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With reports of US airstrikes on Iran nuclear facilities emerging on Sunday, crypto markets declined sharply amid rising geopolitical tensions, hurting demand for speculative digital assets. Despite falling to monthly lows over the weekend, and crucially below the key level of $100,000, Bitcoin has found support early in today’s session, trading +0.32% higher at around ~$101,319. US equities also trade higher, with the Dow Jones 30 rallying by +0.16, the Nasdaq 100 by +0.10%, and the S&P 500 by 0.26% respectively. Read more: Yen slides on oil supply jitters after US attack on Iran Key Takeaways from today’s session Developing tensions in the Middle East, most recently renewed by successive US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, are boosting market nervousness and a pervasive attitude of risk aversion within financial markets Despite recent developments, the reaction in today’s session remains muted, with the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil supply route, and its potential closure by Iran, being eyed by markets Bitcoin’s recent sell-off renews questions about its legitimacy as a ‘safe-haven’, showing some clear vulnerabilities to geopolitical tensions, similar to other risk assets Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Copper is experiencing an historic backwardation as traders react to rapidly falling inventories, potential US tariffs, and a pricing crisis at smelters. Spot copper traded at a $345-per-ton premium to three-month futures on Monday, the highest level since a record surge in 2021. The sharp backwardation points to a tightening supply. Backwardation occurs when the price of a near-month contract is higher than that of a longer-term contract, indicating concerns about current supply. Readily available inventories on the LME have declined about 80% this year, and now equate to less than a day of global usage. The depletion has been fueled by a global race to move copper to the US ahead of potential import levies. Tariff speculation In February, President Donald Trump directed the US Commerce Department to investigate the need for copper tariffs, with a report due within 270 days. The announcement triggered a surge in US-bound shipments as traders rushed to preempt any trade barriers. Refined copper imports to the US topped 200,000 tonnes in April, the highest monthly level in over a decade. At the same time, copper smelters in China are now so desperate to find raw material they are paying miners for converting their concentrates into refined metal. Spot treatment charges have fallen to $-45 per ton (TC) and -4.5 cents per lb (RC) level, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, amid excess smelting capacity and insufficient raw material supply. The LME last week implemented measures to curb backwardation driven by individual traders holding large front-month positions. Similar steps were recently used in the aluminum market, where Mercuria Energy Group was required to lend back a major position at a capped rate to prevent sharp near-term price spikes. However, trading data suggests the copper squeeze is more systemic. Key short-term spreads on Monday moved independently of any single large trader, indicating broader market pressure. LME rules require traders holding more than 50% of available inventories and spot contracts to lend their positions back at a capped rate via the Tom/next spread—starting at 0.5% above the spot price. On Monday, that cap would have been $49.73 per tonne. But the spread briefly surged to $69, suggesting those rules weren’t triggered and the squeeze was driven by widespread buying. The pressure extends beyond near-dated contracts, with backwardations now evident through June 2026—a sharp shift from six months ago, when short-term contracts traded at a discount, signaling comfortable supply. On the COMEX, copper for July delivery slipped 0.2% on Monday, to $4.83 per pound ($10,626 per tonne). (With files from Reuters and Bloomberg)

Metaplanet has again beefed up its Bitcoin holdings. According to the Tokyo-listed investment firm, it bought 1,111 BTC on Monday for about $118.2 million. The average price paid was roughly $106,408 per coin. Bitcoin has fallen more than 5% over the last week, trading just above $101,000. Performance Metrics Climb Higher Metaplanet’s own numbers show a quarter-to-date BTC yield of 108%, up from 96% in Q1 and a hefty 310% in Q4 2024. That metric tracks Bitcoin per fully diluted share, so it puts the firm’s strategy under a clear spotlight. Based on reports, the company gained 4,367 BTC valued at $451 million in this period, using prices from Bitflyer. Balance Sheet Swells to 11,111 BTC With the new purchase, Metaplanet’s total stash now stands at 11,111 BTC, worth just over $1.07 billion. Its cost basis for those coins sits at about $95,869 each. Metaplanet’s shares dipped 3.5% on the day of the announcement, a sign that investors may be worried about how the firm is funding its buy-ups. Funding Through Bonds And Shares Based on reports, the company has raised cash via zero-coupon bonds and equity rights since January. It issued over 210 million shares under a program it calls the “210 Million Plan.” Evo Fund has snapped up many of those bonds and rights. Between May and June 2025, Metaplanet pulled in over $300 million, earmarking every dollar for more Bitcoin. Ambitious Target Of 210,000 BTC Metaplanet has set a goal to hold 210,000 BTC by the end of 2027. That is 10 times its current pile. To reach that number, it will need to keep tapping the capital markets—and it plans to. The firm even created a dedicated Bitcoin Treasury Operations arm in December 2024, moving away from its hotel management roots. Dilution And Risk For Shareholders Metaplanet’s fully diluted share count rose to close to 760 million as of June 23. That puts its Bitcoin per 1,000 shares at 0.0146 BTC. More bonds and shares mean more dilution for existing investors. If Bitcoin’s price slips, the cost of raising money could climb, eating into any gains from the crypto itself. Metaplanet’s approach mirrors what some other big holders have done. It’s a bold stance. If Bitcoin holds up or heads higher, the firm could see big returns. But it will need to balance fresh capital raises against the risk of pushing down its own stock. For now, Metaplanet shows no sign of slowing down its Bitcoin buying. The only real question is how far this strategy can run before the bills come due. Featured image from Imagen, chart from TradingView

IAMGOLD (NYSE: IAG) (TSX: IMG) announced on Monday that the Côté Gold mine has officially achieved its nameplate capacity nearly 15 months after pouring its first gold. Shares of the Canadian miner rose to a near two-month high. The open-pit mine, located 125 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, made its first gold pour in April of 2024 and subsequently moved into commercial production in August. On Monday, IAMGOLD confirmed that the processing plant has been operating at its nameplate capacity of 36,000 tonnes per day on average over 30 consecutive days. In a press release, CEO Renaud Adams said the work to bring a gold project from first gold to the design nameplate rate within 15 months “exemplifies the commitment to excellence and accountability that is at the core of IAMGOLD.” Shares of the company surged as high as 9% to C$10.78 apiece in Toronto, the highest since mid-April. By midday, it had pulled back to around C$10.58, with a market capitalization of C$6.1 billion ($4.4 billion). Canada’s new large gold mine At full capacity, the Côté Gold mine would be one of Canada’s largest gold producers, averaging 365,000 ounces over an 18-year mine life. During its first six years of operation, gold output could reach as high as 495,000 oz. “This milestone was made possible as momentum built from March in which the Côté processing plant achieved an average monthly throughput rate of 90% of nameplate and then reached 96% over a 30-day period in April,” Adams continued. “The achievement confirms our confidence in the Côté Gold production guidance of 360,000 to 400,000 oz. on a 100% basis, with costs expected to decline through the year.” IAMGOLD currently holds a majority 70% interest in Côté Gold, with Sumitomo Metal Mining owning the other 30%.

