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  • Bitcoin ETF Inflows Face Selling Pressure Amid Mixed Macroeconomic Signals

    Bitcoin ETF Inflows Face Selling Pressure Amid Mixed Macroeconomic Signals

    Bitcoin’s price experienced upward pressure last week, driven by significant inflows into U.S. spot Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). However, this institutional demand was met by persistent selling pressure, including a notable sale by Strategy, which limited Bitcoin’s overall gains. Broader market conditions, influenced by U.S. labor data and Treasury yields, also contributed to the complex market dynamic.

    Institutional demand for Bitcoin via U.S. spot ETFs saw significant net inflows totaling $865.3 million across five sessions, marking the strongest weekly performance since April. These ETFs absorbed approximately 13,300 BTC during the period, more than four times the roughly 3,150 BTC newly created by the network. BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC were key contributors to this ETF activity. Demand extended beyond Bitcoin, with Ether-focused ETFs recording $243.7 million in inflows.

    This renewed demand coincided with a broader rise in risk assets, supported by easing tensions and falling oil prices. The S&P 500 increased by 3.58% for the week, while Bitcoin saw a gain of slightly over 2%. This suggests that other sources of supply continued to weigh on Bitcoin’s price.

    A significant source of this selling pressure came from Strategy, which disclosed the sale of 1,638 BTC for approximately $104.7 million. The company sold these coins at an average price of about $63,957, with proceeds earmarked for preferred dividends and a discounted share repurchase. This sale adds to a broader supply overhang visible on-chain around Bitcoin’s current trading range. An estimated 1.79 million BTC have cost bases between $62,000 and $65,000, potentially creating selling pressure as the price moves through this band.

    In the macroeconomic sphere, U.S. labor data indicated a cooling labor market. July payrolls fell by 23,000, and earlier figures were revised lower. The three-month average job gain dropped to approximately 20,000, while the unemployment rate reached 4.1% as participation declined. Initial jobless claims remained low, suggesting the labor market was cooling rather than collapsing.

    These economic signals influenced expectations for Federal Reserve policy. Futures markets lowered the probability of a September rate hike to 43.9%. Treasury yields and the dollar eased in response. However, long-term borrowing costs remained elevated, with the 30-year Treasury yield staying above 5.2% amid inflation concerns and significant government borrowing.

    The interplay between strong ETF inflows and ongoing selling pressure creates a complex market dynamic. While institutional demand is evident, the extent to which it can overcome the existing supply overhang and broader macroeconomic constraints remains a key uncertainty. The total amount of selling pressure from sources other than Strategy, the precise impact of inflation concerns on long-term yields, and whether ETF demand will sustain its strength against these headwinds are factors that may shape Bitcoin’s future trajectory. According to a recent Bitfinex Alpha report, Bitcoin could potentially break above $65,000 if ETF demand remains strong while inflation and long-term yields ease, but Bitfinex also noted that other sources of supply continued to weigh on its price.

    Broader Context

    Source materials place the factual news in this context: Cooler employment data reduced expectations for an immediate Federal Reserve rate hike, but persistent selling pressure kept the move contained.

    Why This Matters

    This market dynamic is significant because it highlights the ongoing tension between increasing institutional adoption, as evidenced by strong ETF inflows, and the persistent supply-side pressures that are currently capping Bitcoin’s price appreciation. The outcome of this balance, influenced by evolving macroeconomic conditions, will be crucial for understanding Bitcoin’s near-term price trajectory and the broader impact on digital asset markets.

  • x402 Volume Drops 93% Year-to-Date Amid AI Hype Fade

    x402 Volume Drops 93% Year-to-Date Amid AI Hype Fade

    x402 Settlement Volume Drops Sharply Amid Fading Agentic AI Hype

    Market analyst Jamie Coutts has highlighted a significant downturn in x402 daily settlement volume, reporting a 93% year-to-date decrease as a surge of activity in late 2025 has subsided. This decline stands in stark contrast to the expanding infrastructure for AI agents, suggesting that the protocol’s actual payment activity is lagging behind the optimistic projections for the agentic economy.

    Coutts shared his assessment on August 12, referencing a chart from Helios Analytics that tracks x402 settlement volume from October 2025 to July 2026. The data reveals a period of intense activity during the final quarter of 2025, with several daily peaks reaching or exceeding $800,000 and $1 million.

