Payments veteran Michael Batuev is betting that the next phase of global finance won’t be won by louder technology—but by technology that becomes effectively invisible. Now leading global payments at onchain financial infrastructure firm WeFi, Batuev argues that mainstream adoption of stablecoin spending and self-custody hinges less on new breakthroughs and more on removing friction until users no longer notice the rails beneath them. In an interview published Friday ET, Batuev traced his career-long fascination with systems that “work so well no one thinks about them,” drawing a parallel...

XRP Ledger’s daily active user count has climbed back above the 150,000 mark, a level often associated with stronger market phases, but XRP’s price remains stuck below key technical barriers that traders say must break before any sustained rally can take hold. According to on-chain data cited by U.Today on July 23, XRP Ledger recorded roughly 157,200 daily active users on July 21 (Monday UTC). It was one of the network’s highest participation readings this month and the first time in several weeks activity pushed meaningfully above 150,000. While a rising active-user tally does not...

Japan may be moving closer to approving its first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, a shift that could open a major new channel of 'institutional demand' in one of Asia’s largest capital markets. According to a July 23 report by U.Today, Japan’s financial authorities are preparing a broad overhaul of crypto investment rules, a process that could pave the way for a regulated Bitcoin ETF launch by fiscal year 2028. The regulatory work is expected to follow recent legal changes that move oversight of spot crypto assets from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange...

Bitcoin (BTC) is facing one of its most consequential macro stress tests in its 17-year history as a surge in long-dated U.S. inflation-protected bond yields increases the appeal of government-backed, inflation-beating returns—challenging the narrative that non-yielding assets are the best hedge in an uncertain world. According to CoinDesk’s Daybook dated July 23, TreasuryBonds.com reported that the real yield on 30-year U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) is approaching 3%, a level not seen in roughly 17 years. The focus for markets is the ‘real yield’—the inflation-adjusted...

Open interest in XRP (XRP) futures on Binance has jumped sharply, signaling that 'leverage' traders may be returning to a market that had been subdued by extreme volatility. The shift matters because rising derivatives positioning often precedes larger spot-market moves—though it can amplify both upside and downside risk. According to new data released on Wednesday UTC by on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant, Binance’s XRP futures open interest climbed to roughly 440.6 million XRP. The increase comes as XRP has staged a recent rebound, with the token trading around $1.14 at the time of...

Global venture capital is increasingly becoming a game of a few outsized bets, with ‘mega-rounds’ of $1 billion or more now dominating the flow of capital—and reshaping what headline fundraising numbers actually mean for the broader startup ecosystem. Crunchbase data shows that roughly 60% of worldwide startup funding so far this year has been concentrated in $1 billion-plus rounds, totaling about $320 billion. The shift has helped push first-half global startup investment to record highs, but it has also raised questions about whether the apparent rebound reflects broad-based risk appetite...

BitMEX, one of the crypto industry’s earliest and most influential derivatives exchanges, will shut down after more than a decade in operation—marking another high-profile exit as trading activity continues to migrate from centralized venues to on-chain perpetuals platforms. In a notice posted on July 23, BitMEX said its owner and operator, HDR Global Trading Limited, has decided to close the business following a 'strategic review'. The exchange will terminate trading services on Sept. 23, 2026, at 04:00 UTC, and urged users to close positions and withdraw funds ahead of the deadline. BitMEX...

TokenPost’s "Crypto Horoscope” is provided for entertainment and psychological refreshment purposes only, and should not be considered as investment reference material. It is not related to actual market conditions or technical analysis, and does not constitute any form of investment advice. We wish you success in your investments. [Editor’s Note] Aries — “Impulse, With a Seatbelt” Index 62: Fearful tapes can tempt a fast trigger, but today’s edge looks like curbing leverage and letting short-term trading earn its keep only when setups are clean. Taurus — “Stubborn Hands, Patient...

South Korean crypto exchange Korbit said it has brought on Mirae Asset Group as its new controlling shareholder, a move that underscores how traditional financial institutions are increasingly positioning themselves to participate more directly in the digital-asset economy. Korbit announced on Thursday UTC that Mirae Asset Group joined as the exchange’s largest shareholder after completing the required filings with local authorities. The change was executed through Mirae Asset Consulting, an affiliate of the group, which acquired a 97.15% stake in Korbit. Founded in 2013 and widely regarded...

The crypto market traded in a mixed range on Wednesday ET, with Bitcoin (BTC) slightly lower while Ethereum (ETH) and several large-cap altcoins posted modest gains—an uneven tape that suggested rotation rather than broad risk-on momentum. According to TokenPostMarket data, Bitcoin was down 0.30% over the previous day at $65,716.79 as of 3:07 a.m. ET on July 23 (19:07 UTC on July 22). Ethereum rose 0.42% to $1,924.11 over the same period, outperforming the market leader despite a generally cautious tone across liquidity indicators. Among top altcoins, price action was broadly positive but...