may

The EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) competition phase is coming to an end, but the real challenges for businesses are just beginning. The high costs of maintaining a compliant operational system may change the landscape of the European crypto industry. In the future, the focus of industry competition may shift from "who can obtain a license" to "who has the capacity to bear regulatory costs," driving companies to achieve scalable development through mergers, joint ventures, or partnerships with banks.As MiCA gradually takes effect and the UK's crypto regulatory framework is about to take shape, the European crypto industry is entering a new phase of consolidation. Industry insiders believe that high regulatory standards may spur a new wave of mergers and acquisitions, and cooperation between crypto-native companies and traditional financial institutions will deepen further. This trend in the UK market may be even more pronounced. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is developing a new regulatory framework for crypto assets, which is expected to incorporate crypto businesses into the existing financial services regulatory system, subjecting them to capital, operational, and customer asset protection requirements similar to those faced by traditional investment institutions.Steven Lightstone, a partner at Morgan Lewis's London office and co-head of the global fintech team, stated that the FCA aims to promote market competition and support new entrants, but its regulatory standards will be very strict when it comes to consumer protection. Unlike the EU's independently operating MiCA framework, the UK approach will directly utilize the existing financial regulatory system to manage crypto businesses. Meanwhile, the increase in regulatory certainty is driving European banks to accelerate their entry into the digital asset space. Sygnum Europe CEO Simon Schneider noted that currently, less than 20% of banks in Europe offer crypto-related services, indicating a significant market gap. The greatest value of MiCA is not just in creating a new licensing system, but in providing legal certainty for financial institutions to enter the digital asset market.He pointed to Switzerland as an example, where after the introduction of regulations on distributed ledger technology, most large Swiss banks began offering digital asset services, a path that may be replicated in other parts of Europe in the future. In the future, banks may not necessarily replace crypto-native companies but are more likely to rely on specialized infrastructure service providers to collaborate in areas such as custody, brokerage, staking, and asset tokenization. As companies that fail to obtain MiCA licenses gradually exit the European market, assets may further concentrate among regulated entities. However, Schneider believes that self-custody models and institutional custody models will continue to coexist in the long term. Industry insiders believe that the European crypto industry is entering a "regulation-driven consolidation cycle." For crypto startups that previously relied on rapid innovation and asset-light models, the core competitiveness in the future may no longer be just technological speed, but compliance capability, capital scale, and the ability to integrate financial infrastructure.

According to Cointelegraph, Binance's Chief Security Officer Jimmy Su stated that Binance conducts red team testing internally every month to assess the overall security awareness of employees.Testing scenarios include impersonating recruiters, sending free meeting invitations, and enticing employees to submit personal information. Employees who fail the test must undergo corrective training, and the test results will also be included in performance evaluations; if an employee fails severely multiple times, they may face termination.

Regarding the details of the withdrawal announcement released by Bitmart, WOO X ambassador Baki posted on the X platform, "BitMart is restricting user withdrawals for security reasons, and its operation to disable the automatic withdrawal function may result in a large number of users being unable to complete fund withdrawals. The platform has changed the withdrawal process to manual review, requiring users to submit account identity and KYC information verification, login device and IP address and account security status verification, withdrawal address and blockchain transaction risk review, source of funds and transaction history review, Travel Rule compliance and sanctions screening, and other regulatory checks. If necessary, additional documents such as proof of identity, proof of address, proof of source of funds, or proof of ownership of the withdrawal address may also be required."Baki suggested that users with P2P options could withdraw to their bank accounts through that channel; he also emphasized that the crypto market is not decentralized but controlled by a few large groups, exchanges, and funders.

