Istanbul Blockchain Week 2025 became the biggest annual edition of the event. It attracted thousands of global Web3 participants to Türkiye’s economic hub.
The two-day event, held June 26–27 at the Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel, solidified Istanbul’s growing influence in blockchain innovation.
From Tron’s Justin Sun to Pudgy Penguins – Key Highlights
This year’s event hosted high-level discussions on stablecoins, real-world assets (RWAs), AI agents, tokenized finance, and regulation.
Organized for the fourth time by EAK Digital, the conference featured keynotes, workshops, and the launch of new formats, reflecting both scale and ambition.
Notable speakers included Mehmet Çamır, Chairman of OKX TR; Justin Sun, CEO of Tron; John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games; and Marco Dal Lago, VP of Global Expansion at Tether.
“The Turkish market is becoming a powerhouse in gaming in general. There are some really strong companies coming up here. We have a new FIFA game and the Turkish market is quite strong for that too. There are mobile game fans, and a few football fans out here. So it is a green market,” said John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games.
Industry executives and policymakers shared insights into institutional growth and regulatory changes shaping the sector.
Sun pointed to Türkiye’s growing relevance as a testbed for retail adoption and sovereign stablecoin applications.
Meanwhile, Mehmet Çamır addressed the regulatory space. He noted Türkiye’s large retail crypto base, with over 14 million users, making compliance and investor protection a top priority.
BlockDown Festival returned with a new format, combining Web3 art and music. This year, it introduced AI-led performances in collaboration with Pudgy Penguins, showcasing the fusion of autonomous agents and live entertainment.
Also, the event featured new additions like the RWA Builders Summit and DefaiCon Istanbul. These segments highlighted infrastructure progress in tokenized assets and decentralized finance.
Christian Thompson of the Sui Foundation announced a developer bootcamp aiming to train 2,000–4,000 local builders in 12 to 18 months. The move underlines Türkiye’s emergence as a talent hub for blockchain development.
Solana (SOL) has been struggling below $150 since March 3, with its technical indicators still pointing to a bearish trend. The number of Solana whales has declined in recent days, suggesting some large holders may be reducing exposure.
Meanwhile, Solana’s total value locked (TVL) remains below $10 billion, highlighting weakening engagement in its DeFi ecosystem. For SOL to regain bullish momentum, it would need renewed whale accumulation, a recovery in TVL, and a breakout above key resistance levels.
Solana TVL Stuck Below $10 Billion Since February 22
Solana’s total value locked (TVL) has been steadily declining. It is currently at $8.87 billion, and the last time it surpassed $10 billion was February 22.
TVL represents the total amount of assets deposited in a blockchain’s decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, serving as a key indicator of network activity and investor confidence.
A higher TVL suggests strong ecosystem engagement, while a declining TVL can indicate reduced liquidity and fading interest.
With Solana’s TVL continuing to drop, it raises concerns about potential weakening demand for its DeFi ecosystem, which could impact SOL’s price, at a moment when the chain and some of its major players have been suffering criticism from the community.
A declining TVL often reflects lower capital inflows and reduced activity in lending, staking, and trading protocols, limiting upward price momentum.
For Solana’s bullish case to strengthen, its TVL would need to stabilize and recover, signaling renewed investor confidence and increased network utility.
Whales Stopped Accumulating SOL
The number of Solana whales – addresses holding at least 10,000 SOL – grew between February 28 and March 3, rising from 4,953 to 5,053. However, since then, the number has steadily declined, now sitting at 5,023.
Tracking whale activity is crucial because large holders can influence market trends. Accumulation often signals confidence in price appreciation, and distribution often indicates potential selling pressure.
A sustained increase in whale numbers typically suggests strong demand, while a decline can hint at weakening sentiment.
With the recent drop in Solana whale addresses, there are concerns that some large holders may be reducing exposure, which could create selling pressure on SOL.
If this trend continues, it could limit upward momentum and lead to price consolidation or declines.
However, if whales resume accumulation, it would indicate renewed confidence in Solana’s long-term prospects, potentially supporting a stronger price recovery.
Solana Still Struggles to Breach $150
Solana’s EMA lines indicate that the current setup remains bearish, with short-term averages still positioned below long-term ones.
This alignment suggests that downward pressure persists, limiting immediate upside potential.
However, if the trend reverses and buying momentum strengthens, SOL could climb toward $160.7, and a breakout above this level could push it further to test the $180 resistance.
