its initial disclosure, with Galaxy Research tracking three separate attack waves totaling 1,367 BTC — approximately $88.6 million — drained from 4,585 addresses. The third wave, flagged by Galaxy Research early Sunday, drained an additional 207.7 BTC from 1,912 addresses between Friday midday and Saturday morning UTC, with the attacker now targeting smaller balances and changing the onchain collection methodology to avoid the enumeration that made earlier waves easy to map. The root cause traces to a March 2021 firmware build that routed seed generation to a predictable software randomizer instead of the chip's dedicated hardware randomizer — leaving a bounded set of possible keys that anyone with the disclosure and sufficient compute can reproduce offline without ever touching a device. Bitcoin users responded: small-value transfers below 1 BTC reached 39,600 BTC in a single day — the highest daily level since November 2022's FTX collapse, just 300 BTC below the 39,900 BTC moved in the immediate aftermath of FTX's bankruptcy filing. The incident has reignited the fundamental Bitcoin self-custody debate, drawing responses from Galaxy Digital's Alex Thorn, Casa's Nick Neuman, and Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.
The Three Attack Waves — How the Exploit Evolved
Galaxy Research has tracked three distinct attack waves, each with different operational characteristics that suggest either the same operator adapting after public enumeration or a second operator independently grinding the same vulnerable key space.
Wave one, on July 30, drained 1,083 BTC from 1,196 addresses in 41 minutes — averaging close to one full Bitcoin per victim and processing exactly one victim per transaction. The funds were routed to a small number of shared collector addresses, making the wave straightforward to map. Wave two represented a scaling of the same methodology with similar collector address patterns. Wave three departed significantly: Galaxy flagged it as draining 207.7 BTC from 1,912 addresses — averaging just over a tenth of a Bitcoin per victim — confirming that the attacker has moved to smaller balances as the more profitable end of the vulnerable key space has been picked over. Wave three sends each victim's coins to its own unique destination rather than shared collector addresses, uses pay-to-witness-script-hash outputs — a format capable of carrying multisignature or timelock conditions — instead of the plain single-key outputs used in earlier waves, and batches an average of six victims per sweep rather than processing one at a time. Wave three also scanned only the default derivation path rather than testing multiple branches per seed.
Galaxy said it is confident each wave is internally consistent with a single operator but will not link the three waves to each other. The operational evolution across waves — reduced per-victim haul, changed collection architecture, modified output format — is consistent with an attacker who processed the highest-value targets first and is now systematically working through the remaining vulnerable key space at lower profitability per address.
The Technical Root Cause — March 2021 Firmware's Predictable Randomizer
The flaw traces to a specific March 2021 firmware build that routed Bitcoin seed generation to a predictable software pseudo-random number generator instead of the chip's dedicated hardware random number generator. Cryptographic security in seed generation depends entirely on the randomness of the entropy source — a hardware random number generator draws entropy from physical processes that are genuinely unpredictable, while a software pseudo-random number generator produces outputs that, while appearing random, are deterministic given knowledge of the algorithm and seed state. The March 2021 firmware's routing error left a bounded set of possible keys — a finite universe of seeds that the flawed software randomizer could have produced — that anyone with the firmware disclosure and sufficient compute can reproduce offline, testing every possible output of the flawed randomizer against every Bitcoin address that ever appeared on chain.
The three-day persistence of the attack — with Galaxy's Alex Thorn warning Sunday that it remains active and urging users to move funds immediately — confirms that the bounded key space has not been fully exhausted. The declining average haul per victim across waves indicates the attacker is working through the key space in order of descending balance, having already cleared the largest wallets.
39,600 BTC in Small Transfers — The FTX Comparison
CryptoQuant head of research Julio Moreno's disclosure that Bitcoin transfers below 1 BTC reached 39,600 BTC in a single day — the highest since November 16, 2022's 39,900 BTC moved in the immediate aftermath of FTX's bankruptcy — is the most significant market-structure signal from the incident. The FTX comparison is precise: November 16, 2022 was the day when retail Bitcoin holders reacted to the collapse of a centralized exchange by moving their coins out of exchanges and into self-custody at the highest rate ever recorded for small-value transfers. Friday's response — retail holders moving coins out of potentially compromised Coldcard wallets to new addresses or alternative custody arrangements — is the same behavioral signature applied to a hardware wallet failure rather than a centralized exchange failure.
Moreno said he was encouraged to see users "taking action" — the 39,600 BTC in small transfers represents proactive risk response rather than passive exposure to ongoing losses. Casa CEO Nick Neuman estimated that potentially 10 times more Bitcoin was protected through self-custody action than was stolen, suggesting that the public disclosure and user response may have preserved significantly more value than was lost.
The Self-Custody Debate — Three Positions
The Coldcard incident has produced three distinct positions in the self-custody debate. Casa's Nick Neuman pushed back against claims that "self-custody is over," arguing that self-custody's distributed nature gave users time to react — a centralized exchange failure is instant and total, while a hardware wallet vulnerability allows users who become aware to move funds before the attacker reaches their specific address in the vulnerable key space. The 39,600 BTC in small transfers is Neuman's argument made numerically: users who took action protected their funds.
Bloomberg's Eric Balchunas argued that Bitcoin ETFs — backed by a mature regulatory framework, institutional custody, and the operating history of the ETF industry — provide a safer alternative for users who lack the technical sophistication to manage self-custody security. The ETF argument is not that self-custody failed but that the complexity of managing hardware wallet firmware versions, derivation paths, and seed generation entropy sources is beyond the reasonable expectation of most retail investors.
Industry insiders offered the most technically precise position: the Coldcard incident reflects issues with a single wallet provider's specific firmware build from March 2021 rather than a failure of the self-custody model itself. The Bitcoin protocol's security is uncompromised. The vulnerability is in Coldcard's implementation of key generation — a product-level failure that is categorically distinct from a protocol-level failure.
What the Exploit Means for Bitcoin's Market Structure
The 39,600 BTC in sub-1 BTC transfers arriving simultaneously with the CoinDesk 20's 8.7% July gain and Bitcoin closing July at $63,026 describes a market where retail users are actively managing hardware custody risk while institutional capital continues its ETF-channel accumulation. The behavioral divergence — retail self-custody reassessment, institutional ETF inflows — is the specific dynamic that Eric Balchunas' observation captures: the Coldcard incident may accelerate the bifurcation between retail users who choose ETF custody for simplicity and Bitcoin holders who maintain direct self-custody with enhanced security hygiene.
For the price, the exploit's market impact has been absorbed by the structural demand configuration. Galaxy's Thorn continues to track active sweeps and has urged immediate fund movement for any user with a Coldcard wallet generated on firmware from the March 2021 period or thereabouts. The bounded key space means the attack has a finite endpoint — but that endpoint has not yet been reached as of Sunday's reporting.
Article
SEC Pauses Nasdaq Approval of QBTC Bitcoin Options After CME Group Legal ChallengeThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has frozen Nasdaq’s approval of QBTC bitcoin options to review the decision after a legal challenge from CME Group. According to Odaily, CME Group said bitcoin is a commodity and that options tied to its value should fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission rather than the SEC. The approval remains suspended during the SEC review, and interested parties may submit comments by August 24.

