📈 Block Inc. Joins S&P 500: A Milestone in Cryptocurrency Integration

🌟 Block Inc. (NYSE: ) will be added to the S&P 500 index on July 23, 2025, highlighting its increasing impact in the financial sector and its dedication to incorporating cryptocurrency into traditional finance.

👤 Founded by Jack Dorsey in 2009, Block Inc., previously known as Square, started as a mobile payment and financial services company. Dorsey, also a co-founder of Twitter, has been a vocal supporter of cryptocurrency, especially bitcoin. Under his guidance, Block has broadened its services to include various cryptocurrency options.

💳 One of the key offerings is the Cash App, which enables users to buy, sell, and hold bitcoin. Dorsey’s commitment to the crypto industry is evident through Block’s strategic investments and initiatives aimed at promoting the growth of digital currencies.

🚨 Breaking: Polymarket Reenters US Market With Exchange Acquisition As Probe Ends 📊

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👉 Calls for a Full Audit of the U.S. Federal Reserve

🗣 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has expressed concerns about the U.S. Federal Reserve's operations, stating that it is "spiraling out of control" and requires a full internal audit to manage its expanding activities. During recent interviews, Bessent emphasized the need to examine the entire Federal Reserve institution and assess its success.

Everything else that the Fed has done over the years has just grown and grown and grown, and this is what happens when you don’t have oversight

said Bessent.

👤 Fed Chair Jerome Powell has been at the center of these criticisms. He has faced accusations of perjury, fiscal mismanagement, and incompetence from several members of the Trump administration. Despite this, Bessent stated,

I know Chair Powell. There’s nothing that tells me that he should step down right now. He’s been a good public servant

💰 One of the major points of contention is Powell's decision to maintain the central bank’s target interest rate between 4.25% and 4.50% since December 2024. This has frustrated President Donald Trump, who advocates for lower rates to alleviate the country’s significant interest payments on its national debt.

The USA is Rockin’, there is VERY LOW INFLATION, and we deserve to be at 1%, saving One Trillion Dollars a year on Interest Costs

Trump tweeted.

🟥 Additionally, Powell has come under fire for a $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, which included a $700 million budget overrun. This project has led to accusations of fiscal misconduct and allegations of perjury against Powell regarding his testimony about the renovation details.

🚫 Senator Cynthia Lummis has also criticized Powell for allegedly disenfranchising crypto companies by labeling crypto as a reputational risk during a government effort to undermine the industry.

💰 Citigroup's Bitcoin Price Projections for 2025

📈 Citigroup predicts that Bitcoin could reach $135,000 by the end of 2025 in its base-case scenario. This projection is driven by strong demand from U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), increasing user adoption, and favorable macroeconomic trends. The report also outlines a bull case of $199,000 if ETF inflows and adoption accelerate, and a bear case of $64,000 if regulatory or economic challenges arise.

🔍 Currently, Bitcoin is trading between $115,000 and $120,000 and has shown resilience despite mixed U.S. economic data. Citigroup notes that institutional interest, particularly through ETFs, accounts for over 40% of recent price movements. Corporate treasuries have also contributed to the demand.

📊 The forecast has sparked optimism on social media platforms like X, with users highlighting Wall Street’s growing confidence in the leading cryptocurrency. Citigroup’s analysis reflects Bitcoin’s increasing integration into traditional finance (TradFi).

👉 Uruguay's Central Bank Considers New Regulations for Bitcoin and Virtual Assets

🗣 The Central Bank of Uruguay is contemplating new regulations to clarify the status of bitcoin and other virtual assets. At the Blockchain Summit Global conference in Montevideo, Patricia Tudisco, the bank's Superintendent of Financial Regulation, indicated that adjustments are needed in the existing cryptocurrency law due to recent international compliance developments.

⚖️ A key aspect to be addressed is the differentiation between "financial" and "non-financial" virtual assets. The previous law encompassed both categories. Tudisco emphasized that for “virtual financial asset service providers,” regulation primarily focuses on consumer protection and anti-money laundering measures. In contrast, “non-financial” virtual assets would only be subject to anti-money laundering regulations, excluding consumer protection elements.

