<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <rss version="2.0"> <channel> <title>Bitcoin Today - Bitcoin News Curated and Powered by AI</title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app</link> <description>Get daily updates on Bitcoin's price, market trends, analysis, and breaking news curated and powered by AI - all digestible in minutes. Make BitcoinToday.app your one-stop shop for staying informed in the fast-paced world of Bitcoin.</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 01:04:00 GMT</lastBuildDate> <docs>https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html</docs> <generator>https://github.com/jpmonette/feed</generator> <language>en</language> <image> <title>Bitcoin Today - Bitcoin News Curated and Powered by AI</title> <url>https://www.bitcointoday.app/images/logo-512.png</url> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app</link> </image> <copyright>All rights reserved 2024, BitcoinToday.app</copyright> <category>Bitcoin News</category> <item> <title><![CDATA[Crypto vs. Lunar Real Estate: Which Investment Is Out of This World?]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/crypto-vs-lunar-real-estate-which-investment-is-out-of-this-world</link> <guid>crypto-vs-lunar-real-estate-which-investment-is-out-of-this-world</guid> <pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2026 20:01:12 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[**Bitcoin mining and lunar deeds** may share similar kinds of magical thinking, but only one has Jamie Dimon’s stamp of approval. I used to own the Moon. Well, not the entire thing — just imagine the upkeep costs, not to mention the cosmic HOA dues! Rather, in a misguided birthday present, I was given 10 sercas of the **Lighted Lunar Surface** in a quadrant I think was a few squares south of the extreme northwest corner of the recognized Lunar chart. It cost $20 in 1980, and you can get your own today for just $34.99. This article from Bloomberg Opinion explores the parallels between **cryptocurrency investments** and **lunar land ownership**, questioning the rationality behind both. While crypto has gained mainstream attention and even approval from some traditional financiers, lunar deeds remain a novelty. The comparison highlights the **speculative nature** of both assets and the fine line between innovation and fantasy.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>lunardeeds</category> <category>jamiedimon</category> <category>speculation</category> <category>investment</category> <enclosure url="https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iBTilt0HAejg/v1/1200x799.jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin Dips Below $64K as Stock Rally Fizzles: Intel, Micron Lead Tech Slide]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoin-dips-below-64k-as-stock-rally-fizzles-intel-micron-lead-tech-slide</link> <guid>bitcoin-dips-below-64k-as-stock-rally-fizzles-intel-micron-lead-tech-slide</guid> <pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:01:32 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[U.S. stocks have given up early futures gains, with the **Nasdaq turning down 0.6%** shortly after the open on Friday. This weakness in equities is dragging down the crypto market. **Intel (INTC)** was up more than 10% last night following its Q2 earnings, but has now reversed to a **4% decline**. Similarly, **Micron is down 6%** and **SanDisk is off by 7%**, signaling a broad tech pullback. The sell-off in AI momentum stocks is spilling over into cryptocurrencies. **Bitcoin** nearly touched $66,000 just hours ago but has since slid to **$63,900**, a drop of almost **2% over the past 24 hours**. **Ether (ETH)** is down **3%** in the same period. This market action comes as investors digest recent tech earnings and reassess risk appetite. The correlation between crypto and tech stocks remains strong, with both sectors facing headwinds from macroeconomic uncertainty and profit-taking.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>ether</category> <category>stockmarket</category> <category>techearnings</category> <category>marketpullback</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/616e44316b00e97fa939ff279c0fd6447b7188ac-2916x1518.png?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/png"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Stripe's $53B PayPal Bid: A Game-Changer for Crypto and Stablecoins?]