U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly intends to remove Billy Long as the IRS Commissioner. In his stead, the president will nominate pro-crypto Scott Bessent, who is also the Treasury Secretary, to serve as the acting Commissioner. Donald Trump Removes IRS Commissioner, Names Bessent As Acting Head According to a Bloomberg report, the president plans to
Ethereum surged above $4,000 today. It remained above this level even as Binance moved tens of thousands of ETH to market maker Wintermute. Binance’s Ethereum Transfers to Wintermute Spark Market Concerns Data from Arkham Intelligence shows Binance hot wallets sent thousands of ETH to market maker Wintermute within hours of the price surge. The transactions
BlackRock Inc. (NYSE: BLK) has no immediate plans to file for a spot Solana (SOL) or XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs). According to the company’s spokesperson, BlackRock is currently focused on growing its two crypto ETFs, including the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA).
Wall Street analysts believe that BlackRock could have already filed for spot crypto ETFs beyond BTC and ETH if they wanted. Furthermore, several fund manager firms have already filed for spot XRP and SOL ETFs with the U.S. SEC.
The speculation of BlackRock filing for a spot XRP ETF surged on Friday following the joint dismissal by Ripple and the SEC on the longstanding lawsuit.
When Will SEC Approve Spot XRP and Solana ETFs?
The U.S. SEC is expected to greenlight trading of several spot altcoin ETFs before the end of 2025. As Coinpedia reported, the agency has made deliberate efforts to engage with spot altcoin ETF issuers led by Solana, signaling an imminent approval in the near term.
According to Vivian Fang, a finance professor at Indiana University, the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs are different from the Solana and XRP ETFs. While both XRP and Solana are U.S.-made altcoins, Wall Street analysts have predicted a SOL ETF approval first before an XRP one.
“All things considered, I personally believe it is more likely that we will see ETFs filed for public blockchain-based altcoins like Solana (SOL) before we see one dedicated to Ripple (XRP),” Fang said.
Market Picture
The crypto legal clarity in the United States has helped attract more institutional investors. More corporate investors have been implementing altcoin treasuries following the palpable success of the Bitcoin treasury companies.
Ultimately, the 2025 altseason will be fueled by clear crypto regulations amid significant capital inflows from institutional investors. Furthermore, the Ethereum price has broken beyond $4k for the first time in eight months.
The post BlackRock Has No Immediate Plans for a Spot Solana and XRP ETFs appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
BlackRock Inc. (NYSE: BLK) has no immediate plans to file for a spot Solana (SOL) or XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs). According to the company’s spokesperson, BlackRock is currently focused on growing its two crypto ETFs, including the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA). Wall Street analysts believe that BlackRock could have already …
The mainstream adoption of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has proliferated Ivy League Universities, led by Harvard and Brown, in the United States. According to a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Harvard University doubled down on its IBIT holdings during the second quarter to around 1,906,000 shares of IBIT as of June 30, valued at $116.6 million.
As a result, Harvard University through the Harvard Management Company is the 29th biggest holder of IBIT shares out of the total 1,300 investors. On the other hand, Brown University reported a net holding of 212,500 shares of IBIT, valued at around $13 million as of June 30.
Remarkably, Brown University increased its IBIT shares from 105,000 shares reported on March 31, 2025. According to Eric Balchunas, an EFT analyst at Bloomberg, IBIT’s endowment by Ivy League universities significantly contributes to its growth.
BlackRock’s IBIT Leads Spot Bitcoin ETFs in Growth
BlackRock’s IBIT has grown to more than $86 billion in net assets under management. Since its inception, IBIT has recorded a cumulative cash inflow of about $57.4 billion, thus outpacing its Gold ETF in yearly growth.
The wider spot BTC ETFs have also recorded significant cash inflows led by Fidelity’s FBTC, and Ark’s ARKB. Earlier this week, Michigan’s state pension fund reported owning 300,000 shares of the Ark Bitcoin ETF as of June 30, valued at $10.7 million.
Market Impact
The rising demand for Bitcoin by spot BTC ETF issuers has increased the existing supply vs demand shock. Furthermore, Strategy Inc. has led dozens of corporations in the implementation of Bitcoin treasury, whereby market data from BitcoinTreasuries shows over 3.6 million BTCs are held for this purpose.
As a result, BTC price is well positioned to rally exponentially akin to the 2017 summer. Moreover, BTC has already entered its price discovery phase with a parabolic rally on the horizon
The post SEC Filings Show Harvard and Brown Universities Bought Bitcoin Via BlackRock’s IBIT in Q2 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
The mainstream adoption of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has proliferated Ivy League Universities, led by Harvard and Brown, in the United States. According to a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Harvard University doubled down on its IBIT holdings during the second quarter to around 1,906,000 shares of IBIT as …
Erebor, a nascent crypto bank, recently circulated a fundraising memo claiming that it expects a bank charter in half the normal time. If approved, the bank will integrate stablecoins at a foundational level.