    However, this momentum proved unsustainable. Settlement volume experienced a steep decline after December and remained sluggish for the majority of 2026. The chart indicates a seven-day average of approximately $41,800, with the most recent provisional daily figure hovering around $28,400.

    Broader metrics echo this trend. x402 volume has fallen by 55% over the past three months and 93% year-to-date. While the one-year figure remains 358 times higher, this is largely attributed to activity commencing from a very low baseline.

    Coutts characterized these figures as a “reality check” for assertions that the agentic economy has already arrived. Nevertheless, he does not foresee the current slowdown as a permanent state. He anticipates a resurgence in agent activity, coinciding with increased adoption of agent harnesses in the fourth quarter.

    His outlook is partly supported by a recent development involving Cloudflare. On July 1, the company introduced its Monetization Gateway, a service that enables customers to charge for access to pages, APIs, datasets, and MCP tools. This new offering utilizes x402 for stablecoin settlement and manages usage measurement and settlement at the network’s edge.

    Coutts explained that this system builds upon Cloudflare’s earlier Pay Per Crawl model, which was specifically designed to charge AI bots. The new gateway, however, broadens this capability to charge any caller, including both human users and AI agents.

    The subdued settlement data emerges despite a series of advancements aimed at facilitating machine-to-machine payments. On July 14, Ripple joined the newly established x402 Foundation, hosted by the Linux Foundation, as a premier member. This group, which includes other cryptocurrency firms, oversees the protocol developed by Coinbase.

    Markus Infranger, senior vice president of RippleX, commented that “open standards like x402 help lay the foundation for trusted, interoperable machine-to-machine payments.” Ripple confirmed that its XRP Ledger already supports x402, allowing agents to conduct transactions using XRP or its RLUSD stablecoin. This capability was previewed a month prior with the release of an AI Starter Kit for building autonomous payment applications on the XRPL, developed in conjunction with t54.

    Venture capital firm a16z had previously identified x402 in December 2025, predicting that AI agents would require payments operating at internet speeds and describing programmable settlement tools as a means to make value transfer “a native network function rather than a separate operational layer.” Nearly eight months later, Coutts’ analysis indicates that the anticipated surge in activity has largely failed to materialize.

  • DeepSeek Releases V4 Pro Model, Offering Significant Cost Advantage Amidst Unverified Performance Claims

    DeepSeek Releases V4 Pro Model, Offering Significant Cost Advantage Amidst Unverified Performance Claims

    DeepSeek has quietly launched the finalized version of its V4 Pro model, identified as DeepSeek-V4-Pro-0813, updating its API pricing page without a formal announcement. This new iteration retains the existing pricing structure while incorporating updated model weights. The cost-effectiveness of this release is a key highlight, with DeepSeek V4 Pro priced at approximately $0.435 per million input tokens and $0.87 per million output tokens. This represents a substantial cost advantage compared to competitors like Fable 5, which is priced at $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens.

    Previously, a preview version of DeepSeek V4 Pro had been available since April. The model card on Hugging Face continues to describe the V4 series as a preview version, suggesting that performance scores circulated previously may have been based on this earlier, unfinished build. Crucially, no independent benchmarks of the new 0813 version have been conducted by entities outside of DeepSeek.

    DeepSeek’s internal comparisons indicate that the new V4 Pro model performs comparably to or slightly better than Fable 5 on several agent benchmarks. However, these internal results are accompanied by caveats. Two of the ten benchmarks utilized, DSBench-FullStack and DSBench-Hard, are internal test sets lacking public leaderboards for verification. Additionally, the Humanity’s Last Exam benchmark showed a more significant gap, with DeepSeek scoring 42.7 against Fable 5’s 53.3. When this specific benchmark is excluded, the average relative lead for Fable 5 across the remaining benchmarks narrows to 2.8%.

    The cost disparity between DeepSeek V4 Pro and Fable 5 is considerable. On blended rates, DeepSeek V4 Pro costs approximately $0.65 per million tokens, whereas Fable 5 is around $30 per million tokens. This approximately 46-fold difference, or a 4,600% cost advantage for DeepSeek, is a significant consideration for businesses employing AI at scale. For context, Artificial Analysis measured the cost per completed task at approximately 3 cents for DeepSeek’s V4-Flash model compared to $3.15 for Fable 5, a difference of about 105 times. Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue reportedly estimated the cost per task at around $0.04 for DeepSeek versus over $31 for Fable 5. While a specific per-task figure for the new V4 Pro-0813 is not yet available, the trend points towards a continued emphasis on cost-efficiency.