For the ‘virtual financial asset service provider,’ the focus of regulation is on consumer protection and anti-money laundering issues.

said Tudisco.

💡 Under the central bank's current perspective, bitcoin would be categorized as a non-financial virtual asset. This classification implies that companies offering only custody services for bitcoin would not be required to obtain a license. Conversely, centralized stablecoins like USDT would be regarded as financial virtual assets, necessitating a more comprehensive licensing process for service providers.

That’s why I was telling you about this review, which I think should be considered at some point, because in other countries the regulation was based on the activity, on the services provided, without considering what the specific purpose [of the virtual asset] was

Tudisco concluded.

📈 Record Growth of XRP Futures on CME Amidst Institutional Demand

📊 XRP futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) have seen a significant increase in trading volume and open interest, indicating a rising interest from institutional investors in regulated crypto derivatives. This growth reflects a growing appetite for capital-efficient products linked to digital assets beyond bitcoin and ethereum.

🟥 On July 31, CME Active Trader highlighted several milestones achieved by its XRP futures suite in July. Notably, on July 18, micro XRP contracts traded reached 14,612, totaling a notional volume of $126 million. Open interest peaked on July 22 with a record of 4,812 contracts (=$43M). The following day, trading remained robust with 4,765 contracts exchanged and a significant increase in notional volume to $775 million. On July 24, open interest hit another high at 4,766 contracts (=$788M).

💼 CME Group’s XRP and Micro XRP futures are regulated, cash-settled contracts. These contracts offer a cost-effective way to gain exposure to the price of XRP while providing transparency, price discovery, and risk management capabilities. Following the launch of XRP futures in June, CME noted:

The introduction of XRP futures has rapidly demonstrated significant market interest and widespread participation.

On its debut, trading volume reached $19.3 million across 15 firms and four retail trading platforms.

📌 While some critics raise concerns over the regulatory status of various digital assets, supporters argue that CME’s regulated framework enhances institutional trust. This trust may pave the way for broader adoption of crypto within traditional financial systems.

📉 Bitcoin Hashrate Declines Amidst Market Pressures

➡️ Bitcoin's network has experienced a significant decline in hashrate, dropping from a peak of 943 exahash per second (EH/s) on July 26 to 898.20 EH/s as of August 3. This represents a decrease of approximately 44.8 EH/s and a 4.75% dip over the past eight days. Several factors have contributed to this downturn, including a slight increase in network difficulty and a decline in Bitcoin's price.

📈 Nine days ago, the network's difficulty increased by 1.07% to 127.62 trillion at block height 907200. This was compounded by a 4.1% drop in Bitcoin's value against the U.S. dollar over the past week. As a result, the hashprice—which estimates the value of one petahash per second (PH/s) of mining power—has fallen to $56.74 per petahash. This marks a 4.25% decrease from $59.26 per PH/s thirty days ago and an 11.65% drop from a recent high of $64.22 on July 11.

⏳ Current average block intervals are around 10 minutes and 11 seconds, suggesting that the upcoming difficulty adjustment on August 9, 2025 could lead to further declines. Miners are likely reassessing their operations in light of these challenges, as declining hashprice and impending difficulty adjustments will require greater efficiency and strategic timing to remain competitive.

⚖️ Smaller mining operations may feel the impact of these tightening network conditions more acutely than larger industrial-scale miners. If market conditions do not improve soon, consolidation within the sector could accelerate, benefiting those who have already optimized for cost, energy access, and long-term strategy.

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⚖️ Ripple's Legal Chief Warns Senate Crypto Bill Could Create Regulatory Chaos

🚨 Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's chief legal officer, expressed serious concerns about a draft cryptocurrency bill from the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. In a letter dated August 5, he criticized the proposed legislation for failing to provide regulatory clarity for the digital asset industry.

The draft creates more ambiguity than clarity for the industry in its attempt to delineate SEC jurisdiction over digital assets,

Alderoty stated. He argued that the bill would increase confusion by placing most tokens and projects under the control of the SEC even when their activities do not fall within the SEC's traditional scope.

⚠️ One major concern raised by Alderoty was the definition of "ancillary assets." He warned that this could imply that any token previously sold through an investment contract could remain under SEC jurisdiction indefinitely. This approach, he argued, overlooks the current utility and trading conditions of established assets like Ethereum, Solana, and XRP.

