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Armstrong calls $60,000 Bitcoin bottom as halving cycle debate intensifies
Edgen Crypto·Jul 19 2026, 04:38Share to
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[1] Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says $60,000 is Bitcoin's bottom (https://cryptobriefing.com/armstrong-bitcoin- ...)[2] Coinbase's Armstrong proposes Bitcoin to tackle US $39T debt (https://cryptobriefing.com/coinbases-armstron ...)[3] Is the bitcoin bottom in? Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong's poll gets a bearish answer (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/is-the-b ...)[4] Bitcoin to Reach $500,000 to $1 Million in Current Halving Cycle, PlanB Predicts (https://u.today/bitcoin-to-reach-500000-to-1- ...)[5] Crypto May Be Approaching A Cycle Bottom: 2 High-Upside Picks For 2026 (https://seekingalpha.com/article/4921868-cryp ...)
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Jul 19 2026, 14:11
Kraken launches USD-settled BTC and ETH options on Kraken Pro
Kraken introduced USD-settled European-style options on bitcoin and ether Thursday, rolling out the contracts on Kraken Pro as part of a push to expand the crypto options market beyond institutional traders. "The existing options market in crypto has been built for a narrow slice of the trader base," Alexia Theodorou, director of derivatives at Kraken, said. "Our offering broadens access through a straightforward, dollar-settled contract in the same account clients already use for spot and futures." The Wyoming-based exchange launched cash-settled options on BTC and ETH initially via request-for-quote, with weekly, monthly, quarterly and semi-annual expirations. Premiums, profit and loss, and settlement are all denominated in US dollars, removing the need to manage crypto collateral. Portfolio margin is enabled by default, and users can post collateral in more than 30 currencies. Minimum order sizes start at 0.01 contracts for BTC/USD and 0.1 for ETH/USD, with tick sizes of $1 and $0.10 respectively. Settlement relies on a 30-minute observation window before 8 UTC. Crypto options remain a small fraction of overall derivatives trading compared with traditional markets, where options account for a much larger share. Derivatives already drive the vast majority of crypto trading volumes, but options have been dominated by a handful of venues including Deribit, CME Group and Binance. Kraken's contracts are available to eligible international clients outside Europe, North America and Australia, with a European rollout planned for the second half of 2026. Future updates are expected to include a public order book, broader geographic availability and support for additional assets. Bitcoin traded at $64,351 and ether at $1,867 as of Thursday, according to CoinGecko. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
Jul 19 2026, 14:08
AZ-COM Maruwa invests ¥1B in JPYC stablecoin for logistics payments
**Japan's logistics sector is about to become the biggest real-world test of a regulated yen stablecoin, with AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings paying 2,300 transport partners in JPYC.** AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings, a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed third-party logistics provider (9090), plans to use the yen-backed JPYC stablecoin to compensate about 2,300 partner carriers and independent drivers, according to a Nikkei report. The company will invest ¥1 billion in JPYC and form a business partnership with the stablecoin issuer, marking what is expected to become Japan's first large-scale corporate use of the token. "JPYC's regulated structure and 1:1 yen backing make it suitable for routine business settlement across our logistics network," the company said in its announcement, as reported by Nikkei. The rollout would cover outsourcing and other payments made to a broad network of transport partners, including individual truck drivers. JPYC launched on Oct. 27, 2025, as the first yen-backed stablecoin approved by Japan's Financial Services Agency under the Payment Services Act. The token maintains a one-to-one peg to the yen, backed by bank deposits and Japanese government bonds as reserve assets. It operates on Ethereum, Avalanche and Polygon, with holders able to redeem through the JPYC EX platform. By early 2026, cumulative issuance had reached approximately ¥1 billion to ¥1.3 billion — meaning AZ-COM's ¥1 billion investment is roughly equal to the entire existing supply of the token. The logistics rollout differs from smaller consumer pilots because it involves thousands of businesses and independent drivers receiving payments through the same stablecoin system. If implemented at the reported scale, it would test JPYC's ability to handle regular corporate settlement rather than isolated retail purchases. The companies have not yet disclosed a detailed rollout schedule or explained how each partner will receive, hold or convert the tokens — details that will determine whether drivers and carriers use JPYC as a medium of exchange or immediately redeem it for yen. **JPYC's expanding footprint beyond logistics** JPYC is gaining wider use across Japan's economy. Lawson tested JPYC payments at a Tokyo convenience store in August 2025 through a point-of-sale system that lets customers pay using a smartphone-linked wallet. Metaplanet and JPYC recently began studying Bitcoin-backed credit products that could use JPYC for lending and settlement, examining how Bitcoin collateral and yen-denominated stablecoin liquidity could work together. LINE NEXT plans to support JPYC through Unifi Pay, a stablecoin payment service scheduled for a wider launch in the third quarter, letting users in Japan top up local stablecoins from bank accounts after identity checks. Sony Bank's involvement