The post One Protocol Proves Bitcoin DeFi Does Not Need Wrapped Bitcoin appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Bitcoin remains the largest crypto asset, but it has played a limited role in decentralized finance. Most DeFi applications were built on programmable networks like Ethereum. Bitcoin holders who wanted to trade, lend or use their capital in those ecosystems generally had to move through a centralized exchange or convert their BTC into a token …
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Strategy sold 1,638 BTC for approximately $104.7 million between July 27 and August 2, at an average price of $63,957 per Bitcoin. The company used about half of the proceeds to fund preferred stock dividends, while the remainder was allocated to STRC share repurchases. During the same period, Strategy also raised $290.6 million through MSTR …
The post Zcash Price Holds Key Trendline Support—Can ZEC Reclaim $550 Next? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
The Zcash price is trading at a pivotal technical level after pulling back from its recent highs, testing a long-term ascending trendline near $480. While the broader uptrend remains intact, it would be interesting to watch whether buyers can defend this support as bullish momentum weakens. A successful rebound could pave the way for another …
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XRP is showing early signs of stability after a shaky stretch, according to one crypto analyst’s Monday morning update, even as fresh news about Ripple’s business moves failed to shake the price much either way. Ripple Made More Investments, But Don’t Expect a Price Jump Ripple recently made two more strategic investments using its own …
The post BitMine ($BMNR) Adds 10,399 ETH, Ethereum Holdings Near 5.8 Million appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
BitMine added 10,399 ETH over the past week, increasing its total Ethereum holdings to 5,797,813 ETH, representing about 4.8% of the circulating supply. The company has staked 4,917,189 ETH, or roughly 85% of its holdings, and estimates annualized staking revenue of approximately $247 million. BitMine also repurchased 4.5 million shares during the week, while its …
The USD/JPY exchange rate has dropped to the crucial support level of 155.20, its lowest level since May 6, as the Japanese yen continues to outperform most major currencies this year. The pair has retreated by more than 4% from its year-to-date high, highlighting the dollar’s recent weakness.
This article explores why the Trump administration moved to support the greenback and what it means for the pair.
The US intervened in the currency market by converting its huge euro holdings into the currency. According to the FT, the transaction was implemented by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York through Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.
This intervention came a day after the Bank of Japan also carried out a major intervention worth about 8.45 trillion yen or $52.8 billion.
One reason why the Trump administration decided to intervene is because of the US bond market and the fact that Japan is the biggest holder. Japan holds over $1.14 trillion of US public debt, a figure that has been in a downward trend after peaking at $1.24 trillion in February.
Data shows that US bond yields have been rising in the past few months. The 30-year yield jumped to a 19-year high of 5.28% last year. Also, the ten-year yield jumped to 4.74%.
Trump’s fear is that Japan will continue dumping US treasuries to boost the yen, which, will in theory, will push bond yields higher. This is important because the US public debt continues rising and is approaching the $40 trillion mark. US deficits are also rising and is expected to hit $2 trillion mark.
Therefore, by intervening, the Trump administration hopes that Japan will not dump its US treasuries as China has done. China holds $659 billion worth of US bonds, down from over $1.3 trillion in 2013.
President Trump has always been focused on trade deficits, which explains his tariff strategy. The most recent data showed that Japan’s trade surplus with the US jumped to over $47 billion. This number is driven by vehicles and key machinery.
One reason for the rising surplus is the weaker yen, which helps to offset the impact of Trump’s tariffs. As such, by focusing on the stronger yen, Trump hopes that it will help to boost US exports.
Trump has also intervened because, as we saw with Argentina, he has a personal relationship with Sanae Takaichi. He met her at the White House in May, and has spoken highly of her. As such, intervention is a way of helping her bring inflation downwards.
Still, the impact of these interventions will likely be short-lived because of the interest rate differentials between the US and Japan. The BoJ and the Fed left interest rates unchanged last week, and analysts now predict the Fed will hike this year. Unless the the BoJ hikes, chances are that the yen will remain under pressure.
USDJPY chart | Source: TradingView
The daily chart shows that the USD/JPY pair has plunged from last week’s high of 163.97 to a low of 155.20, its lowest level since May 6. It has dropped below the ascending trendline that connects the lowest swings since February this year.