This approach could subject long-established, widely traded tokens operating on open and permissionless networks—including ETH, SOL, and XRP—to perpetual SEC oversight,

he cautioned.

📌 Ripple also opposed the continued use of the Howey test without clear congressional guidelines, describing it as "a tool of limitless discretion" due to its historical misuse. Alderoty urged Congress to establish specific statutory criteria to prevent subjective interpretations and ensure accountability.

↪️ He recommended several structural reforms, including a grandfathering exemption for long-traded tokens and clear protections for activities like staking and consensus operations. He also called for federal preemption of inconsistent state laws in key areas of digital asset oversight to promote national consistency and support innovation.

🚀 Bridging the Knowledge Gap: The Key to Crypto's Mass Adoption

🗣 Ripple's chief legal officer, Stuart Alderoty, emphasized in a recent Fast Company article that the biggest obstacle to cryptocurrency's next growth phase is not market volatility or fraud cases, but rather a lack of public understanding. He referenced the NCA’s 2025 Crypto Confidence Pulse survey, which revealed that nearly 90% of Americans without digital assets feel uninformed about crypto, with 49% citing this as their main reason for not participating in the market.

📊 The survey categorized non-holders into five profiles: Curious, Trendwatchers, Skeptics, Traditionalists, and Cautious. Each group has different motivations and concerns regarding crypto. For instance, Curious individuals are already discussing crypto and 42% are likely to buy this year, while Skeptics demand safety guarantees and oversight.

🔍 Alderoty stressed the importance of tailored education for these audiences. This could include practical guidance on wallet setup, examples of real-world merchant adoption, and policy-driven assurances. He noted that security concerns remain significant, with 43% of respondents worried about safety and 36% distrusting platforms.

Crypto has long been misperceived as a ‘trustless’ system. But in reality, its adoption hinges on trust: People need to understand the technology before they can trust it—and they need someone they trust to help educate them.

❗️ Alderoty argued that resolving these issues requires more than just technology. He advocated for coordinated regulatory frameworks developed alongside the industry to provide clarity without stifling innovation. By bridging the knowledge gap with transparent, audience-specific education, advocates believe that hesitation can be transformed into broader adoption, making crypto a more inclusive financial tool.

⚠️ Bitcoin's Hashrate Hits Record High Before Cooling Down

📉 Four days ago, Bitcoin's hashrate reached an unprecedented peak of 976 exahash per second (EH/s), but it has since decreased to around 900 EH/s. This drop of 76 EH/s coincides with a 1.42% increase in mining difficulty at block height 909216.

At that time, the estimated hashprice was $57.30 per PH/s, and today it’s 2.55% higher at $58.76,

according to hashrateindex stats. Despite yesterday's surge in BTC prices past the $120,000 mark, which pushed the hashprice up to $59.78 per petahash, current revenue remains 4.72% below the July 14 peak of $61.67.

⏳ With the recent decrease in hashrate, block intervals have extended beyond the target of 10 minutes, averaging 11 minutes and 4 seconds as of Tuesday afternoon. This slowdown may lead to a downward adjustment in mining difficulty during the next retarget on August 24, 2025.

A softer difficulty setting would ease pressure and could entice sidelined rigs back online, stabilizing block cadence.

Currently, the five leading mining pools—Foundry, Antpool, Viabtc, F2pool, and Spider Pool—together control 78.39% of the total hashrate.

📉 Bitcoin's Resilience Amid Market Fluctuations

📊 Despite a dip below $117K following higher-than-expected U.S. wholesale inflation data, institutional interest in bitcoin remains strong. Notably, the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG), valued at nearly $2 trillion, continues to seek exposure to the cryptocurrency. Since 2020, GPFG has opted for indirect investments in bitcoin by acquiring shares in companies like MicroStrategy (MSTR) rather than purchasing the digital asset directly.

📈 By the end of 2024, GPFG had invested over $500 million in MSTR and held stakes in other crypto-related firms such as Coinbase. Recent 13F filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that GPFG reported holdings equivalent to 11,400 BTC, marking an 83% increase from the previous quarter.

