Luc Jose A.

In the crypto universe, the activity of whales often serves as a barometer for trend reversals. XRP, buoyed by a record influx of wallets holding more than one million tokens, has just provided a striking illustration. While its price leaps by 26% in a week, the concentration of tokens in a few hands raises questions about the intentions of large holders. Against the backdrop of a widespread altcoin rally, this renewed interest in Ripple's crypto could well mark a strategic turning point for the market.

As global balances are being redrawn, the BRICS summit in Rio outlined the contours of a more pronounced multipolar influence. Behind the notable absence of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, discussions led to concrete proposals: reform of international institutions, enhanced climate cooperation, and regulation of artificial intelligence. Less spectacular, but more strategic, this edition sheds light on the ambitions of the global South, while revealing the latent tensions that weaken the coherence of a bloc in search of credibility.

While traditional markets struggle to gain momentum, bitcoin reaches a new all-time high. Fueled by a wave of regulatory optimism in Washington, the crypto sphere is excited. This surge is not just a simple technical rebound or an isolated influx of capital. It coincides with a major political turning point: the House of Representatives is set to review a set of laws that could reshape the contours of the crypto sector in the United States. The market is anticipating, and prices are soaring.

The discreet transfer of 10,000 ETH by the Ethereum Foundation to SharpLink Gaming, at a price below market value, raises eyebrows. This private deal, concluded before a spike in the price above $3,000, raises questions about the strategic management of Ethereum's reserves. In a context of record inflows into Ether ETFs, this operation may signify a turning point: ether is no longer a speculative asset; it is becoming a financial lever integrated into the treasuries of influential companies.

As Bitcoin sets a new record, an unexpected segment of the crypto universe reasserts itself: memecoins. Once regarded as mere speculative curiosities, they now attract massive trading volumes and unprecedented media attention. Digital irony becomes the engine of the market, sometimes eclipsing so-called serious projects.

And what if the next big battle for AI was not played out on a language model, but rather on the browser that billions of internet users use every day? OpenAI is preparing to launch a web browser powered by artificial intelligence, designed to directly compete with Google Chrome. This still discreet initiative aims to divert usage from Google's historic engine, a cornerstone of its advertising ecosystem. By transforming browsing into a conversational interface, OpenAI could redefine the rules of a market that has been locked down for years by Alphabet.

Bitcoin has just crossed the $116,000 mark, reaching an unprecedented peak that triggered massive liquidations in the derivatives market. This meteoric rise exposes the extreme vulnerability of short positions, swept away by the strength of the bullish movement. Beyond the technical shock, this historical crossing raises concerns about market balance and the new power of institutional flows.

Polygon is about to reach a decisive milestone with Heimdall v2, a hard fork that Sandeep Nailwal describes as "the most complex since 2020". On July 10, the PoS network is deeply modernizing its infrastructure while consolidating its governance, now in the hands of its co-founder. This is a strategic operation as the battle intensifies on the front of layer two blockchains.

On July 9th, the queen of crypto shattered its previous record by briefly surpassing 112,000 dollars, sweeping away doubts about a fatigue in the bullish cycle. This symbolic breakthrough, occurring amidst geopolitical pressures and massive movements in the derivatives markets, reignites speculation about entering a new phase of expansion in the crypto market.

As market attention swings between innovations and institutional strategies, XRP has made a significant move this week with a 12% increase. This surge is not insignificant, as Ripple has just appointed BNY Mellon, a cornerstone of American finance, as the custodian of its stablecoin RLUSD. In an environment where institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies is intensifying, this strategic alliance could redefine XRP's role in the crypto economy and strengthen its position against giants like Ethereum.

While the media spotlight remains on Bitcoin ETFs and the fluctuations of Solana, a quiet yet massive concentration is occurring on Ethereum. Wallets holding more than 10,000 ETH, the famous mega-whales, are increasing their positions at an unmatched pace since 2022. Barely visible, this surge in accumulation hints at the beginnings of a bullish cycle.

Crypto venture capital, once thought to be on the brink of collapse, is making a spectacular comeback. In the second quarter of this year, over $10 billion flowed into the ecosystem, a level not seen since the peak in early 2022. In just three months, investors have rejuvenated a market that was considered frozen, reaffirming their appetite for blockchain innovation.

At the opening of the BRICS summit in Rio, Donald Trump reignited trade tensions, threatening to impose surtaxes on any country aligned with this emerging bloc. Facing a coalition that challenges American hegemony, the confrontation goes beyond tariffs to affect global power dynamics. The BRICS are intensifying their break from…