Solana&#8217;s market cap reached its highest level since January, boosting its DeFi TVL.

Solana’s DeFi TVL hits $10B, highest level in six-month high

Ethereum’s derivatives market has erupted in the past seven days, and the 
trading desk at Singapore-based QCP Capital argues it is the clearest evidence 
yet that a long-anticipated altcoin season is finally under way. In a note to 
clients on Monday, the firm says total perpetual open interest (OI) in ether 
futures has vaulted from “under $18 billion to more than $28 billion in just a 
week,” a jump large enough to drag the composite “altcoin-season index” above 
the critical 50-point threshold for the first time since December. Altcoin 
Season Ignites As Ethereum Outpaces BTC While it’s no surprise that retail may 
be chasing the momentum, it’s becoming increasingly clear that institutions 
are leading the charge this cycle, driven by a shift in narratives and 
structural developments,” QCP writes, pointing to the unusually large sizing 
of recent block trades on CME and Binance. Related Reading: Ethereum Set To 
Hit $10,000, Elliott Wave Analysis Predicts QCP singles out last Friday’s 
signing of the GENIUS Act as the pivotal spark behind the rotation. The law 
creates a comprehensive federal regime for dollar-backed stablecoins, forcing 
issuers to hold 100 percent short-term Treasury or cash reserves and submit to 
Bank Secrecy Act oversight. The White House cast the statute as “historic 
legislation that will pave the way for the United States to lead the global 
digital-currency revolution.” With regulatory clarity finally in hand, 
corporate treasuries “are racing to build their stockpile,” QCP says, treating 
ether and other smart-contract platforms—Solana, XRP Ledger and Cardano among 
them—as the infrastructure layer that will benefit most from an explosion in 
stablecoin issuance. The desk compares the emerging strategy to the hard-money 
playbook adopted by publicly listed bitcoin bellwethers such as MicroStrategy 
and Japan’s Metaplanet. The note argues that the policy tailwind is already 
reshaping capital flows. Spot ether ETFs attracted $602 million on July 17, 
out-pulling bitcoin ETFs’ $522 million and marking the first daily flow 
victory for ETH in the eighteen-month history of US crypto ETPs. BlackRock’s 
iShares Ethereum Trust recorded the single largest subscription and, according 
to QCP, is “broadcasting confidence” that its pending amendment to allow on- 
chain staking will secure SEC approval later this year. Industry analysts 
concur: the agency is widely expected to rule on the batch of staking 
amendments before year-end despite BlackRock’s late filing. Related Reading: 
Tom Lee Predicts $30,000 Per Ethereum As Treasury Frenzy Begins Derivatives 
positioning mirrors the spot-market exuberance. QCP highlights “aggressive” 
demand for out-of-the-money call spreads such as the ETH-26 Sep 25 
$3,400/3,800 and ETH-26 Dec 25 $3,500/4,500 structures, along with a 
persistent bid for call-side risk reversals across all listed tenors. Implied 
volatility skews now favour calls by their widest margin since the April 2024 
meme-coin frenzy, signalling traders’ willingness to pay up for upside 
exposure through the fourth quarter—precisely the window in which ETF staking 
approval could drop. The Ether surge has already carved four percentage points 
out of bitcoin’s market-share lead, driving BTC dominance down to 60 percent 
while lifting ETH’s share from 9.7 percent to 11.6 percent, QCP notes. If that 
trend holds—and the firm stresses that sustained follow-through in the options 
market is a key litmus test—“the next leg of altcoin season may already be in 
motion.” For now, QCP is monitoring three metrics: perpetual OI growth, the 
altcoin-season index, and relative ETF flows. A decisive break of bitcoin 
above $121,000 could delay rotation, the desk concedes, but the structural 
forces unleashed by the GENIUS Act and the prospect of yield-bearing ether 
ETFs give institutions a tangible reason to diversify. As QCP puts it, “we’ll 
be watching these signals closely—and if anything else confirms the thesis, 
you’ll be the first to know.” At press time, ETH traded at $3,846. Featured 
image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Ethereum Open Interest Explodes To $28 Billion—Altcoin Rotation Begins: QCP

