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Crypto markets faced further declines on Thursday as major cryptocurrencies like XRP, Cardano’s ADA, and Solana’s SOL dropped over 1% in 24 hours, while dogecoin fell 10% for the week, erasing June gains. Ether also lost 0.7%, reversing earlier progress. The downturn coincides with heightened fears of conflict in the Middle East and a strengthening dollar. Despite the slump, U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs attracted $389 million in inflows on Wednesday, and spot ETH ETFs saw $19 million in positive flows. Meanwhile, U.S. officials are reportedly considering a strike on Iran, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that tariffs and global tensions could worsen inflation, impacting consumers directly. With rates unchanged, the Fed seeks more data before cuts, adding to market uncertainty. Altcoins, seen as riskier, are often first to be sold off during macroeconomic stress. Bitcoin, up 13% year-to-date due to ETF inflows and dollar weakness, remains stuck in a range, neither reacting to risk appetite nor surging like gold amid conflict, according to FxPro analyst Alex Kuptsikevich.
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Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is staging a notable comeback, surging 30% in the last 90 days after underperforming in 2023 and 2024. Four key catalysts suggest this rally could be the start of a longer-term trend. First, cooling inflation at 2.4% and potential Federal Reserve rate cuts are creating a favorable macro environment for riskier assets like crypto. Second, institutional investors are pouring in, with $205 million flowing into Ethereum products in a single week in May and nearly $900 million over 16 days by mid-June, signaling long-term commitment. Third, the Pectra upgrade, set for late 2025, promises to enhance user experience, security, and cost stability, likely driving demand. Lastly, staking has hit a record 34.6 million coins (29% of supply), locking up supply and supporting price growth as investors prioritize yield. While risks like macro shocks or upgrade issues remain, Ethereum’s outlook appears stronger than it has in months, bolstered by easing inflation, institutional backing, technological advancements, and staking trends.
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Bitmain, Canaan, and MicroBT, which dominate over 99% of the global Bitcoin mining ASIC market, are establishing production facilities in the US to evade steep tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese imports, currently at 25% after previously surpassing 100%. According to a Reuters report, this strategic shift aims to mitigate the economic burden of these tariffs amid a thriving US Bitcoin industry. A University of Cambridge study highlights the market's oligopolistic structure, with Bitmain leading at 82%, followed by MicroBT at 15%, and Canaan at 2%. However, geopolitical tensions and tariffs could dampen US demand for mining rigs, potentially pushing surplus inventory to cheaper foreign markets, as noted by Hashlabs Mining CEO Jaran Mellerud. Additionally, Bitmain has faced US customs challenges, including a seizure of 10,000 ASICs in late 2024 due to ties with a sanctioned Chinese firm, resolved only in March. The move to US production raises questions about cost competitiveness compared to China, while the broader impact of geopolitics on Bitcoin mining continues to unfold.
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Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, has assumed sole leadership as CEO of the Polygon Foundation, dissolving the board to address inefficiencies and bring clear direction to the Ethereum scaling project. In an interview with Cointelegraph, Nailwal explained that this shift is crucial for Polygon’s relevance in a maturing crypto ecosystem. The network will phase out its underperforming zkEVM chain by 2026, focusing instead on real-world assets (RWAs) and stablecoin payments through Polygon PoS, while using AggLayer to pursue blockchain interoperability. Despite claiming financial stability, Polygon faces challenges with zkEVM’s declining assets and negative revenue, alongside a significant drop in POL’s market cap from $20 billion to $1.7 billion. Nailwal’s “Gigagas” roadmap aims to scale Polygon to 100,000 transactions per second to compete with modern rivals. His leadership style, rooted in a “servitude mentality” from his upbringing, is evolving from community engagement to prioritizing product excellence, even if it means making unpopular decisions. Community reactions to his takeover are mixed, with some praising his decisive approach and others questioning past strategic missteps. As Polygon refocuses on tangible results and real-world traction, Nailwal sees this as his chance to “go all in,” with the network’s success hinging on meeting ambitious milestones by year-end.
