Centralized exchanges saw spot volumes dip to $3.6 trillion in Q2 2025, while Bitcoin ETFs and derivatives markets gained momentum.

Crypto spot trading down 22% in Q2 despite Bitcoin rally: Report

The Bitcoin price has been cooling off on low timeframes, while the altcoin 
markets take advantage to trend higher. The top cryptocurrency has been 
struggling as major holders take profit at BTC’s current level. Related 
Reading: Altcoin Season Index Spikes Above 30, But Bitcoin Dominance Remains 
High, What Next? At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price trades around 
$118,800 with a 2% gain over the last 24 hours and a 9% gain over the past 
week, according to data from CoinGecko. Conversely, Ethereum, XRP, and 
Dogecoin have seen gains north of 16% on similar timeframes. BTC&#8217;s price 
trends to the upside on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSD on Tradingview Bitcoin 
Price At Critical Levels, More Gains On The Horizon Following a major upside 
push from below $100,000, the Bitcoin price broke a persistent downtrend and 
managed to hit a fresh all-time high close to its current levels. As 
mentioned, a report from on-chain analytics firm Glassnode claimed an increase 
in profit taking from short-term holders. As these players exited the market, 
taking over $3.5 billion in profits in just 24 hours, the Bitcoin price lose 
steam and began moving sideways. While Bitcoin has been on a violent bull run, 
there are still fears of a major pullback from the $118,000 area to the 
support zone at around $110,000. However, a report from CryptoQuant, with data 
from top analyst Crypto Dan, suggests that the Bitcoin bull run still has some 
room for another leg up. As seen in the chart below, the current BTC market is 
nowhere near the overheated levels recorded in March and December of 2024. 
BTC&#8217;s Realized Cap Age Bands as measured by UTXOs far from previous bear 
market levels. Source: Crypto Dan via CryptoQuant The CryptoQuant post stated 
the following, sharing an insight from Crypto Dan: (…) unlike in March and 
December 2024, on-chain data indicating market overheating shows that the 
market still hasn’t reached an overheated state. Despite the price rising even 
higher, the fact that overheating has significantly decreased compared to 
previous short-term peaks suggests that Bitcoin could continue to break all- 
time highs and rise significantly in the second half of 2025, leaving strong 
potential for growth. Bitcoin Bull Run Far From Over? In this context, and if 
bulls are able to sustain the momentum, Bitcoin is likely heading for higher. 
As NewsBTC covered earlier, a prediction from a top analyst claims that the 
levels of BTC adoption are unprecedented. Related Reading: This Fibonacci 
Level Puts The Dogecoin Price Above $10 This Cycle As such, the analyst said 
that the ‘real Bitcoin move’ is only about to begin. The analyst stated: I 
have a high degree of confidence that we’ll see $400k by the end of this year. 
This target might be too conservative. Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart 
from Tradingview

Bitcoin Price Still Not Overheated Says Top Metrics, Is $150k Close?

Stablecoins, digital currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar, have surged in 
popularity, but their quiet resilience under slim regulatory scrutiny may 
signal a deeper role as a testing ground for a central bank digital currency 
(CBDC). Stablecoins and the Silent Rise of a Central Bank Digital Dollar These 
blockchain-based tokens, designed to maintain a stable […]

CBDC in Plain Sight: Are Stablecoins the Hidden Blueprint for a US Digital Dollar?

The SEC&#8217;s delay may slow crypto ETF innovation, impacting market dynamics and 
investor strategies, but optimism remains for eventual approval.
The post SEC postpones decision on in-kind creations and redemptions for 
Bitwise Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

SEC postpones decision on in-kind creations and redemptions for Bitwise Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs

A well-known crypto whale has made a big move against Ethereum, opening a 
$62.42 million short position using 18x leverage. The trader, identified by 
the wallet address &#8220;0x2258…&#8221;, is betting heavily that ETH won’t climb anytime 
soon—and so far, the gamble is paying off. Related Reading: Avalanche Shatters 
Record With 20M Transactions—Is Real-World Use Finally Here? Based on 
blockchain data monitored via Hyperdash, the whale shorted 20,474 ETH at an 
entry point of $3,060. As ETH has been trading at levels lower than $3,000 at 
the time of writing, the whale is already enjoying an unrealized profit of 
approximately $1.14 million, or returns of 30%. Ethereum Under Pressure Below 
$3,500 The liquidation value of the position is at $3,505 — near where ETH 
traded previously in January 2025. That point is now serving as very powerful 
resistance. If the price exceeds that level, the position stands to be 
completely liquidated. Whale 0x2258, who&#8217;s already made over $15M, is shorting 
$ETH with 18x leverage, holding a position of 20,474 $ETH($62.5M). This whale 
has previously profited big by trading against James 
Wynn.https://t.co/BALllYbUXbhttps://t.co/NhOE1YD4QN pic.twitter.com/7k5ZE81Noa 
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) July 15, 2025 Despite that narrow buffer, the 
trader seems confident. The use of 18x leverage suggests a high-conviction 
call that ETH will drop further or, at the very least, won’t bounce past that 
resistance level in the short term. This kind of heavy shorting is raising 
eyebrows in a market that’s still undecided on whether Ethereum can regain 
bullish momentum alongside Bitcoin. Track Record Of Outsmarting James Wynn 
This isn’t the first time &#8220;0x2258…&#8221; has stepped in with bold trades. The 
wallet has gained a reputation for taking positions that go directly against 
crypto influencer James Wynn—often with profitable results. Back in May, Wynn 
went long on ETH and Bitcoin. Almost immediately, 0x2258 shorted both. When 
Wynn closed his positions, 0x2258 did the same and walked away with $1.36 
million. The next day, as Wynn flipped bearish, 0x2258 went long and bagged 
another $2.54 million. The back-and-forth continued. By May 26, the whale had 
locked in $5.6 million in profits in just three days. Since then, the strategy 
has snowballed into more than $15 million in realized gains, most of it from 
flipping against Wynn’s positions. Related Reading: If You’re Wealthy, 1 
Bitcoin Should Already Be In Your Wallet, Expert Says Big Bet Reflects 
Uncertainty In ETH’s Path While Bitcoin continues to break through key 
resistance zones, Ethereum seems stuck in a tougher fight. Traders like 0x2258 
appear to believe that ETH lacks the strength right now to push past the 
$3,500 level. Still, shorting with this level of leverage is a double-edged 
sword. If ETH bounces sharply, traders like 0x2258 could get caught in a 
squeeze, forced to buy back in at a loss—driving the price up even faster. So 
far, though, the whale is winning again. Whether it ends in another multi- 
million-dollar gain or a hard reset depends on what ETH does next. For now, 
the market is waiting to see what happens next. Featured image from Meta, 
chart from TradingView

Massive Whale Profits $15 Million—Now Betting Big On Ethereum To Crash

Thailand&#8217;s crypto sandbox could enhance tourism by integrating digital 
finance, but requires careful regulation to address security concerns.
The post Thai SEC and central bank plan to launch crypto sandbox for foreign 
tourists appeared first on Crypto Briefing.