SEC Pauses Nasdaq Approval of QBTC Bitcoin Options After CME Group Legal Challenge

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has frozen Nasdaq’s approval of QBTC bitcoin options to review the decision after a legal challenge from CME Group. According to Odaily, CME Group said bitcoin is a commodity and that options tied to its value should fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission rather than the SEC. The approval remains suspended during the SEC review, and interested parties may submit comments by August 24.
Japan Economy Minister Akazawa: August Crude Purchases May Reach About 100% of Typical LevelsJapan Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa said August crude oil purchases are expected to reach about 100% of the level in the same period in previous years, and that the quantity needed by Japan as a whole has been secured. According to Jin10, he made the remarks on Japan's overall crude oil supply.

Japan Economy Minister Akazawa: August Crude Purchases May Reach About 100% of Typical Levels

Japan Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa said August crude oil purchases are expected to reach about 100% of the level in the same period in previous years, and that the quantity needed by Japan as a whole has been secured. According to Jin10, he made the remarks on Japan's overall crude oil supply.
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Coldcard Key Exploit Attackers Control 1,366.3865 BTC, Galaxy Research SaysGalaxy Research said its monitoring of three waves of attacks tied to a Coldcard key vulnerability suggests the first two waves followed a similar pattern. Both consolidated funds into at least several shared addresses, used the same P2WPKH output format and derivation path combinations, and occurred 27 hours apart, indicating they were likely carried out by the same attacker, although they differed in fee settings and in whether they used RBF signals.According to Foresight News, the third wave differed from the first two in multiple ways. It abandoned shared consolidation addresses in favor of separate destination addresses for each victim, stored funds in P2WSH rather than P2WPKH, averaged 6.37 victims per batch instead of liquidating one by one, and scanned only the default derivation path.Galaxy Research said the third wave could reflect the same attacker using updated tools or a separate attacker exploiting the same publicly disclosed vulnerable key space. The on-chain data cannot distinguish between those possibilities, and the firm said it cannot confirm any connection between the three waves, though it can confirm that each wave involved a single operator.Attackers now control 1,366.3865 BTC, and none of the funds in the final addresses have been spent. The first two waves involved 1,158.8148 BTC across seven addresses under ongoing monitoring, while the third wave involved 293 P2WSH vault addresses. Because the scripts for those addresses have not been disclosed, their specific scripts will only be revealed when they are spent for the first time. All of the stolen BTC in the three waves were created after the block that included the vulnerable firmware release on March 17, 2021.

Coldcard Key Exploit Attackers Control 1,366.3865 BTC, Galaxy Research Says

Galaxy Research said its monitoring of three waves of attacks tied to a Coldcard key vulnerability suggests the first two waves followed a similar pattern. Both consolidated funds into at least several shared addresses, used the same P2WPKH output format and derivation path combinations, and occurred 27 hours apart, indicating they were likely carried out by the same attacker, although they differed in fee settings and in whether they used RBF signals.According to Foresight News, the third wave differed from the first two in multiple ways. It abandoned shared consolidation addresses in favor of separate destination addresses for each victim, stored funds in P2WSH rather than P2WPKH, averaged 6.37 victims per batch instead of liquidating one by one, and scanned only the default derivation path.Galaxy Research said the third wave could reflect the same attacker using updated tools or a separate attacker exploiting the same publicly disclosed vulnerable key space. The on-chain data cannot distinguish between those possibilities, and the firm said it cannot confirm any connection between the three waves, though it can confirm that each wave involved a single operator.Attackers now control 1,366.3865 BTC, and none of the funds in the final addresses have been spent. The first two waves involved 1,158.8148 BTC across seven addresses under ongoing monitoring, while the third wave involved 293 P2WSH vault addresses. Because the scripts for those addresses have not been disclosed, their specific scripts will only be revealed when they are spent for the first time. All of the stolen BTC in the three waves were created after the block that included the vulnerable firmware release on March 17, 2021.
CZ: Self-Custody Wallet Vulnerability Fixes Cannot Protect Previously Created WalletsAccording to Odaily, in response to the persistent attacks on Coldcard wallets, Binance co-founder CZ reposted on X stating that for self-custody wallets, developers fixing vulnerabilities cannot resolve the risks associated with previously generated wallets, and developers are unable to directly contact users of air-gapped devices.CZ stated that users' wallets may still be exposed to attack risks before any action is taken. He emphasized that he still supports the self-custody model, but self-custody means users need to bear more security responsibilities.