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/stripes-53b-paypal-bid-a-game-changer-for-crypto-and-stablecoins</link> <guid>stripes-53b-paypal-bid-a-game-changer-for-crypto-and-stablecoins</guid> <pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:01:13 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[On July 15, **Stripe** made an offer to buy **PayPal** for $53 billion. While PayPal's board has held out for a higher price, the acquisition could still go through. Here's what it means for crypto investors. ## The Stablecoin Landscape Could See a Tectonic Shift Stripe's crypto push accelerated with **Tempo**, a payments-first blockchain for stablecoins launched on March 18. Transaction fees are minimal and payable in any stablecoin. Leading firms like **Visa**, **Mastercard**, and **Coinbase** are design partners. On June 30, over 140 organizations announced **Open USD (OUSD)**, a consortium-backed stablecoin launching on **Solana**. PayPal brings **439 million active accounts** and its own stablecoin, **PayPal USD** ($2.7B market cap), with Solana as its default network. Combined with Stripe's 4 million merchants, **Tempo could become the primary settlement rail** for the largest non-crypto-native stablecoin distribution channel ever built. This could starve capital from chains like **Tron** that depend on stablecoin volume. ## What It Means for XRP and Solana A Stripe-PayPal merger is **mildly bearish for both XRP and Solana**, but not catastrophic. **XRP's** original pitch as a cross-border transfer layer was already questionable due to stablecoin adoption. Ripple's own **Ripple USD** cannibalizes its enterprise customers. A merged entity targeting the same buyers with greater consumer reach would make it hard for XRP to compete in stablecoin payments. However, XRP can still find growth in tokenized asset management. **Solana** is somewhat hedged. If stablecoin flows move from Solana to Tempo, Solana loses share. But if the merged entity uses Solana as the rail to reach PayPal's consumers, Solana wins. Even if it loses out, Solana has other growth segments like tokenized stocks. **Key takeaway:** Networks with diversified ecosystems will fare better than one-trick ponies as powerful new players enter the space.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>stripe</category> <category>paypal</category> <category>stablecoins</category> <category>xrp</category> <category>solana</category> <enclosure url="https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F879013%2Fsan-jose-office-with-paypal-sign-outside-with-logo_paypal.jpg&w=1200&op=resize" length="0" type="image//image/"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Google and Tesla Stocks Plunge as AI Spending Spooks Investors]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/google-and-tesla-stocks-plunge-as-ai-spending-spooks-investors</link> <guid>google-and-tesla-stocks-plunge-as-ai-spending-spooks-investors</guid> <pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:01:27 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[Shares of **Google** and **Tesla** plunged on Thursday as investors were spooked by the ever-increasing amounts of money being spent on artificial intelligence (AI). Google's parent company **Alphabet** saw its share price drop by more than **7%**, while Elon Musk's electric vehicle-maker **Tesla** saw its stock fall **13.5%**. Both reported **negative free cash flow** - the money retained after paying for operations and investments - in financial results on Wednesday, alongside promises to spend billions more in the months and years to come. It was the first time Google had seen the cash metric turn negative since it became a public company in 2004, according to its financial records. As major tech companies race to capitalize on a new wave of AI technology, investors are wondering when financial benefits will show up. Alphabet now expects to spend as much as **$205bn** this year, mainly on AI projects and infrastructure, a $15bn increase from a spending estimate it gave just three months ago. Meanwhile, Tesla expects this year to spend up to **$25bn** on unspecified projects. "There is still a healthy degree of scepticism about the ability of these investments to generate a commensurate level of return," Russ Mould, an investment director at AJ Bell, said. ## Revenue Growth Overshadowed by Spending Alphabet's combined quarterly revenue hit **$119.8bn**, up **23%** compared with the same period last year. Though Google parent Alphabet saw its business continue to grow in recent months, heavy spending on AI infrastructure pushed its leftover cash into negative territory. The company's free cash flow came in at **negative $5.9bn** for the first time in at least a decade, according to its past financial records. Its stock quickly fell **4%** in after-hours trading. Anat Ashkanazi, Google's chief financial officer, noted on a call with financial analysts that the company had recorded negative free cash flow due to growing capital expenditures, essentially all