“The most interesting detail, by far, this time was Norges buying of MSTR and Metaplanet,”

said Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered. He noted that while Norges primarily relies on MSTR for bitcoin exposure, it also holds a small position in Metaplanet, a Japanese hotel developer turned bitcoin treasury firm.

📉 At the time of writing, bitcoin was trading at $117,251.98, down slightly by 0.46% since Thursday but up 0.84% over the past week. Trading volume had decreased significantly to $74.06 billion, a drop of 31.39%, while market capitalization dipped 0.28% to $2.33 trillion. Despite these fluctuations, bitcoin's dominance in the market increased to 59.87%, indicating that altcoins are underperforming compared to the leading cryptocurrency.

Long liquidations came in at $50.45 million, and short liquidations were $6.54 million, for a grand total of $56.99 million in leveraged bets wiped out.

🌍 Thailand Launches Crypto-to-Baht Conversion System for Tourists

🗓 On August 18, Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), alongside various government bodies, unveiled the "TouristDigiPay" initiative. This 18-month pilot program allows foreign tourists to convert their digital assets (DA) into Thai baht for local expenditures. The goal is to integrate DA trading under SEC regulation with the e-money framework managed by the Bank of Thailand (BOT).

💳 Authorized digital asset exchanges and brokers can partner with BOT-regulated e-money providers. Upon arrival, tourists must undergo Know Your Customer (KYC) verification and set up wallets. They can then transfer and sell their DA, receive baht in e-wallets, and make payments via QR codes. However, there are spending limits: 50,000 baht per month for small retailers and 500,000 baht (about $15,384) for larger merchants that complete Know Your Merchant (KYM) checks.

Under the TouristDigiPay sandbox, foreign tourists can make payments by scanning (e.g., via smartphone applications) at various merchants across Thailand, including both large-sized retailers and small vendors. Importantly, DA are not allowed to be used directly as a means of payment for goods and services, and merchants will receive payments in Thai baht.

📢 Mrs. Pornanong Budsaratragoon, SEC Secretary-General, highlighted the program's regulatory framework:

The TouristDigiPay project builds upon the existing ecosystem that integrates the DA trading system regulated by the SEC with the e-money system regulated by the Bank of Thailand (BOT).

She emphasized that the system adheres to AMLO's standards for KYC and Customer Due Diligence (CDD). Proponents of digital assets argue that such structured approaches can legitimize crypto usage while boosting tourism and economic activity.

👉 Gemini Secures MiCA License for European Expansion

🚀 Gemini has obtained its MiCA (Markets in Crypto Assets) license from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), allowing it to expand its regulated operations across Europe. This approval enables the company to provide secure cryptocurrency services in all 30 European countries, significantly broadening its market reach.

📌 The MiCA regulatory framework aims to harmonize crypto laws across EU member states, promoting a sustainable crypto ecosystem in the region. In addition to the MiCA license, Gemini also received its Investment Firm license to offer derivatives under MiFID II in May. This positions the company as a fully compliant crypto trading venue within the EU.

📈 Recently, Gemini launched tokenized stocks in the region and plans to introduce new products and services for both retail and institutional customers, including derivatives. The company emphasizes its commitment to regulatory compliance as crucial for global crypto adoption and recognizes Europe as a leader in innovative regulatory practices.

📈 Surge in XRP ETF Filings Signals Potential Regulatory Approval

🚀 A recent surge in XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) filings has sparked optimism among investors, suggesting that regulatory approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may be imminent. On August 22, 2025, several issuers, including Canary, Coinshares, Franklin, 21Shares, Wisdomtree, and Bitwise, submitted their initial amended S-1 filings. This coordinated effort is seen as a response to ongoing SEC engagement.

Almost certainly due to feedback from SEC. Good sign, but also mostly expected,

remarked Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart on social media. Nate Geraci, president of Novadius Wealth Management, also noted the significance of this clustering of filings, stating,

Very good sign IMO.

➡️ The simultaneous timing of these submissions indicates active dialogue between the SEC and the applicants. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has consistently maintained that an XRP ETF is “inevitable.” Supporting this perspective, Bloomberg ETF analysts Eric Balchunas and Seyffart recently increased their estimate of approval probability to 95% due to constructive discussions between the SEC and fund sponsors.

