

Bitcoin spot demand is weakening while futures positioning stays bullish, a divergence CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju flagged as a stability risk. "Spot demand is not keeping pace with the optimism in futures markets," Ki Young Ju, chief executive of on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant, said. "This divergence historically precedes a correction when leveraged longs unwind." Bitcoin changed hands near $65,600 as of 06:00 UTC Thursday, down 0.5% since midnight and extending a pullback from Wednesday's $66,700 high. The token has rallied 13% from its July 1 low of $57,750 but has failed to break above $66,000 resistance for three consecutive sessions. Open interest across crypto futures stands at about $111 billion, with the 24-hour long-short ratio nearly balanced, Coinglass data shows. The weakening spot demand alongside elevated futures positioning leaves the market vulnerable to a long-squeeze scenario. A drop below support at $64,000 — the lower bound of the current range — could trigger about $420 million in long liquidations, accelerating selling toward $60,000, Coinglass data shows. The next trigger for a breakout or breakdown may come from the Clarity Act vote, with Polymarket odds of passage falling to 38% after key Democrats criticized the latest draft. **$420 million in long liquidations at risk** The 30-day Bitcoin implied volatility index, BVIV, has risen for five consecutive days — a pattern that, since spot ETF launches, has correlated with price drops rather than upside breakouts, CryptoQuant data shows. The Coinbase Premium Index has been negative since May, a streak exceeding 900 hours that points to persistent institutional caution that aligns with Ki Young Ju's assessment. **Macro headwinds compound pressure** The U.S. two-year Treasury yield jumped to 4.31%, its highest since February, while the 10-year yield rose to 4.66%, raising the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed to $88.60 per barrel, the highest since June 11, adding inflationary pressure that could delay Federal Reserve rate cuts. Bitcoin's 200-period exponential moving average held as support near $58,000 during the July selloff, but the death cross on the daily chart remains active. The Relative Strength Index at 59.9 leaves room for upside, though the Average Directional Index at 19.5 shows no trend momentum behind the current bounce. *This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.*

Kazakhstan approved new strategic crypto mining regulations on July 23, offering miners capped electricity rates for 10 years in exchange for mandatory Bitcoin contributions to fund a $1 billion national reserve. "These rules establish a framework where mining operations contribute directly to the state's strategic Bitcoin holdings," a spokesperson for Kazakhstan's Ministry of Digital Development said. "The 10-year electricity tariff provides the certainty miners need to invest in the country." Miners operating in Kazakhstan will receive fixed, below-market electricity rates for a decade under the program. In return, a portion of their Bitcoin production must be deposited into a state-managed reserve account targeting $1 billion in accumulated holdings. The policy leverages Kazakhstan's position as one of the world's largest Bitcoin mining hubs, where cheap coal and natural gas have attracted significant hashrate since China's 2021 mining ban. The move positions Kazakhstan among a small but growing group of sovereign nations treating Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. If fully funded, the $1 billion reserve would rank among the largest government-held Bitcoin portfolios globally, potentially encouraging other resource-rich countries with surplus energy capacity to adopt similar models. The policy's success depends on sustained mining profitability and the government's ability to manage the reserve's volatility over the 10-year accumulation period. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

**XRP Ledger recorded 157,200 daily active users on July 21, the highest level in weeks, as whale accumulation and surging payment activity signal growing network utility.** XRP Ledger recorded 157,200 daily active users on July 21, the highest participation this month, as on-chain activity diverges from price action. "Historically, XRP price has tended to move more with key stakeholders and against the smallest retail wallets, so this split supports the bullish case behind the bounce," Santiment said in a post on X. Wallets holding between 100,000 and 100 million XRP added 2.8% more coins over the past five weeks, Santiment data shows, while wallets with the smallest holdings shed 5.2% of their positions. Daily payment activity on the XRP Ledger climbed above 500,000 transactions, and agentic transactions — AI-powered payments using the x402 protocol — surpassed 1 million, according to the XRPL AI Hub. XRP traded at $1.13 as of 06:00 UTC, holding above a breakout level after consolidating within a tightening structure for several weeks. The next resistance sits between $1.16 and $1.24, where multiple moving averages converge, while support at $1.08 must hold to preserve the bullish setup. **Whale Accumulation Diverges From Retail Capitulation** The divergence between large and small holders has widened over the past five weeks. Whales and sharks accumulated 2.8% more tokens during that period, Santiment data shows, coinciding with XRP rebounding to $1.16 from $1 at the end of June. Small holders reduced their positions by 5.2% over the same timeframe. Whale selling pressure dropped to its lowest level since 2025, according to blockchain data cited by market analyst Dark Defender. Earlier this year, hundreds of millions of XRP were regularly transferred by large holders to exchanges. Those exchange inflows have since declined sharply. **XRPL Network Activity Reaches New Milestones** Beyond whale behavior, the XRP Ledger recorded a surge in payment activity. Daily transactions climbed above 500,000, marking one of the strongest levels of network utilization in recent months. The ledger also surpassed 1 million agentic transactions, a milestone attributed to the x402 protocol and Ripple's AI payment tooling, according to the XRPL AI Hub. The network's daily active users have remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 120,000 and 160,000 over the past month, rather than experiencing sharp drops after speculative spikes. This consistency suggests the network is retaining a base of active participants despite broader market uncertainty. XRP's technical picture has also strengthened. A golden cross appeared on the daily chart, a pattern historically associated with improving medium-term momentum. The Relative Strength Index climbed to about 54, indicating neutral to slightly bullish conditions. The main challenge remains overhead resistance concentrated between $1.16 and $1.24. A successful break above that area could open the path toward the psychological $1.30 level. If XRP fails to hold above the current breakout zone, it may return to support at $1.08. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.