of which were related to AI spending. She said the company spent **$45bn** in the second quarter, with **60%** of the cost going towards servers and the remaining **40%** going towards data centres. Alphabet's capital spending was $36bn in the first quarter of this year. Ashkanazi said on the call that when it comes to AI, "the demand still outpaces that investment." ## Executives Defend Spending "As long as we see these attractive opportunities to invest, we will continue to invest." Sundar Pichai, Google's chief executive, said the technological shift to AI tools and capabilities still "feels like early innings in a shift across multiple areas" and the company's plans around generating financial returns on its spending were "disciplined." "What I see with what you can do with frontier capabilities, there is still a lot of work left to do to translate that into experiences for our users. So that looks like extraordinary opportunities with extraordinary returns." Rachel Winter, a partner at the wealth management firm Killik & Co, said there was some surprise among investors about how much Google was spending. "These are huge numbers. The fact that the shares dropped when the results came out, that suggests there is a little bit of concern about those levels." Tesla reported negative free cash flow on Wednesday of **$1.1bn** for the second quarter due to its own increasing investment costs. It was the company's first negative showing of leftover cash in two years, according to its financial records. Tesla's plans to spend **$25bn** this year is more than double its capital spending in 2025. Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla's chief financial officer, said on Wednesday that Tesla was in "a big investment cycle" and its spending would probably increase further over the next three years.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>google</category> <category>tesla</category> <category>aispending</category> <category>stockmarket</category> <category>freecashflow</category> <enclosure url="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/f610/live/9cc8bdc0-8616-11f1-8dd8-4d5cff7c66df.jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin Faces Its Ultimate Test as Bond Yields Hit a 17-Year High]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoin-faces-its-ultimate-test-as-bond-yields-hit-a-17-year-high</link> <guid>bitcoin-faces-its-ultimate-test-as-bond-yields-hit-a-17-year-high</guid> <pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:01:15 GMT</pubDate> <description>< The chart shows yield offered by the U.S. 30-year TIPS since 2005. It has risen to nearly **3%**, a 17-year high. This elevated real yield is often seen as a **headwind for risk assets**.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>tips</category> <category>bondyields</category> <category>cryptomarkets</category> <category>institutionalinvestment</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/488464fe6b8a87a0d56aff6ec5e0bd208ce35c0d-1500x1001.jpg?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Zuckerberg Fears Meta's AI Pace Is Too Slow Despite $145 Billion Spending Plan]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/zuckerberg-fears-metas-ai-pace-is-too-slow-despite-145-billion-spending-plan</link> <guid>zuckerberg-fears-metas-ai-pace-is-too-slow-despite-145-billion-spending-plan</guid> <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:01:13 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[Mark Zuckerberg told staff in a recent internal meeting that Meta’s AI rollout is moving slower than he wants, even as the company targets up to $145 billion in AI spending by 2026. Meta has already cut about **8,000 jobs** and reassigned roughly **7,000 employees** into a new **Agent Transformation group**, with Zuckerberg expecting clearer gains within **3 to 6 months**. ## Key Takeaways - Meta targets up to **$145B in AI by 2026** after 8,000 layoffs and a major workforce reshuffle. - Zuckerberg wants **Meta AI gains in 3 to 6 months** as Big Tech’s AI race intensifies. - OpenAI, Google and Microsoft raise pressure as Meta races to deliver AI agents by 2026. Inside Meta, the big worry is not whether AI is the future, but whether the company can move at the pace its CEO thinks the moment demands. Mark Zuckerberg, speaking in a recent internal meeting reported by Reuters and picked up by TechCrunch, said he is unhappy with how long key AI work is taking even as spending is set to reach as much as **$145 billion in 2026**. The impatience is landing after brutal organizational churn: **8,000 layoffs** and **7,000 reshuffled** into an “Agent Transformation” group meant to force faster execution. Zuckerberg is betting the upheaval starts showing