💡 This growing confidence reflects a shift in sentiment within the crypto community regarding institutional access to XRP, despite the regulatory caution that still surrounds the market. The recent filings represent a significant step forward in the ongoing quest for regulatory clarity in the cryptocurrency space.

⚠️ Monero's Response to Qubic Mining Pool Concerns: Advancements in FCMP Upgrade

🔄 Following concerns about a potential 51% attack by the Qubic mining pool, Monero announced on August 26 that the development of its Full-Chain Membership Proofs (FCMP) upgrade is progressing rapidly, with a testnet launch anticipated soon. This upgrade is seen as a significant technical advancement aimed at addressing a long-standing vulnerability in Monero's privacy model.

➡️ A key feature of the upgrade is its ability to generate zero-knowledge proofs, allowing users to verify a transaction's validity without disclosing identities or transaction amounts. Additionally, it will significantly reduce the time required for XMR transactions with multiple inputs to generate cryptographic proofs, decreasing the process from over 5 minutes to just 1 minute.

🛠 Monero developers have also been refining the codebase by removing redundant and duplicate code to enhance maintainability and reduce susceptibility to bugs. Recent updates from the Monero Research Lab indicate that developers have fixed bugs and improved cross-language compatibility by cleaning up the foreign function interface (FFI).

🔍 Monero's announcement regarding the progress of FCMP seems to be a direct effort to reassure supporters and address the vulnerabilities that prompted the Qubic mining pool's pursuit of a 51% attack. Reports suggest that Monero is leveraging elements of Dash's technology stack as part of a strategic move to counter Qubic.

📉 While there is no consensus on whether Qubic successfully achieved a 51% attack, market data indicates that the broader crypto community was never fully convinced that the mining pool had accounted for more than half of Monero's hashrate. Although the claim led to a brief sell-off that saw XMR dip to just above $233 on August 16, the privacy coin quickly recovered and has been trading above $250 since then.

💬 The Qubic 51% attack claim has reignited a debate within the crypto community about the importance of transparency and verification in the blockchain ecosystem. Joel Valenzuela, a core member of Dash DAO, described the Qubic attempt as a "fascinating experiment" that should raise concerns for ASIC-resistant chains. He warned that "much better-funded and more determined actors could cause so much more chaos," highlighting the potential threat to proof-of-work systems.

⚠️ XRP Potentially ‘Very Negative,’ Peter Brandt Says Amid Crypto Market Crash 📢

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🪙 California Governor Gavin Newsom to Launch 'Trump Corruption Coin' as Political Satire

🗣 California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to launch a satirical meme coin called the 'Trump Corruption Coin.' This initiative, discussed during a podcast interview with journalist Kara Swisher, aims to mock President Donald Trump's crypto ventures and ethical issues. Newsom stated,

This is one of the great grifters of our time. You know what, Donald, we’ll see how your coin does versus ours.

📌 The idea for the coin emerged around August 27, 2025, but it has not yet been launched. Newsom initially considered naming it the 'Smelt' coin before opting for 'Trump Corruption Coin' to emphasize his critique. He described the project as a political commentary rather than an investment opportunity, highlighting what he perceives as crony capitalism associated with Trump’s family and foreign trips.

💬 Newsom's approach aligns with his increasing use of meme-driven messaging on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). The concept of the coin complements merchandise in his 'Patriot Store', where satire plays a central role.

While details such as a contract address, network, supply, or distribution were not provided,

it was clear that the project is intended to provoke thought rather than serve as a financial product.

📊 Reactions to Newsom's announcement have been mixed. Some applaud the trolling aspect, while others express skepticism about blurring the lines between politics and cryptocurrency. Concerns have been raised about whether a parody coin could confuse buyers or obscure the distinction between satire and financial offerings.

📌 If launched, the 'Trump Corruption Coin' would represent another intersection of meme culture and political messaging in modern campaigns. Digital tokens are increasingly being used as tools for communication rather than just speculative assets. However, the PolitiFi scene is dwindling, with only a few politically themed meme tokens like TRUMP, MELANIA, and PEOPLE maintaining any significant presence.