    The release of DeepSeek V4 Pro aligns with a broader trend observed among Chinese open-weights AI labs. These entities, including DeepSeek and Xiaomi, are reportedly reducing frontier AI costs by up to 99%, contrasting with the trajectory of U.S. labs. Models such as Kimi K3 have also demonstrated performance competitive with leading U.S. models at a substantially lower price point.

    DeepSeek’s model weights are MIT-licensed and accessible on Hugging Face, meaning independent performance verification is technically feasible once researchers conduct their own benchmarks. Until such independent validation is available, the significant cost advantage of DeepSeek V4 Pro remains its most verifiable and impactful feature, while its performance claims await independent confirmation.

    Why This Matters

    The materials describe a narrow update: DeepSeek quietly updated its API pricing page to reflect the release of the finished version of its DeepSeek V4 Pro model, now designated as DeepSeek-V4-Pro-0813. Nobody outside the company has independently benchmarked the DeepSeek-V4-Pro-0813 version yet.

    Broader Context

    Source materials place the factual news in this context: DeepSeek shipped the finished version of its flagship on Wednesday with no blog post and no announcement.

  • Chainlink Eyes $100 Amid Key Resistance

    Chainlink Eyes $100 Amid Key Resistance

    Chainlink (LINK) Shows Signs of Momentum Amidst Bullish Outlook

    Chainlink has seen a notable uptick in its price action, breaking free from a period of consolidation that saw it trading between approximately $8.1 and $8.5 for much of the month. The token is currently valued at $8.75, marking a roughly 4% increase in the past 24 hours. This recent surge has propelled its monthly gains to around 10%.

    Traders Anticipate Breakout

    Market participants are now closely watching for a decisive breakout that could confirm the emerging bullish structure for Chainlink.

    According to recent analysis by CryptoPatel, LINK is on the cusp of a significant price movement and could potentially reach targets as high as $100. The analyst observed that the asset is trading within a bullish order flow, which is considered one of the strongest long-term accumulation zones on its chart. A confirmed close on a higher timeframe above $10.87 could pave the way for price levels of $25, $50, and ultimately $100. Conversely, a close below $4.761 on a higher timeframe would invalidate this bullish setup. Maintaining a position above $10.87 would solidify the bullish outlook.

    The trader known as TheBoss echoed a similar sentiment, stating that LINK is “approaching a decisive point.” The analysis highlights that the weekly chart has been building a base above a long-term support zone for months, with a descending trendline now exerting pressure on the current price structure. Compared to previous assessments, the setup has matured considerably, suggesting the price is nearing a potential breakout from this trendline. The Boss identified the Relative Strength Index (RSI), Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD), and Average Directional Index (ADX) as key indicators for momentum. A clear break above the descending trendline would reinforce the bullish structure, while a loss of macro support would negate it.

    Institutional Interest and Network Developments

    Chainlink has also garnered attention from Standard Chartered, which foresees substantial long-term potential for the asset, contingent on the acceleration of tokenization growth. The bank has projected a price target of $200 for LINK by the end of 2030.

    Last week, exchange balances experienced a significant reduction as 1.26 million LINK tokens were withdrawn in a single day, a move that could potentially alleviate immediate selling pressure. This outflow coincides with several key developments across both institutional and cryptocurrency networks. Notably, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has included Chainlink among its technology providers for tokenized U.S. securities trades. Furthermore, Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) has expanded its support to encompass institutional and crypto networks such as Canton and Robinhood Chain.

    Increased Whale Activity

    Whale activity on the network has also seen a surge. In a 24-hour period, the network recorded 246 transactions exceeding $100,000, marking the highest daily level in five months. Wallets holding between 100,000 and 10 million LINK currently possess 466.31 million tokens, representing 46.57% of the total supply. Historically, the trading patterns of these large holders have closely mirrored the asset’s price movements.