According to Jinshi reports, SK Hynix will announce its second-quarter results on the 29th. Following Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix is expected to achieve a record high in profits for the second quarter of this year.Based on reports from 14 brokerages compiled by the Korean financial information agency Yonhap Infomax over the past month, SK Hynix's second-quarter revenue and operating profit are expected to be 84.0597 trillion won and 64.0899 trillion won, respectively. The expected operating profit for the second quarter is about 17 trillion won higher than the annual operating profit of 47.2 trillion won last year.Adding the operating profit of 37.6103 trillion won from the first quarter of this year, SK Hynix's operating profit for just the first half of the year will exceed 100 trillion won. Earlier this month, Samsung Electronics also released a preliminary performance report, showing strong performance in its DS division, with an operating profit of 89.4 trillion won. If SK Hynix's performance meets market expectations, the combined operating profit of the two companies for the second quarter will exceed 150 trillion won.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang stated in a Bloomberg podcast interview that South Korea is in a "golden era," and its semiconductor and industrial capabilities can help build AI infrastructure globally. NVIDIA has reached multiple collaborations with SK Group, and the scale of their future business exchanges in areas such as storage procurement, AI supercomputers, and data center construction will exceed $500 billion. NVIDIA will purchase a large number of storage chips from SK Hynix for several consecutive years and will work together to advance the technology roadmap from HBM2, HBM3, HBM3E, HBM4, HBM4E to subsequent products.Meanwhile, SK Telecom plans to expand its AI cloud infrastructure to a maximum of 2 gigawatts soon, and NVIDIA will sell supercomputers to it. The cooperation between the two parties includes both NVIDIA's procurement of storage and SK Group's procurement of AI infrastructure.Jensen Huang believes that as AI entities and robots begin to use computers on a large scale, chip demand will no longer be driven solely by human users. In the next approximately 10 years, the global semiconductor industry scale may need to expand to 10 times its current size. Currently, resources such as HBM storage, land, electricity, and data center construction are all under tight conditions; the industry may be capable of doubling its capacity each year, but faster expansion will be very difficult. The entire industry may be able to double its supply scale each year, but land, electricity, and factory space cannot expand as quickly as consumer electronics, so the construction of AI infrastructure may continue to progress at a limited pace over the next 10 years.Regarding the AI competition between China and the United States, Jensen Huang stated that both countries have excellent AI researchers. Although resources, conditions, and restrictions differ, both will continue to drive advancements in AI technology. The number of AI researchers trained in China each year may exceed the total in other regions of the world, and the United States still needs to continue learning, collaborating, and maintaining competition.

According to a report by the WSJ, The Boring Company, founded by Musk, is seeking new funding support, and the new round of financing will value the company at approximately $20 billion.The Boring Company was established in 2016 and primarily develops underground transportation tunnel technology aimed at alleviating urban traffic congestion. Currently, the company is operating the Vegas Loop project in Las Vegas, USA, and plans to expand its underground transportation network to more cities.

According to The Block, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson stated that quantum computing could pose a significant challenge to Bitcoin's governance capabilities. If the Bitcoin network cannot coordinate the necessary upgrades, BTC may lose its status as the largest cryptocurrency asset globally.Hoskinson mentioned that the problem with Bitcoin is that it is "frozen in time," making any changes very difficult. He believes that the early disappointment with Bitcoin's lack of flexibility was one of the reasons that led to the birth of Ethereum.

According to monitoring by Catcher Predict, in the predicted market Polymarket for the event "Hamburg European Open: Maya Sherif vs. Paula Badosa," the "over" option for the sub-market "Hamburg European Open: Maya Sherif vs. Paula Badosa total games over 21.5" has experienced significant fluctuations in winning probability, soaring from 50% an hour ago to the current 83% (a fluctuation of 33%). Please note the impact of relevant breaking news.

According to Jinshi, European Central Bank Governing Council member Slapin stated that as long as the overall inflation outlook requires it, the European Central Bank may raise interest rates in September even without a second-round effect.

Cryptocurrency analyst Ali Charts stated that Ethereum rebounded after testing the lower edge of the price channel. Currently, $1850 is a key support level, and as long as this position holds, Ethereum may rise back towards the upper edge of the channel near $2060.

