Crypto Industry News & Market Trends

Trump aide allegedly made $100K betting on 12 speeches before anyone knew

The White House placed longtime teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez on unpaid administrative leave on July 16 after ABC News reported allegations that he used advance access to President Donald Trumps prepared remarks to earn more than $100,000 on Kalshi.　　Sources told the network that the alleged trading covered more than a dozen speeches over roughly three months and that Perez is discussing a potential settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC declined to comment.　　Kalshi said its surveillance team promptly flagged, investigated, and referred the trades to the CFTC. NPR separately reported, citing unnamed sources, that the exchange froze about $90,000 and banned Perez from the platform.　　Related Reading　　Kalshi freezes insider accounts as $1.5 billion Super Bowl trading tests market integrity　　The CFTC regulated platform is publishing enforcement like CME, signaling that integrity infrastructure is becoming the product.　　Feb 26, 2026 · Gino Matos　　Detection without a public clock　　Kalshis system appears to have caught something unusual, investigated the account, and sent evidence to the federal regulator. The missing piece is when each step happened.　　Discover more　　Photo & Image Sharing　　Stocks & Bonds　　Content Management　　ABC News, The Associated Press, and NPR do not say when Kalshi first flagged the account, when trading was restricted, or when the referral

07-18Industry

XRP Withdrawals From Binance Hit Highest Level Since 2024

XRP withdrawal transactions on Binance jumped to 54.5% this week, the highest share since 2024, echoing the exact setup seen before last summers 66% rally.　　Something shifted quietly on Binance this week. Traders pulling XRP off the exchange now outnumber the ones sending it in by the widest margin since the summer of 2024, and somehow the token barely blinked.　　On July 17, Binances share of XRP withdrawal transactions climbed to 54.5%, the highest reading in roughly two years. That edges past the previous high of 53.2% set on June 20, 2025, according to a CryptoQuant quicktake published by contributor Amr Taha.　　Deposits Tell the Opposite Story　　Binance‘s XRP deposit transactions slid to 45.4%, below the prior low of 46.7% recorded during that same stretch last June. Put the two numbers together and the withdrawal-deposit gap now sits at 9.1 percentage points, versus 6.5 points a year earlier, roughly 40% wider by CryptoQuant’s math.　　The pattern isnt confined to one exchange either. All-CEX withdrawal transactions reached 53.01%, nearly matching the 53.09% mark from June 2025, while deposit share across centralized exchanges broadly returned to somewhere near 46.9%.　　Binances own withdrawal share now runs about 1.49 percentage points above the all-exchange average. Its 9.1-point gap between withdrawals

07-18Industry

Dogecoin price tests critical support as Wall Street ETF demand vanishes

Dogecoin price has fallen 3.17% to $0.071 on July 17 as its exchange-traded funds completed one month without recording fresh inflows.　　SoSoValue data shows that U.S. Dogecoin ETFs attracted no new capital between June 17 and July 17, despite the meme coin gaining additional exposure through T. Rowe Prices newly launched active crypto fund. The products also posted $871,000 in net outflows during July.　　The weak ETF figures have accompanied a steep decline in DOGE, which has lost about 54% since reaching $0.156 in January. Dogecoins latest drop has brought the token back to a support area that buyers have repeatedly defended since late June.　　During the same period, the meme coin sector has suffered a $1.2 billion sell-off, according to the original market report. The decline indicates that T. Rowe Prices entry has yet to revive demand for DOGE among retail or institutional investors.　　T. Rowe Price exposure has failed to revive DOGE demand　　T. Rowe Price launched its first actively managed cryptocurrency ETF on July 16, adding Dogecoin alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum and several other digital assets. The asset manager oversees about $1.8 trillion and supplied $15 million in seed capital to the fund.　　According to the fund allocation, Dogecoin received a 1.28% weighting. The