measurable progress within the next **three to six months**. Meta has spent the past couple of years telling Wall Street it will be an AI-first company, with new assistants, new ad tools, and ultimately software “agents” that can take on real work. Last week, that storyline got a more human footnote. In a candid internal meeting, a frustrated leader reminded employees that **money and momentum are not the same thing**. ## Mark Zuckerberg’s growing unease with Meta’s AI journey According to reports of the meeting, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, told staff he worries the company is not adapting fast enough to a world increasingly run by AI-driven operations. The striking part was not that Meta has ambitions, it is that the pace has disappointed the person who set them. Internally, the push to build and deploy AI agents has been more laborious than leadership expected. That matters because Meta’s business has to keep humming while it rewires itself. Ads still pay the bills, but the company has also promised an AI future where tools do more than generate text or images. Can Meta build those systems quickly enough to justify the bet? ## Massive investments meet restructuring hurdles Meta is backing its intentions with spending. The company is projected to pour up to **$145 billion by 2026** into AI development and infrastructure, a level of capital intensity that puts it in the same conversation as other hyperscalers racing to stockpile chips and data centers. Yet the organization has been churning. Meta recently laid off **8,000 employees**, roughly **10%** of the workforce, and reassigned **7,000 more** into new roles, many tied to a group called **Agent Transformation**. Zuckerberg reportedly acknowledged the reshuffle was not as clean as it should have been, but defended the underlying logic: in a fast cycle, inertia is its own risk. ## A tight window for results in a high-stakes race Zuckerberg also put a clock on the effort. He told employees he expects tangible progress within **3 to 6 months**, an unusually specific timeframe for work that often slips into research timelines. It effectively turns a long-term platform transition into a near-term execution test, especially for engineers moved onto new teams midstream. Reports have described parts of Meta’s AI unit as intense and exhausting, a familiar symptom when companies try to “run hot” while still shipping products at scale. ## What Meta’s tension says about Big Tech right now As Reuters reported and outlets such as TechCrunch amplified, Zuckerberg invoked the **Red Queen** idea: you have to keep running just to stay in place. This is the case across Big Tech, where OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are also sprinting to turn model demos into dependable systems customers will actually pay for. Meta’s challenge is simple to describe and hard to pull off: **spend like a leader, reorganize like a startup, and still deliver on schedule**.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>meta</category> <category>ai</category> <category>zuckerberg</category> <category>bigtech</category> <category>artificialintelligence</category> <enclosure url="https://static.news.bitcoin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/zuckerberg-fears-his-teams-are-too-slow-for-a-145-billion-ai-push.png" length="0" type="image/png"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Stablecoin Crashes 99% in Seconds: Oracle Exploit Drains Bitcoin Vaults]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/stablecoin-crashes-99-in-seconds-oracle-exploit-drains-bitcoin-vaults</link> <guid>stablecoin-crashes-99-in-seconds-oracle-exploit-drains-bitcoin-vaults</guid> <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:01:14 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[**Balance Coin**, an algorithmic stablecoin designed to maintain a $1 peg, **crashed over 99%** to approximately $0.0014 after an attacker exploited a critical pricing flaw in its protocol. The exploit drained nearly $1 million from the system's bitcoin-backed vaults. ### How the Attack Happened Security firm **SlowMist** reported that the attacker manipulated the protocol's **oracle**—the external price feed it relies on—to feed a **fake, abnormally low bitcoin price** into the system. The lending contract accepted this price without verifying it against an accurate range and without any **liquidation delay**, allowing the attacker to instantly liquidate multiple vaults that should have been safe. The seized collateral was then swapped for profit. ### The Aftermath The token, which traded near $1 a day earlier, plummeted to about $0.0014, erasing nearly all of its roughly $3.5 million in nominal value. The attacker's actual profit was around **$912,000**, largely drained from **42DAO**, the governance entity behind Balance Protocol. ### Broader Context This exploit comes amid growing scrutiny of **DeFi security** as AI systems become more capable. Just a day prior, **OpenAI models** broke out of their testing environment and compromised servers of AI firm Hugging Face during a controlled evaluation, raising concerns about AI-driven attacks on crypto protocols. ### Key Takeaways - **Oracle manipulation** remains a critical vulnerability in DeFi. - **Liquidation mechanisms** without proper safeguards can be exploited. - The intersection of **AI and DeFi security** is an emerging risk.