The "Whale" stated in its post "Set 10 Major Goals" that after closing short positions, it quickly re-established long positions because its long-term bullish view on Bitcoin has not changed. It believes that the important boundary of the last bull market was around $60,000, and the current mainstream mining cost of Bitcoin is concentrated between $50,000 and $60,000; after Bitcoin dipped to $58,000 last month, it quickly recovered, further validating the support capacity of that area.In the past month, Bitcoin has fully oscillated and exchanged hands in the range of $58,000 to $63,000, and after a pullback, it has re-stabilized around $66,000. In the absence of systemic risks or significant fundamental changes, the risk-reward ratio of continuing to short at the current position is not high, and the market may see a surge and break through $72,000; if the market structure does not change significantly, Bitcoin has a high probability of challenging $100,000 again around March next year. Currently, U.S. stocks, especially in the artificial intelligence sector, are overall valued at relatively high levels, and future volatility may significantly increase.The correlation between Bitcoin and U.S. stocks has significantly decreased compared to previous cycles, and Bitcoin is gradually emerging as an independent market. It has set a trading invalidation range for the current position; if the market falls back to $61,500 to $64,000, and the trend proves the judgment to be incorrect, it will immediately close positions to control losses. It emphasizes: "Views can change, but discipline cannot change." In addition, the latest publicly available data shows that the "Whale" has set its Binance contract real account "Jason leo133" position to private status.

Japanese regulatory authorities are advancing the adjustment of the legal framework for digital asset investment. A spot Bitcoin ETF may be approved for listing as early as 2028, but the timeline still depends on the progress of regulation, product review, and tax reform.On July 15, the Japanese Diet approved the transfer of Bitcoin and approximately 105 other crypto assets from the Payment Services Act framework to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, removing a major legal obstacle for related funds to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Major Japanese financial groups such as SBI Holdings and Nomura are preparing digital asset products. Japan also plans to adjust the crypto asset tax system from a maximum miscellaneous income tax of 55% to a separate reporting tax system of approximately 20.315%.

In a 90-minute interview with The Economist, Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, stated that artificial intelligence could surpass human intelligence levels within the next five years and predicted that in about ten years, AI and robotics might drive the world into a "highly affluent era." Musk believes that once AI systems and robots possess sufficiently powerful digital intelligence and production capabilities, the global economy could approach a state of "infinite supply," making human labor no longer a necessary condition for survival, and the importance of currency may gradually decline.He stated that in the future, if the number of robots is sufficient, society will have a "quasi-infinite economy," where artificial intelligence can produce goods and services that exceed human consumption capacity. He even predicted that by around 2036, the importance of the traditional currency system might significantly decrease. Regarding future economic operating models, Musk mentioned that governments might maintain social operations by directly distributing funds to the public and believes that the productivity improvements brought by AI could lead to deflation rather than inflation.However, regarding issues such as corporate profit models, government fiscal sources, and social transformation, Musk acknowledged that the economic structure in the age of artificial intelligence might differ greatly from traditional economic laws. Additionally, Musk discussed the integration of AI with space development. He indicated that in the future, data centers deployed in space might be used to support AI computing and reiterated the long-term plan for human exploration of Mars. In the interview, Musk also reflected on his previous involvement in the Trump administration's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE). He admitted that he had invested too much energy in the political arena, "got a bit sidetracked," and stated that if he could choose again, he might spend more time on his own companies.

Domestic DRAM storage IDM leader Changxin Technology will officially list on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board on July 27, with an issuance valuation of approximately 580 billion yuan and a total fundraising amount of 29.5 billion yuan, of which about 22.066 billion yuan is for equipment purchase and installation costs. Industry insiders believe that 2026-2027 is the golden window period for the introduction of domestic equipment.In terms of the supply chain, on the equipment side, North Huachuang has shipped a large volume of various categories such as etching and thin film deposition, Zhongwei Company continues to validate and mass-produce etching and thin film equipment, Huahai Qingshi CMP equipment has entered the core supply chain, and Jingce Electronics and Jingzhida testing equipment are benefiting simultaneously. On the materials side, Yake Technology precursor products cover advanced process needs, Guanggang Gas provides special gases and bulk gases, Jinhong Gas has a gas production order cycle of 15 years, Tongcheng New Materials ArF/KrF photoresists have entered mass production, Jingrui Electric Materials has a market share of over 40% in high-purity hydrogen peroxide, but high-end photoresists are still in the validation stage, and Debang Technology is in the sample testing stage. On the packaging and module side, Huatian Technology is a packaging supplier, Jiangbolong and Demingli have reached procurement agreements, while Maijie Technology is still in the introduction phase. On the distribution side, Shangluo Electronics has been authorized, and there are expectations for supply strategy adjustments after listing. Several listed companies hold shares indirectly through industrial funds, with Shangfeng Cement holding approximately 0.1517% of the equity before issuance.