On the downside, if bearish momentum intensifies, Solana price could retest support at $130.
A breakdown below this level could drive the price lower, potentially testing $125.
After numerous Congressional debates and revisions, the GENIUS Act is now on the verge of becoming law. The bill, which aims to regulate the stablecoin industry across the United States, is widely expected to be signed.
According to representatives from Digital Chamber, a D.C.-based advocacy group for the blockchain industry, the bill approval will likely come before the end of June. Such a move would increase institutional adoption and strengthen the US dollar’s dominance globally.
When Will the GENIUS Act Pass?
Poised for passage, the GENIUS Act is a landmark bill that would federally regulate the US stablecoin industry.
Despite recent disagreements between Republican and Democratic Senators, the bill passed a key procedural vote. Kristopher Klaich, Policy Director at The Digital Chamber, strongly believes in its impending approval.
“I feel pretty strongly that there won’t be more hiccups… I think the industry has been such a strong player in politics for the last couple of years and supporting campaigns… there’s a high cost for members that may be the stick in the mud,” he told BeInCrypto.
According to Taylor Barr, the advocacy group’s Government Affairs and PAC Manager, 53 amendments have been made.
“Majority leader Thune is committed to having what he’s calling a fully open amendment process, which means every single amendment has the full right to go through a debate vote and to have full closure on each amendment. So at the end of the day, that could be a three-week-long process,” Barr told BeInCrypto.
However, Barr clarified that a fully open process with 53 individual debates is unlikely. He expects these amendments to be divided into three or four groups, resulting in a more efficient and abbreviated open amendment process, given that many are duplicative.
If Barr’s estimations are correct, the bill will pass before the end of this month. When it does, the significance will be substantial for the greater crypto industry.
Understanding Stablecoin Impact
Stablecoins are arguably the most globally adopted digital asset. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or altcoins, they provide worldwide access to a stable medium of exchange.
According to a January report by crypto exchange CEX.io, the total stablecoin transaction volume reached 27.6 trillion in 2024, exceeding Visa’s total payment volume and Mastercard’s by 7.7%.
Tether and Circle dominate the market at $151 billion and $59 billion, respectively. Together, they have an 89% market share, according to rwa.xyz.
Tether and Circle dominate stablecoin market share. Source: rwa.xyz.
Their heavyweight presence in global economies makes a bill like the GENIUS Act all the more significant. This is especially true in the context of a debilitated US dollar.
The Dollar’s Waning Influence
The US dollar started the year exceptionally weakly. Two days ago, the US Dollar Index (DXY)—a key measure heavily influenced by the euro—fell nearly 9% to just under 99. The results marked its weakest calendar year opening since at least the mid-1980s.
This situation and broader de-dollarization efforts by major US debt holders like China and Japan intensify concerns about the dollar’s future.
US Dollar Index Continues to Decline. Source: Yahoo Finance
Data from Ark Invest illustrates this shift. In 2011, these three nations held 23% of the $10.1 trillion in outstanding US Treasury debt.
By November 2024, despite the total outstanding US Treasury debt rising to $36 trillion, their combined holdings had dropped significantly to approximately 6%.
This substantial decrease in holdings by key foreign creditors highlights growing worries about the dollar’s long-term stability and the United States’ ability to refinance its massive debt.
“Dollars are the world reserve currency. Demand for dollars has waned at the sovereign level. Over recent years, the largest purchasers of treasuries are cutting their holdings of treasuries. That is not a good situation for the United States as they try to refinance,” Klaich said.
Klaich added that legislation like the GENIUS Act is crucial:
“In my mind, there’s very little more important than the stablecoin bill being passed from an macroeconomic perspective… If demand for dollars diminishes at the sovereign level, structurally speaking, if that is or can be replaced by demand at a retail individual level, that is a huge boon to the US government.”
The data behind Klaich’s statements seems to back his analysis.
What Role Will Stablecoins Play in Future US Debt Demand?
The stablecoin market is poised for significant growth. According to an April report from Citigroup, the total stablecoin supply could reach $1.6 trillion by 2030. This growth could create a demand for US debt comparable to the historical levels supported by sovereign nations.
Stablecoin issuers could be one of the largest holders of US treasuries by 2030. Source: Citigroup.
The GENIUS Act could facilitate this transition.
“Hopefully, when it passes, demand for stablecoins will explode because there are many companies and banks that are planning to introduce stablecoins that will provide the rails for them to operate at a consumer and business level. So the efficiencies companies and individuals realize will help push that,” Klaich explained.