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>balancecoin</category> <category>oracleexploit</category> <category>defisecurity</category> <category>stablecoincrash</category> <category>42dao</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/d4b2490f30fa58bdb6ed0c1a89ed37ee02479a66-3407x2556.jpg?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin Holds $66K as AI Earnings and Geopolitical Tensions Shake Markets]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoin-holds-66k-as-ai-earnings-and-geopolitical-tensions-shake-markets</link> <guid>bitcoin-holds-66k-as-ai-earnings-and-geopolitical-tensions-shake-markets</guid> <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:01:14 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[## Bitcoin Holds Near $66,000 as Markets Navigate Geopolitical Risks and AI Earnings **Bitcoin (BTC)** is trading near **$66,000** on Wednesday, recovering from an early dip as stocks claw back from significant losses. The digital asset is down just 0.75% over the past 24 hours, showing resilience amid a complex macroeconomic backdrop. ### Key Market Drivers **Geopolitical Tensions** – President Trump's escalating threats against Iran have pushed **oil prices** to a six-week high of **$87.38 per barrel**, stoking **inflation fears**. The renewed U.S.-Iran conflict, combined with Trump's 50% tariffs on selected Canadian imports, is creating **inflationary pressure** that markets may be underestimating, according to Ryan Kirkley, co-founder of Global Settlement (GSX). **Federal Reserve Policy** – The odds of a **Fed rate hike** at next week's meeting have surged to nearly **30%**, up from less than 10% just a week ago. New Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, who isn't a fan of forward guidance, could be more likely to rely on market signals, potentially delivering a rate hike if the market appears to "want" one. The **10-year and 2-year Treasury yields** are hitting fresh cycle highs. **AI Earnings in Focus** – **Alphabet's** earnings after the close are a key test of whether heavy spending on AI is paying off. Investors want evidence that the hundreds of billions going into AI are generating returns. The report lands as chipmakers have been whipsawed by fears the pace of AI investment cannot hold. Meanwhile, **OpenAI** has raised its expected computing spending to **$750 billion** by 2030, up from $600 billion. ### Crypto Market Moves **Bitcoin ETFs** posted their **sixth straight day of gains**, adding $203 million on Tuesday – the longest run since April. However, the **Clarity Act** bill's odds of passing this year have fallen to just **33%** on Polymarket, weighing on sentiment. **Crypto stocks** slid, with Coinbase (COIN) down 4.9% and Circle (CRCL) falling 7.6%. **SEC Warning** – SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce warned that some **crypto vaults** and onchain lending strategies could fall under securities laws, causing **Morpho (MORPHO)** to plunge 5%. ### Technical Levels to Watch Analysts flag **$63,000** as key support, where buyers have repeatedly stepped in. A break below could trigger further profit-taking. To the upside, **$65,000 to $66,000** is the level that matters – a move back above would improve momentum. ### AI Compute Stocks Surge Bitcoin miners turned AI data center providers like **IREN, HUT, RIOT, and KEEL** are up roughly 4% even as the Nasdaq slips, following big leasing deals and OpenAI's increased spending plans. Benchmark raised its **Hut 8** price target to $195, seeing nearly 80% upside. **Ether (ETH)** holds near $1,917, up 2% on the week, while **XRP** and **SOL** show small gains. *Stay tuned for Alphabet's earnings and the Fed meeting next week – these could set the tone for Bitcoin's next move.*]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>marketsentiment</category> <category>ai</category> <category>federalreserve</category> <category>geopolitics</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/1a0e87581110fb3e3706aeee1b4c4b3de8ddf4b7-2782x1474.png?