as a strategic partner hints at how the token could eventually reach retail consumers, with drivers paid in JPYC potentially able to spend it directly at merchants integrated through Sony Bank's payment infrastructure. **What this means for Japan's stablecoin market** JPYC's stated goal is to reach ¥10 trillion in circulation within three years, up from roughly ¥1 billion today. AZ-COM's ¥1 billion investment and 2,300-partner network could create significant demand for the token, potentially driving its market cap and usage. The move may also pressure other Japanese corporates to adopt stablecoin solutions, boosting the broader Japanese crypto and Web3 ecosystem. Japan is tightening rules around stablecoin reserves as adoption grows. Regulators have set conditions for government bonds held as reserve assets, and JPYC has said it plans to keep most reserve proceeds in Japanese government bonds and the remainder in bank deposits. AZ-COM's planned rollout arrives as JPYC moves into retail payments, lending experiments and broader payment infrastructure, providing one of the clearest tests yet of whether a regulated yen stablecoin can work in everyday business settlement. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
Jul 19 2026, 13:44
Tether's USDT faces 2-year GENIUS Act countdown threatening U.S. platform access
The GENIUS Act's first anniversary on Saturday marked the start of a two-year countdown for Tether's USDT, the world's largest stablecoin by volume, to comply with U.S. standards or face delisting from American crypto platforms. "Non-compliant stablecoins cannot be used by U.S. institutions when the safe harbor expires in 2028, but we don't expect the market to wait," Kevin Wysocki, head of policy at Anchorage Digital, the crypto bank that manages multiple stablecoins, said. He said the firm expects institutional users to shift toward "compliant, bank-issued digital dollars well ahead of that deadline." The law, signed by President Donald Trump on July 18, 2025, gave stablecoin issuers a three-year transition period ending in July 2028. But the one-year mark was also supposed to see federal financial regulators finalize implementing rules — a deadline none met. Six regulators have issued 10 rulemaking proposals related to the law, but none have been completed, according to policy firm Paradigm. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh told a recent congressional hearing that final rules "could be issued soon." The stakes are highest for Tether, whose USDT commands the largest share of the $300 billion-plus stablecoin market — up from $250 billion when the GENIUS Act passed. Tether's most recent disclosures show as much as a quarter of USDT's reserves remain in assets that fail the law's requirements, including precious metals, lending and bitcoin holdings. The GENIUS Act mandates that issuers back their coins fully with the most liquid assets: cash and U.S. Treasuries. ## Two tracks, one deadline Lawyers disagree on whether foreign issuers like Tether, which is based in El Salvador, benefit from the same three-year grace period as domestic firms. Justin Levine, a lawyer at Davis Polk who advises clients on stablecoin issues, said foreign issuers must immediately comply with lawful orders to seize and freeze coins held by illicit actors once the law takes effect in January. But they get roughly two more years to meet additional requirements — including registration with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency — before their coins face delisting. "Upon the effectiveness of the GENIUS Act, foreign issuers will need to immediately comply with lawful orders to seize and freeze coins," Levine said, adding that OCC registration "is likely to require a significant undertaking." The OCC itself signaled a two-track timeline in a footnote within a proposal published this year, stating that the 2028 drop-dead date applies generally but may trigger earlier for foreign issuers that fail to meet "certain requirements" — likely referring to the seizure-and-freeze obligations. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino told CoinDesk at the White House signing ceremony last year that the company would comply with the GENIUS Act and pursue a U.S.-specific token. In January, Tether launched USAT through Anchorage Digital, a federally regulated stablecoin that remains at relatively low usage. The company did not respond to multiple requests for an update on its compliance stance. ## Platforms face a choice Trevor Tanifum, managing principal at consulting firm FS Vector, said smaller platforms with low risk appetites will likely delist non-compliant stablecoins preemptively. But larger exchanges with robust legal departments may take a different approach. "We're going to spend the money on lawyers and lobbyists until someone walks up to our door and forces us to delist these non-U.S. issuers," Tanifum said, describing the likely stance of major platforms. "These platforms still count on a lot of transaction volumes, liquidity from non-U.S. issuers, and so I can't see them giving up those volumes without a fight." Coinbase, the largest U.S. exchange, declined to discuss its stablecoin listing plans under the GENIUS Act. The industry's policy focus has now shifted to the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a companion bill that would create wider rules for digital asset markets. Its path through Congress remains uncertain in the final weeks of the 2026 legislative session. If passed, it could include provisions that overhaul parts of the GENIUS Act's language. Either way, Tether, Circle and the rest of the stablecoin sector are on track to face federal regulation in the coming months. How those rules are navigated may determine which firms lead the next phase of the market. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.