CZ: Self-Custody Wallet Vulnerability Fixes Cannot Protect Previously Created Wallets

According to Odaily, in response to the persistent attacks on Coldcard wallets, Binance co-founder CZ reposted on X stating that for self-custody wallets, developers fixing vulnerabilities cannot resolve the risks associated with previously generated wallets, and developers are unable to directly contact users of air-gapped devices.CZ stated that users' wallets may still be exposed to attack risks before any action is taken. He emphasized that he still supports the self-custody model, but self-custody means users need to bear more security responsibilities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi Agrees to Qatar-U.S. Proposal to Reopen the Strait of HormuzAccording to Jin10, Israel's Channel 12, citing diplomatic sources, reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi agreed to a Qatar-U.S.-backed solution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The report said this prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to cancel plans to launch an attack on Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi Agrees to Qatar-U.S. Proposal to Reopen the Strait of Hormuz

According to Jin10, Israel's Channel 12, citing diplomatic sources, reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi agreed to a Qatar-U.S.-backed solution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The report said this prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to cancel plans to launch an attack on Iran.
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Strategy Keeps STRC Stretch Dividend Rate at 12.00% for August 2026Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor confirmed that the Stretch Dividend Rate for its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock, STRC, will remain at 12.00% in August 2026. According to Odaily, STRC launched in July 2025 with an initial rate of 9% and has been raised for seven consecutive months.The dividend adjustment mechanism increases the rate by 0.5% when STRC trades below $95, and any increase remains in place after the price recovers. Strategy resets the rate each month to move STRC toward its $100 par value and has used an at-the-market share issuance plan to raise funds for Bitcoin purchases.STRC closed at $89.46 on July 31, down from $89.50 in the prior session and about 10% to 11% below par. The stock fell to a low of $71.25 in June and has not returned to par since mid-May.Strategy has paused new STRC issuance through its ATM program, limiting its ability to use that financing channel to increase Bitcoin holdings. The company said it has a liquidity buffer covering about 26 months of dividend and interest obligations and authorized a $2 billion preferred and common stock buyback and Bitcoin monetization program in late June under its Digital Credit Capital Framework.

Strategy Keeps STRC Stretch Dividend Rate at 12.00% for August 2026

Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor confirmed that the Stretch Dividend Rate for its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock, STRC, will remain at 12.00% in August 2026. According to Odaily, STRC launched in July 2025 with an initial rate of 9% and has been raised for seven consecutive months.The dividend adjustment mechanism increases the rate by 0.5% when STRC trades below $95, and any increase remains in place after the price recovers. Strategy resets the rate each month to move STRC toward its $100 par value and has used an at-the-market share issuance plan to raise funds for Bitcoin purchases.STRC closed at $89.46 on July 31, down from $89.50 in the prior session and about 10% to 11% below par. The stock fell to a low of $71.25 in June and has not returned to par since mid-May.Strategy has paused new STRC issuance through its ATM program, limiting its ability to use that financing channel to increase Bitcoin holdings. The company said it has a liquidity buffer covering about 26 months of dividend and interest obligations and authorized a $2 billion preferred and common stock buyback and Bitcoin monetization program in late June under its Digital Credit Capital Framework.
Michael Saylor Says Strategy’s BTC Monetization Plan Was Announced Before Q2 ResultsMichael Saylor said on X that the company announced its BTC monetization plan on June 29, before second-quarter results were released, and not after reporting losses. According to Odaily, he said the company has never had a policy of never selling Bitcoin, and the BTC monetization plan does not mean it must sell Bitcoin. He added that the company expects to remain a net buyer of Bitcoin in the future.

Michael Saylor Says Strategy’s BTC Monetization Plan Was Announced Before Q2 Results

Michael Saylor said on X that the company announced its BTC monetization plan on June 29, before second-quarter results were released, and not after reporting losses. According to Odaily, he said the company has never had a policy of never selling Bitcoin, and the BTC monetization plan does not mean it must sell Bitcoin. He added that the company expects to remain a net buyer of Bitcoin in the future.
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Grayscale Urges Senate Leaders to Vote on CLARITY Act Before August RecessDigital asset management company Grayscale urged U.S. Senate leaders to vote on the CLARITY Act before the August recess, saying delays would affect U.S. competitiveness in the digital asset market. According to Odaily, the company sent letters to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.Grayscale said continued regulatory uncertainty leaves digital asset firms facing enforcement pressure without a unified federal framework. The CLARITY Act would divide oversight of digital asset markets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and establish national market rules. The bill also covers market structure, custody, enforcement, stablecoins, government ethics, developer protections and safeguards for direct asset holders.

Grayscale Urges Senate Leaders to Vote on CLARITY Act Before August Recess

Digital asset management company Grayscale urged U.S. Senate leaders to vote on the CLARITY Act before the August recess, saying delays would affect U.S. competitiveness in the digital asset market. According to Odaily, the company sent letters to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.Grayscale said continued regulatory uncertainty leaves digital asset firms facing enforcement pressure without a unified federal framework. The CLARITY Act would divide oversight of digital asset markets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and establish national market rules. The bill also covers market structure, custody, enforcement, stablecoins, government ethics, developer protections and safeguards for direct asset holders.
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Fred Thiel, the CEO of a Bitcoin mining company just said Bitcoin shouldn't be used for payments. That might be the most honest take of the year.