Several of Erebor’s tech billionaire founders are Trump allies with direct connections to the relevant regulators. This memo outright stated that their “political network will get this done” at extreme speeds.
Erebor: Crypto’s Next Big Bank?
Since the SVB collapse in 2023, the Web3 industry hasn’t enjoyed a dedicated tech-specific bank. Last month, a group of prominent tech billionaires announced plans to fill this gap by launching Erebor, a new bank with greater emphasis on crypto.
According to a recent scoop, this institution is planning to win regulatory approval much faster than expected.
Apparently, Erebor issued a recent fundraising memo claiming that the crypto bank will be fully operational by the end of the year.
Normally, this process could take a year or longer, so Erebor’s investors are openly suggesting that it’ll win regulatory approval twice as fast.
How is this possible? Several of its leading tech/crypto investors, such as Peter Thiel and Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, have become close Trump allies. “Palmer’s political network will get this done,” the memo claimed.
The OCC, which handles bank charters, has grown closer to the industry in recent months. Its current Chair, Jonathan Gould, is a former Bitfury executive with noteworthy connections to Erebor.
The memo directly claimed that Erebor’s co-founders have a “unique connectivity to banking regulators,” specifically naming Gould.
In a press statement, an OCC representative didn’t directly address these claims of favoritism:
“The OCC carefully considers every bank charter application submitted based on the facts of the application and consistent with its statutory and regulatory requirements,” an OCC spokeswoman told Business Insider.
Pros and Cons of Approval?
To be fair, the crypto industry could definitely use a bank catered to its interests. Erebor plans to become “the most regulated entity conducting and facilitating stablecoin transactions,” integrating Web3 at all layers.
If it proves successful, the institution could represent a major platform for TradFi’s integration with crypto.
If “Palmer’s political network” gets Erebor a bank charter in half the usual time, how is that going to look to outside observers?
In the long run, accusations of corruption and bribery could become a serious problem. The crypto industry could benefit from this bank, but the expedited timetable seems unnecessary.
This fundraising memo might be bluster, and the speedy approval could never materialize. If it does, however, it may become a major scandal.
SEC disclosure documents revealed that Harvard University had invested over $116.6 million in to IBIT, BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, in Q2 2025. IBIT was its fifth-largest portfolio investment, surpassing Google’s parent company.
This news is quite unexpected, and it’s still unclear when Harvard made this investment. The university has significant shares in a wide range of tech firms, but IBIT is apparently its only Web3 commitment.
Harvard’s Surprise Bitcoin ETF Purchase
Harvard, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, has occasionally appeared in the crypto industry, but most of its interactions have been tangential.
Social media reports first suggested that Harvard put $120 million into BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, but this was slightly garbled. In actuality, it was $116.6 million.
This revelation came from SEC documents detailing the university’s investment portfolio at the end of Q2 2025.
Still, Harvard has evidently put a lot of faith in the Bitcoin ETF. It’s the university’s fifth-largest portfolio investment right now, outpaced by Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Booking Holdings Inc.
This figure doesn’t include other asset categories like real estate. Amazingly, Harvard allocated roughly $3 million more into IBIT than Alphabet, Google’s parent company.
Its portfolio includes other tech and crypto-adjacent stocks, like $104.4 million in NVIDIA, but IBIT remains Harvard’s only direct Web3 exposure.
Harvard’s unexpected purchase could increase IBIT’s public notoriety. July was a bad month for BTC ETFs, with BlackRock’s Ethereum ETF surpassing IBIT in terms of weekly inflows. If an establishment pillar like Harvard is interested regardless, that could represent a signal of confidence.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt has warned that the U.S. dollar’s purchasing power has collapsed sharply since 1971. Hence, he pointed to Bitcoin as the asset best positioned to preserve value in the long term. Brandt Backs Bitcoin Over Gold After U.S. Dollar’s 97% Value Drop In a chart shared on X, Brandt showed the dollar’s
Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN) users can now directly trade Base-native tokens with their balance. The new Coinbase feature was made possible through the strategic integration of the Coinbase App with decentralized exchanges (DEX) offering trading services for Base-native tokens.
The strategic integration between the Coinbase App and DEX services will enable developers to get instant access to millions of traders without official listings. According to the announcement, Coinbase will make other networks available led by Solana (SOL).
Millions of assets. One Coinbase app.
→ Every asset on @base → Faster and easier access to onchain trading → Tokens go from launch to available on Coinbase in moments
All available in the same Coinbase app with DEX trading.
Following the strategic integration of Coinbase with DEX trading platforms, the top crypto tokens’ market cap on the Base ecosystem surged by 3.7 percent to hover around $84.7 billion. The top-performing Base-native tokens during the past 24 hours include Aerodrome Finance (AERO) and Brett (Based) BRETT.
According to our market oracles, AERO price surged over 30 percent in the past 24 hours to trade at about $1 on Friday, during the mid-New York session. The palpable surge of AERO price is backed by the fact that Aerodrome Finance is the largest DEX on the Base network, with a total value locked of about $556 million.
