Cryptocurrency
US tightens crackdown on crypto with lawsuits against Coinbase, Binance

The top U.S. securities regulator sued cryptocurrency platform Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) on Tuesday, the second lawsuit in two days against a major crypto exchange, in a dramatic escalation of a crackdown on the industry and one that could dramatically transform a market that has largely operated outside regulation.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday took aim at Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The SEC accuses Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao of operating a “web of deception”.
If successful, the lawsuits could transform the crypto market by successfully asserting the SEC’s jurisdiction over the industry which for years has argued that tokens do not constitute securities and should not be regulated by the SEC.
“The two cases are different, but overlap and point in the same direction: the SEC’s increasingly aggressive campaign to bring cryptocurrencies under the jurisdiction of the federal securities laws,” said Kevin O’Brien, a partner at Ford O’Brien Landy and a former federal prosecutor, adding, however, that the SEC has not previously taken on such major crypto players.
“If the SEC prevails in either case, the cryptocurrency industry will be transformed.”
In its complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, the SEC said Coinbase has since at least 2019 made billions of dollars by operating as a middleman on crypto transactions, while evading disclosure requirements meant to protect investors.
The SEC said Coinbase traded at least 13 crypto assets that are securities that should have been registered, including tokens such as Solana, Cardano and Polygon.
Coinbase suffered about $1.28 billion of net customer outflows following the lawsuit, according to initial estimates from data firm Nansen. Shares of Coinbase’s parent Coinbase Global Inc closed down $7.10, or 12.1%, at $51.61 after earlier falling as much as 20.9%. They are up 46% this year.
Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s general counsel, in a statement said the company will continue operating as usual and has “demonstrated commitment to compliance.”
Oanda senior market analyst Ed Moya said the SEC “looks like it’s playing Whac-A-Mole with crypto exchanges,” and because most exchanges offer a range of tokens that operate on blockchain protocols targeted by regulators, “it seems like this is just the beginning.”
Leading cryptocurrency bitcoin has been a paradoxical beneficiary of the crackdown.
After an initial plunge to a nearly three-month low of $25,350 following the Binance suit, bitcoin rebounded by more than $2,000, exceeding the previous day’s high. It was trading just below $27,000 at 0410 GMT.
“The SEC is making life nearly impossible for several altcoins and that is actually driving some crypto traders back into bitcoin,” explained Oanda’s Moya.
BROKER, EXCHANGE CRACKDOWN
Securities, as opposed to other assets such as commodities, are strictly regulated and require detailed disclosures to inform investors of potential risks. The Securities Act of 1933 outlined a definition of the term “security,” yet many experts rely on two U.S. Supreme Court cases to determine if an investment product constitutes a security.
SEC Chair Gary Gensler has long said tokens constitute securities and has steadily asserted its authority over the crypto market, focusing initially on the sale of tokens and interest-bearing crypto products. More recently, it has taken aim at unregistered crypto broker dealer, exchange trading and clearing activity.
While a few crypto companies are licensed as alternative system trading systems, a type of trading platform used by brokers to trade listed securities, no crypto platform operates as a full-blown stock exchange. The SEC also this year sued Beaxy Digital and Bittrex Global for failing to register as an exchange, clearing house and broker.
“The whole business model is built on a noncompliance with the U.S. securities laws and we’re asking them to come into compliance,” Gensler told CNBC.
Crypto companies refute that tokens meet the definition of a security, say the SEC’s rules are ambiguous, and that the SEC is overstepping its authority in trying to regulate them. Still, many companies have boosted compliance, shelved products and expanded outside the country in response to the crackdown.
Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association trade group, rejected Gensler’s efforts to oversee the industry.
“We’re confident the courts will prove Chair Gensler wrong in due time,” she said.
Founded in 2012, Coinbase recently served more than 108 million customers and ended March with $130 billion of customer crypto assets and funds on its balance sheet. Transactions generated 75% of its $3.15 billion of net revenue last year.
Tuesday’s SEC lawsuit seeks civil fines, the recouping of ill-gotten gains and injunctive relief.
On Monday, the SEC accused Binance of inflating trading volumes, diverting customer funds, improperly commingling assets, failing to restrict U.S. customers from its platform, and misleading customers about its controls.
Binance pledged to vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit, which it said reflected the SEC’s “misguided and conscious refusal” to provide clarity to the crypto industry.
Customers pulled around $790 million from Binance and its U.S. affiliate following the lawsuit, Nansen said.
On Tuesday, the SEC filed a motion to freeze assets belonging to Binance.US, Binance’s U.S. affiliate. The holding company of Binance is based in the Cayman Islands.
“It’s important to note that recent regulatory actions are aimed at ensuring that companies operating in the cryptocurrency industry are complying with securities laws and protecting investors – this will always be their goal,” said Joshua Chu, group chief risk officer at blockchain technology firms XBE, Coinllectibles and Marvion.
“These events will ultimately lead to a more stable and trustworthy industry, which could help to attract more institutional investors and mainstream adoption.»
Cryptocurrency
Analyst: Skip Bitcoin FOMO, Altcoins Offer Better Gains Now