🧩 Where exactly does Bitcoin break down as money?
Thiel pointed to two fundamental gaps:
- Stability: Commerce needs a reliable unit of account. If BTC moves 2% between quote and settlement, somebody eats the loss. Businesses can't plan around that
- Speed and scale: Commercial environments need near-instant settlement at thousands of TPS. Bitcoin's 10-minute block cadence was never designed for that workload
Then came the pivot: stablecoins are the answer for AI-era payments 🏛️

And the market is already moving:
- Stablecoins processed $4T+ in the first half of 2025 (TRM Labs), up 83% YoY
- Market cap hit $317B, up ~50% in 2025 alone (Fed data)
- AI agent payment infrastructure is being built on stablecoin rails, not BTC
Meanwhile on Bitcoin's side: fees are at historical lows, miners lean on block subsidies, and the chain's payment utility remains theoretical. Thiel's own company is pivoting to AI data centers — power sales to AI compute now outearn mining.
PRECIOUS METALS | Gold Trades Above $4,000 as U.S. Yields and Fed Policy Draw Market FocusU.S. Treasury yields, technology earnings, the Federal Reserve's policy stance and Middle East tensions were the main market focus during a week of divergent trading, according to PANews. Spot gold fluctuated above $4,000 and finished Friday near $4,043 per ounce, while the metal was pressured during the week by a stronger dollar and higher yields.

PRECIOUS METALS | Gold Trades Above $4,000 as U.S. Yields and Fed Policy Draw Market Focus

U.S. Treasury yields, technology earnings, the Federal Reserve's policy stance and Middle East tensions were the main market focus during a week of divergent trading, according to PANews. Spot gold fluctuated above $4,000 and finished Friday near $4,043 per ounce, while the metal was pressured during the week by a stronger dollar and higher yields.
Turkey and Iraq Sign One-Year Crude Transit Deal, 750,000 Barrels a Day Allocated to IraqTurkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources said on August 1 local time that the Turkish state pipeline company BOTAŞ and two Iraqi oil companies formally signed a one-year crude transport agreement. Under the deal, the two sides will use the crude oil pipeline more efficiently, with 750,000 barrels a day of transport capacity allocated to the Iraqi side. Turkey said the pipeline's total designed daily capacity is 1.5 million barrels. During a previous visit to Turkey, Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Zaidi said Iraq would supply Turkey with 1 million barrels of oil a day, according to Jiemian News.

Turkey and Iraq Sign One-Year Crude Transit Deal, 750,000 Barrels a Day Allocated to Iraq

Turkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources said on August 1 local time that the Turkish state pipeline company BOTAŞ and two Iraqi oil companies formally signed a one-year crude transport agreement. Under the deal, the two sides will use the crude oil pipeline more efficiently, with 750,000 barrels a day of transport capacity allocated to the Iraqi side. Turkey said the pipeline's total designed daily capacity is 1.5 million barrels. During a previous visit to Turkey, Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Zaidi said Iraq would supply Turkey with 1 million barrels of oil a day, according to Jiemian News.
OPEC+ Members Agree To Adjust Output And Reaffirm Market Stability CommitmentOPEC+ members Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman have agreed to adjust production. According to ChainCatcher, they also reaffirmed their commitment to market stability.

OPEC+ Members Agree To Adjust Output And Reaffirm Market Stability Commitment

OPEC+ members Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman have agreed to adjust production. According to ChainCatcher, they also reaffirmed their commitment to market stability.
Crypto Liquidations Reach $330 Million in 24 Hours as Ethereum Leads LossesAccording to CoinAnk data, total liquidations across the crypto market reached about $330 million in the past 24 hours, with long positions accounting for about $232 million and short positions for about $98.7 million. According to Foresight News, Ethereum liquidations totaled about $110 million, while Bitcoin liquidations came to about $66.7 million.

Crypto Liquidations Reach $330 Million in 24 Hours as Ethereum Leads Losses

According to CoinAnk data, total liquidations across the crypto market reached about $330 million in the past 24 hours, with long positions accounting for about $232 million and short positions for about $98.7 million. According to Foresight News, Ethereum liquidations totaled about $110 million, while Bitcoin liquidations came to about $66.7 million.
Bitcoin Has 26% Probability of Reaching $70,000 in August, Prediction Markets ShowPrediction market data shows Bitcoin has a 26% probability of rising to $70,000 in August. According to Odaily, the probability of Bitcoin reaching $65,000 is 80%, while the probability of falling to $60,000 is 56%.

Bitcoin Has 26% Probability of Reaching $70,000 in August, Prediction Markets Show

Prediction market data shows Bitcoin has a 26% probability of rising to $70,000 in August. According to Odaily, the probability of Bitcoin reaching $65,000 is 80%, while the probability of falling to $60,000 is 56%.
Brazilian Police Discover Hidden Bitcoin Mine at Scrap YardBrazilian police discovered a hidden illegal Bitcoin mining operation during a routine inspection targeting scrap metal theft and resale at a recycling yard. According to Odaily, officers seized about 15 ASIC miners and 3 servers, with the equipment valued at more than 200,000 reais, or about $39,400. Bitcoin mining is not illegal in Brazil, but the equipment was allegedly connected to stolen electricity. Cemig estimated monthly losses of about 60,000 reais, or about $11,800. A 37-year-old recycling yard employee was arrested on theft and resale charges after failing to explain the origin of the equipment or provide invoices. Police also opened a case against a 31-year-old man and woman responsible for the business and said they are tracking the flow of the mined cryptocurrency.

