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- Bitcoin at key threshold: Analyst assesses chances of breakout toward $72,900
- New DeFi startup from former Ripple employees announced in XRP ecosystem
- From Bitcoin to AI: Why mining giant MARA took $1.63 billion in cash
- Crypto market outlook: Aggressive U.S. ETF buying collides with major UK blockchain regulatory shift
TL;DR
- Bitcoin holds near $65,000 as analyst DonAlt eyes a breakout toward $72,900 while U.S. spot ETFs post $850 million in five-day inflows.
- Ex-Ripple and ex-Meta figures tease a tokenless XRP Ledger DeFi startup, with Ripple's Tatsuya Korogi backing a mid-September 2026 launch.
- MARA sold 23,093 BTC for $1.63 billion to fund AI infrastructure, while still holding 35,577 BTC and mining 4,669 more coins this year.
- The UK's FCA opens public blockchains to bank settlements as Bitcoin's 30-day volatility hits a 2026 low near $64,812 support.
Bitcoin at key threshold: Analyst assesses chances of breakout toward $72,900
The main story this morning is the paradoxical divide between the sentiment of ordinary traders and the behavior of big money. Bitcoin is holding near $65,000 after a prolonged correction from last year's record above $126,000.
While total market capitalization has fallen to $2.28 trillion, the actual figures and charts hint at an imminent move higher.
Popular analyst DonAlt published a weekly BTC chart and, assessing the current consolidation, said outright that the cryptocurrency looks as though it "wants to explode."
In his view, the level preventing the price from moving higher does not represent a serious obstacle. The analyst bluntly called it "garbage resistance" and added that investors need only a "tiny push," after which the price will simply teleport to the next important level at $72,900.
The most interesting development came in the discussion of this forecast. After reviewing the flood of gloomy replies under the post, DonAlt noted that pessimism had reached extreme levels. By asking his audience the ironic question, "Are we back?", the analyst highlighted a classic paradox of market psychology.
Contrary to the crowd's logic, experienced players view such capitulation in the comments as a powerful bullish signal indicating that the market has found its bottom.
Meanwhile, as retail traders panic, institutional investors are aggressively buying Bitcoin. According to the latest spot ETF data, large investors brought in more than $850 million in net inflows over the past five trading days, methodically buying the dip.
Bitcoin is caught between extreme pessimism among retail traders and strong support from funds. If this influx of money provides that minimal push, the "garbage" barrier at $65,000 will be crushed, and the price will immediately move toward $72,900.
New DeFi startup from former Ripple employees announced in XRP ecosystem
A brief "Bullish" comment from a top Ripple executive sparked a wave of discussion around a new startup on the XRP Ledger. Ripple ecosystem growth manager Tatsuya Korogi publicly supported the project's teaser, with its launch scheduled for mid-September 2026.
The announcement came from a former Ripple employee known as BiasGoose, who now handles marketing at the decentralized data-storage network Walrus Protocol.
The main source of intrigue is the participants' close connection to tech giant Meta. Korogi joined Ripple directly from Meta, while BiasGoose's current employer, Walrus Protocol, was created by former Meta employees from the Mysten Labs team.
Details remain scarce, but the upcoming startup is known to be targeting practical DeFi tools at the intersection of XRPL's transaction speed and decentralized data storage for AI agents.
In addition, according to BiasGoose, the creators deliberately rejected the idea of issuing their own token under the slogan: "No liquidity extraction; we all win." Instead of speculative mechanisms, future users are being promised returns tied exclusively to serving real businesses.
About a month remains before the official release. The project has every chance of becoming the year's most important precedent for XRPL if the developers can prove that a DeFi model without its own token is viable.
From Bitcoin to AI: Why mining giant MARA took $1.63 billion in cash
The world's leading cryptocurrency miner, MARA, formerly Marathon Digital, has abruptly changed its HODL strategy. According to its latest report for the first half of 2026, the company sold 23,093 Bitcoin at an excellent average price of $70,631 per coin. This provided it with an impressive $1.63 billion in cash.
Notably, this profit-taking signal was not an isolated event. This Monday, another whale, Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, also reported a targeted sale of 1,690 BTC for $108.6 million.
However, while Strategy's decision to sell coins at $64,262, below its average purchase price of $75,385, sparked debate on social media about a "dump," MARA's logic is far more fundamental.
It is too early to write the miner off as a crypto optimist. MARA still holds a substantial reserve of 35,577 BTC, worth about $2.08 billion. In addition, the company mined another 4,669 coins during the six-month period.
However, the company is deliberately converting the cash raised and new loans into physical infrastructure. MARA is actively acquiring capacity for AI computing and the IT sector, with $61.1 million already spent on the acquisitions of Exaion and Meerkat.
Moreover, on Aug. 4, the giant raised another $600 million from Coinbase and Two Prime, using part of its Bitcoin holdings as collateral to acquire the Long Ridge facility. Against the backdrop of a stable Bitcoin price, the actions of these giants are establishing a new trend: digital gold is increasingly becoming working capital for expansion into the high-tech sector.
Crypto market outlook: Aggressive U.S. ETF buying collides with major UK blockchain regulatory shift
U.S. spot ETFs and corporate treasuries have formed strong support for Bitcoin at $64,812. The decline in volatility to a yearly low indicates that the consolidation phase is nearing completion, while the UK's FCA opens the door to legal inflows of banking capital into public blockchains.
Key highlights:
- ETF momentum accelerates: U.S. spot ETFs closed their strongest week since mid-April, recording five days of inflows totaling $853.5 million. BlackRock's IBIT accounted for more than 80% of the total, or $693 million.
- Corporate treasuries build up: Strive purchased $9.5 million worth of BTC at an average price of $64,812. The company fully eliminated its debt and reported a quarterly Bitcoin yield of 24%.
- Volatility hits yearly lows: The 30-day implied volatility index fell to its lowest level of 2026. The market spread has narrowed significantly, signaling preparations for a powerful breakout from consolidation.
- UK opens doors to public chains: The British regulator FCA allowed investment funds to use public blockchains for settlements. Together with leading banks, it has launched frameworks for the commercial tokenization of physical gold.
- Zcash migration hits a milestone: Zcash's migration from the Orchard pool to the upgraded Ironwood shielded architecture is 60% complete. More than 1.97 million ZEC has been successfully moved into the new pool.
U.Today Editorial Team
Dan Burgin
