Musk&#8217;s legal threat against Apple could intensify scrutiny on tech giants&#8217; AI 
partnerships, potentially reshaping industry dynamics.
The post Musk accuses Apple, OpenAI&#8217;s partner, of antitrust violations, 
threatens legal action appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Musk accuses Apple, OpenAI’s partner, of antitrust violations, threatens legal action

Federico Carrone, a privacy-focused Ethereum core developer, confirmed that he 
has been released after being accused by Turkish authorities of aiding the 
“misuse” of an Ethereum privacy protocol.

Ethereum core dev 'safe and free' after being detained in Turkey

The cryptocurrency market has seen a notable rebound in the lead-up to 
Tuesday’s US Consumer Price Index (CPI) release, with Bitcoin climbing above 
$122,000 over the weekend and Ethereum rising by nearly 20% in the past week 
to more than $4,300. The gains have coincided with improved sentiment in US 
equity markets, with QCP Capital noting that the correlation between Bitcoin 
and equity performance has strengthened since mid-July. Total market 
capitalization for digital assets also surged above $4.1 trillion, reflecting 
an increase on Monday. The upcoming CPI report is being closely monitored for 
signs of inflationary trends. Consensus expectations point to a year-over-year 
increase of 10 basis points in headline inflation, bringing it to 2.8%. 
Related Reading: Bitcoin Open Interest Flips Negative After July Peak – Risk 
Appetite Cools QCP Capital stated that a softer reading could reinforce 
expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut in September, while a higher-than- 
expected figure might disrupt the rally in risk assets, including 
cryptocurrencies. Analysts suggest that the market is preparing for both 
outcomes, with positioning in derivatives markets indicating hedging on the 
downside while still leaving room for upward momentum. Bitcoin and ETH 
Derivatives Data Signals Market Caution Options market activity shows that 
traders are actively preparing for volatility around the CPI release. QCP 
Capital highlighted demand for short-dated Bitcoin puts in the 
$115,000–$118,000 range, suggesting that some market participants are 
protecting against a potential price drop. At the same time, there has been 
continued short-call covering, indicating reduced willingness to bet against 
further gains. Aggregated Bitcoin options open interest stands at $43 billion, 
close to the $49 billion peak recorded in July. The firm expects implied 
volatility to remain elevated until the CPI release, after which it could 
compress if Bitcoin fails to break through resistance levels. Ethereum options 
activity is similarly strong, with open interest at $13.9 billion, the highest 
level so far in 2025 and approaching the all-time high of $14.6 billion set in 
March 2024. Elevated open interest in both BTC and ETH suggests that traders 
are heavily engaged in positioning around macroeconomic events, with the CPI 
print seen as a key catalyst for short-term price action. Institutional Flows 
and Longer-Term Outlook Beyond derivatives markets, institutional activity and 
flows into spot ETFs remain a focal point for analysts. CoinShares data shows 
that digital asset investment products saw $571 million in net inflows last 
week, driven by gains in both Bitcoin and Ethereum. QCP Capital noted that the 
market has absorbed recent large-scale sales from long-term holders without a 
breakdown in price trends, indicating resilience in market structure. Related 
Reading: Bitcoin Holds Strong Near All-Time High – Market Not Overheated Yet, 
Data Shows Despite short-term uncertainty, some analysts maintain a bullish 
view for the remainder of the year. Paul Howard, Senior Director at Wincent, 
reiterated his forecast of $150,000 for Bitcoin before year-end, citing 
historical post-halving cycle trends. Howard noted that historically, post- 
halving years have seen significant rallies, adding that while there may be 
periods of consolidation, the overall market structure suggests higher prices 
are achievable in 2025. Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from 
TradingView

$57B in Bitcoin and Ethereum Options Signals Big Moves Could Be Coming

Crypto ETFs are dominating new fund launches, attracting billions as investors 
flock to regulated bitcoin and ethereum exposure, eclipsing traditional 
offerings and reshaping Wall Street’s growth narrative. Wall Street Turns to 
Crypto ETFs as Investors Demand Regulated Exposure Cryptocurrency exchange- 
traded funds (ETFs) have emerged as dominant players in the market for newly 
launched funds, drawing […]

Crypto ETFs Dominate Institutional Portfolios Amid Record-Breaking Demand

The crypto market kicked off the week with bullish momentum as LayerZero 
Foundation revealed a $110 million proposal to acquire the Stargate cross- 
chain bridge. This sparked a sharp rally in both LayerZero’s ZRO token and 
Stargate’s STG token, which surged 26% and 20% respectively in the past 24 
hours. Related Reading: Solana Faces Mid-Channel Standoff As Hourly Weakness 
Challenges Bullish Structure The proposal, posted on Stargate DAO’s forum, 
seeks to dissolve the Stargate DAO and phase out the STG token. In its place, 
holders would swap each STG for 0.08634 ZRO through a fixed-rate redemption 
contract. This shift would make ZRO the sole token powering the merged 
ecosystem while maintaining uninterrupted bridge. If approved, LayerZero will 
assume full control over Stargate’s operations, with revenues redirected 
toward ZRO buybacks, a move intended to strengthen the token’s long-term 
value. LayerZero (ZRO) Price Outlook Amid Bullish Momentum Following the 
announcement, ZRO climbed to $2.30, accompanied by a 540% surge in trading 
volume. Analysts suggest that breaking above $2.80 could pave the way toward 
the $3 psychological level. In parallel, the STG token experienced a rise of 
over 20% within the last 24 hours, reaching $0.20 at present. This positive 
movement reflects investor confidence in the token&#8217;s prospective performance 
in the cryptosphere. While enthusiasm is high, the proposal has drawn mixed 
reactions from STG holders, with some arguing the swap undervalues their 
tokens and removes staking rewards. The proposal requires a 70% supermajority 
vote from the DAO to pass, with community discussions underway. ZRO&#8217;s price 
trends to the upside on the daily chart. Source: ZROUSD on Tradingview 
Strategic Push for a Unified Cross-Chain Ecosystem LayerZero’s acquisition 
proposal is structured as a strategic alignment intended to combine 
governance, improve technical efficiency, and support ongoing development. 
Stargate, launched by LayerZero in 2022, has processed over $70 billion in 
cross-chain transactions but has struggled to translate its network activity 
into sustained STG token growth. CEO Bryan Pellegrino described the plan as a 
“single unified direction” for both projects, allowing Stargate to execute on 
an ambitious roadmap while benefiting from LayerZero’s broader infrastructure. 
Related Reading: Ethereum Bullish Fundamentals Clash With Short-Term Leverage 
Risks Supporters believe merging tokens will eliminate inefficiencies and 
consolidate brand recognition in the competitive cross-chain market. If 
approved, the LayerZero–Stargate merger could reshape the cross-chain 
interoperability landscape, positioning ZRO for continued gains in the weeks 
ahead. Cover image from ChatGPT, ZROUSD chart from Tradingview

Cryptocurrency price in TRY