Brazilian Police Discover Hidden Bitcoin Mine at Scrap Yard

Brazilian police discovered a hidden illegal Bitcoin mining operation during a routine inspection targeting scrap metal theft and resale at a recycling yard. According to Odaily, officers seized about 15 ASIC miners and 3 servers, with the equipment valued at more than 200,000 reais, or about $39,400.
Bitcoin mining is not illegal in Brazil, but the equipment was allegedly connected to stolen electricity. Cemig estimated monthly losses of about 60,000 reais, or about $11,800. A 37-year-old recycling yard employee was arrested on theft and resale charges after failing to explain the origin of the equipment or provide invoices. Police also opened a case against a 31-year-old man and woman responsible for the business and said they are tracking the flow of the mined cryptocurrency.
South Korea Plans Emergency Market Intervention Powers Amid Stock VolatilitySouth Korean financial regulators are advancing a revision to the Capital Markets Act that would give them emergency intervention powers to stabilize the stock market during sharp volatility. According to ChainCatcher, the Financial Services Commission has begun work with the Financial Supervisory Service on the proposed changes, which would focus on single-stock leveraged ETF products that were seen as amplifying recent market swings. The regulators are considering measures including changes to leverage ratios and investment caps, along with a personal investment limit for single-stock leveraged ETFs set at about 20% to curb excessive capital concentration. They are also considering introducing actual trading simulation requirements to improve investor understanding of leveraged product risks. South Korean regulators said raising the basic margin requirement is intended to increase the entry barrier, while investment limits would act as a ceiling on inflows, forming a complementary risk-control framework. South Korea raised the minimum margin requirement for single-stock leveraged ETF investors from 10 million won to 30 million won on July 31. On the first day of the rule change, trading volume for 16 related leveraged ETFs was about 3 trillion won, roughly one-quarter of the previous session's 12.4 trillion won and about 80% lower than the 15 trillion won level on July 29.

South Korea Plans Emergency Market Intervention Powers Amid Stock Volatility

South Korean financial regulators are advancing a revision to the Capital Markets Act that would give them emergency intervention powers to stabilize the stock market during sharp volatility. According to ChainCatcher, the Financial Services Commission has begun work with the Financial Supervisory Service on the proposed changes, which would focus on single-stock leveraged ETF products that were seen as amplifying recent market swings.
The regulators are considering measures including changes to leverage ratios and investment caps, along with a personal investment limit for single-stock leveraged ETFs set at about 20% to curb excessive capital concentration. They are also considering introducing actual trading simulation requirements to improve investor understanding of leveraged product risks.
South Korean regulators said raising the basic margin requirement is intended to increase the entry barrier, while investment limits would act as a ceiling on inflows, forming a complementary risk-control framework. South Korea raised the minimum margin requirement for single-stock leveraged ETF investors from 10 million won to 30 million won on July 31.
On the first day of the rule change, trading volume for 16 related leveraged ETFs was about 3 trillion won, roughly one-quarter of the previous session's 12.4 trillion won and about 80% lower than the 15 trillion won level on July 29.
Bitcoin and Litecoin Holder Loses $282 Million in Social Engineering AttackA Bitcoin and Litecoin holder handed 12 seed words to attackers posing as Trezor support on January 10, leading to about $282 million in assets being moved, including about $139 million in Bitcoin and $153 million in Litecoin. According to Odaily, blockchain forensics firm ZeroShadow said the incident resulted from a social engineering attack, not a breach of wallet software or private-key infrastructure. The stolen funds were split through the THORChain cross-chain bridge within minutes and converted into Monero through instant exchange services. ZeroShadow's monitoring team flagged and froze about $700,000 within 20 minutes. Under the BIP39 standard, a 12-word seed phrase contains about 128 bits of entropy, while a 24-word seed phrase contains 256 bits of entropy. Chainalysis estimates that up to 23% of mined Bitcoin is permanently inaccessible because of lost keys, affecting millions of BTC due to forgotten seed phrases, damaged backups, and the absence of inheritance plans.

Bitcoin and Litecoin Holder Loses $282 Million in Social Engineering Attack

A Bitcoin and Litecoin holder handed 12 seed words to attackers posing as Trezor support on January 10, leading to about $282 million in assets being moved, including about $139 million in Bitcoin and $153 million in Litecoin. According to Odaily, blockchain forensics firm ZeroShadow said the incident resulted from a social engineering attack, not a breach of wallet software or private-key infrastructure.
The stolen funds were split through the THORChain cross-chain bridge within minutes and converted into Monero through instant exchange services. ZeroShadow's monitoring team flagged and froze about $700,000 within 20 minutes. Under the BIP39 standard, a 12-word seed phrase contains about 128 bits of entropy, while a 24-word seed phrase contains 256 bits of entropy. Chainalysis estimates that up to 23% of mined Bitcoin is permanently inaccessible because of lost keys, affecting millions of BTC due to forgotten seed phrases, damaged backups, and the absence of inheritance plans.
Jefferies Analyst Defends SpaceX Governance Against Investors' CriticismInvestors who avoid Space Exploration Technologies Corp. over governance concerns are focusing too much on box-checking and could miss long-term financial gains, according to Jefferies analyst Aniket Shah, Bloomberg reported. Shah said the criticism of SpaceX's governance is too simplistic.

Jefferies Analyst Defends SpaceX Governance Against Investors' Criticism

Investors who avoid Space Exploration Technologies Corp. over governance concerns are focusing too much on box-checking and could miss long-term financial gains, according to Jefferies analyst Aniket Shah, Bloomberg reported.
Shah said the criticism of SpaceX's governance is too simplistic.
MARA CEO Fred Thiel Says Bitcoin's Chance as a Payment Medium Has PassedMARA CEO Fred Thiel said in an interview with Natalie Brunell on July 23 that Bitcoin's opportunity as a payment and exchange medium has passed. According to Odaily, he said small price fluctuations can change the value received in business settings that require thousands of transactions per second and generate low profit per trade, adding that commercial uses of crypto in areas such as AI are more likely to be handled through stablecoins. Thiel said Bitcoin still works as a store of value because it is outside central control and can be transferred quickly.