07-18Industry

Argentina Freezes 25 Crypto Accounts: Investigation of LIBRA Memecoin

Key Takeaways:Argentine authorities froze 25 crypto wallets linked to the LIBRA token and requested user data from major exchanges.Investigators traced funds across Solana and Tron, uncovering cross-chain transfers and transaction-splitting activity.The case highlights the growing use of blockchain forensics and exchange KYC data in crypto investigations.　　A federal court in Argentina announced the freezing of dozens of crypto wallets belonging to the investigation of the controversial LIBRA token, entering a new stage. The action is designed to stop more transfers from taking place and to identify the people behind the wallets and track the movement of money through several different blockchain networks.　　Argentina Targets 25 Wallets in LIBRA Investigation　　A federal judge ordered the freezing of 25 cryptocurrency wallets that are suspected to be involved in the investigation of the LIBRA cryptocurrency token. The decision also requires Binance, Bybit, OKX, CoinEx, Bitfinex, and FixedFloat, the six biggest crypto exchanges, to share Know Your Customer (KYC) data, transaction logs, IP logs, linked bank accounts, and other account information for the addresses being flagged.　　Discover more　　Content Management　　Merchant Services & Payment Systems　　Engineering & Technology　　The order comes after Argentinas Federal Police cybercrime unit carried out a technical investigation to trace digital assets from a group of wallets they

07-18Industry

Bitcoin slides toward $63,000 as Coinbase premium stays negative for a record 60 days

Quick TakeBitcoin slid below $63,000 on Friday as the semiconductor selloff dragged crypto into a broader risk-off move, with Strategys MSTR and STRC both falling alongside it.The Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index has stayed negative for 60 straight days, a record stretch that points to soft U.S. institutional demand, according to Coinglass.　　Bitcoin fell below $63,000 on Friday as analysts flagged a sell-off across semiconductor stocks, pulling crypto into a wider risk-off move.　　The decline extends a slide that has left bitcoin (BTC) well below the highs that drew late-cycle buyers earlier this year. Bitcoin fell by more than 1.5% and failed to hold above $63,000, according to Simon-Peter Massabni, head of business development at XS.com. The pullback tracked weakness in equities. The Nasdaq 100 closed about 1.6% lower in the prior session, Massabni wrote, with the spillover reaching Strategys shares as MSTR fell 3.5%, and STRC fell 2.7%.　　Strategys preferred stock is also drawing particular attention. STRC, the companys largest preferred series by capital raised, closed at $85.4 against a $100 par value, a discount Massabni reads as investor caution about the funding model. Strategy has continued raising capital through common stock issuance and its other preferred series this year.　　The company holds roughly

07-18Industry

Florida Man Charged in Video Game Malware Scheme That Stole Crypto

FBI says malware hidden in video games infected 8,000 devices and stole more than $220,000 in cryptocurrency.Prosecutors allege the group used social media and bots to target crypto holders with malware-laced games.Investigators traced crypto payments and online accounts to a Florida man now facing federal charges.　　Federal authorities have arrested a Florida man accused of helping run a malware scheme hidden inside video games that allegedly stole more than $220,000 in cryptocurrency. Prosecutors said the malicious software was disguised as legitimate games on a major gaming platform and infected about 8,000 devices.　　According to a 15-page federal criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Florida, authorities allege that 21-year-old Zyaire Dontaevious Zamarion Wilkins of North Lauderdale helped fund, promote, and support the operation between May 2024 and February 2025.　　The malware allegedly targeted cryptocurrency users, stole sensitive information, and drained about 80 digital wallets. Wilkins has been charged with conspiracy to obtain information by computer for private financial gain and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.　　Malware Hidden Inside Popular Games　　The FBI said the group hid malware inside eight video games and persuaded users to download them. Investigators did not identify the distribution platform by name, but details in the

07-18Industry

Binance Lists Aerodromes AERO Token With Seed Tag, Unlocking Base DeFi For Global Traders

Binance will open spot trading for Aerodrome Finance‘s AERO token at 19:00 UTC+8 on July 17, pairing the asset with USDT, USDC, and the Turkish lira. The exchange is applying its Seed Tag to AERO from the outset, the original report from WuBlockchain confirmed, marking the world’s largest crypto venues first direct listing of a Base-native decentralized exchange token.　　The listing comes while deposits will only open an hour after trading begins, and withdrawals are scheduled for 19:00 UTC+8 on July 18. That sequencing tends to create a period where early price action relies on existing off-exchange supply, often triggering volatility before the full market can rebalance. For AERO, that could mean a sharp initial move before selling pressure from depositors kicks in.　　Why Aerodrome Matters for Base　　Aerodrome is the central liquidity engine on Base, the Layer 2 network incubated by Coinbase. The protocol uses AERO to reward liquidity providers and to operate its vote-lock governance model, giving users a direct stake in directing emissions. In practice, it functions as a DeFi hub where trading, incentives, and protocol control are tightly bundled, making it critical infrastructure for Bases on-chain economy.　　Binance‘s decision to list a token so closely tied to a single L2