The pair is forming a large doji pattern, a common bullish reversal sign in technical analysis. Therefore, as we saw in April following the BoJ intervention, there is a possibility that the pair will rebound, potentially to 160.
The post USD/JPY forecast: The real reason behind the US yen intervention appeared first on Invezz
US stock futures rose on Monday after President Donald Trump delayed a planned attack on Iran, pushing oil prices sharply lower and easing immediate inflation concerns.
At about 7:00 AM ET, Dow futures surged 410 points or 0.78%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 contracts gained 0.56% and 0.41%.
The relief signal was encouraging but fragile across global markets.
Iran denied that direct talks with Washington were under way, manufacturing data could reshape interest-rate expectations, and Palantir’s results will test whether confidence in AI spending has truly recovered after July’s semiconductor sell-off and South Korea’s renewed volatility this week.
1. Iran diplomacy lifts futures, but the gap remains
Trump held back a major strike after Gulf allies urged more time for diplomacy, saying talks aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Iran’s nuclear programme would begin on Monday.
Tehran challenged that account. Iran’s foreign ministry said it was not negotiating directly with the US and that discussions with Oman concerned a temporary safe route for shipping.
Futures are therefore pricing a lower near-term risk of escalation, not a settled agreement.
Any sign that the Oman channel is stalling, or that attacks on shipping are continuing, could quickly return the geopolitical premium to oil.
2. Oil’s slide eases inflation pressure
Brent crude fell about 7% to roughly $83.5 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate dropped more than 6% to around $79.5.
The move unwound part of July’s war premium and offered relief to airlines, transport groups and consumer-facing companies, while weighing on energy producers.
OPEC+ added to the pressure by agreeing to raise September output by 188,000 barrels a day, completing the planned reversal of 1.65 million barrels a day of voluntary cuts introduced in 2023.
The sell-off may still prove unstable because Hormuz traffic remains disrupted and diplomacy is contested.
3. Manufacturing data could disturb the rates trade
The final S&P Global manufacturing PMI is due before the Institute for Supply Management’s July factory survey at 10 am ET.
The ISM index stood at 53.3 in June, marking a sixth consecutive month of expansion and remaining above the 50 level separating growth from contraction.
A strong report would support cyclical shares but could lift Treasury yields if prices remain elevated.
A weaker reading would help bonds and technology stocks, while reviving concerns about economic momentum.
The prices-paid and new-orders components may therefore matter more than the headline figure.
4. Yen intervention weakens the dollar
The yen traded near 156 to the dollar after the US and Japan confirmed coordinated intervention, pulling it away from the 40-year low near 164 reached last week.
The dollar index slipped below 100, while the 10-year Treasury yield fell towards 4.69% as lower oil reduced inflation anxiety.
That backdrop supports multinational US companies and rate-sensitive technology shares.
Its durability is uncertain. Japan’s policy rate remains far below the Fed’s 3.5% to 3.75% range, and currency strategists doubt intervention alone can reverse the yen’s decline without a narrower interest-rate gap.
5. Palantir and Korean chips test the AI rebound
Palantir reports after the close and has guided for second-quarter revenue of $1.797 billion to $1.801 billion, with adjusted operating income of $1.063 billion to $1.067 billion.
Wall Street expects about 80% revenue growth, making the report a test of whether US commercial and government demand can justify the company’s valuation.
The regional signal is less reassuring. South Korea’s Kospi fell about 5% on Monday after Friday’s record rebound, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix dropping roughly 9%.
Marriott and Tyson Foods report before the bell, while reported merger discussions between AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb have also driven sharp premarket moves.
Neither drugmaker had confirmed an agreement, leaving investors to assess the regulatory and strategic hurdles facing any potential tie-up.
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AMC Entertainment stock extended its impressive rally, approaching a key resistance level as investors cheered the continued recovery of the blockbuster movie industry. The shares climbed to a high of $3.02, their highest level since October 2025, and have surged more than 200% from their lowest point this year. The key question now is whether the rally still has room to run.
