TL;DR
Trump opens 401(k)s to crypto; Bitcoin, Ethereum near highs on record ETF inflows; SEC drops Ripple case.
Highlights
- Trump signs executive order allowing U.S. 401(k) and 529 plans to invest in Bitcoin and crypto, opening access to $8.7T in retirement savings 2.
- Bitcoin climbs above $122,000, near all-time highs; Norwayâs $1.7T sovereign fund nearly triples indirect BTC exposure 519.
- Ethereum surges past $4,500 on record $1B daily ETF inflows, strong corporate buying, and Standard Chartered raising ETH price targets 4717.
- Ethereum Foundation and major holders sell over 23,000 ETH near highs, signaling profit-taking amid strong inflows 16.
- Solana jumps 15% to reclaim $200, driven by DeFi growth, institutional treasury accumulation, and Pumpfunâs 69.7% memecoin launchpad market share 1415.
- OKX permanently burns 65M OKB tokens, capping supply at 21M and triggering a 200% OKB price spike as OKTChain winds down 6.
- SEC ends Ripple lawsuit, approves private fundraising, and signals shift towards clearer U.S. crypto regulation 3.
- Google Play now requires FinCEN and MiCA licenses for crypto wallet apps in 15 major jurisdictions, impacting wallet distribution 8.
- Circle unveils Arc , a regulated Layer-1 blockchain for stablecoin settlement, as competition for compliant infrastructure increases 9.
- Chainlink secures $93B+ across 450+ DeFi protocols, now securing 83% of Ethereum DeFi TVL 10.
- Pendle TVL triples to $8.3B; Aave lending hits $25B, highlighting increased DeFi and on-chain credit activity 20.
- Bullish exchange surges 143% on NYSE debut after $1.1B IPO; BlackRock and Ark among anchor investors 13.
- Monero suffers a 51% attack and six-block reorg by Qubic mining pool, erasing $300M in market cap and raising PoW privacy coin security concerns 1.
Commentary
The crypto market is seeing renewed institutional engagement and regulatory developments with direct implications for asset flows and sector rotation. President Trumpâs executive order enabling retirement accounts to allocate to crypto could drive significant new demand, particularly for Bitcoin , which is already trading near all-time highs 25. Norwayâs sovereign wealth fund nearly tripling its indirect Bitcoin exposure via equities further demonstrates growing institutional comfort with digital assets 19.
Ethereum is outperforming, propelled by record ETF inflows and aggressive corporate treasury accumulation 47. Standard Charteredâs upward revision of ETH price targets reflects confidence in institutional demand and regulatory clarity 17. However, notable profit-taking from the Ethereum Foundation and large holders suggests traders are locking in gains as ETH approaches previous highs, which could introduce short-term volatility 16.
Solanaâs rally above $200 is supported by rising DeFi activity, increased institutional holdings, and dominance in the memecoin launchpad segment via Pumpfun 1415. OKXâs major OKB token burn and supply cap have led to rapid repricing, as the exchange consolidates its L2 strategy and phases out OKTChain 6. These tokenomic changes and network upgrades are driving capital rotation within the exchange and altcoin sectors.
On the regulatory front, the SECâs closure of the Ripple case and approval of private fundraising signal a shift toward more predictable U.S. crypto policy 3. Google Play âs new licensing requirements for wallet apps represent a tightening of compliance standards, likely to impact wallet availability in major markets 8. Meanwhile, Circle âs Arc blockchain and BNY Mellonâs tokenized Treasury partnership highlight ongoing convergence between traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure, with stablecoins and tokenized assets at the center 912.
DeFi protocols continue to expand, with Chainlink , Pendle , and Aave all reporting record metrics 1020. However, the Monero 51% attack underscores persistent security risks in smaller PoW networks and privacy coins 1. Traders should monitor for further regulatory developments, institutional flows, and sector-specific volatility as profit-taking and compliance shifts may affect short-term market dynamics.