Malian tax officials have unlocked Barrick Gold’s (NYSE: GOLD) Bamako headquarters, nearly two months after sealing the doors over an alleged multimillion-dollar tax shortfall, Reuters reported on Monday. The office will now be run by a court-appointed administrator while the Canadian miner and Mali’s junta government continue wrangling over the country’s 2023 mining code. Former health minister Soumana Makadji was named provisional administrator of the complex last week. Barrick says it will appeal both his appointment and the wider court order that put the flagship Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex under state control. Barrick’s New York-listed shares rose 2% to $21.39 in early Monday trade, valuing the company at about $37 billion. Mine still idle Loulo-Gounkoto, once delivering more than half a million ounces of gold a year, has been offline since mid-January, after officials blocked exports and seized three tonnes of bullion. Barrick argues Mali’s revised code, which raises taxes and boosts state equity, violates its existing agreements and is pursuing international arbitration. Negotiations on a compromise have stalled for 18 months, leaving hundreds of local contractors in limbo and Mali without a key source of hard-currency royalties. (With files from Reuters)

Oil prices have been trading erratically in recent weeks, following the onset of the Israel-Iran conflict which initially sent prices soaring from $64 to $76 in under a week. After consolidating near those highs, crude broke above the initial war-driven spike late last week—only to surpass that level again during an overnight gap-up to $78.43 as the US Army attacked Iranian nuclear facilities. However, the breakout was met with some selling, leading to a sharp intraday reversal. One trigger for this volatility came from Iran’s threat to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint responsible for roughly 20% of global oil flow. While the announcement stirred short-term supply concerns, market participants remain skeptical about Iran’s ability to follow through as some parts of the Strait are in Oman waters prompting a pullback. – An invasion from Iranian forces would create more conflicts for an already well-occupied IRGC army. Despite the retracement, price action remains far from bearish. Crude continues to consolidate in the upper end of its recent range, indicating sustained underlying strength amid ongoing geopolitical tension. A fresh report from Iranian media channels signalled that the retort from Iran against US Forces is only hours away. Read More: EUR/USD wavers around 1.15 as US enters the Israel-Iran Conflict close Momentum is entering the selling region with prices shy of the $75 key level and just below the War-Upwards trendline. Hourly 20 and 50 Moving Averages are acting as immediate resistance, however do not forget that amid greater volatility, Support and Resistance levels are more subject to breaks. In the meantime, Oil bulls would look to break above the two key MAs to retest the overnight highs – Prices would first need to push above the 76$ highs from the Resistance Zone. In a bearish continuation, sellers would look at the $72 zone, that acted as support in the post-spike price retraction. The support zone is in confluence with the confluence with the 1H MA 200 that caught up to the swift rise in prices. No scenario is more appealing than the other as uncertainty is still very high and prices are consolidating. In such cases, look for confirmation of your biases and breakouts beyond consolidation points. Safe Trades! Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Zenith Minerals (ASX: ZNC) has announced a substantial increase in gold resources at its 100%-owned Dulcie Far North (DFN) project in Western Australia. The mineral resource — all in the inferred category — is now estimated at 8.2 million tonnes grading 1.15 grams gold per tonne, for 302,000 oz. of gold. The contained metal is 41% higher compared to the previous resource estimate in December 2024. The resource upgrade, Zenith said, was driven by extension and infill drilling of previously defined lodes, as well as the identification of new ones. It follows the recent completion of 37 reverse circulation holes completed between February and April. “This mineral resource upgrade marks a turning point for Zenith at Dulcie,” Zenith’s managing director Andrew Smith stated, as it “confirmed the potential for a much larger system through the identification of new footwall lodes and stacked structures.” The next step for the DFN project, he added, is to conduct follow-up drilling in the third quarter to test open extensions along strike and at depth, and to further delineate the newly identified gold-bearing footwall lodes. Consolidated project According to the company, the resource update represents “a key milestone in the broader consolidation of its Dulcie gold project.” Located 400 km east of Perth, the Dulcie property comprises a contiguous group of mining leases spanning over 6 km. Zenith initially obtained the DFN mining lease in January 2023. Since then, it has more than doubled the gold resource from 150,000 oz. to over 300,000 oz. This month, the Australian explorer acquired additional subsurface rights that represent a 3 km southern extension to DFN. The new mining rights, it says, grant Zenith the exclusive rights to explore and develop mineralization from more than 8 metres below surface across the 3 km strike, directly along trend from DFN. This ground, which was partially drill-tested by Zenith in 2020–21, enhances the company’s strategic landholding, permitting framework, and development potential, the company added.

