BNB Smart Chain’s Maxwell hard fork has three main proposals geared toward boosting scalability, validator sync and overall network efficiency.

BNB Smart Chain block times fall to 0.8 secs amid Maxwell upgrade

Bitcoin’s hashprice has surged to its highest level since early February, 
rising above $58.5/PH/s following a 7.4% decline in network difficulty—the 
steepest drop since the aftermath of China’s 2021 mining ban. This article is 
from Theminermag, a trade publication for the cryptocurrency mining industry, 
focusing on the latest news and research on institutional bitcoin mining […]

Bitcoin Hashprice Nears 5-Month High After Record Difficulty Drop Since China Ban

Cardano is making moves to become a hub for Bitcoin DeFi. According to Cardano 
founder Charles Hoskinson, the network has rolled out a string of upgrades, 
yet it still needs a strong message to win over users and investors. He argues 
that without a clear voice steering the story, those technical gains risk 
getting lost in the noise. Related Reading: The $100K Mirage: Bitcoin’s Rally 
Not Backed By On-Chain Strength Network Champions New Features Cardano’s team 
has added Leios, a new smart contract framework, and Hydra, a layer‑2 scaling 
solution that promises faster transactions. They’ve also launched the Midnight 
Glacier Drop, which aims to boost data privacy for on‑chain applications. 
Based on reports, Minswap—the largest decentralized exchange on Cardano—is 
preparing to support Bitcoin, with plans to tap into a $2 trillion liquidity 
pool. At the same time, Lace Wallet is gaining traction among everyday users, 
and USDM, a stablecoin backed by dollar reserves, is picking up steam. We got 
Leios, Hydra, Midnight, and Bitcoin DeFi alongside governance, security and 
decentralization. Bitcoin DeFi is indeed the largest opportunity, but the 
single biggest issue is that we are missing a competent Foundation and 
executive authority to push these narratives into… https://t.co/t3j4ULTTe8 — 
Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) June 29, 2025 Hoskinson Points To Executive 
Gap Despite those wins, Hoskinson says Cardano is missing a “competent 
Foundation and executive authority” to shape market views. He’s taken to X to 
share his concerns, but some in the community have pushed back hard. A few 
podcasters and thought leaders have labeled Cardano a “dying chain.” Hoskinson 
admits that stepping into the narrative has drawn plenty of criticism—yet he 
feels it’s needed if Cardano is to claim its place in Bitcoin‑based finance. 
Input Output Global’s Role Input Output Global (IOG), Hoskinson’s company, 
will keep guiding Cardano as its core coordinator. He warns this work comes at 
a cost: “It’s been brutal and expensive this year,” he said, referring to 
waves of negative comments and legal threats. He adds that it’s “dehumanizing” 
to be blamed for every hiccup on the network while not getting credit for the 
wins. Related Reading: Crypto Bombshell: Developer Claims XRP Could Hit 
$20,000 Rare Evo Conference In Focus Looking ahead, Hoskinson is counting on 
Rare Evo, a crypto conference, to reset the conversation. He believes the 
community will use that event to settle governance questions and update 
Cardano’s constitution with delegated executive powers. There’s even talk of a 
sovereign wealth fund to back Bitcoin DeFi on the chain. Last year, Hoskinson 
pushed a plan to convert $100 million worth of ADA into stablecoin liquidity. 
That idea sparked fierce debate. Now, he hopes Rare Evo will help turn bold 
ideas into solid support. Cardano’s path forward may hinge on blending strong 
tech work with a clear, unified story. As Bitcoin DeFi edges closer, the 
project that can tell the best story might win the most attention—and the most 
funds. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Can Cardano Lead In Bitcoin DeFi? Founder Says It Needs A Central Voice First

Crypto ETPs saw $17.8 billion of inflows in the first half of 2025, down 2.7% 
from last year’s $18.3 billion, according to CoinShares.

Crypto ETP inflows in H1 2025 down 2.7% from last year’s $18.3B

Cointelegraph is in the Kingdom of Bhutan to check the state of crypto 
adoption in the eastern Himalayan country.

Bhutan embraces crypto payments despite connectivity gaps

Despite strong institutional demand and steady inflows, Bitcoin has failed to 
break past the $100,000 mark in recent weeks, raising questions about what’s 
driving the stall. Weighing in on BTC’s (BTC) performance, Capriole 
Investments founder Charles Edwards said the sideways…