AMC, the biggest theatre group in the United States, is doing relatively well, helped by the recent movie releases. Top movies like Toy Story 5, Michael, Super Mario Galaxy, Spider-Man, and The Odyssey have made substantial sums of money.
Just this weekend, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, had the best opening, making over $927 million worldwide, with US sales hitting $355 million. This makes it one of the best-performing movies this year, helped by its brand, intellectual property, and the fear of missing out.
Millions of people are going to movie theatres this year, which shattered weekend records as over 10.2 million Americans visited. In a statement, Adam Aron, the CEO said:
“For AMC, this was a truly historic weekend. In welcoming more than 10.2 million moviegoers around the world, AMC established this weekend a new all-time Company weekend record for admissions revenue and a new all-time Company weekend record for food & beverage revenue.”
There are signs that this growth will continue this year as some big titles are coming up. Some of the top titles to watch will be Resident Evil, Mutiny, The End of Oak Street, Dune: Part Three, and The Hunger Games.
READ MORE: AMC shares pop 9% after Wedbush upgrades to outperform
The most recent results showed that the company’s business continued growing in the last quarter. Its results revealed that revenue jumped by 14.2% to $1.59 billion, higher than what analysts were expecting.
The company’s adjusted EBITDA jumped by 69.6% to $321 million. Most notably, analysts believe that the company has more growth to go, helped by the recent successes of key releases like The Odyssey and Spider-Man.
Wall Street expects the company to deliver solid growth this year. The consensus estimate from seven analysts is that third-quarter revenue will rise 8% year over year to $1.4 billion, while full-year revenue is projected to increase 13% to $5.5 billion.
AMC Entertainment has also continued to improve its balance sheet. It recently refinanced $400 million of its 12.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2027, extending the maturities by four years. As such, the hope is that it will not dilute investors again this year.
AMC share price chart | Source: TradingView
The daily chart shows that the AMC share price has jumped from the year-to-date low of $0.9291 to past $3 today. It has now crossed the important resistance level of $2.95, its highest level on June 22, invalidating the double-top pattern.
Most importantly, it has formed a golden cross pattern as the 50-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA) crossed each other. These two averages made the crossover on June 28.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the MACD have pointed upwards. Therefore, the stock will likely continue rising as bulls target the important resistance level of $3.61, its highest point in June last year.
The post Here’s why the AMC stock price is pumping today and what to expect appeared first on Invezz
The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) has come under intense selling pressure recently as concerns about the memory and technology sectors escalated. It dropped to $50 on Friday, down over 33% from its year-high. This article looks at some of the top DRAM ETF stocks to watch this week, including Western Digital (WDC), SanDisk (SNDK), and Micron (MU).
SanDisk is a minor holding in the DRAM ETF, accounting for 3.76% of the fund. After soaring to a record high this year, the stock has dived by nearly 50%, mirroring the performance of other companies in the memory industry.
Therefore, SanDisk stock will be in the spotlight this week as the company publishes its financial results on Wednesday. These numbers will provide more color about its business, including its long-term contracts.
SanDisk has hinted that its growth continued in the last quarter. As a result, analysts expect the upcoming results to show that its revenue jumped by 341% in the quarter to $8.4 billion. Its guidance for the current quarter is expected to be $10.62 billion, a 360% annual increase.
The same growth is expected in its profitability because of rising memory prices. For example, the earnings-per-share (EPS) is expected to move to $34.5 from last year’s 29 cents.
Therefore, a strong revenue and earnings growth figures will likely provide it with the catalyst it needs to bounce back.
Western Digital Corporation is another DRAM ETF stock to watch this week. The company, which was the parent company of SanDisk before last year’s spin-off, will also release its numbers on Wednesday. These results come as the stock has dropped by over 30% from its peak this year.
Like SanDisk, Western Digital’s business is thriving because of the rising memory demand. Yahoo Finance data shows that analysts predict the earnings report will show that its revenue jumped by 41% in the quarter to $3.7 billion.
The company’s earnings-per-share is also expected to nearly double, moving from last year’s $1.66 to $3.3.
As such, a strong earnings report and forward guidance will be bullish for the company as it will show that there is still demand for its products. Analysts have a bullish outlook for the company, with the average target being $655, much higher than the current $544. Just recently, Citi analysts boosted the target from $685 to $800.