“It allows anybody in the world to access US dollars. What that affords the US from an economic warfare standpoint is significant,” Klaich added.
With persistent inflation risks, the Federal Reserve is unlikely to buy back significant amounts of US treasuries. Therefore, encouraging stablecoin use allows this market to effectively replace currently ineffective financial mechanisms.
Amendments to the Bill
If the GENIUS Act is implemented correctly, the stablecoin industry could become a valuable financial tool for the US government to ensure long-term support for the US dollar.
The bill underwent a difficult revision process. According to Barr, the process was tedious and politically challenging.
“If you look at all of the progress we’ve made, we’ve worked on this for three Congresses now. We’ve worked on this [through] multiple different leaderships– minority, majority split. So we’re so close. We’ve done all this progress so we can see the finish line. We’re going to get there,” he said.
However, multiple revisions were a prerequisite for its passage to ensure the bill responsibly addressed consumer protection, national security, and market integrity issues.
Klaich noted that these critical concerns were addressed fairly in the legislative process. He emphasized that recent versions of the bill effectively integrated these revisions.
“None of those issues are existential, and they’ve been negotiated into the latest version of the bill that’s being considered right now. I think the changes that have been made are reasonable and acceptable,” he said.
The future will reveal if the bill passes and achieves its desired effect in helping the US overcome its complicated economic reality.
As some investors seek answers for ‘why the market is down today?’, others seek an alternative crypto investment platform. Hedera (HBAR) Investors seem to have discovered a different but simple way to earn crypto profits every day.
As of June, Hedera (HBAR) records a 20% decline in the past month. Despite some analysts suggesting a possible bullish reversal, HBAR continues to trade below $0.15, a major barrier level against HBAR price recovery. To potentially overcome the selling pressure and start a bullish trend, HBAR price will have to rise above the $0.17 threshold. With reports of lesser activity, limited stablecoin flowing into the Hedera network, the prospects of HBAR price rising could be minimal.
Reportedly, HBAR investors are shifting to cloud mining through MiningCoop. Launched with the aim of making crypto mining rewards accessible to all, MiningCoop offers daily crypto profit earnings through diverse cloud mining contracts.
MiningCoop Presents a New Approach to Bitcoin Mining: Bitcoin Cloud Mining
Traditionally, Bitcoin mining was the most difficult space to join and profit from. Bitcoin mining requires expensive hardware setup or a Bitcoin mining machine. Also, the electricity consumption, often compared to the amount consumed by a whole country, made it almost impossible for ordinary individuals to participate in Bitcoin mining.
Fortunately, MiningCoop launched cloud mining contracts that allow users to rent Bitcoin mining hashpower, with modest investments starting from $100. MiningCoop owns several Bitcoin mining farms across the globe, powered by renewable energy sources, making it less costly. Also, MiningCoop’s mining farms are fully AI-optimised, adding to cost efficiency. As such, the company achieves high profit margins, translating to high daily returns for the platform users.
High-Yield Daily Crypto Earnings Through MiningCoop
Even better, MiningCoop offers a $100 bonus when users join MiningCoop cloud miners. The $100 helps in purchasing its Jaminer trial contract plan, allowing new investors to explore Bitcoin and Dogecoin cloud mining without spending their money. The $100 and profits of about $1.35 per day can be withdrawn.
What Attracts HBAR Investors to MiningCoop Bitcoin Cloud Mining:
Unlike trading HBAR, which is affected by price fluctuations, MiningCoop offers stable and consistent daily crypto profits.
100% hands-off way to earn crypto. A new passive income stream
Investor fund protection, the principal is refunded fully after each contract duration
Short contract durations of between 1 day to 7 days.
MiningCoop Affiliate Program
Apart from the profitable Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Dogecoin cloud mining contracts, users can join MiningCoop’s affiliate program and earn USDT. The process is simple: sign up for the referral program, get a referral code to conduct social media promotion, and earn 3.5% commission each time a referral invests in MiningCoop.
With a little effort, users could build a passive income stream, offering substantial monthly earnings.
Final Thoughts
The crypto market is down today, indicating a possible liquidation of significant amounts of crypto investors’ money. HBAR investors shifting to Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Dogecoin cloud mining through MiningCoop offers them a good opportunity to earn crypto profits despite market uncertainty.MiningCoop may be a suitable option for individuals exploring cloud mining opportunities.
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(@AaronTeng) June 26, 2025