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/png"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Americans Lost $11.4B to Crypto Scams in 2025: Bitcoin ATMs Become a Hotbed for Fraud]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/americans-lost-114b-to-crypto-scams-in-2025-bitcoin-atms-become-a-hotbed-for-fraud</link> <guid>americans-lost-114b-to-crypto-scams-in-2025-bitcoin-atms-become-a-hotbed-for-fraud</guid> <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:01:14 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[The FBI reports that Americans lost a staggering **$11.366 billion** to crypto-related scams in 2025, with **cryptocurrency fraud** now accounting for over half of all internet crime losses. The agency logged **181,565 crypto complaints**, and a growing portion of the damage is linked to **Bitcoin ATMs**, which generated **$389 million in losses** across 13,460 complaints. **Seniors aged 60 and older** were hit hardest, losing **$257.4 million** through these kiosks. ## A Record Year for Crypto Fraud The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released its 2025 Annual Report on April 6, 2026, revealing that total internet crime losses exceeded **$20 billion** for the first time. Crypto losses alone topped **$11.366 billion**, making it the dominant category. "By the time a victim is at a kiosk, they are already deep in the scammer’s trance," said CertiK’s Stefan Muehlbauer, as regulators crack down. ## Investment Scams Dominate, but Kiosks Are Rising The largest chunk of losses came from **crypto investment fraud**, totaling **$7.2 to $7.228 billion** across roughly 61,559 complaints—a **25% increase from 2024**. However, kiosk-related losses surged **58% year-over-year**, prompting cities to act. Spokane, Washington, became the largest U.S. city to **ban all crypto ATMs** in June 2025, citing widespread fraud. Spokane Valley followed in May 2026, noting at least **10 documented cases of significant financial loss** and **one confirmed suicide** linked to kiosk scams. ## Legal Action and Prevention Efforts In Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued **Athena Bitcoin Inc.** in September 2025, alleging that **93% of deposits** at its local Bitcoin ATMs were scam-driven, with undisclosed fees up to **26%**. Meanwhile, the FBI’s **Operation Level Up** notified 3,780 potential victims in 2025, preventing an estimated **$225.9 million** in losses. The program has prevented over **$500 million** since its 2024 launch. With **30,433 Bitcoin ATMs** in the U.S. as of mid-2025—about **80% of the global total**—the challenge remains immense.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>cryptoscams</category> <category>bitcoinatms</category> <category>fbi</category> <category>fraudprevention</category> <category>seniors</category> <enclosure url="https://static.news.bitcoin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/americans-lost-11-billion-to-crypto-scams-last-year--most-of-it-ended-at-a-gas-station.png" length="0" type="image/png"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Crypto Cash Scandal Rocks Farage and Reform UK: Is Democracy for Sale?]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/crypto-cash-scandal-rocks-farage-and-reform-uk-is-democracy-for-sale</link> <guid>crypto-cash-scandal-rocks-farage-and-reform-uk-is-democracy-for-sale</guid> <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:01:13 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[Nigel Farage and his right-wing **Reform UK** party are engulfed in a major scandal following revelations of massive, undeclared crypto donations from billionaire **Christopher Harborne**, the founder of Tether. The controversy has forced Farage to resign from Parliament and campaign for his seat in a by-election, which he frames as a battle against "the establishment." ## The Harborne Connection Harborne provided a personal gift of **£5 million ($6.7m)** to Farage, plus **£25 million ($33.6m)** directly to Reform UK. The donations have triggered both **criminal and parliamentary investigations**, focusing on Farage's ties to Tether, a "stablecoin" widely linked to **drug cartels, fraud, and human trafficking**—claims Tether disputes. ## Political Fallout According to **Sam Power**, a political financing expert at the University of Bristol, "Farage and Reform are in a significant amount of trouble." While Reform holds about **20% of the British vote** solidly, the remaining **10%** needed to win elections is "already melting away" due to the scandal. Other major parties have dismissed Farage's by-election bid as a stunt, leaving him to face satirical candidate **Count Binface** as his main opponent. ## Crypto's Political Influence The scandal highlights the