Western Union&#8217;s stablecoin integration could revolutionize global payments, 
enhancing speed and accessibility while challenging traditional remittance 
models.
The post Remittance giant Western Union looks to integrate stablecoins into 
its digital wallet offerings appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Remittance giant Western Union looks to integrate stablecoins into its digital wallet offerings

High-profile trader Dave Portnoy recently revealed that he sold his XRP 
holdings at $2.40 just two weeks before the asset reached a new all-time high 
of $3.66. The Circle Factor Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, 
recently said he sold his XRP holdings at $2.40 two weeks before the digital 
asset hit a new […]

High Profile Trader Portnoy Ditches XRP at $2.40—Misses Millions After 60% Surge

XRP is making headlines once again as its network records a dramatic surge, 
surpassing $1 billion in daily transfer volume for the first time in over a 
month. The spike comes on the heels of a powerful price rally, with possible 
signs that large holders, also called whales, may be playing a key role in 
driving the cryptocurrency’s next leg. XRP Transactions Hit Major Highs The 
XRP network is showing renewed strength and growth as transaction volumes have 
skyrocketed to over $1.07 billion. This spike follows a massive 67% rally in 
the digital asset’s price, which climbed above $3.5 earlier this month after a 
long period of consolidation. This impressive price surge marks one of the 
most aggressive upward moves in recent months. Related Reading: Pundit Warns 
XRP Investors To Not Make This Grave Mistake This Cycle The resurgence in both 
network activity and price signals is growing market momentum and possibly a 
shift in sentiment among investors and traders. Notably, XRPScan, a platform 
that records data from the XRP Ledger, revealed that the large-scale transfer 
volume was recorded on July 18, representing the cryptocurrency’s largest 
single-day figure in over a month. What’s particularly notable about this 
recent volume surge is that it does not appear driven by speculative churn 
alone. The elevated flow of funds between accounts and the increase in user 
addresses suggest a deeper level of network usage. Data from XRPScan shows 
that XRP payment volume from one account to another rose to 1.72 billion on 
July 18. Additionally, the number of successful transactions executed around 
the same time totalled over 2.08 million. New active accounts have also 
climbed significantly, with July 18 recording the highest daily count over the 
last month at 10,279. With blockchain metrics flashing green and XRP’s price 
reclaiming bullish momentum, the surge in daily transfer volume signals a 
fresh wave of bullish confidence among holders. Typically, such synchronised 
growth may point to deliberate accumulation or distribution by whales, who 
often move large sums during pivotal market shifts. Whales Go Long On XRP 
Ahead Of Potential Surge New reports from analysts indicate that XRP whale 
activity is back in full swing, with specific holders going long just days 
after the cryptocurrency network surged past $1 billion in transfer volume. 
Multiple long positions totalling over $3.8 million have been opened at a 
price point near $3.44, raising speculation that deep-pocketed investors may 
be acting on insider-level confidence. KingXRP, an analyst on X social media, 
revealed that a whale recently entered a $1.52 million long on XRP, just as 
buzz grows around the impending RealFi integration that could enable the XRP 
Ledger to unlock a massive $650 trillion market. Related Reading: XRP Open 
Interest Just Hit A Fresh ATH Above $10 Billion, Will Price Follow Next? 
Adding fuel to the hype, Radar, another market expert, reported that two 
additional whale-sized positions, worth $1.02 million and $1.31 million, were 
opened within the same price range. This move signals a clear shift in whale 
sentiment, suggesting increased confidence in XRP’s breakout potential. 
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP Transactions Barrels Over $1 Billion To Monthly Highs, Are Whales Driving The Next Leg?

The White House is poised to release its long-awaited comprehensive report on 
digital assets, marking the Trump administration’s first major crypto policy 
blueprint, according to a report by Crypto In America’s Eleanor Terrett. White 
House Digital Assets Report Due Before Month’s End, Reporter’s Source States 
The report, officially due on Tuesday, July 22, will be […]