

**A new S&P benchmark ranks blockchain networks by protocol revenue, excluding bitcoin entirely.** S&P Dow Jones Indices and Pantera Capital launched a digital asset index that ranks 18 tokens by protocol revenue, excluding bitcoin from the benchmark. "Bitcoin is not in there because it's really not one of those revenue generating protocols that we think belongs in this index," Kathy Clay, CEO of S&P Dow Jones Indices, told CNBC. The S&P Pantera Digital Asset Index weights constituents by adjusted market capitalization, with the largest holding capped at 35 percent and all others limited to 20 percent during quarterly rebalancing. Ether, BNB, Solana, Tron and Hyperliquid are its five largest holdings, representing blockchains that generate revenue from on-chain activity. Eligible assets must maintain a market capitalization exceeding $500 million and meet minimum liquidity thresholds before being ranked by protocol revenue over the prior two quarters using data from blockchain analytics platform Artemis. The benchmark offers institutional investors a rules-based framework for gaining exposure to revenue-generating blockchain networks, potentially serving as the foundation for future exchange-traded products. It arrives as asset managers expand crypto index offerings — Hashdex launched the first multi-asset spot crypto ETF in the US in February 2025, and Franklin Templeton followed days later with a bitcoin-and-ether index fund. **How the Index Differs From Existing Benchmarks** Other high-profile crypto indexes skew heavily toward bitcoin. The Nasdaq CME Crypto Index allocates nearly 77 percent to bitcoin and 13 percent to ether, while the FTSE Digital Asset All Cap Index gives bitcoin a 75 percent weighting. Those allocations reflect bitcoin's roughly 57 percent share of the total crypto market cap, per CoinGecko. The S&P Pantera index takes a different approach, selecting assets based on economic activity rather than market size alone. **Institutional Demand for Revenue-Based Exposure** The launch follows a broader push by traditional finance firms to develop institutional-grade crypto benchmarks. In April, MarketVector Indexes and Coinbase Asset Management launched the Coinbase Store of Value Index, combining bitcoin and tokenized gold. Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan said in December that "crypto index funds are going to be a big deal in 2026" as the market grows more complex and investors seek diversified exposure. Pantera Capital, which has managed over $3 billion across three investment strategies since its first crypto fund in 2013, co-developed the index methodology with founder Dan Morehead. The benchmark's focus on protocol revenue could accelerate a rotation toward altcoins with verifiable usage, even as retail-driven altcoin season signals remain inconclusive — CoinGlass's Altcoin Season Index stood at 58 in mid-July, below the 75 threshold that confirms a broad rotation. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

An affiliate of the crypto-aligned Fairshake PAC poured nearly $1 million into Michigan's 13th congressional district Democratic primary, backing incumbent Shri Thanedar against challenger Donavan McKinney two weeks before the Aug. 4 vote. "The crypto lobby is paying my opponent back for helping Trump make over $1 billion since taking office," McKinney said in a statement Tuesday, accusing Thanedar of supporting every crypto bill brought before Congress. Protect Progress, a Fairshake affiliate, reported spending more than $986,000 on ads supporting Thanedar and opposing McKinney, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Thanedar voted for the CLARITY Act, GENIUS Act and Promoting Innovation in Blockchain Development Act while in the House. He also lost more than $600,000 in the second quarter of 2026 after investing $3.7 million of campaign funds into crypto companies, according to the Intercept. Fairshake and its affiliates reported holding $191 million to influence key elections, making the crypto industry one of the largest political spenders this cycle. The outcome in Michigan and other primaries could determine whether pro-crypto candidates secure enough seats to advance industry-friendly legislation. The spending mirrors Protect Progress' 2024 strategy, when the PAC spent about $1 million backing Thanedar, who won the Democratic primary with 54.9% and the general election with 68.6%. McKinney did not run against Thanedar in 2024 and has not made significant public statements on digital assets. Beyond Michigan, Protect Progress spent more than $100,000 on media supporting Representative Greg Stanton's reelection in Arizona's 4th congressional district. Stanton, who also voted for CLARITY and GENIUS, won his primary Tuesday with 65% of the vote. In Washington state, the Defend American Jobs PAC — another Fairshake affiliate — spent more than $65,000 supporting Republican candidate Amanda McKinney in the 4th district, who has publicly backed crypto. Representative Dan Newhouse announced in 2025 he would not seek reelection, leaving the seat open. Other industry-aligned PACs active this cycle include Fellowship, backed by Cantor Fitzgerald and Anchorage Digital, and the Blockchain Leadership Fund, a hybrid PAC backed by Anchorage and Chainlink Labs. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

**Coinbase's Q2 2026 report shows Bitcoin sentiment approaching a capitulation threshold, historically associated with selling exhaustion and market bottoms.** Bitcoin sentiment neared capitulation in Q2, Coinbase's report showed, as BTC traded at $65,832.86, down 0.9% in 24 hours. "Bitcoin investor sentiment is approaching levels historically associated with capitulation, characterized by extreme fear and heightened volatility," Coinbase said in its Q2 2026 institutional report published July 22. The report comes as BTC retreated from a one-month high above $66,000 reached on July 21. Bitcoin's 30-day implied volatility index rose to 40% from 37.5%, indicating traders are pricing in more turbulent price action ahead, Coinglass data shows. Open interest held steady at about $116 billion, while the long-to-short ratio tightened to 50.59% long versus 49.41% short, reflecting indecision after the recent rally. Capitulation sentiment typically signals selling exhaustion that can precede a price bottom or reversal, though it may also trigger further short-term selling pressure. The report could influence both retail and institutional positioning as traders weigh whether extreme fear marks an entry opportunity or a reason to stay on the sidelines. The broader macro environment added to the cautious tone. WTI crude topped $85 a barrel for the first time since June 12 as the Iran conflict escalated, reviving inflation concerns that have weighed on risk assets for much of the year. Bitcoin's dominance climbed to 59% as capital rotated from altcoins and stablecoins into the relative safety of the largest token, CoinMarketCap data shows. Despite the near-term caution, options activity suggested some traders were looking past the current weakness. BTC call options dominated 24-hour volume on Deribit, with activity concentrated in the $70,000 and $72,000 strike prices, indicating demand for bullish exposure at higher levels. The Clarity Act, a long-awaited crypto market structure bill, has emerged as a potential trigger for the next leg higher. Traders on Kalshi put the odds of the bill passing into law before April 2027 at 61%, up from 33% last week, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said lawmakers were at the "1-yard line." The bill would split oversight of the crypto market between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, opening the market to Wall Street institutions for the first time. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.