The Sunday Market Open got filled with gaps and while most of them have been tested by retracting prices, all markets are still trading at different levels compared to the Friday close. EUR/USD wasn't left out. There has been a theme of covering selling positions against the US Dollar and this surely started to take place through last week as the Dollar Index hit a 97.69 low. We have witnessed some swift changes to Mid-May and beginning-June Forex flows as Dollar selling resumed and EUR/USD went to 1.1140 to highs of 1.1610 in the same period. The US entered the Israel-Iran Conflict, and a press release from the Kremlin Spokesman came this morning saying that Saturday’s attack from the US “had increased the number of participants in the conflict and ushered in a new spiral of escalation” – More developments on this as markets see more headlines. War market flows have officially put the USD back in the conversation, therefore an analysis to spot levels of interest in the most traded forex pair amid this newfound volatility is now-due. Read More: Trading Wheat in increased volatility – Expanding trading horizons Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Ethereum has dropped 17% since Friday, breaking down from the long-standing range that held firm since early May. The sharp sell-off came after news broke of US airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, sending shockwaves across global markets and sparking panic selling in risk assets. ETH was no exception, plunging below multiple support zones before finding a temporary floor at $2,100. This level served as a critical demand area, and Ethereum has since managed to bounce, offering bulls a glimmer of hope in an otherwise uncertain market. However, the breakdown of the previous trading range indicates that momentum has clearly shifted in favor of the bears. According to top analyst Ted Pillows, Ethereum must reclaim the top of the former range to signal that the downside move was a deviation rather than a full breakdown. As investors digest the growing geopolitical risk and continue to react to macroeconomic pressures such as persistent inflation and hawkish Federal Reserve policy, Ethereum’s path forward remains uncertain. Still, the bounce from $2,100 provides a chance for bulls to reestablish control—if they can push the price back above key resistance levels in the sessions ahead. Ethereum Holds Support But Bears Still in Control Recent price action has taken a heavy toll on altcoins, with Ethereum leading the downturn as most assets fall to lower demand levels. Since reaching its early June high, Ethereum has shed over 26% of its value, now trading under intense bearish pressure. Despite the decline, bulls have managed to defend the critical $2,100 support level, providing a temporary floor in an otherwise fragile environment. Geopolitical instability—particularly the escalating conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran—continues to add volatility and risk aversion to the market. Investors remain cautious, with the broader macroeconomic backdrop dominated by high US Treasury yields, stubborn inflation, and a hawkish Federal Reserve. These factors have put additional weight on the crypto sector, especially on Ethereum, which is widely seen as the main catalyst for a potential altseason that has yet to materialize. Ted Pillows notes that Ethereum recently tested the $2,100 support and successfully bounced. However, he emphasizes that the price must reclaim the top of its previous range to regain bullish momentum. If ETH fails to break and hold above the $2,350 range low, it risks a deeper move toward the start of the previous impulse leg—or worse. The coming days will be critical for Ethereum. Reclaiming lost levels would indicate strength and possibly kick off the long-awaited altcoin rotation. But continued rejection could signal more downside ahead, with sentiment already fragile and demand still lacking. Until clarity returns, Ethereum remains in a decisive phase where every candle matters. ETH Price Analysis: Breakdown Below Key Structure Ethereum (ETH) has sharply declined, with the price now sitting around $2,248. This move marks a confirmed breakdown from the key range between $2,320 and $2,850, which had been holding since early May. The rejection from the upper resistance zone near $2,850, combined with high-volume selling, indicates clear bearish momentum. The current candle structure on the 3-day timeframe shows strong downward pressure, especially as ETH failed to hold above the 100-day and 200-day moving averages (currently at $2,638 and $2,776, respectively). These levels now act as dynamic resistance, adding more weight against any short-term bullish reversal attempts. ETH is also trading well below the 50-day moving average at $2,265, a level that has historically acted as a short-term directional signal. Unless price reclaims and consolidates above that zone, the bearish trend could continue toward the $2,000–$2,100 support cluster—an area that previously sparked buying interest during March’s recovery. Volume has spiked significantly on this drop, suggesting panic selling rather than a controlled correction. For bulls to regain control, ETH must reclaim the range low at $2,320 quickly. Otherwise, downside pressure could continue to dominate in the near term. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

The euro is showing limited gains on Monday. In the North American session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.1529, up 0.07% on the day. Eurozone PMIs show little changeEurozone PMIs showed little change in June. The Services PMI rose to 50.0 from 49.7 in May, matching the market estimate. This indicated a slight stabilization in business activity. Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Canadian miner Vizsla Silver (TSX, NYSE: VZLA) is raising about $100 million to advance the exploration, drilling and development of its flagship Panuco project in western Mexico. The stock plunged. A group of underwriters has agreed to purchase about 33.3 million common shares at $3 apiece via a bought deal, Vizsla said Monday in a statement. An over-allotment option gives the group the option to buy 15% more stock, which would boost gross proceeds to about $115 million if it was exercised in full. The offering is expected to close on or about Thursday. Canaccord Genuity is the sole bookrunner. Vancouver-based Vizsla is conducting a 10,000-metre drill program – started late last year – to test several veins in five priority targets across the Panuco district. Panuco sits in southern Sinaloa, near the city of Mazatlán. The 72-sq.-km district has more than 86 km of total vein extent, 35 km of underground mines, roads, power and permits. Vizsla is working to deliver a feasibility study for Panuco in the second half of the year. It’s targeting first production in late 2027. Panuco hosts an estimated 12.96 million measured and indicated tonnes in grading 307 grams silver per tonne, 2.49 grams gold, 0.27% lead and 0.85% zinc, Vizsla said in January. Expressed in silver-equivalent ounces, measured and indicated resources increased 43% over a January 2024 estimate, the company said. A preliminary economic assessment released last July gave Panuco a $1.1 billion after-tax net present value (at a 5% discount rate), an 86% after-tax internal rate of return and a nine-month payback period. The mine could cost $224 million to build, Vizsla said at the time. Shares of Vizsla dropped about 8.8% to C$4.15 in Toronto Monday morning, giving the company a market capitalization of about C$1.2 billion ($870 million). The stock has traded between C$2.27 and C$5 over the past year.

Bitcoin hash rate falls after United States struck nuclear facilities inside Iran. Will computing power recover or more slides expected if the Iran versus Israel war continues? On June 22, two events took place, one of which was unexpected. When the United States struck Iranian nuclear facilities, Bitcoin prices dropped as anticipated, but the accompanying collapse in the Bitcoin hash rate was unforeseen. DISCOVER: The 12+ Hottest Crypto Presales to Buy Right Now Bitcoin Hash Rate Drops Price trackers showed that BTC ▼-1.19% fell to as low as $98,500 before recovering yesterday. As with past events, whenever the world’s most valuable crypto asset declines, it drags down altcoins, including some of the top Solana meme coins. Currently, the total crypto market is down 2.4% to $3.2 trillion, per Coingecko. Although Bitcoin has recovered, trading above $101,000, the hash rate remains low and has been sliding in recent days. Presently, the Bitcoin hash rate is roughly 861 EH/s, down from 943 EH/s recorded in mid-June. While still at record highs, there was a rapid decline over the weekend, dropping from 886 EH/s on June 18 to as low as 861 EH/s by June 22. (Source) Iranian Miners Going Offline? The drop in hash rate could be attributed to miners going offline in Iran on the day the United States bombed key Iranian nuclear facilities, causing possible energy disruptions. Bitcoin mining is an energy-intensive process, and miners, possibly operating thousands of next-generation rigs, require constant access to power and reliable internet. Both were disrupted last week as Iran-Israel tensions escalated, with power and internet blackouts reported in both countries. According to Mempool, a Bitcoin mining tracker, some of the largest mining pools are in the United States. Foundry USA, for example, contributes 255 EH/s, while MARA Pool contributes 41.30 EH/s of hash rate. (Source) There are other miners from Asia and Europe. However, thousands of smaller mining pools, though not as large, still contribute hundreds of EH/s and play a critical role in securing the Bitcoin network, ensuring it remains censorship-resistant, decentralized, and highly reliable. Bitcoin Mining Is Legal In Iran Among them are mining farms and pools from Iran. Despite sanctions, the country has emerged as a leading Bitcoin mining hub, playing a significant role in the broader crypto ecosystem. The drop in hash rate over the weekend, coinciding with the bombings, strongly links Iran to Bitcoin mining, thanks to its abundant and subsidized electricity derived from fossil and even nuclear sources. This development is unsurprising. The Central Bank of Iran began issuing Bitcoin mining licenses to operators in 2019 when the practice was legalized. With sufficient BTC and operators, the country effectively circumvented U.S.-led economic sanctions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was actively involved in these mining operations, reportedly using over 2,000 MW of power daily to mine Bitcoin. By around 2021, Iran contributed 4.5% of the global Bitcoin hash rate, earning over $1 billion in annual revenue. However, by 2024, due to increasing regulations, enforcement inconsistencies, and a reportedly fragile power grid, their contribution fell to 3.1%. EXPLORE: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025 Will Hash Rate Recover? It remains to be seen whether further bombings of Iranian energy facilities will negatively impact the Bitcoin hash rate. Recovery could take time. The good news is that, although the Esfahan complex was struck, the IAEA reported no radioactive contamination, only reparable structural damage. Should there be more strikes taking rigs offline, the hash rate will likely fall further, and the network will adjust difficulty downward to maintain block processing every 10 minutes. Even so, this wouldn’t be the first time the network has faced major disruptions. The Bitcoin mining ban in China caused a big hash rate drop, but after a few months, the hash rate spiked, following the prices of some of the best cryptos to buy, to new highs. DISCOVER: Best New Cryptocurrencies to Invest in 2025 – Top New Crypto Coins Bitcoin Hash Rate Falls After U.S. Strikes In Iran Bitcoin hash rate drops from record highs Contraction coincides with U.S. strikes inside Iran Iran is a big player in Bitcoin mining Will the Bitcoin hash rate recover? The post Will Iran War Threaten Bitcoin Hash Rate? Conflict Looms Over Tehran’s Bitcoin Miners appeared first on 99Bitcoins.