  • AI Crafts Critical Zoom Exploit in One Day

    AI Crafts Critical Zoom Exploit in One Day

    AI Accelerates Discovery of Critical Zoom Vulnerabilities

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly streamlining the process of identifying significant security flaws. In a stark demonstration, a researcher has reportedly leveraged publicly available AI models to discover vulnerabilities within the video conferencing platform Zoom and construct a functional exploit in under 24 hours.

    Dubbed “Zoomsday” in a report released Tuesday by Israeli cybersecurity firm A Security, the researcher utilized fewer than 20 AI prompts to uncover weaknesses in Zoom’s annotation tool. These flaws could allow an individual within a meeting to gain control of another participant’s device without any action from the victim.

    “Once the malicious code is executing on the victim’s device, the threat actor can stealthily exfiltrate personal data, activate the microphone or camera for surveillance, or deploy additional malware,” A Security stated. “In a large conference call, this translates to a room full of potential targets accessible from a single message, leaving no one safe.”

    According to A Security, the attack was successfully tested across Zoom’s applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. The firm characterized the exploit as “nation-state-grade,” emphasizing that developing such a tool previously demanded specialized expertise, extensive time, and substantial financial investment.

    The identified vulnerabilities are cataloged as CVE-2026-53413, CVE-2026-53414, and CVE-2026-53415. CVEs serve as public identifiers for security weaknesses.

    “Exploits of this nature are essentially weapons. Governments control their export, and criminal organizations are willing to pay millions for them,” the report noted. “Acquiring such capabilities has historically necessitated nation-state infrastructure, elite teams, and months of dedicated work.”

    A Security further detailed that the exploit allows attackers to join or host meetings, target any participant, and compromise their machine with “no required action from the victim and no visual cue indicating the compromise.”

    “The attack proved effective in both directions: a compromised presenter could reach every participant, and any participant could reach the presenter,” the firm explained.

    A Security reported the initial flaw to Zoom on June 10, two days after its discovery. Zoom subsequently released patches between June 22 and July 20. However, users were still required to update their software, as Zoom’s server-side safeguards were insufficient to filter malicious messages within end-to-end encrypted meetings.

    “As detailed on our Zoom Security Bulletin page, we have already addressed this issue,” a Zoom spokesperson told Decrypt. “We consistently advise users to maintain the latest version of Zoom to benefit from our most recent features and updates.”

    This report emerges as AI tools are increasingly employed across the technology sector for bug detection, including the identification of 271 vulnerabilities in Mozilla Firefox in April and flaws within the Zcash network in May. Concurrently, AI models from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta have demonstrated the ability to bypass security measures and compromise other companies’ systems.

  • Goldman Sachs to Acquire NEOS Investments for Up to $2.25 Billion, Contingent on Targets

    Goldman Sachs to Acquire NEOS Investments for Up to $2.25 Billion, Contingent on Targets

    Goldman Sachs is set to acquire NEOS Investments, a specialist in options-based income exchange-traded funds (ETFs), in a deal valued at up to $2.25 billion, contingent on certain performance and service targets. This acquisition is expected to expand Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s offerings, particularly in the market for digital-asset ETFs.

    The transaction will integrate NEOS’s approximately $30 billion in assets under management into Goldman Sachs Asset Management. NEOS is known for its suite of options-based income ETFs, which includes products focused on Bitcoin and Ethereum. The firm’s flagship Bitcoin covered-call fund (BTCI) has garnered around $1 billion in assets since its launch, employing a strategy of selling options against Bitcoin exposure to generate monthly income.

    This move provides Goldman Sachs with a presence in the digital-asset ETF space. The acquisition is seen as a route to market compared to developing its own products organically. Goldman Sachs had previously filed for its own Bitcoin Premium ETF, a fund designed to generate income by writing options tied to spot Bitcoin ETFs.

    The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, pending regulatory approval and the satisfaction of certain performance and service targets. Upon closing, NEOS co-founders Garrett Paolella and Troy Cates are expected to join Goldman Sachs Asset Management as partners.

    Market Context: Derivative-Income ETF Growth

    The acquisition occurs as the market for derivative-income ETFs experiences growth. These ETFs have expanded to approximately $180 billion in assets, demonstrating a compound annual growth rate exceeding 70% since 2021, according to Morningstar. Cryptocurrencies are increasingly being incorporated into these yield-bearing structures, with issuers actively developing products that wrap Bitcoin and Ethereum in such strategies.