Bitcoin (BTC) has sent the crypto community into delirium, hitting a new all-time high (ATH) of almost $119,000 after brief stops around $113,000 and $116,000.
However, despite the excitement, prominent analyst CrediBULL Crypto has cautioned traders not to chase the rally blindly, suggesting that the real opportunity lies in altcoins, not Bitcoin.
Why BTC FOMO Could Be Costly
With BTC currently over 650% above its ideal accumulation zone, CrediBULL posted a stark warning on X:
“The big opportunity for gains is on ALTS even if Bitcoin is the one that is ‘leading’ this move.”
He added that anyone buying the asset at this particular point should only do so for an active trade with a clear setup.
“If you can’t identify a trade setup then there is no reason to buy Bitcoin at these levels as there are much better opportunities in alts from a R/R perspective at current levels.”
His comments echoed a broader sentiment emerging from key market voices, including former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes and YouTuber Crypto Rover, who likened the current market cycle to November 2024, when a major altcoin rally followed Bitcoin’s price surge.
In a recent tweet, Hayes said he had reversed his previously bearish stance, citing Bitcoin’s strong breakout and the rising dominance of Ethereum (ETH).
“Get ready for a monster alt szn,” he wrote, signaling increased institutional confidence. The crypto entrepreneur also reported that his Maelstrom Fund is ramping up altcoin exposure amid expectations of favorable political and macroeconomic shifts.
Observers have described the flagship cryptocurrency’s latest move as structurally different from past bull cycles. According to CryptoQuant, it isn’t driven by speculative angst, but rather by strategic accumulation and restrained selling activity.
Additionally, metrics like the MVRV ratio, currently 2.2 vs. over 2.7 in previous tops, SOPR, and MPI all hint at a sustainable rally with long-term potential. The drop in exchange balances, down over 21% in four months, also suggests that holders are in no rush to exit their positions.
Altcoins on the Mend
However, even with BTC in price discovery mode, Ethereum and several other altcoins are beginning to outshine it in percentage gains. ETH, for instance, is up by more than 18% in the last seven days, beating Bitcoin’s 8.9% rise in the same period. It has also reclaimed the $3,000 level and is setting its sights on $3,350–$3,500.
Meanwhile, Cardano (ADA) has pumped 23.7% across the week, reclaiming critical support at $0.64 and eyeing a return to $1. Hyperliquid (HYPE) is up nearly 19%, having set a new all-time high at $46.25, and is now targeting the $50 psychological threshold.
Even Solana (SOL) is catching a bid, with prices climbing above $164 and showing potential for a rally beyond $180.
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Cryptocurrency
XRP Breaks Free With Double-Digit Gains — Flips USDT in Market Shake-Up

TL;DR
- The consolidation phase for many altcoins, including XRP, seems to be over, and Ripple’s native token is on the run again toward $3.
- On its way up, it managed to surpass USDT in terms of market cap and is now back in the third spot after months of hiatus.
The graph above clearly demonstrates the price stagnation XRP had to endure for the past month or so. Its upper boundary was at around $2.6, while it also tested the lower one at $1.9 during the darkest hours of the war between Israel and Iran.
Nevertheless, each attempt met immediate rejections, and the cryptocurrency was pushed south to a tight range between $2.2 and $2.3. However, there were multiple signs that the consolidation could be coming to an end, and one analyst even warned that most traders will miss the breakout.
Such a price surge indeed started to materialize in the past few days, and especially today. XRP has been among the top performers on a daily scale, having surged by 20% at one point and coming close to $3 on most exchanges.
Although it was stopped there and now sits just under $2.8, it’s still up by over 12% since yesterday. Its market cap has spiked above $160 billion for the first time in months, and XRP has now become the third-largest cryptocurrency, by overtaking Tether’s USDT.
The move north was quickly picked up by the XRP Army, many of whom praised the asset’s performance and provided some bullish (and outrageous) predictions.
$XRP at $2,500 isn’t just a dream.
-Because a pump like 2017 would easily clear $2,000 ✅
Fact: The yearly resistance is now free so expect vertical price discovery. pic.twitter.com/A4G3PasuVk
— Crypto Bitlord (@crypto_bitlord7) July 11, 2025
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Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin Breaks ATH, Hayes Flips Bullish: ‘Maelstrom Is Backing Up the Truck’

BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has decisively flipped bullish and even announced that Maelstrom Fund is “backing up the truck.” The exec’s comments came as Bitcoin (BTC) broke through its all-time high above $118K on strong volume.
He also revealed that Ethereum (ETH) began to follow with potential outperformance, and markets began pricing in a Trump administration’s readiness to ease trade tensions.
From Bearish to Bullish
This pivot follows Hayes’ prior cautious stance, which was rooted in concerns about a Treasury General Account (TGA) refill draining liquidity.
In his previous essay, Hayes explained that the US Treasury Secretary, whom he calls “The Big Bessent Cock (BBC),” faces an impossible task: funding ballooning deficits without causing a bond market revolt. To manage this, the government is turning to innovative liquidity engineering, including stablecoin adoption by “too big to fail” (TBTF) banks, which could unlock up to $6.8 trillion in T-bill buying power.
Hayes also noted that if the Fed stops paying interest on reserves, it could unleash another $3.3 trillion, bringing the total potential liquidity injection to $10.1 trillion.
He argued this approach was the modern replacement for QE, by maintaining equity markets and crypto afloat despite the Fed’s tightening posture. The exec warned that the TGA refill could briefly interrupt crypto’s bull momentum.
Despite this, Bitcoin’s resilience in busting through resistance while Ethereum appears to be positioning for a “monster alt season.”
“Frontloading Ahead of Trump Tariffs”
Adding to this backdrop, QCP Capital, in its latest analysis, also identified frontloading ahead of potential Trump tariffs as a key macro driver. Manufacturers are accelerating imports and production to preempt implementation, which has led to increased trade and manufacturing credit and improved liquidity conditions.
The firm views the current environment as supportive for continued crypto upside, with steady ETF inflows and strong structural demand boosting momentum.
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