In the 1870’s in Colorado, the discovery of huge amounts of silver ore in the mountains triggered a massive silver boom. Silver mining expanded significantly in the state over the next decade, and Leadville became known as the “Silver Capital of America.” Colorado mountain towns saw explosive population growth and prosperity driven by mining. However, the silver boom period slid into a bust. Changes to the global international monetary systems relating to precious metals triggered a collapse in the price of silver, which directly impacted the Colorado silver mining towns. In the 1870s, many countries, including Holland, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece, stopped minting silver coins. The United States, which had been minting silver dollars, joined those countries and went on the gold standard. The amount of silver coined internationally dropped 50% in just two years. This led to a silver price collapse at a time when production was increasingly dramatically in Colorado. Joseph Lesher, a successful Colorado miner turned mine owner, wanted to revive the local economy after the silver price decline dragged down growth. Lesher was a passionate advocate of the “Free Silver” movement, which advocated for the unlimited coinage of silver in America to expand the money supply and stimulate the economy. Lesher took action. He started a private mint and struck octagonal silver coins—known as Lesher Referendum dollars in 1900 and 1901. These coins were intended to circulate locally and stimulate demand for silver, thereby helping to reopen idle mines and restore prosperity to the region. Lesher’s minting operation was short-lived, running from late 1900 through 1901. During this period, he produced an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 pieces in total. The fascinating design of many Lesher dollars reveals their important connection to Colorado’s silver mining boom era. Some Lesher Dollars feature a magnificent depiction of Pikes Peak, the iconic Colorado Mountain. The mountain’s image symbolized the region’s mining heritage and the aspirations of those who sought fortune in its shadow. Alongside Pikes Peak, the coins often bore inscriptions such as “JOS. LESHERS REFERENDUM SILVER SOUVENIR MEDAL,” the year of issue, and the name of the merchant or town that accepted the coin as currency. Lesher Dollars are immediately recognizable by their distinctive octagonal shape and large size. The coins were hand-punched, resulting in unique variations and individual quirks for each piece. Today, Lesher Dollars are extremely rare, with just over 20 different types identified by PCGS. They are differentiated by the names of Colorado merchants and towns stamped on them. Some varieties are known by only a single surviving specimen. Their scarcity and historical importance make them highly sought after by collectors today. The post Lesher Colorado Dollars: An Intriguing Chapter in Private Mint History appeared first on Blanchard and Company.

In the 1870’s in Colorado, the discovery of huge amounts of silver ore in the mountains triggered a massive silver boom. Silver mining expanded significantly in the state over the next decade, and Leadville became known as the “Silver Capital of America.” Colorado mountain towns saw explosive population growth and prosperity driven by mining. However, the silver boom period slid into a bust. Changes to the global international monetary systems relating to precious metals triggered a collapse in the price of silver, which directly impacted the Colorado silver mining towns. In the 1870s, many countries, including Holland, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece, stopped minting silver coins. The United States, which had been minting silver dollars, joined those countries and went on the gold standard. The amount of silver coined internationally dropped 50% in just two years. This led to a silver price collapse at a time when production was increasingly dramatically in Colorado. Joseph Lesher, a successful Colorado miner turned mine owner, wanted to revive the local economy after the silver price decline dragged down growth. Lesher was a passionate advocate of the “Free Silver” movement, which advocated for the unlimited coinage of silver in America to expand the money supply and stimulate the economy. Lesher took action. He started a private mint and struck octagonal silver coins—known as Lesher Referendum dollars in 1900 and 1901. These coins were intended to circulate locally and stimulate demand for silver, thereby helping to reopen idle mines and restore prosperity to the region. Lesher’s minting operation was short-lived, running from late 1900 through 1901. During this period, he produced an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 pieces in total. The fascinating design of many Lesher dollars reveals their important connection to Colorado’s silver mining boom era. Some Lesher Dollars feature a magnificent depiction of Pikes Peak, the iconic Colorado Mountain. The mountain’s image symbolized the region’s mining heritage and the aspirations of those who sought fortune in its shadow. Alongside Pikes Peak, the coins often bore inscriptions such as “JOS. LESHERS REFERENDUM SILVER SOUVENIR MEDAL,” the year of issue, and the name of the merchant or town that accepted the coin as currency. Lesher Dollars are immediately recognizable by their distinctive octagonal shape and large size. The coins were hand-punched, resulting in unique variations and individual quirks for each piece. Today, Lesher Dollars are extremely rare, with just over 20 different types identified by PCGS. They are differentiated by the names of Colorado merchants and towns stamped on them. Some varieties are known by only a single surviving specimen. Their scarcity and historical importance make them highly sought after by collectors today. The post Lesher Colorado Dollars: An Intriguing Chapter in Private Mint History appeared first on Blanchard and Company.