    While the announcement primarily focused on NEOS’s broader derivative-income lineup, the inclusion of its digital-asset ETFs is a component of the strategic rationale. This acquisition allows Goldman Sachs to capitalize on the demand for income-generating investment products that incorporate exposure to digital assets.

    Why This Matters

    The materials describe an update: Goldman Sachs is acquiring NEOS Investments, an ETF specialist, in a deal valued at up to $2.25 billion. The exact final value of the deal is contingent on certain performance and service targets.

  • XRP Bridge Drained by Fake Deposits

    XRP Bridge Drained by Fake Deposits

    Bridge Exploited, Nearly $202,000 in XRP Drained

    An attacker successfully drained nearly 200,000 XRP, valued at approximately $202,000, from an XRP Ledger bridge on August 9 by exploiting a vulnerability in its deposit-detection software, the project announced.

    Tx, the entity operating the bridge that connects the Tx Chain and the XRP Ledger, stated in a post on X that a software flaw caused the bridge to incorrectly record transactions as XRP deposits even when no XRP had actually been received.

    “The attacker exploited the bridge’s deposit-detection logic,” the company explained. “The bridge’s software mistakenly registered transactions that never actually delivered any XRP to the bridge as deposits, and subsequently minted bridged XRP on the Tx chain against them.”

    Tx is a layer-1 blockchain ecosystem that was launched in March, combining the Coreum blockchain with Sologenic, a tokenization and trading platform built on the XRP Ledger.

    The attacker leveraged these fraudulent deposits to create unbacked XRP on the Tx Chain. This unbacked XRP was then exchanged through the bridge for legitimate XRP.

    According to Tx, the bridge underwent multiple internal and third-party audits prior to its deployment, but the vulnerability remained undetected.

    XRPL, an independent XRP Ledger trading and analytics platform, determined that the bridge released approximately 199,916 XRP through 94 separate payments over a 97-minute period. Each transaction was authorized by 17 of the bridge’s 28 relayers, which are programs responsible for monitoring both blockchains and approving transfers.

    XRPL’s analysis indicated that the relayers misinterpreted the attacker’s self-initiated transactions as legitimate deposits. The attacker then proceeded to withdraw the resulting unbacked balances through the bridge’s standard withdrawal process.

    The analysis also refuted an initial assertion that the XRP had been siphoned off through “rippling,” an XRP Ledger feature used for transferring issued tokens across trust lines. XRPL clarified that native XRP cannot be moved via rippling.

    “A widely circulated warning attributed the incident to ‘rippling’ and an account flag that was enabled by default. However, the ledger data indicates otherwise: each of those payments was signed by the bridge’s own multisig, and native XRP is incapable of being rippled,” XRPL stated. “By examining both public chains, the actual cause is identified as a relayer that mistook the attacker’s own self-payments for deposits.”

    In a separate post on X, Reza Bashash, a principal at CoreNest Capital and co-founder of Sologenic and Coreum, detailed the attacker’s subsequent actions. He reported that the stolen XRP was converted to Ethereum, transferred to the Ethereum network via THORChain, and then sent in its entirety to the crypto mixer Tornado Cash, a move that significantly complicates tracing the funds.

    Tx confirmed that it has halted the bridge, rectified the compromised code, initiated tracing of the stolen funds, and filed a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. The company has also engaged blockchain forensics specialists and is collaborating with security partners.

    “As we pursue all available legal avenues, we are concurrently evaluating all options for rectifying the situation for affected users,” Tx stated.

    The bridge remains offline while Tx conducts a comprehensive security review. The project advised XRP holders that no action is required on their part and cautioned against any accounts or websites claiming to be able to recover the stolen funds.

    The price of XRP has shown minimal reaction to the network issues. The Ripple-linked token continues to trade around the $1 mark, with a market capitalization of approximately $64 billion, having experienced a roughly 5.5% decline over the past 30 days.

    Traders on Myriad, a prediction market developed by Decrypt’s parent company, currently anticipate that XRP will maintain its $1 price point for the remainder of the week.

  • Pi Network Surges 4% on Community Milestone

    Pi Network Surges 4% on Community Milestone

    Pi Network’s native token, after a significant downturn in recent months, has emerged as one of the top-performing cryptocurrencies today, August 12.

    Ecosystem Update Fuels Token’s Rise

    The token’s resurgence coincides with circulating rumors that the often-discussed Pi Network project has completed another ecosystem update.

