Russia’s main exchange. the Moscow Exchange, has started offering Bitcoin 
futures contracts. This is one of the biggest moves yet in the country’s slow 
but steady opening to cryptocurrencies. According to market insiders, these 
new contracts track the price of the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF, which has gathered 
over $72 billion in assets. Related Reading: $500M Bet On Solana: Education 
Platform Aims To Supercharge Its Treasury Trades will be priced in US dollars 
per lot, while settlements will happen in Russian rubles. This setup lets 
local traders tap into Bitcoin’s price swings without touching foreign crypto 
platforms. Quarterly Contracts Linked To IBIT These Bitcoin futures will come 
out every three months, with the first batch due to expire in September 2025. 
Based on reports, only qualified investors will be allowed to trade on the 
MOEX. That means big banks, funds, and other approved financial groups can 
take part. Ordinary investors won’t get in on these deals. The Bank of Russia 
gave the green light in May 2025 for such products, but it still warns most 
firms to steer clear of direct crypto deals. The idea seems to be to let big 
players handle the risk in a controlled way. Local Settlements Keep Risk In 
Rubles Moscow Exchange decided to price the contracts in US dollars. However, 
when it’s time to settle, everything happens in rubles. This approach protects 
Russia from sudden swings in foreign markets. A trader can lock in a deal 
based on Bitcoin’s value in dollars, yet get paid in their home currency. It’s 
a setup that keeps money inside Russia even as it ties to a global crypto 
product. Some analysts see this as a smart middle ground. It lets Russia join 
the international cryptocurrency scene but without depending on overseas 
platforms. 🚀 Moscow Stock Exchange Launches #Bitcoin Futures Contracts will 
only be available to qualified investors, with the futures tied to the value 
of the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, quoted in US dollars, and settled in Russian 
rubles. (TASS) The launch follows Sberbank&#8217;s approval… 
pic.twitter.com/wMTRlK2Y0y — RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 4, 2025 Bank Of 
Russia’s Cautious Stance Behind the scenes, the central bank is still 
cautious. It approved crypto-linked derivatives for qualified investors, but 
it hasn’t opened the door for everyone. Most banks and investment firms are 
told not to put their clients into direct Bitcoin trades. Instead, they can 
offer tools like these futures if they qualify. This reflects a watchful 
stance on digital assets. Authorities acknowledge the lure of big profits, but 
they also want to avoid big losses. By keeping access limited, they hope to 
keep any trouble contained. Related Reading: Bitcoin Reserve Gets Military 
Nod, Senator Predicts Explosive 10-Year Surge Sberbank’s New Bitcoin-Linked 
Bonds Meanwhile, Sberbank, the country’s biggest bank, is working on its own 
crypto-based product. Soon, select clients will be able to buy structured 
bonds tied to Bitcoin’s price. These bonds will also trade in rubles and won’t 
require a crypto wallet. That way, people can bet on Bitcoin without opening 
accounts on foreign sites. Featured image from Lonely Planet, chart from 
TradingView

From Wall Street To Red Square: Moscow Exchange Lists BlackRock Bitcoin Futures

Amid a public debate regarding an executive order that increases the current 
tax on financial transactions, Brazil is considering taxing crypto 
transactions to mitigate the impact of the increase, which would affect a 
larger audience. Brazil Mulls Cryptocurrency Transaction Tax Cryptocurrency 
transactions are now in the spotlight in Brazil, becoming a key element in the 
[…]

Brazil Mulls Taxing Cryptocurrency to Offset Financial Transaction Tax Hike

XRP&#8217;s price action is currently exhibiting a back-and-forth pattern around 
$2.20, but an interesting technical analysis suggests it may soon leave this 
price level. A chart analysis posted by a crypto analyst on the social media 
platform X has given an interesting projection about XRP’s next move. By 
overlaying XRP’s current weekly chart with its explosive 2017 fractal, the 
analyst hints that the altcoin might be on the verge of a repeat performance 
that sends it far beyond its current price range. 2017 XRP Fractal Overlaid 
Technical analysis of XRP price action on the weekly timeframe reveals an 
interesting pattern that has been unfolding over multiple weeks. This 
interesting pattern began with the intense XRP price rally in Q4 2024, which 
eventually ended in a consolidation around $2, as seen in the current price 
action. This, in turn, has led to the formation of a flag pattern that is 
still playing out. Related Reading: Analyst Shows 3-Cycle Ride For XRP Price 
To Reach $46 The core of the analyst&#8217;s technical analysis lies in the uncanny 
resemblance between XRP’s present market structure and the bullish pattern 
that preceded the historic 2017 rally. As such, the analyst overlaid the 2017 
fractal onto the current price action, revealing a formation that mirrors a 
giant bull flag, which is often interpreted as a technical continuation 
pattern. The analysis also places into focus XRP’s ongoing interaction with 
the 50-week exponential moving average (EMA) on the weekly candlestick 
timeframe. Back in 2017, this level acted as a support base for XRP’s vertical 
breakout. Now, the current pattern shows the cryptocurrency is once again 
consolidating directly above this moving average, which the analyst describes 
as the foundation of a giga bull flag. The resemblance doesn’t stop at price 
structure. The analyst also draws attention to the RSI behavior. Back in 2017, 
the RSI entered a flat compressed zone between two spikes on the weekly 
timeframe, a pattern that appears to be repeating today. The first RSI peak 
has already formed, and the current flattening phase suggests a possible 
second spike may soon follow, which could correlate with a breakout in price 
if the fractal stays valid. What To Expect If 2017 Fractal Plays Out Again? 
The implications are exciting if XRP follows the same trajectory as it did in 
2017. The overlay suggests a price rally beyond $20, which would represent the 
biggest rally so far in XRP&#8217;s price history. The projected move would take XRP 
far beyond its 2018 all-time high of $3.40 and establish a new price floor 
above double digits for the cryptocurrency. This projection aligns with other 
projections in similar technical analyses from other cryptocurrency analysts. 
Related Reading: XRP Price Is Now Targeting $4 After Reversal From ‘Buy Zone’ 
At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $2.2, down by 2,3% in the past 24 
hours. Whether or not XRP follows the 2017 pattern exactly remains to be seen, 
but the similarities in price behavior, RSI compression, and EMA support are 
difficult to dismiss. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from 
Tradingview.com

What Happens To The XRP Price If The 2017 Fractal Plays Out Again?

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

Cryptocurrency price in IDR