The XRP price could be preparing for a historical rally, as a prominent crypto analyst has boldly predicted that the cryptocurrency could reach a fresh cycle top between $20 and $30. The forecast, which presents a massive upside for the altcoin, is based on the Elliott Wave Theory—a key technical analysis tool. XRP Wave Map Signals Cycle Top Ahead Crypto analyst, XForceGlobal on X (formerly Twitter) has presented a bold new forecast for XRP, projecting a cycle high between $20 and $30. The analyst shared a chart that dissects XRP’s price action over the last several months, suggesting that the cryptocurrency is currently in the final stages of a corrective wave before beginning a powerful multi-leg impulsive rally. If this wave count plays out as the market expert says, XRP could be on the verge of its most aggressive breakout to date. The analysis focuses on XRP’s medium-term correction, which has taken the form of a complex WXY structure. According to the chart, XRP is nearing the completion of Wave 2, a corrective phase that began after the last upward impulse. XForceGlobal has pinpointed a key Fibonacci confluence zone between $1.60 and $1.90, where XRP’s pullback is expected to find support. The chart clearly marks this area as a potential springboard for the next bullish phase, as long as the price does not fall below the $1.618 level, which serves as the invalidation point for the current setup. Despite XRP’s historical track record of sluggish performance and ongoing skepticism within the crypto community about the bullish forecast, XForceGlobal maintains confidence that the cryptocurrency will reach the ambitious $20-$30 cycle top—a move he believes could unfold well into 2026. Intermediate Targets First, Cycle High Later According to XForceGlobal’s chart, once XRP completes its current corrective move, the analyst predicts that the first leg of this upcoming rally may take the cryptocurrency past the $5 mark in Wave 3, followed by a deeper Wave 4 pullback and a final thrust into Wave 5 toward $6 or more. While these targets represent an intermediate-term bullish setup, on a macro scale, the long-term wave map implies that the whole structure could later culminate in a parabolic cycle top rally that sends XRP between $20 and possibly even $30. This optimistic outlook gains further credibility, as the analyst notes that XRP’s internal wave count for the flat scenario has taken longer to resolve than initially expected. Beyond technicals, XForceGlobal highlights that market psychology plays a central role in its bullish forecast. He notes that the XRP community has weathered regulatory battles, market crashes, and years of stagnation, most notably the US SEC lawsuit. This prolonged adversity has turned XRP holders into “battle-tested veterans” who are largely immune to fear-driven selling. This resilience, according to the analyst, could be the key to the next bullish phase of XRP’s price action.

Want to check on Bitcoin’s latest price moves? Just pop over to CoinMarketCap and… enter your wallet info? On June 20, 2025, visitors to a number of major crypto sites, including CoinTelegraph and CoinMarketCap, were prompted to connect their crypto wallets before accessing the site. The pop-up was a hack, a wallet-stealer designed to siphon information away from users. CoinMarketCap users can create accounts and connect wallets to track their portfolios, so the pop-up itself might not have seemed entirely out-of-place. Users quickly uncovered the hack, and affected sites moved rapidly to limit the damage. The incident highlights a new potential vulnerability in the growing crypto ecosystem. With such attacks, phishing can occur even on trusted platforms. What Wallet? Hacks Exploited Common Wallet Connectivity Features The incident involved the injection of malicious JavaScript code into CoinMarketCap’s homepage. When unsuspecting users visited the site, they were greeted with a realistic-looking ‘Connect Wallet to Verify’ popup, mimicking standard Web3 wallet connection prompts. Users who clicked the popup and approved the transaction gave attackers full access to their wallets. The CMC hack reportedly had 39 victims with over $18K in losses. The script was since removed, and CMC has patched the vulnerability. Cointelegraph Also Targeted Just days later, on June 23, Cointelegraph, another prominent crypto news outlet, faced a similar attack. In this case, attackers managed to compromise an ad-serving network, injecting code that produced a fake token airdrop popup promoting a nonexistent ‘Cointelegraph token’ or ‘CTG.’ The popup redirected users to a phishing site designed to harvest wallet signatures. Once again, users who interacted and signed the transaction lost access to their funds. Cointelegraph quickly issued a warning across its social media channels and disabled the malicious script. Both the CMC and CT hacks are part of a growing category of crypto hacks focused on compromising wallets. Per CertiK’s quarterly report, these attacks produce the largest losses (over $1.450M in Q1 2025 alone). Wallet compromises are not as successful as other attacks, ranking last by incident count. But when they work, hackers can make off with vast amounts quickly. Vigilance and Knowing the Warning Signs: Key to Avoid Losses Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) took to X and warned users to ‘be careful when authorizing wallet connect.’ Both the CMC and CT hacks used pop-ups, one for a simple wallet connect prompt, and one for a purported crypto airdrop. Cointelegraph’s official account also posted a warning, urging users to not click the pop-ups, connect wallets, or provide their personal information. Crypto airdrops and crypto presales are often used by legitimate projects to develop early interest and generate buzz about new projects, making such phishing attacks more convincing. Scammers create fakes in order to encourage investors to give away wallet information. The supposed project or token – in this case ‘CTG’ – never existed. How do investors stay safe? Avoiding any unexpected or unusual pop-ups, even from trust sources, is a first step. And when it comes to the crypto ICOs and presales, it’s important to get your info from trusted sources. This is where a new solution, Best Wallet, stands out. This new app is the only Web3 wallet with a presale directory where you can browse only audited, secure presale tokens. The wallet also employs Multi-Party Computation technology, protecting your key from phishing attacks and hacks. Best Wallet Token ($BEST) – The World’s First and Only Crypto Presale Wallet The evolution of crypto hacks is unfortunately part of crypto’s growing market and popularity. New Web3 solutions, like Best Wallet, are evolving to tackle these security challenges, becoming a critical part of the crypto economy. And the Best Wallet Token ($BEST) is here to power-up the Best Wallet ecosystem and provide additional perks for holders. With $BEST, token holders can trade and swap tokens more easily, participate in community governance, and earn higher staking rewards. The token also allows early access to the best crypto presales, gathered and vetted by Best Wallet in their ‘Upcoming Tokens’ section. Here, investors can find upcoming crypto projects, as well as all the key information, such as whitepapers and tokenomic, needed to do research before investing. That makes Best Wallet’s platform and token some of the handiest tools for crypto investors who want to avoid shady pop-ups and still stay ahead of the markets. Most importantly, Best Wallet is non-custodial and privacy-focused; investors control all their wallet keys and can sign up and swap crypto without KYC. The Best Wallet token presale has raised $13.5M so far, with the coin currently priced at $0.025225. Note that, given its sought-after privacy-oriented wallet, the $BEST token could reach $0.05 by the end of 2026 after a successful launch, delivering 102% returns to current investors. If you’re interested in supporting the project, now’s the right opportunity to buy the Best Wallet Token at the lowest price. Visit Best Wallet’s Token presale today. Security in the Age of Web3 The recent front-end Cointelegraph and CoinMarketCap hacks mark a dangerous new phase in crypto security threats. Unlike traditional hacking methods that target backend systems or databases, these exploits weaponize the user interface, where trust is assumed but rarely verified. Secure Web3 wallets like Best Wallet can go a long way towards mitigating such growing risks. As always, do your own research before investing or choosing a crypto service provider. This article isn’t financial advice.

