Tether has made a strategic investment in a pan-African blockchain financial 
solutions provider to enhance cross-border payments and global liquidity for 
African businesses. Stablecoins: The Heartbeat of Financial Transformation 
Stablecoin issuer Tether announced June 5 that it had made a strategic 
investment in Shiga, a pan-African blockchain-based financial solutions 
provider. This collaboration is expected to […]

Tether’s CEO: Stablecoins Are Key to Financial Transformation in Africa

Bitcoin’s price continues to show signs of consolidation following its all- 
time high of over $111,000 recorded in May. At the time of writing, the asset 
is trading at $104,851, down 0.3% in the past 24 hours and roughly 6.3% below 
its recent peak. This period of relative price stability comes amid cautious 
sentiment across the broader crypto market, as analysts examine whether the 
current bull cycle is beginning to shift gears or simply experiencing a 
temporary pause. CryptoQuant contributor Crypto Dan has released a comparative 
analysis of current and past market cycles, noting several distinct behaviors 
in Bitcoin’s recent price action. Drawing parallels to the bull runs of 2017 
and 2021, Dan suggests that while similarities exist, the current cycle has 
developed unique characteristics. These changes could signal a different 
structure in how the market plays out, particularly in terms of timing and 
investor participation. Related Reading: Bitcoin Scarcity May Spark Explosive 
Surge, Bank Study Shows Comparing Bitcoin Cycles: 2024–2025 Diverges from 
Historical Patterns According to Dan, previous cycles saw more predictable 
corrections and rallies. In 2017, Bitcoin experienced relatively short 
corrections before entering a prolonged rally that concluded in late December 
of that year. The 2021 cycle, affected early on by the COVID-19 pandemic, 
featured a longer initial correction before a strong upward surge. In both 
cases, once Bitcoin gained momentum, corrections became less frequent and 
shorter in duration. The current cycle, spanning 2024–2025, has so far been 
marked by alternating strong rallies and sudden declines, often occurring over 
short timeframes. These patterns have dampened broader market sentiment, 
particularly during periods when altcoins significantly underperformed 
Bitcoin. Dan posits that these repeated pullbacks may not be purely organic. 
Instead, they could indicate intentional suppression by large players aiming 
to extend the cycle’s duration and prevent overheating. If this interpretation 
holds, the bull cycle could end not with a gradual fade, but a sharp spike 
driven by euphoric buying behavior. Retail Activity Declines as Institutions 
Drive Market Structure A separate analysis by CryptoQuant’s Burak Kesmeci 
focuses on the behavior of retail investors since Bitcoin hit its $111,000 
high in late May. Data shows that retail transfer volumes, transactions valued 
between $0 and $10,000, have decreased from $423 million to $408 million. 
Additionally, the 30-day change in retail demand has slipped into negative 
territory, shifting from +5 points to -0.11 points. This reduction in retail 
activity suggests that smaller investors remain sensitive to short-term 
volatility, stepping back in response to recent price corrections. Related 
Reading: The Last Bitcoin Cycle? Swan Says History’s Turning Kesmeci argues 
that for the bull cycle to sustain momentum, consistent participation from 
retail segments is crucial. At present, institutional interest appears to be 
the primary source of demand. The divergence between these two investor 
classes may shape how the next leg of Bitcoin’s market cycle develops. 
Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView

Crypto Analyst Warns: This Bitcoin Bull Cycle Looks Nothing Like 2017 or 2021

Vanadi Coffee, a Spanish coffee franchise, will discuss the possibility of 
allocating up to 1 billion euros (nearly $1.1 billion) to establish a bitcoin 
treasury. The proposal, still to be approved, would position the company among 
the largest holders of bitcoin in Europe. Vanadi Coffee Seeks Redemption With 
1B Euros Bitcoin Pivot The trend of […]

Hail Mary in Crypto: Spanish Coffee Chain Plans Massive Bitcoin Treasury—Will It Work?

Maple’s expansion to Solana is powered by Chainlink’s CCIP, which allows data 
transfer between EVM and SVM ecosystems.

Maple Finance expands to Solana, deploys yield-bearing stablecoin

Bitcoin (BTC) remains range-bound in the mid-$100,000s, showing no clear 
directional bias. However, the Hash Ribbons indicator is now flashing a fresh 
buy signal, suggesting that the top cryptocurrency may be gearing up for its 
next upward move. Bitcoin Hash Ribbons Flash Buy Signal According to a recent 
CryptoQuant Quicktake post by contributor Darkfost, Bitcoin’s Hash Ribbons are 
signalling a potential prime buying opportunity for the leading digital asset. 
This signal coincides with Bitcoin’s hashrate reaching new all-time highs 
(ATH). Related Reading: Bitcoin Mining Giant Abandons Full-Hold Strategy, 
Unloads $40M In Crypto For the uninitiated, Bitcoin Hash Ribbons is an on- 
chain indicator that analyzes miner stress by comparing the 30-day and 60-day 
moving averages of Bitcoin’s hashrate. When the short-term average crosses 
above the long-term average after a period of decline, it signals that miner 
capitulation is ending &#8211; often marking a strong long-term buying opportunity. 
Such signals can emerge when mining becomes unprofitable for certain miners, 
forcing them to sell their BTC holdings to stay afloat. These sell-offs may 
temporarily pressure the price, but historically they have created attractive 
long-term buying opportunities. In their analysis, Darkfost notes that while 
the current signal is bullish from a long-term perspective, it could lead to a 
short-term pullback in BTC price. However, he emphasizes that any dip should 
be viewed as a chance to accumulate. Darkfost also pointed out that the Hash 
Ribbons indicator has historically been reliable, with the exception of 2021 
during the China mining ban. They shared the following chart illustrating how 
the indicator is currently showing a strong buy signal. Is BTC Headed For A 
Crash? While the Hash Ribbons suggest a favorable long-term setup, some 
analysts warn that the short-term correction could be deeper than expected. 
For instance, crypto analyst Xanrox used the Fibonacci levels to forecast that 
BTC may tumble as low as $98,000. Related Reading: Bitcoin Warning Signs? 
Long-Term Holders Exit While Retail Buyers Rush In Similarly, analyst Jelle 
noted that Bitcoin may face “one last speed bump” before launching a major 
rally to $140,000. Meanwhile, more pessimistic voices continue to warn of a 
dramatic crash, with some speculating that BTC could fall below $10,000 &#8211; a 
view seen as increasingly unlikely by most market participants. Despite the 
varying predictions, fresh on-chain data points to a healthy BTC market in the 
near to medium term. For instance, CryptoQuant contributor Amr Taha recently 
highlighted that the derivatives market has undergone a reset, with funding 
rates stabilizing around neutral levels. Similarly, Fundstrat’s Head of 
Research, Tom Lee foresees BTC surging to as high as $250,000 by the end of 
the year. At press time, BTC trades at $105,367, up 0.5% in the past 24 hours. 
Featured image from Unsplash, charts from CryptoQuant and TradingView.com

Cryptocurrency price in GBP