    The price of the token saw a 4% increase over the past 24 hours, reaching nearly $0.09. This performance has outpaced most of the top 100 digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), and Solana (SOL). Pi Network’s market capitalization is currently just under $1 billion, positioning it as the 65th-largest cryptocurrency.

    Unclear Catalyst for Resurgence

    The exact catalyst for this rebound remains unclear. Speculation suggests the momentum may be linked to unconfirmed reports that protocol version 26 has been deployed.

    Recently, Pi Network had encouraged all mainnet node operators to complete an upgrade by August 11 to maintain network connectivity. While the Core Team has not yet released an official statement, some users on X (formerly Twitter) have claimed the upgrade is already in effect.

    User Rizo indicated that protocol v26 has been rolled out and that development is now focusing on version 27, which is expected to be the final upgrade in this series. Another X user, amrOnChain, corroborated this, stating that Testnet 2 is now officially running on protocol v26, with nodes upgraded to the latest version.

    “The final stretch is here. From v19 to v26, 8 successful upgrades completed. Only one remains before the network is fully up to date. This is the moment we’ve been building toward,” the user added.

    Potential for Further Gains Amidst Caution

    Some market observers believe PI could see further gains in the near future. X user Crypto With Gopal suggested the token has formed a large triangle pattern, with its price compressing between descending resistance and rising support, indicating tightening momentum and bulls defending lower price levels.

    The analyst predicted that a “clean breakout” above $0.10 could trigger a more substantial rally to $0.15, a level last seen at the end of May.

    However, traders and investors are advised to exercise caution, as a downward movement is also a possibility. PI has faced rejections multiple times after showing signs of upward momentum, and the prevailing bear market conditions are not conducive to significant gains.

  • Figure Lending LLC Offers Crypto-Backed Loans, Providing Liquidity Without Selling Assets

    Figure Lending LLC Offers Crypto-Backed Loans, Providing Liquidity Without Selling Assets

    Figure Lending LLC offers a service that allows individuals to borrow cash by using their cryptocurrency holdings as collateral. This product aims to provide borrowers with liquidity without the need to sell their digital assets, thereby potentially avoiding taxable events and preserving future upside.

    Understanding Crypto-Backed Loans

    The core concept behind Figure’s crypto-backed loan service is to present an alternative to selling cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Solana. By leveraging these assets as collateral, users can obtain cash loans. According to Figure Lending LLC, this approach enables borrowers to maintain ownership of their crypto while accessing funds, a feature particularly beneficial for long-term holders.

    Key Features and Terms

    Key features of Figure’s crypto-backed loans include fixed interest rates for the duration of the loan, same-day funding, and no requirement for a credit score. Loan approval is contingent on the value of the collateral. The loans offer a maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of up to 75%, meaning borrowers can potentially borrow up to 75% of the value of their pledged cryptocurrency.

    Figure Lending LLC is a licensed lender, holding NMLS ID #1717824. The company states that its crypto-backed loans carry a fixed rate for the life of the loan, ensuring consistent monthly payments regardless of market fluctuations. The maximum Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for these loans is reported as 12.62%, which includes a 1% origination fee. Specifically, interest rates are cited as 8.91% (9.999% APR) at a 50% LTV, and 11.50% (12.62% APR) for LTVs up to 75%. The repayment period for these loans is 12 months.

    A representative example provided by Figure illustrates a $10,000 loan at a 50% LTV, with an 8.91% interest rate and a 1% origination fee. This scenario results in 12 monthly payments of $74.25, with the origination fee amounting to $100.

    Liquidation Protection and Risks

    Figure also offers optional Liquidation Protection in select states. This protection is designed to safeguard against margin calls and liquidations specifically due to price declines. It is important to note that this protection applies only to price volatility and does not cover missed payments or defaults. Liquidation protection is available in states including California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Utah.

    While borrowing against crypto is generally considered non-taxable, the company emphasizes that liquidation triggers a taxable sale. This information is not tax advice, and individuals are advised to consult with a professional regarding their specific tax situation.