07-18Industry

Trump Again Decries ‘Deranged’ Reflecting Pool Vandals—With Scant Evidence

Topline　　President Donald Trump decried the “Deranged Vandals” whom he alleges made a 300-yard gash in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Friday morning, vowing the accused will be “prosecuted to the MAX”—but photos of the now-drained pool do not appear to show such a cut.　　Trump has claimed vandals made a 300-yard gash in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)　　Getty Images　　Key Facts　　Trump, in a Truth Social post on Friday morning, again claimed the pool was “so badly damaged by Deranged Vandals” and was “emptied as the massive slash gets repaired.”　　The pool began draining earlier this week and appeared to be mostly empty by Wednesday, though photos of the drained pool and reporters on the ground dispute Trumps claim there is a massive gash in the liner.　　Discover more　　Content Management　　Financial Markets News　　Photo & Image Sharing　　Trump said workers repairing the pool are “looking for a Vandal Proof material, but such a thing should not have been necessary,” adding, “What kind of animals would do such a thing？”　　Trump has gradually increased the severity of the alleged gash in recent weeks, first saying it was 250 feet long, then 300 feet long, until he said earlier this week the gash is 300 yards

07-17Industry

US Dollar: Risk-off support and DXY downside risks – Scotiabank

Scotiabank‘s Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret note the US Dollar (USD) is broadly firmer as risk aversion dominates, with equities weaker and Oil higher. The US Dollar Index’ (DXY) broader drift from late June highs has stalled around 100.5 support, but late-week price action still threatens a bearish weekly close. They argue OIS pricing for a year-end Fed hike remains too rich, implying USD downside as swaps reprice.　　Risk-off flows and Fed repricing　　“Overall movement across asset classes this morning reflects a classic ”risk off“ swing in trading. The equity screens are a sea of red on renewed concerns about the tech/chip cycle and escalating US/Iran attacks. Bonds are mostly firmer across core markets, with Treasurys outperforming modestly.”　　“The broader drift in the DXY from the late June high has extended this week around the weak inflation data but DXY support around the 100.5 point has effectively held. Late-week trading has been a bit more positive for the USD, but the DXY still risks closing the week on a bearish technical note—which will point to more losses ahead—unless it can rally significantly over the balance of the session.”　　“Generally, we continue to think that OIS pricing for a Fed hike by year-end is too

07-17Industry

Investors Push $79M Into Bitcoin ETFs as Ether Funds Lose $28M

Key TakeawaysBlackrock led bitcoin ETFs to $79.15M inflows on July 16, while ether funds lost $28.04M.Bitcoin‘s 3-day streak and XRP’s $6.78M gain showed demand shifting away from ether.T. Rowe Prices TKNZ launched with 6.45% in HYPE, widening access to multi-token ETFs.　　Bitcoin ETFs Extend Their Inflow Streak to Three Days　　Wall Streets crypto trade moved in two directions at once. Bitcoin ETFs extended their inflow streak to a third session as ether products slipped back into redemptions, showing that investors remain selective even as money returns to parts of the market.　　Bitcoin Draws the Cash as Ether Loses Ground　　Three funds accounted for all of bitcoin‘s $79.15 million net inflow. Blackrock’s IBIT led with $33.44 million, followed closely by Fidelity‘s FBTC at $30.73 million. Bitwise’s BITB added the remaining $14.98 million.　　Trading activity remained firm. Total value traded reached $997.79 million, while combined net assets ended the session at $77.72 billion.　　Discover more　　Digital Currencies　　Photo & Image Sharing　　financial　　Three green days in a row for bitcoin ETFs. Source: Sosovalue　　Ether ETFs told the opposite story. Grayscale‘s Ether Mini Trust recorded the largest withdrawal at $14.28 million. Fidelity’s FETH lost $11.20 million, and Grayscales ETHE shed $4.84 million.　　Bitwises ETHW was the only fund to attract capital, taking in $2.28 million.

07-17Industry

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