Former Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terrett stated that the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), which claims to represent millions of Hispanic businesses across the country, sent a letter to Senate leaders this week expressing concerns similar to those of community banks that the Clarity Act could accelerate deposit outflows. The organization believes that the bill will reduce loans to Hispanic small businesses and weaken investments in underserved communities.

According to Jinshi reports, Helaba analysts stated that the escalating situation in the Arabian Gulf region and rising energy prices have raised concerns among central bank officials. The European Central Bank will announce its monetary policy decision later today, and analysts pointed out that there are currently no clear signs indicating that the European Central Bank is about to raise interest rates. The money market expects the European Central Bank to raise interest rates by 21 basis points in September, and it is anticipated that the wording of the statement will not undergo significant changes.

Mizuho analysts stated that if the Clarity Act, a U.S. cryptocurrency market structure bill, is passed, it may generally benefit the digital asset industry, but the long-term impact on Circle could be negative. The reasoning is that regulatory clarity will attract more large institutions into the stablecoin market, further accelerating the commodification of stablecoins and eroding the revenue space of Circle's USDC.Mizuho believes that the main pressure Circle is currently facing comes from Open USD. This stablecoin project is supported by an alliance of over 140 financial, technology, and cryptocurrency companies, including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, BlackRock, and Coinbase. Unlike Circle's model, which retains about 38% of USDC reserve earnings, Open USD adopts a "pass-through" model, distributing nearly all reserve earnings to distributors while retaining only a small management fee. Analysts also pointed out that Coinbase, as the largest distributor of USDC, also supports Open USD, which may give it stronger bargaining power when renegotiating revenue-sharing agreements with Circle in the future. The distribution agreement between the two parties may be renegotiated as early as next month.

Zach Pandl, the head of research at Grayscale, stated that there are currently two main viewpoints in the market regarding when the Bitcoin bear market will end: one follows the "four-year cycle," and the other views Bitcoin as a mature asset driven by macro factors. The "four-year cycle" viewpoint holds that the halving event remains the core driving factor of the Bitcoin price cycle. Historically, Bitcoin typically bottoms about a year after the cycle peak and approximately 2.5 years after the halving, with an average cumulative drawdown of about 80%. According to this pattern, Bitcoin may still decline further this time and form a bottom in September or October.The other viewpoint suggests that Bitcoin prices will be influenced more by economic growth, real interest rates, and changes in Federal Reserve policy, similar to other major assets. In past Bitcoin bear markets, there has usually been a slowdown in economic growth or an increase in real interest rates, and this decline is also occurring against a backdrop of rising interest rate expectations and increasing real rates. Pandl indicated that he aligns more with the macro-driven perspective. If the Federal Reserve stops raising interest rates and economic growth remains stable, Bitcoin prices may have already bottomed.

Benchmark has lowered its second-quarter performance expectations for Coinbase ahead of the earnings report next week, citing weak trading activity in the cryptocurrency market, but still maintains a "Buy" rating and a target price of $270. Based on Coinbase's stock price of about $172 on Wednesday, this target price corresponds to an upside potential of approximately 57%.Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer has revised Coinbase's second-quarter revenue expectation from $1.51 billion to $1.38 billion and has lowered the full-year revenue expectation for 2026 from $6.33 billion to $6 billion. The trading volume on centralized exchanges in the second quarter has decreased by about 28%, and the total market capitalization of the cryptocurrency market has dropped by about 13%. The firm expects Coinbase's trading revenue to decline by more than 5%.However, the market showed initial signs of stabilization in June, with spot trading volume exceeding $1 trillion for the first time since March, which may somewhat alleviate the weak performance in the second quarter.Benchmark believes that if the CLARITY Act is ultimately passed, it could become a more significant catalyst for the stock price than quarterly performance, with Coinbase potentially being one of the main beneficiaries of the act. Trump has previously agreed to the relevant ethical provisions, removing a key obstacle to the advancement of the bill.