Luc Jose A.

In an ecosystem dominated by major global platforms, it was a regional player that surprised the entire market. In just a few hours, XRP skyrocketed from $2.60 to $3.00, propelled by a massive influx of orders on Upbit, the leading South Korean exchange. While Binance and Coinbase usually control the weather, it is Seoul that, this time, took hold of the fate of one of the oldest altcoins in the market.

The crypto market, usually marked by spikes in volatility, displays a puzzling calm. While Bitcoin flirts with historical highs, flows to exchange platforms are collapsing. This unexpected restraint, highlighted by CryptoQuant, contrasts with previous bullish phases where euphoria triggered a wave of sales. A strong signal that raises questions about a profound shift in investor behavior and the structural solidity of the current cycle.

Bitcoin surpasses $120,000, but there is no euphoria across the web. Unlike previous peaks, this meteoric rise is not causing any popular excitement or a surge in searches. No FOMO, no viral buzz: an unexpected calm hangs over the networks. This absence of noise at a key moment raises questions. Is this a sign of market maturity, or an indicator of growing disinterest?

Dogecoin put derivatives markets under pressure in record time. In four hours, long-position traders saw more than $590,000 go up in smoke, trapped by a 1,000% liquidation imbalance. The asset, fueled by a meteoric rebound before dropping again, exposed the ambient nervousness and vulnerability of speculative positions. This sequence illustrates how unpredictable Dogecoin remains, even for the most seasoned operators.

In the crypto universe, the activity of whales often serves as a barometer for trend reversals. XRP, buoyed by a record influx of wallets holding more than one million tokens, has just provided a striking illustration. While its price leaps by 26% in a week, the concentration of tokens in a few hands raises questions about the intentions of large holders. Against the backdrop of a widespread altcoin rally, this renewed interest in Ripple's crypto could well mark a strategic turning point for the market.

As global balances are being redrawn, the BRICS summit in Rio outlined the contours of a more pronounced multipolar influence. Behind the notable absence of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, discussions led to concrete proposals: reform of international institutions, enhanced climate cooperation, and regulation of artificial intelligence. Less spectacular, but more strategic, this edition sheds light on the ambitions of the global South, while revealing the latent tensions that weaken the coherence of a bloc in search of credibility.

While traditional markets struggle to gain momentum, bitcoin reaches a new all-time high. Fueled by a wave of regulatory optimism in Washington, the crypto sphere is excited. This surge is not just a simple technical rebound or an isolated influx of capital. It coincides with a major political turning point: the House of Representatives is set to review a set of laws that could reshape the contours of the crypto sector in the United States. The market is anticipating, and prices are soaring.

The discreet transfer of 10,000 ETH by the Ethereum Foundation to SharpLink Gaming, at a price below market value, raises eyebrows. This private deal, concluded before a spike in the price above $3,000, raises questions about the strategic management of Ethereum's reserves. In a context of record inflows into Ether ETFs, this operation may signify a turning point: ether is no longer a speculative asset; it is becoming a financial lever integrated into the treasuries of influential companies.

Donald Trump's announcement of 10% tariffs on BRICS countries reignites a strategic debate: are the United States risking, in their bid to defend their leadership, to accelerate de-dollarization? Behind this commercial offensive lies a deeper rift, where emerging powers seek to break away from the dominance of the greenback. As geo-economic tensions intensify, the question arises: is Washington not hastening the questioning of the monetary order it strives to preserve?

As Bitcoin sets a new record, an unexpected segment of the crypto universe reasserts itself: memecoins. Once regarded as mere speculative curiosities, they now attract massive trading volumes and unprecedented media attention. Digital irony becomes the engine of the market, sometimes eclipsing so-called serious projects.

And what if the next big battle for AI was not played out on a language model, but rather on the browser that billions of internet users use every day? OpenAI is preparing to launch a web browser powered by artificial intelligence, designed to directly compete with Google Chrome. This still discreet initiative aims to divert usage from Google's historic engine, a cornerstone of its advertising ecosystem. By transforming browsing into a conversational interface, OpenAI could redefine the rules of a market that has been locked down for years by Alphabet.

Bitcoin has just crossed the $116,000 mark, reaching an unprecedented peak that triggered massive liquidations in the derivatives market. This meteoric rise exposes the extreme vulnerability of short positions, swept away by the strength of the bullish movement. Beyond the technical shock, this historical crossing raises concerns about market balance and the new power of institutional flows.

Polygon is about to reach a decisive milestone with Heimdall v2, a hard fork that Sandeep Nailwal describes as "the most complex since 2020". On July 10, the PoS network is deeply modernizing its infrastructure while consolidating its governance, now in the hands of its co-founder. This is a strategic operation as the battle intensifies on the front of layer two blockchains.