ETH ETFs Slated to Launch

1️⃣ Spot ETH ETFs Officially Launching Next Week

Mark your calendars! Five spot Ethereum ETFs, including via major names like Fidelity and VanEck, will officially launch on July 23rd. Cboe, the exchange where these ETFs will trade, confirmed this in new issue notifications published on Friday. Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas previously hinted that firms would "request effectiveness" next Monday, and his predictions about the July 23rd launch date have proven accurate.

2️⃣ Bitcoin's Price Soars Amid ETF Inflows

Since hitting (most likely) the bottom last week, the BTC price climbed 14%, touching $66K before correcting down to ~$64K. This came amid a record nine-day streak of ETF inflows propelling its price upwards even as Mt. Gox selling pressure began to come online. Many believe Trump’s assassination attempt also boosted the market, aided by his announcement of crypto-supportive senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate.

3️⃣ Mt. Gox Redistributions Kick Off, BlockFi’s Are Near, and FTX Settles for $12.7B

Mt. Gox, infamous for its 2014 hack, began moving $3.1B in BTC to exchanges like Kraken, facilitating payouts to past users who should receive funds over the next two weeks. BlockFi, the bankrupted lending service, also announced they will begin distributions this month with the help of Coinbase. Finally, in the FTX saga, the estate settled with the CFTC for $12.7B, marking a crucial turn in its reorganization efforts. This settlement, awaiting court approval, underscores a shift to now prioritizing creditor recoveries over regulatory penalties.

4️⃣ Nearly $250M Lost in Hacks

WazirX, one of India's largest crypto exchanges, faced a severe security breach of its multisig, which resulted in $230M worth of tokens being stolen. This incident could pressure India's already cautious crypto regulatory landscape, potentially leading to stricter security and investor protection policies. WazirX was not the only hack this week, with cross-chain protocol LI.FI seeing an $11.6M hack. It has since become safe to use again.

5️⃣ Polymarket Hits Another Trading Volume All-Time High

This cycle’s darling app Polymarket once again hit new all-time highs in trading volume, fueled by more political uncertainties and high-profile additions like Nate Silver, a prominent election poll analyst, to its advisory board. This surge in activity highlights the growing influence of prediction markets in financial and political discourse, offering a novel avenue for speculative and hedging opportunities in the crypto space. As of Thursday, the decentralized prediction market’s July volume sits at $142M.