    Regulatory and Availability Details

    Figure Lending LLC is not authorized by the New York State Department of Financial Services for mortgage solicitation. Crypto loans are offered to U.S. borrowers by Figure Lending LLC but are not available to residents of Washington D.C., Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, or Virginia. Figure Payments Corporation, which offers cryptocurrency services, has NMLS ID 2033432 but is not licensed with the SEC or CFTC, nor is it a Member of NFA. Crypto loans are also offered through Figure Markets Credit LLC to residents of New York and international customers, with a list of excluded jurisdictions.

    Potential borrowers should be aware that system access and trade placement can be delayed or fail due to factors such as market volatility, quote delays, and system errors. The exact interest rate and terms may vary based on the application date and LTV ratio.

    Why This Matters

    The materials describe a narrow update: Figure Lending LLC provides a service where individuals can use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Solana as collateral to obtain cash loans. The exact interest rate will depend on the date of application and factors such as LTV ratio.

    Broader Context

    Source materials place the factual news in this context: The category has matured fast.

  • Perplexity AI: XRP’s Unforeseen Trajectory

    Perplexity AI: XRP’s Unforeseen Trajectory

    Perplexity AI Forecasts Significant XRP Rally, Targeting $2.20

    Perplexity AI has projected a substantial rally for XRP, predicting it could reach between $1.60 and $2.20 by the end of 2026. The artificial intelligence platform’s latest XRP Price Prediction identifies $1.75 as the most probable bullish target.

    This optimistic outlook comes as XRP currently trades at $1.0235. Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, attributes the AI’s bullish stance to anticipated legal clarity, the development of institutional products, and genuine network demand.

    Factors Driving Potential XRP Growth

    Progress in Ripple’s ongoing legal settlement is expected to diminish the “legal discount” that has long affected XRP’s valuation. Furthermore, the establishment of clearer cryptocurrency regulations in the United States would remove a significant reason for the market to price in regulatory risk.

    The launch of an XRP-specific exchange-traded fund (ETF) or other institutional products could inject fresh capital into the asset. Increased on-chain demand, evidenced by inflows into exchange wallets and treasuries, would signal that XRP is being actively utilized rather than merely traded.

    If these factors align, the $1.60-$2.20 price range could become a realistic possibility. Perplexity AI’s model places a base case scenario between $1.30 and $1.50, with $1.75 as its preferred year-end bullish target.

    Bearish Scenarios and Current Chart Weakness

    Conversely, a negative outcome from the SEC lawsuit or delays in regulatory progress could push XRP below the $1.20 support level, potentially exposing it to the $1.05-$1.15 region, which it is already trading below.

    The current chart technicals present a more challenging picture than the forecast. XRP has fallen significantly from highs above $3.00, establishing a pattern of lower highs and now hovering just above the critical $1.00 psychological mark.

    There is no clear indication of a reversal yet. The chart structure suggests a descending trend grinding towards support, with the $1.00-$0.99 area acting as an immediate floor and $1.10-$1.20 representing the first significant resistance zone.

    XRP closed the session at $1.0235, a 1.20% increase, after trading between $0.9905 and $1.0257. While this intraday recovery maintained the $1.00 level, a single positive trading day does not negate months of selling pressure.

    The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 38.94, with its signal line at 41.20. This gap indicates momentum remains tilted towards sellers, though XRP has not yet entered deeply oversold territory.

    For Perplexity AI’s $1.75 target to be tested, XRP must first break its defense of the $1.00 level and begin challenging $1.20. Only then would a sustained move towards the $1.60-$2.20 range warrant serious consideration.

    Bitcoin Hyper’s Alternative Approach

    In contrast to XRP’s reliance on institutional adoption and regulatory clarity, Bitcoin Hyper focuses on enhancing Bitcoin’s utility for faster, cheaper on-chain transactions without compromising the network’s core value.

    Bitcoin Hyper integrates Bitcoin Layer 2 infrastructure with the Solana Virtual Machine, aiming to deliver high-speed execution, low fees, and smart contract capabilities within a Bitcoin-centric ecosystem. Its Canonical Bridge facilitates the movement of BTC between Bitcoin and the Layer 2, while decentralized governance provides a pathway beyond centralized control.

    This approach offers a distinct proposition compared to simply investing in another standalone blockchain. Bitcoin Hyper’s strategy suggests that Bitcoin’s future lies not only in holding BTC but also in actively utilizing that capital.

    For investors observing the next phase of crypto expansion beyond mere price appreciation, Bitcoin Hyper’s focus on utility is a key consideration.