The market technician known on X as Dr Cat (@DoctorCatX) has published a post that condenses years of his XRP/BTC work into one number—2,041 satoshis—and a set of time-stamped price targets that reach as high as $30 per XRP once Bitcoin hits $270,000. In the post, the analyst begins with a sharp rebuke of critics who, in his words, “pretend to be idiots just to troll” before pivoting to a rigorously structured roadmap. He breaks price action into five nested horizons—intraday, daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly—and assigns each its own decision-making role. XRP Moon Scenario: $30 Target Needs One Final Signal The crux of the argument is that monthly price candles must be read in isolation from what he calls the “noise” of the lower frames if traders want to understand where serious accumulation or distribution is taking place. “Bullish target: ~$4–4.5 (3.5 K sats on 120–130 K BTC). Very bullish target: ~$18–30 (7 K–12 K sats / 270 K BTC).” Those levels are not merely numeric goals; they are the by-product of a ratio he views as structural. A monthly close below 2,041 satoshis would, paradoxically, increase his confidence in the “very bullish” path—but only “very long term (2026+),” because such a breakdown would probably trigger what he calls a flush toward 1,800, 1,500 or even 700 sats first. Conversely, a defense of that shelf preserves a less spectacular—but cleaner—advance toward 3,500 sats (~$4–4.50 at current six-figure Bitcoin prices) and keeps alive the 7,000-to-12,000-satoshi objective for the extended cycle top. The thread’s most practical value may lie in its explanation of why no immediate weekly up-trend should be expected even in the “most bullish” scenario. Dr Cat points to classic Ichimoku conditions—Chikou Span under price, a downward-angled Kijun-sen and a bearish Tenkan/Kijun cross—arguing that history shows it can take “~26 weeks at least” for those signals to unwind. Any rally toward 2,700 sats in the next couple of months would therefore be viewed as a Kijun retest ripe for rejection rather than the start of a sustained breakout. The analyst also clarifies a point that has caused confusion among casual readers: his $270,000 Bitcoin estimate is a macro-cycle cap, not a near-term forecast. He explicitly states that he expects the current market cycle to “extend to 2026 and beyond,” which is why the loftiest XRP numbers sit at the far right of his timeline. Everything, he insists, flows from the ratio between the two assets, not from dollar-denominated targets considered in isolation. Context comes in the form of a brief exchange with a skeptic posting under the handle “Woo tard of Wall St”, who mocked the notion of a $7 XRP at 270,000 BTC. Dr Cat’s reply—delivered without diluting his language—underscores how strongly he views the time-horizon mismatch between traders who obsess over daily candles and those who plot quarterly swings. Technicians may quibble with the assumption that one static ratio can govern a three-year outlook, but the post offers a coherent, internally consistent playbook: watch the monthly close against 2,041 sats. Hold it, and the roadmap favors an eventual attack on 3,500 sats and, later, 7,000-plus. Lose it, and the pair probably capitulates before any “monster move” can emerge in the second half of the decade. Either outcome, Dr Cat argues, will resolve whether the XRP narrative of under-performance finally gives way to what would be its most spectacular out-performance against Bitcoin since 2017. For market participants seeking a single data point to anchor their risk management, 2,041 satoshis now functions as that fulcrum. Until the monthly candle prints, every tick above or below the line will feed the debate over whether XRP is coiling for a generational breakout—or simply rehearsing another round of disappointment. At press time, XRP traded at $2.01.

The Japanese yen has started the week with sharp losses. In the European session, USD/JPY has jumped 1.2% on the day and is trading at 147.82. The yen has fallen to five-week lows against the US dollar. Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Brett Reeves, Head of European Sales for BitGo – the company known for its crypto custody and security solutions, said, “This might sound very strange for a salesperson such as myself to say but don’t use one provider. Use multiple.” “Once you reach critical mass, start to diversify. We have a saying in the UK, don’t keep all your eggs in one basket. Separate them out.” He recently took to stage during the Nordic Blockchain Association on 18 June 2025 and said, “I was at Lehman Brothers when Lehman went down. I’ve been in prime brokerage for 20 years before I came into crypto. You have to have multiple people providing services to you.” Gianluca Di Meo, the UK and Nordics Sales Head at Taurus said, “I completely echo those sentiments – from the perspective of being a salesperson, and as an infrastructure provider. There’s more than one infrastructure provider necessary and even potentially different models like a self-custody model that we could facilitate or a different kind of sub-custody model.” “Traditional finance firms and banks are going to struggle a little bit. Because they are quite rigid in their ways” Furthermore, talking about adaptability, Reeves said, “If you look at traditional finance, people had to adapt to come into this space. I think, if you’re a custodian or a wallet provider in this space, you’re continually having to adapt- whether it’s new tokens or real world assets and so on. It’s an evolving model but, our companies just need to keep going through this cycle. And this is where traditional finance firms, banks, and so on are going to struggle a little bit. Because they are quite rigid in their ways, still. They are using a 1980s technology in SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) for sending assets around the world. So it is going to be harder for banks to keep up. I’m not saying they’re not going to be able to, but that’s where they may choose to use something like Zodia Custody because they just want to outsource and use a sub-custodian model to look after the digital assets.” He added, “BitGo has a slightly different approach. We can do that. But we can also do custody as service.” DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025 “You can lean on MiCA” Talking about clear regulations, reeves said, “I think Europe with Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) is one of the ones you could lean on. In the US, they’re still trying to come forward with that- a number of custodians who use trust structures over there.” Notably, BitGo received its MiCA license just last month. Adding to this, Di Meo said, “Some of the most highly regulated institutions in the world – they’ve got incredible fiscal power. Within reason they can do whatever they want. They can build whatever they want. The fundamental reason why this hasn’t proliferated through financial markets yet, and I’ll talk about crypto custody or digital asset custody, is that the regulatory picture hasn’t been there to facilitate these large institutions to actually operate. The only reason they would offer the service is if they can have complete regulatory clarity and know that when they take this service to market, they’re going to be doing so within the confines of what the regulator is comfortable with. Let’s remember again, they’ve been established for in excess of 100, maybe 200 years. From a reputational standpoint, they have a lot to lose, right? And that’s where this trust model comes in, right? If you’re an established player in the space, you want to maintain that trust, you have to comply with the regulator.” We’ve seen examples where the interpretation of MiCA has been very much that you need to rely on more than one provider in the custody space alone in order to be compliant. Explore: 99Bitcoins Exclusive: OKX Launches In Germany, Poland As Company’s Nordics General Manager Discusses MiCA Implications “BitGo and Zodia have differing approaches to what one can do as a digital asset custodian” Gerry Afentakis, Managing director Europe at Zodia custody weighed in and said, “Apart from being a custodian, the company has to do other things with those assets that involve generating a yield, borrowing, lending. You want to maybe stake, you want to trade, you want to do a variety of things. And so our approach at Zodia Custody (and there’s no right or wrong- it’s just a difference in philosophy and maybe it’s also a different commercial model), we believe that just doing the custody part is hard enough and that should be our priority.” “We happen to find ourselves in a digital asset world where things are moving really fast and where a lot of the innovation and activity happens in the unregulated space. Things are adopted and seminal evolutions are happening. We need to somehow be participating in and supporting our more regulated risk managed service to include these kind of evolutions.” “We plug in with best in class service providers who are going to do all the other little suite of services that our clients holding the digital assets want to do. And that has certain advantages,” Afentakis added. Explore: 99Bitcoins Exclusive: Zodia Markets Co-founder Nick Philpott Says, “If you wait for the regulator, you’ll have no innovation at all” The post 99Bitcoins Exclusive: BitGO Europe Head Brett Reeves Says “Don’t Use One Provider, Use Multiple” appeared first on 99Bitcoins.