MARA CEO Fred Thiel Says Bitcoin's Chance as a Payment Medium Has Passed

MARA CEO Fred Thiel said in an interview with Natalie Brunell on July 23 that Bitcoin's opportunity as a payment and exchange medium has passed. According to Odaily, he said small price fluctuations can change the value received in business settings that require thousands of transactions per second and generate low profit per trade, adding that commercial uses of crypto in areas such as AI are more likely to be handled through stablecoins. Thiel said Bitcoin still works as a store of value because it is outside central control and can be transferred quickly.
Analyst Says XRP Could Ease Japan’s Yen CrisisCrypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO argued XRP could help Japan reduce its yen carry-trade strain by replacing prefunding with on-demand liquidity, according to BeInCrypto, though he said the token would be a transactional bridge rather than a reserve currency or legal tender. The proposal would let Japanese institutions move yen through XRP in seconds, potentially lowering idle foreign balances and settlement costs, but it faces major hurdles including liquidity, regulation, custody and bank integration.

Analyst Says XRP Could Ease Japan’s Yen Crisis

Crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO argued XRP could help Japan reduce its yen carry-trade strain by replacing prefunding with on-demand liquidity, according to BeInCrypto, though he said the token would be a transactional bridge rather than a reserve currency or legal tender. The proposal would let Japanese institutions move yen through XRP in seconds, potentially lowering idle foreign balances and settlement costs, but it faces major hurdles including liquidity, regulation, custody and bank integration.
Victim of Coldcard Wallet Hack Says Duel.comcasino Has Not Frozen FundsA victim said a Coldcard wallet hack involved nearly 30 BTC, with 17 BTC swapped for ETH through THORChain and later deposited into Duel.comcasino. According to Odaily, the attacker deposited 229.72497255 ETH, worth $445,000, into Duel.comcasino after the Coldcard incident. The victim and a researcher emailed all known Duel.comcasino addresses asking the platform to freeze the funds and provided transaction and deposit details. The victim said Duel.comcasino replied that police must contact its team. Duel.comcasino's anti-money laundering policy says it carries out know-your-customer procedures and complies with relevant laws. The victim said the platform was notified minutes after the deposit was made. As of now, Duel.comcasino has not frozen the funds. The victim said a police report may not be filed until Monday because much of the West had passed midnight at the time of the incident, and said legal action will be taken if the funds are not frozen. The platform's X account has been suspended, and the Galaxy research head also tagged people on X who were suspected of being associated with it.

Victim of Coldcard Wallet Hack Says Duel.comcasino Has Not Frozen Funds

A victim said a Coldcard wallet hack involved nearly 30 BTC, with 17 BTC swapped for ETH through THORChain and later deposited into Duel.comcasino. According to Odaily, the attacker deposited 229.72497255 ETH, worth $445,000, into Duel.comcasino after the Coldcard incident.
The victim and a researcher emailed all known Duel.comcasino addresses asking the platform to freeze the funds and provided transaction and deposit details. The victim said Duel.comcasino replied that police must contact its team.
Duel.comcasino's anti-money laundering policy says it carries out know-your-customer procedures and complies with relevant laws. The victim said the platform was notified minutes after the deposit was made.
As of now, Duel.comcasino has not frozen the funds. The victim said a police report may not be filed until Monday because much of the West had passed midnight at the time of the incident, and said legal action will be taken if the funds are not frozen. The platform's X account has been suspended, and the Galaxy research head also tagged people on X who were suspected of being associated with it.
ALT5 Sigma Transfers 1.815 Billion WLFI to New AddressALT5 Sigma, a treasury company linked to World Liberty Financial, transferred 1.815 billion WLFI to a new address, according to Onchain Lens monitoring. According to Odaily, ALT5 Sigma still holds 5.09 billion WLFI, valued at about $282 million.

ALT5 Sigma Transfers 1.815 Billion WLFI to New Address

ALT5 Sigma, a treasury company linked to World Liberty Financial, transferred 1.815 billion WLFI to a new address, according to Onchain Lens monitoring. According to Odaily, ALT5 Sigma still holds 5.09 billion WLFI, valued at about $282 million.
GEOPOLITICS | Yen Traders Brace for More Joint U.S.-Japan InterventionCurrency traders are on alert for more coordinated intervention by Japan and the US when trading opens in Asia on Monday, according to Bloomberg. Joint operations in Tokyo and New York last week triggered a sharp rebound in the yen.

GEOPOLITICS | Yen Traders Brace for More Joint U.S.-Japan Intervention

Currency traders are on alert for more coordinated intervention by Japan and the US when trading opens in Asia on Monday, according to Bloomberg.
Joint operations in Tokyo and New York last week triggered a sharp rebound in the yen.
Berkshire Shares Hit 8-Month High as UBS Raises Target and Profit ForecastBerkshire Hathaway's Class A and Class B shares rose this week to an eight-month high, according to CNBC, while Barron's said the stock still trails the S&P 500 significantly this year. The magazine said the rally may have further room to run because three major holdings in Berkshire's portfolio have posted solid gains: Apple, its largest position, is now worth more than $70 billion and is up over 13% this year; Coca-Cola, its third-largest holding, is valued at $35 billion and has risen 25%; and Bank of America, its fourth-largest holding, is up more than 12% year to date. UBS raised its price target on Berkshire and kept a buy rating, while also lifting earnings forecasts. Market speculation suggests Berkshire may have bought back as much as $11 billion of stock in the second quarter; the exact figure will be disclosed in the company's second-quarter earnings report on August 8, according to Jiemian News.