Micron Technology, the second-biggest company in the DRAM ETF, will be in the spotlight this week after its recent sell-off. Its stock has dropped by 35% from its year-to-date high.
The stock has dropped despite the fact that its business is firing on all cylinders. Its recent earnings report showed that its revenue jumped to $41 billion in its third quarter from $9.3 billion in the same period last year.
Analysts expect that this growth will continue, with the fourth quarter figure expected to grow by 350% to $50.4 billion. If this is correct, its annual revenue will have grown by 247% to $129 billion.
Micron will not publish its earnings this week. Still, traders will focus on its stock for cues on the memory sector. It will also react to the upcoming AMD earnings, which are important because it is one of the biggest clients.
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Shares of Circle Internet Group fell sharply in premarket trading on Monday after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stablecoin issuer, while TD Cowen initiated coverage with a bullish rating, highlighting a growing divide on Wall Street over the company’s long-term prospects.
Circle stock declined 6% to $58.81 in premarket trading following the contrasting analyst calls.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin traded 0.64% lower over the past 24 hours at $62,625.
Morgan Stanley cut its rating on Circle to Underweight from Equal Weight and slashed its price target to $38 from $106, while TD Cowen began coverage with a Buy rating and an $82 price target, implying significant upside from current levels.
Morgan Stanley’s downgrade was driven by expectations that the circulation of USDC, Circle’s dollar-pegged stablecoin, will grow more slowly than previously anticipated.
The brokerage reduced its forecasts for USDC circulation in 2027 and 2028 by 33% and 44%, respectively, challenging Circle’s target of achieving average annual growth of 40% across market cycles.
“USDC has effectively not grown” since the third quarter of last year, analysts noted.
The brokerage added that broader adoption has yet to materialize as “utility beyond remittances and stablecoin-linked card spending has yet to gain meaningful traction.”
Morgan Stanley argued that while payment companies including Mastercard and Stripe have increasingly embraced stablecoin technology, practical adoption remains limited.
Citing McKinsey data, the brokerage said stablecoin transaction volume reached about $35 trillion in 2025, but only around $390 billion represented identifiable real-world payments.
Analysts added that payment activity remains concentrated in cross-border business transactions, remittances and stablecoin-linked card spending.
“Stablecoin activity remains overwhelmingly skewed toward crypto trading and transfer activity rather than payments. McKinsey estimates roughly $35 trillion of adjusted volume, of which only $390 billion represents identifiable payments (which will still think may be optimistic), or roughly 0.5% of unadjusted activity and about 1% of adjusted activity,” Morgan Stanley analyst James Faucette wrote.
He added, “While there are real and growing use cases in cross-border B2B and consumer remittances (including stablecoin-linked card spending) that are driving transaction velocity, they have not yet demonstrated the ability to create the durable balances or recurring transaction economics needed to offset pressure on Circle’s reserve-income model.”
TD Cowen took a more optimistic view, launching coverage with a Buy rating and an $82 price target.
The brokerage said, “We see a compelling combination of attractive growth + diversification via USDC circulation, rapidly growing high-margin fee-based revenues & Arc optionality and think the Street underestimates the evolution into a platform player.”
Analyst Bryan Bergin believes Circle’s business is expanding beyond stablecoin issuance into a broader financial infrastructure platform that covers payments, treasury services, tokenized real-world assets, interoperability, and developer services.
Bergin also described Circle as “an attractive vehicle for investors seeking exposure to the institutionalization of stablecoins and the modernization of global financial infrastructure.”
Circle shares have struggled throughout 2026, falling 21% year to date compared with a 9.4% gain for the broader market. Bitcoin has declined 28% over the same period.
The stock has also faced pressure from uncertainty surrounding the proposed Clarity Act, legislation intended to establish a regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry.
Analyst opinion remains closely split.
According to LSEG data, 16 of the 30 analysts covering Circle rate the stock Hold or Sell, while the remaining 14 recommend Buy or Strong Buy.
The contrasting views underscore differing expectations for the pace of stablecoin adoption, the future growth of USDC and Circle’s ability to evolve into a broader financial infrastructure platform as the regulatory landscape continues to develop.
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