How Smart Trading Bots Adapt to Shifting Market Conditions EUR/USD in Transition: How Smart Trading Bots Adapt to Shifting Market Conditions Few currency pairs respond as sharply, or as inconsistently, to shifting global narratives as EUR/USD. Over the past two years, it’s moved through cycles of breakout rallies, grinding consolidations, and policy-fueled whiplash. Traders navigating uncertainty. What worked one quarter falls flat the next. Staying consistent in that environment means more than reacting quickly. It means reading structure, spotting transitions early, and executing without hesitation. That’s where modern trading systems, from AI-driven bots to rule-based automation, have stepped in to fill the gap. A Market in Flux Throughout recent quarters, EUR/USD has gone through several phases of sharp movement and confusing stasis. The dollar surged as the Fed stuck with a hawkish tone, but that momentum didn’t hold indefinitely. Markets began pricing in peak rate expectations, followed by speculation around cuts. Meanwhile, the ECB walked a fine line, raising rates slowly while trying to keep European growth from stalling. As a result, traders saw a mix of high-volatility spikes around data releases, interspersed with sluggish consolidation. That whipsaw between movement and indecision made it tough to stay consistent. Strategies based purely on breakout indicators or lagging averages often entered too late or exited too early. The market wasn’t giving clean signals, and that’s when structure matters most. What Smarter Systems Bring to the Table In these kinds of market conditions, traders face two main problems: hesitation and overreaction. Bots don’t suffer from either. They’re programmed to act based on the strategy. Trading systems are designed for exactly that. Some prioritize pattern recognition to anticipate shifts, others rely on momentum and rule-based logic to respond decisively in real time. The goal is consistency, even when the market isn’t offering much of it. Further down, we’ll look at two such tools, each taking a different approach to adapting in this kind of environment. Pattern Recognition for the Bigger Picture Some of today’s more advanced trading systems use pattern recognition to anticipate changes in market structure. Rather than reacting to what’s already happened, these tools analyze price behavior in real time and compare it to historical formations, looking for signs that a breakout, reversal, or continuation is starting to take shape. This kind of predictive logic can be especially effective in transitional periods. When a pair like EUR/USD moves from expansion to consolidation, or from range to trend. It helps traders align with price flow early, rather than jumping in after the move is already underway. ForexVIM is one such system. It applies AI-driven pattern recognition to evaluate narrowing price action, assess breakout potential, and provide structured trade entries with minimal delay. Its design encourages discipline and timing, two qualities that are often hardest to maintain when market direction isn’t obvious. Rule-Based Precision for the Active Trader Not all systems aim to predict market behavior. Some are designed to respond with speed and structure to what’s happening in the moment. These rule-based strategies focus on identifying key technical conditions and responding the moment they appear, making them effective in fast-moving environments like EUR/USD. Instead of relying on prediction, they operate on clearly defined logic: enter when conditions align, step back when they don’t. This helps filter out noise and avoid the kind of overtrading that often comes with uncertainty. ForexIGO follows this approach. Built for MetaTrader 4, it delivers real-time execution through structured, reactive logic. It’s designed to stay out of the way when the market’s unclear, and step in when the signals are solid. Structure Outperforms Emotion in Mixed Conditions One of the main advantages bots bring to uncertain markets is that they don’t hesitate. There’s no emotional baggage. They’re not afraid to take a trade after a loss or hold back because of what the ECB president might say. They simply follow the plan, whether that means entering a breakout or skipping a setup because the momentum doesn’t meet criteria. This is especially valuable in rangebound phases, where traders often get frustrated and start taking low-quality trades. Bots don’t force entries. They wait for alignment. More importantly, they execute at the speed the market demands. In a pair as active as EUR/USD, the delay between spotting a setup and acting on it can be the difference between a profit and a missed opportunity. The Best of Both Worlds: Human Judgment + Machine Discipline No system is perfect, and automation isn’t meant to replace traders entirely. Trading bots can’t interpret macro sentiment or react to a surprise headline. But they don’t need to. Their strength is in consistent execution, something even experienced traders can struggle with during volatile periods. That’s why many traders now lean on hybrid setups. They handle the bigger-picture thinking, like reading policy shifts or timing news risk, while leaving the technical entries and risk rules to automation. This blend of insight and structure helps remove the emotional pitfalls that come with fast markets. Final Thoughts EUR/USD isn’t offering clean signals these days. Between central bank noise, shifting sentiment, and choppy price action, the market keeps traders guessing. Staying consistent in that environment takes more than instinct. When the chart’s a mess and confidence slips, structure is what keeps you steady.

Bitcoin briefly slid to $98,974 late on Sunday after US airstrikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities. That was its weakest point since early May. But by Monday morning in Asia, the leading cryptocurrency topped $101,000 again. Traders are weighing whether this was just a hiccup or the start of a fresh trend. Arthur Hayes Sees Temporary Weakness According to Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, the fall is only a short pause. On X, he wrote that “weakness shall pass” and predicted Bitcoin will “leave no doubt as to its safe haven status.” He said fresh money printing by central banks will be the main force driving prices back up. His view suggests that big dips can turn into buying chances when broader liquidity is rising. Market Dips On Geopolitical News Based on reports, it was US strikes on Iran that triggered the initial slide. The price drop happened late Sunday, pushing Bitcoin below six figures for the first time since early May. Yet buyers stepped in quickly, snapping up coins and lifting the price back above $101,000 during the first hours of trading in Asia. That pattern shows how headline shocks can spark fast moves, but also how quickly sentiment can flip. Altcoins Take A Hit Meanwhile, over the past 12 hours, most altcoins fell about 1.4%, dragging total crypto market cap down by roughly $50 billion to $3.20 trillion, according to data. Experts expect that trend to reverse once major headlines calm down. Market analysts pointed out that altcoins might start to outperform if macro risks ease. They said smaller tokens are already showing signs of strength, even as Bitcoin stalls. Key Technical Levels Hold Traders are watching two key lines: the short-term realized price at $98,000 and the trend support at $102,000. The realized price reflects the average breakeven point for holders, so it often acts like a floor. The $102,000 has capped rallies over the past weeks. As long as Bitcoin stays in that $98,000–$102,000 range, there are chances for quick rallies. But a break below $98,000 could force more focus on cutting losses. Featured image from Imagen, chart from TradingView

