Summary
gm, Nearly $1.9 billion flowed into crypto investment products as Bitcoin maintained resilience around $107,000 despite Middle East geopolitical tensions. Michael Saylor's Strategy made headlines with a substantial purchase of 10,100 BTC (approximately $1 billion) amid the Israel-Iran conflict, while JP Morgan filed a trademark application for "JPMD," signaling potential expansion into crypto services, possibly including a stablecoin. In corporate developments, SRM Entertainment announced plans to rebrand as Tron Inc. with a $210 million TRX treasury, while Trump Media filed for a Bitcoin-Ethereum ETF with a 75%-25% holdings ratio, reflecting growing mainstream corporate adoption of digital assets during a period of both geopolitical uncertainty and continued institutional interest.

News Headlines
🔒 Tether Freezes $12M USDT on Tron Network

  • Tether has frozen over $12.3 million worth of USDT on the Tron Network due to concerns about illicit activity and potential Anti-Money Laundering violations.
  • This action demonstrates Tether's ongoing commitment to combating financial crime in the crypto space, as the company continues to work with law enforcement to prevent the laundering of funds through its stablecoin.

🤖 AI Deepfakes Drove 40% of High-Value Crypto Fraud Last Year

  • A Bitget report reveals that AI-generated deepfakes accounted for 40% of high-value crypto fraud in 2024, contributing to a total loss of $4.6 billion from scams—a 24% increase from the previous year.
  • The report highlights how scammers are leveraging sophisticated AI technology to impersonate notable figures in fraudulent investment schemes, requiring users to adopt increased skepticism about online identities.

🌐 Bitcoin DeFi Taking Root on Sui Network

  • Bitcoin DeFi (BTCfi) is rapidly evolving on the Sui network, expanding Bitcoin's utility beyond a store of value by enabling holders to access DeFi applications previously limited to Ethereum and Solana.
  • Sui supports multiple Bitcoin integrations including Wrapped Bitcoin and Lombard Finance's LBTC, allowing users to engage in lending, trading, and staking while maintaining Bitcoin's trust-minimized principles.

📊 Metaplanet Achieves 10,000 BTC Holdings, Surpassing Coinbase

  • Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has acquired a total of 10,000 BTC at an average price of $96,400 per Bitcoin, becoming the seventh-largest publicly traded company by Bitcoin treasury.
  • The company plans to issue $210 million in no-interest bonds to further expand its Bitcoin holdings, targeting 200,000 BTC by the end of 2027, with its stock surging over 22% following the announcement.

💳 Circle IPO Raises Questions About USDC Reserves in Bankruptcy Scenario

  • S&P analysts note that while Circle's IPO doesn't impact USDC's stability rating, there are uncertainties about whether stablecoin holders would retain access to reserves if Circle were to file for bankruptcy.
  • Legal experts emphasize that legislative clarity through the proposed GENIUS Act is crucial for ensuring stablecoin holders' rights are protected in bankruptcy scenarios, as current legal precedents are limited.

Market Metrics

Fundraising & VC
1. PrismaX (Undisclosed, $11M) - Robotics intelligence platform
2. Sahara AI (Public Token Sale, $8.5M)- Decentralized AI network
3. Sunrise (Public Token Sale, $500K) - Base layer for Interliquid networks

Regulatory
🏦 OCC Green-Lights Crypto Activities for Banks

  • The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has adopted a more lenient approach, allowing banks to engage in various crypto activities without prior approval.
  • Banks can now offer crypto-asset custody services, hold reserves for stablecoins, and provide stablecoin payment services without the previously required supervisory non-objection process.

🌐 Coinbase and Gemini Near EU MiCA Licenses

  • Major exchanges Coinbase and Gemini are close to securing EU licenses under MiCA regulation, with Gemini expected to receive approval in Malta and Coinbase in Luxembourg.
  • These licenses will enable the exchanges to operate across all 27 EU member states, significantly expanding their European presence.

🔍 Paradigm Files Brief Supporting Tornado Cash Developer

  • Venture capital firm Paradigm submitted an amicus brief supporting Roman Storm, arguing that the jury must be clearly informed about legal definitions of operating a money-transmitting business.
  • The brief asserts that prosecutors must prove Storm knowingly operated as a money-transmitter, including charging fees and controlling criminal proceeds.

🔄 XRP ETF Approved in Canada, Token Price Rises 7%

  • Purpose Investments will launch a spot XRP ETF in Canada on June 18 after receiving regulatory approval from the Ontario Securities Commission.
  • The ETF will trade under the ticker XRPP on the Toronto Stock Exchange, providing traditional investors access to XRP through conventional accounts.

📝 Fairmint Proposes Blockchain Framework for Private Markets

  • Fairmint has submitted a proposal to the SEC for a seven-step blockchain framework to modernize private equity markets and address outdated infrastructure.
  • The proposal emphasizes standardization for interoperability among transfer agents, real-time regulatory oversight through blockchain, and enabling investor self-custody with compliance safeguards.

Technical Analysis
Bitcoin - Bitcoin has broken the floor of the rising trend channel in the short term, which indicates a weaker initial rising rate. The currency has support at points 102400 and resistance at points 111600. Negative volume balance shows that volume is higher on days with falling prices than days with rising prices. This indicates decreasing optimism among investors. The currency is overall assessed as technically neutral for the short term.

Ethereum - Ethereum is within an approximate horizontal trend channel in the short term. This indicates that investors are uncertain and waiting for signals of further direction. A break upwards will be a positive signal, while a break downwards will be a negative signal. The currency has support at points 2490 and resistance at points 2770. Volume has previously been high at price tops and low at price bottoms. This strengthens the currency and indicates increased chance of a break up. The RSI curve shows a rising trend, which is an early signal of a possible trend reversal upwards for the price as well. The currency is overall assessed as technically neutral for the short term.