Berkshire Shares Hit 8-Month High as UBS Raises Target and Profit Forecast

Berkshire Hathaway's Class A and Class B shares rose this week to an eight-month high, according to CNBC, while Barron's said the stock still trails the S&P 500 significantly this year. The magazine said the rally may have further room to run because three major holdings in Berkshire's portfolio have posted solid gains: Apple, its largest position, is now worth more than $70 billion and is up over 13% this year; Coca-Cola, its third-largest holding, is valued at $35 billion and has risen 25%; and Bank of America, its fourth-largest holding, is up more than 12% year to date. UBS raised its price target on Berkshire and kept a buy rating, while also lifting earnings forecasts. Market speculation suggests Berkshire may have bought back as much as $11 billion of stock in the second quarter; the exact figure will be disclosed in the company's second-quarter earnings report on August 8, according to Jiemian News.
STOCKS | ANZ, NAB Back Blackstone’s A$36 Billion HSBC Australia Loan Book PurchaseANZ Group Holdings Ltd. and National Australia Bank Ltd. are among lenders helping finance Blackstone Inc.’s A$36 billion purchase of HSBC Holdings Plc’s Australian retail loan portfolio, according to Bloomberg. The Australian Financial Review reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources, that the deal values the portfolio at about $25.3 billion.

STOCKS | ANZ, NAB Back Blackstone’s A$36 Billion HSBC Australia Loan Book Purchase

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd. and National Australia Bank Ltd. are among lenders helping finance Blackstone Inc.’s A$36 billion purchase of HSBC Holdings Plc’s Australian retail loan portfolio, according to Bloomberg.
The Australian Financial Review reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources, that the deal values the portfolio at about $25.3 billion.
U.S. President Donald Trump Says He Is Destroying Iran's CurrencyU.S. President Donald Trump said he is destroying Iran's currency and that Iran is facing severe inflation.

U.S. President Donald Trump Says He Is Destroying Iran's Currency

U.S. President Donald Trump said he is destroying Iran's currency and that Iran is facing severe inflation.
*ST Development to Suspend Trading From August 3 Amid Uncertainty Over Pre-Reorganization Investor Selection*ST Development said on August 2 that, due to uncertainties in the work of selecting investors for its pre-reorganization process, it has applied to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange for a trading suspension starting at the market open on August 3, 2026. Jiemian News reported that the suspension is intended to ensure fair information disclosure, protect investors' interests and prevent abnormal share-price volatility. The company said the suspension is expected to last no more than two trading days.

*ST Development to Suspend Trading From August 3 Amid Uncertainty Over Pre-Reorganization Investor Selection

*ST Development said on August 2 that, due to uncertainties in the work of selecting investors for its pre-reorganization process, it has applied to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange for a trading suspension starting at the market open on August 3, 2026. Jiemian News reported that the suspension is intended to ensure fair information disclosure, protect investors' interests and prevent abnormal share-price volatility. The company said the suspension is expected to last no more than two trading days.
Doctor Profit Says He Will Keep Buying Bitcoin Between $54,000 and $64,000Trader Doctor Profit said he will continue buying Bitcoin in stages as long as BTC trades between $54,000 and $64,000, allocating 5% of planned capital on each purchase. According to ChainCatcher, he said 35% of the cash earmarked for Bitcoin has already been deployed. He added that he will keep accumulating during periods of extreme market fear and remain patient.

Doctor Profit Says He Will Keep Buying Bitcoin Between $54,000 and $64,000

Trader Doctor Profit said he will continue buying Bitcoin in stages as long as BTC trades between $54,000 and $64,000, allocating 5% of planned capital on each purchase. According to ChainCatcher, he said 35% of the cash earmarked for Bitcoin has already been deployed.
He added that he will keep accumulating during periods of extreme market fear and remain patient.
Roundhill Memory ETF Adds CXMT With 2.52% WeightRoundhill Memory ETF has added CXMT to its holdings with a 2.52% weight. According to ChainCatcher, the ETF focuses on memory chip companies and, as of August 2, its top three holdings were Samsung Electronics at 26.39%, Micron Technology at 24.54%, and SK Hynix at 22.77%. Other major holdings include Seagate Technology, Western Digital, SanDisk, Kioxia, Nanya Technology, and GigaDevice.

Roundhill Memory ETF Adds CXMT With 2.52% Weight

Roundhill Memory ETF has added CXMT to its holdings with a 2.52% weight. According to ChainCatcher, the ETF focuses on memory chip companies and, as of August 2, its top three holdings were Samsung Electronics at 26.39%, Micron Technology at 24.54%, and SK Hynix at 22.77%.
Other major holdings include Seagate Technology, Western Digital, SanDisk, Kioxia, Nanya Technology, and GigaDevice.
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STOCKS | South Korean Bank Deposits Rise as Stock Market Funds DeclineSouth Korean stock market volatility has intensified, with investors’ risk appetite cooling and money moving back into banks and other safe-haven assets. According to Odaily, deposits at the country’s five major banks reached 973.49 trillion won at the end of July, up 24.09 trillion won from the end of June and the largest monthly increase this year. Funds around the stock market also narrowed. The Korea Financial Investment Association said investor securities account deposits, which are used as funds waiting to be invested in stocks, hit an all-time high of 139.69 trillion won on June 4 but fell to 107.20 trillion won by July 28. Margin loan balances, which reflect leveraged trading, dropped to 33.19 trillion won from a peak of 37.72 trillion won on July 2.

STOCKS | South Korean Bank Deposits Rise as Stock Market Funds Decline

South Korean stock market volatility has intensified, with investors’ risk appetite cooling and money moving back into banks and other safe-haven assets. According to Odaily, deposits at the country’s five major banks reached 973.49 trillion won at the end of July, up 24.09 trillion won from the end of June and the largest monthly increase this year.
Funds around the stock market also narrowed. The Korea Financial Investment Association said investor securities account deposits, which are used as funds waiting to be invested in stocks, hit an all-time high of 139.69 trillion won on June 4 but fell to 107.20 trillion won by July 28. Margin loan balances, which reflect leveraged trading, dropped to 33.19 trillion won from a peak of 37.72 trillion won on July 2.
Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Shrinks 14% As Revenues Force Operators To PivotBitcoin mining difficulty has fallen 14% from this year's high as weak mining economics reduce network capacity. The drop comes as plunging revenues force operators to pivot, and forward markets signal little relief through year-end, according to CoinDesk, suggesting miners may remain under pressure even after the latest adjustment.

Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Shrinks 14% As Revenues Force Operators To Pivot

Bitcoin mining difficulty has fallen 14% from this year's high as weak mining economics reduce network capacity. The drop comes as plunging revenues force operators to pivot, and forward markets signal little relief through year-end, according to CoinDesk, suggesting miners may remain under pressure even after the latest adjustment.
Galaxy Research Head Says Some Coldcard Single-Signature Setups Will Be WipedGalaxy research head said all Coldcard single-signature setups that have not used dice rolls, have no passphrase, and are running firmware from March 17, 2021, or later will be wiped. According to Odaily, users are advised to stop using Coldcard entirely unless they import a high-entropy seed from another source or use multiple dice rolls.

Galaxy Research Head Says Some Coldcard Single-Signature Setups Will Be Wiped

Galaxy research head said all Coldcard single-signature setups that have not used dice rolls, have no passphrase, and are running firmware from March 17, 2021, or later will be wiped. According to Odaily, users are advised to stop using Coldcard entirely unless they import a high-entropy seed from another source or use multiple dice rolls.
KOSPI, KOSDAQ Post Steepest Monthly Drop Since 2008 CrisisAccording to Yonhap, South Korea's stock markets suffered their sharpest monthly declines since the 2008 global financial crisis in July, with seven out of 10 listed stocks falling and the KOSPI and KOSDAQ both losing more than 20%. A total of 1,859 stocks closed below end-June levels, accounting for about 70% of the 2,645 companies listed on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ, according to Korea Exchange data. By market, 566 of the KOSPI's 917 listings and 1,293 of the KOSDAQ's 1,728 listings declined. The KOSPI fell 22.2% from a month earlier and the KOSDAQ dropped 21.4%, marking the steepest monthly declines since October 2008. Among KOSDAQ-listed firms, Kolon TissueGene was the biggest loser, plunging 86% to 13,000 won ($8.99) from 93,600 won, followed by The Technology, down 76%, and Kolon Life Science, down 67%. On the KOSPI, Contentree JoongAng tumbled 67% after its parent, JoongAng Group, came under pressure from a liquidity crunch. Analyst Han Ji-young of Kiwoom Securities said the KOSPI remained oversold amid heavy selling and that investor sentiment is likely to improve on the back of strong earnings from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

KOSPI, KOSDAQ Post Steepest Monthly Drop Since 2008 Crisis

According to Yonhap, South Korea's stock markets suffered their sharpest monthly declines since the 2008 global financial crisis in July, with seven out of 10 listed stocks falling and the KOSPI and KOSDAQ both losing more than 20%. A total of 1,859 stocks closed below end-June levels, accounting for about 70% of the 2,645 companies listed on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ, according to Korea Exchange data. By market, 566 of the KOSPI's 917 listings and 1,293 of the KOSDAQ's 1,728 listings declined. The KOSPI fell 22.2% from a month earlier and the KOSDAQ dropped 21.4%, marking the steepest monthly declines since October 2008. Among KOSDAQ-listed firms, Kolon TissueGene was the biggest loser, plunging 86% to 13,000 won ($8.99) from 93,600 won, followed by The Technology, down 76%, and Kolon Life Science, down 67%. On the KOSPI, Contentree JoongAng tumbled 67% after its parent, JoongAng Group, came under pressure from a liquidity crunch. Analyst Han Ji-young of Kiwoom Securities said the KOSPI remained oversold amid heavy selling and that investor sentiment is likely to improve on the back of strong earnings from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.
Killa Says Bitcoin May See Early-Month Rebound as Bearish Sentiment BuildsTrader Killa said Bitcoin is entering a new monthly cycle with a strong bearish narrative already priced in, making an early-month bullish reaction more likely. According to ChainCatcher, Killa said Bitcoin has often moved in the opposite direction when it enters a new phase amid clear bearish sentiment, though the pattern may fail when a major trend reversal is near, such as in November last year and in February and June this year. Killa said Bitcoin is still range-bound and close to a bear-market low. He outlined two possibilities: a final drop below $57,000, or an upward rebound at the start of this month that keeps price action within the range. Even if Bitcoin later declines further, Killa said an initial 2% to 4% rise this month would better fit the current market structure.

Killa Says Bitcoin May See Early-Month Rebound as Bearish Sentiment Builds

Trader Killa said Bitcoin is entering a new monthly cycle with a strong bearish narrative already priced in, making an early-month bullish reaction more likely. According to ChainCatcher, Killa said Bitcoin has often moved in the opposite direction when it enters a new phase amid clear bearish sentiment, though the pattern may fail when a major trend reversal is near, such as in November last year and in February and June this year.
Killa said Bitcoin is still range-bound and close to a bear-market low. He outlined two possibilities: a final drop below $57,000, or an upward rebound at the start of this month that keeps price action within the range. Even if Bitcoin later declines further, Killa said an initial 2% to 4% rise this month would better fit the current market structure.
U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis Urges Passage of CLARITY Act and Cites Trump Ethics PledgeU.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis spoke in the Senate this week and urged bipartisan colleagues to pass the CLARITY Act while emphasizing U.S. President Donald Trump’s ethics provisions. According to Odaily, Trump voluntarily submitted what was described as the strictest ethics provisions in U.S. history.

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis Urges Passage of CLARITY Act and Cites Trump Ethics Pledge

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis spoke in the Senate this week and urged bipartisan colleagues to pass the CLARITY Act while emphasizing U.S. President Donald Trump’s ethics provisions. According to Odaily, Trump voluntarily submitted what was described as the strictest ethics provisions in U.S. history.
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