Bigger Picture
The Coinbase trading platform is now well-positioned to attract more organic altcoin traders amid the anticipated 2025 altseason. Furthermore, Coinbase previously offered around 300 crypto assets for trading, but has since opened up for millions of tokens.
As a result, Coinbase can now compete with other top-tier global exchanges led by Binance, and Bybit.
The post Aerodrome Finance (AERO) Price Up 30% Today Following Coinbase DEX Launch appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN) users can now directly trade Base-native tokens with their balance. The new Coinbase feature was made possible through the strategic integration of the Coinbase App with decentralized exchanges (DEX) offering trading services for Base-native tokens. The strategic integration between the Coinbase App and DEX services will enable developers to get …
This week, the global crypto market capitalization has seen a modest 2% uptick despite the broad sideways trend across multiple assets.
Amid this backdrop, several altcoins have stood out as key ones to watch heading into the weekend of August 9–10. They recorded significant gains during the week and show strong potential to continue their upward momentum in the coming days.
Mantle (MNT)
Mantle has emerged as the top-performing altcoin over the past week, with its price surging more than 45%. According to Santiment, this price rally has been accompanied by a steady increase in daily trading volume.
Over the last seven days, MNT’s trading volume has climbed by 250%, reaching $753 million at the time of writing.
For token TA and market updates: Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.
When an asset’s price rises alongside a spike in trading volume, it signals strong market interest and conviction behind the move. MNT’s increased daily trading volume confirms that its price action is supported by more market participants actively engaging with the asset, making the trend more reliable.
If the current buying momentum continues, MNT’s price could potentially soar to $1.14 in the near term.
However, if demand wanes and buying pressure diminishes, the token’s price risks slipping below the $1 mark.
Pump.fun (PUMP)
PUMP, the native token of the pump.fun utility coin launch platform, is another altcoin to watch this weekend.
Trading at $0.0033 at press time, its price has rocketed by 31% in the past week, making it one of the top-performing altcoins during that period.
Readings from the token’s Elder-Ray Index suggest a strong likelihood that the token will continue extending its gains during the upcoming weekend sessions. At press time, the index stands at 0.000275, having posted only positive values over the past four trading sessions, an encouraging sign of sustained bullish momentum.
The Elder-Ray Index measures the balance of buying and selling pressure in the market by analyzing bullish and bearish forces separately. A positive reading indicates buyers dominate and are pushing prices higher.
If PUMP buyers remain in control, they could drive its price to $0.0040.
On the other hand, a rise in sell-side pressure could cause PUMP to lose some of its gains and fall below $0.0032.
MemeCore (M)
MemeCore has gained 24% over the past week, rising by $0.44. However, signs of strengthening sell-offs are starting to show. This is reflected in the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) indicator, which currently hovers around the zero line and appears poised to dip below it.
This suggests potential downward pressure on the token’s price, making M an important asset to watch over the weekend.
The Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) is a volume-weighted indicator that measures buying and selling pressure over a specified period by analyzing price and volume data. When the CMF is above zero, it indicates buying dominance and accumulation, while a reading below zero signals selling pressure and distribution.
As with M, a CMF poised to fall below the zero line suggests that sellers may gain control, increasing the likelihood of a price decline.
If profit-taking continues, M’s price could drop to around $0.41.
Coinbase just announced in-app DEX trading, a long-awaited feature to make decentralized trading accessible. The Base blockchain will manage this service for now, prompting several of its tokens to appreciate in value.
Due to BitLicense requirements, this rollout only impacts US users outside New York State. Traders can now access decentralized markets with significantly fewer costs and barriers to entry.
The Base blockchain will power Coinbase’s new DEX functionality, but Solana integration is coming. This feature will streamline DEX accessibility for most of the US consumer base, enabling traders to trade tokens using an integrated self-custody wallet.
Coinbase will even cover the necessary network fees, making the process much easier.
For the most part, the community has shown significant approval. Aerodome Finance, the largest DEX on Base, surged in value after Coinbase’s announcement. Several other Base tokens saw notable gains as well.
However, this rollout isn’t perfect. For one thing, users have criticized Coinbase for permitting DEX trading of tokens it will not list directly. Coinbase’s CEX users still can’t trade VIRTUALS, but this new function will permit tokens created using this protocol.
Additionally, this update runs contrary to the entire ethos of decentralization. Coinbase isn’t really building a DEX; everything from the user interface to the underlying blockchain is deeply centralized. This integration could contribute to growing fears of “de-decentralization” in crypto, as institutional players take over increasing market space.
I think CEXs should rephrase « DEX trading » to « on-chain trading » when operating on a chain they built.
Nonetheless, this is a major milestone for Coinbase and US traders. Ease of accessibility has been a major issue for people who want to trade on DEXs. Its complexity, connecting wallets and several steps just to buy and trade coins, is a massive headache. But now it’s through one platform, the Coinbase app.
(@coinbase) 