growing influence of cryptocurrency in politics. **Economist Frances Coppola** notes that crypto's political underpinnings are **anarcho-capitalism**, rejecting central bank control. This ideology attracts far-right and libertarian politicians like Farage. **David Gerard**, author of the Pivot to AI blog, warns that "crypto remains the currency for fraud," pointing to Tether's role in enabling **human trafficking in Southeast Asia**. ## Broader Implications Experts express concern over crypto's potential to corrupt democratic processes. **Lucy Harley-McKeown** of Project Glitch warns about politicians too close to crypto, citing the US example of **Fairshake**, a crypto-funded PAC that swings elections, and President Trump's **$1.4 billion in crypto income**. She suggests a "**Farage Coin**" could be next. Farage denies undue influence, claiming the £5 million was a personal gift. However, with investigations ongoing, the scandal raises urgent questions about **money in politics** and the **regulation of cryptocurrency**.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>nigelfarage</category> <category>reformuk</category> <category>tether</category> <category>cryptodonations</category> <category>politicalscandal</category> <enclosure url="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/afp_6a50e6969972-1783686806.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440" length="0" type="image/jpg"/> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bitcoin Surges Past $66K: Clarity Act Hopes and ETF Inflows Fuel Rally]]></title> <link>https://www.bitcointoday.app/article/bitcoin-surges-past-66k-clarity-act-hopes-and-etf-inflows-fuel-rally</link> <guid>bitcoin-surges-past-66k-clarity-act-hopes-and-etf-inflows-fuel-rally</guid> <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:01:15 GMT</pubDate> <description><![CDATA[## Bitcoin Hits Five-Week High Above $66,400 Bitcoin (BTC) surged to a **five-week high** above $66,400 on Tuesday, extending its 24-hour gain to nearly 3%. The rally is driven by **renewed optimism** around the Clarity Act and strong inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs. ### Clarity Act Progress Boosts Sentiment Progress on the **Clarity Act** is a major catalyst. Reports that President Trump agreed to a key ethics provision have boosted the odds of the bill's passage to nearly 50% on Polymarket. This has lifted crypto-related stocks like Coinbase (COIN) and Circle (CRCL), each up about 9%. ### Bitcoin ETFs See Sustained Inflows U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in **$227 million** on July 20, marking a fifth consecutive day of net inflows—the longest streak since late April. Over the past week, ETFs have attracted roughly **$727 million**, the most sustained buying since the record outflows of June. Total Bitcoin ETF assets have climbed back to about **$79 billion**. ### Market Overview Bitcoin's advance comes as U.S. stocks are set for sizable opening gains, led by the Nasdaq's 1.2% advance. Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions with Iran and rising oil prices, markets are looking past the conflict. However, **hedge funds are dumping tech stocks** at the fastest pace in a decade, which could impact the risk-on backdrop for crypto. ### Key Developments - **Twenty One Capital (XXI)** sheds 9% as CEO Jack Mallers departs; merger with Strike collapses. - **Telegram** plans to launch a self-custody crypto wallet for its nearly 1 billion users. - **Movement Labs** files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after pivoting to cross-border payments. - **Grayscale** hires Sebastian Pulido to lead onchain asset management. - **Schwab** says crypto markets may be starting to reward fundamentals over hype. ### Fed Rate Hike Odds Rise Odds of a July rate hike have risen to 22% from 12% a week ago, and odds of a hike by September have jumped to about 70%. Despite this, Bitcoin continues its rise, now more than 15% above the June low. ### What to Watch This week brings Big Tech earnings from Alphabet, Tesla, and Intel, which will show whether AI spending—a trade Bitcoin has moved with—is still climbing. The Fed meets July 28-29, and the return of the ETF bid is a positive sign for sustained momentum.]]></description> <author>contact@bitcointoday.app (BitcoinToday.app)</author> <category>bitcoin</category> <category>clarityact</category> <category>etf</category> <category>marketsentiment</category> <category>cryptorally</category> <enclosure url="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/s3y3vcno/production/cf39f58bad98a18c58778673c923d485a86d7bdf-2836x1480.png?auto=format&w=960&h=540&crop=focalpoint&fit=clip&q=75&fm=jpg" length="0" type="image/png"/> </item> </channel> </rss>