Overview: The US struck Iran amid subterfuge and misdirection and while damage was inflicted, it is not clear the extent to which is nuclear capability was destroyed. Now, the world waits for Tehran's retaliation. Still, gold is slightly softer and August WTI is slightly firmer. Having given up its earlier gains (to ~$78.40) it is near $74. The dollar's upside correction seen last week has extended today. The greenback is broadly higher against the G10 currencies today, led by the antipodean currencies and the yen, which are off more than 1%. The Swiss franc is faring the best (~-0.10), followed by the Canadian dollar (~-0.45%). The greenback is also firmer against nearly all the emerging market currencies. Six Fed officials speak today and another five tomorrow, including Chair Powell's semiannual testimony before Congress. Equities are mixed. In Asia Pacific nearly all the bourses fell, but Hong Kong and China. The MSCI regional index fell (~0.3%) last week, its first decline in three weeks. Europe's Stoxx 600 is off fractionally. It fell for the second consecutive week last week. US index futures are firmer. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ have a two-week decline in tow. Benchmark 10-year yields are mostly firmer today. In Japan and Europe, the 10-year rates are mostly around 1 bp higher, though Gilts are flat. The 10-year US yield is slightly firmer, near 4.38%. USD: The Dollar Index recovered from slightly below 97.70 last Monday to about 99.15 on Thursday before consolidating ahead of the weekend. It is trading firmer today near 99.30-40 in late European morning turnover. Meanwhile, the five-day average is poised to rise above the 20-day moving average. The Federal Reserve continues to downplay survey data, and that would seem to minimize the market's reaction to the preliminary June PMI due shortly. Half of a dozen Fed officials speak today, and the market will be keen to hear insight into how they are thinking about an oil shock. Chair Powell's semiannual congressional testimony begins tomorrow. At the same time, the hard data being reported has mostly surprised on the downside. The labor market continues to slow. The four-week moving average of weekly jobs claims rose to 245.5k in the week through June 13, the highest since mid-August 2023. Tariffs, anxiety about household finances, and the cooling labor market appears to be taking a toll on consumption. Retail sales fell in May to post their first back-to-back decline since the end of 2023. Industrial output declined in two of the past three months. EURO: The euro approached the 20-day moving average last Thursday (~$1.1430) and recovered to trade a cent higher before the weekend. A break of (now $~$1.1440) would signal a deeper correction that could extend another cent (or two). So far today, it has found support today near $1.1455. European central bankers seem to put more weight on the PMI. The composite rose from 48.3 last November to 50.9 in March. It fell for the past two months before steadying in June at 50.2, with a small gain in services (50.0 vs. 49.7) and an unchanged manufacturing reading (49.4). The composite seems broadly consistent with expectations that the eurozone economy likely stagnated in Q2 after a 0.6% expansion in Q1. The main drags appear to be coming from slower government spending and weaker net exports. Growth is expected to be subdued in H2 25. CNY: The PBOC has been setting the dollar's reference rate lower, but the greenback remains its trough against the offshore yuan. The 20-day moving average was near CNH7.3060 at the end of April and is now below CNH7.1885. The greenback has chopped mostly between CNH7.1650 and CNH7.2000 since earlier this month and is now near CNH7.19. The PBOC set the dollar's fix at CNY7.1695 before the weekend, the lowest in three months. By doing so, officials limit the pace at which the yuan is rising. It was raised slightly to CNY7.1710. JPY: The dollar rose through the previous day’s high every session last week and set a new high for the month ahead of the weekend JPY146.20. It soared to nearly JPY147.95 today, its highest level since mid-May when it reached roughly JPY148.65. As one would expect, the intraday momentum indicators are stretched. Japanese economy contracted by 0.2% at an annualized pace in Q1and growth in Q2 does not look like it will recoup it in full. April industrial output fell by 1.1% after rising by 1.4% in Q1. Exports rose by 0.1% in May after falling 2.7% in April. Exports fell by about 1.8% in Q1. The economic weakness and uncertainty over US tariff policy, where Japan's auto sector is bracing for a substantial blow, was sufficient to keep the Bank of Japan on the sidelines last week. The preliminary June PMI composite rose (51.4 from 50.2), the highest since February. It averaged 50.6 in Q1 and 50.9 in Q2. Of note, the manufacturing PMI rose above 50 for the first time since last May. Tensions with the US are set to rise as it apparently rebuffed US pressure to boost domestic spending to 3.5% of GDP. Japan sees to spend 2% by 2027. GBP: Sterling recovered from the pullback below $1.34 on June 19 to poke above $1.35 before the weekend. It stalled in front of the 20-day moving average (~$1.3515) and was sold to session lows near $1.3440 ahead of the weekend. It has been sold to test support near $1.3370, and a break could spur another half-cent loss initially and possibly $1.3170-$1.3200. The UK economy is weakening after it led the G7 with 0.7% quarter-over-quarter growth in Q1. The Bank of England did not cut rates last week (no surprise), but the swaps market has a nearly 80% chance of a cut at its next meeting on August 7. The UK manufacturing PMI rose for a third consecutive month to 47.7 (from 46.4). It has not been above 50 since last September. The services PMI rose to 51.3 (from 50.9). The composite edged up to 50.7 (from 50.3), its best in Q2. It averaged 50.9 in Q1 25 and Q4 24. CAD: The Canadian dollar rose to a ten-month high a week ago (~$0.7850 or CAD1.3540). Still, the Canadian dollar fell after the start of last week and begins this week with a four-day decline in tow. The settlement before the weekend was the highest since the end of May for the greenback and it settled above the 20-day moving average for the first time since May 20. The five-day moving average is crossing above the 20-day move moving average time in a month today. The US dollar is testing CAD1.3800 area. The next target is the late May have near CAD!.3865. Canada reports May CPI tomorrow. The median forecast in Bloomberg's survey anticipates a 0.5% increase, which, given the base effect, would leave the year-over-year rate at 1.7%, depending on the rounding. However, when leaving the overnight lending rate at 2.75% earlier this month, the Bank of Canada noted the firm underlying measures. That will likely draw the market's attention tomorrow. The median and trimmed core reading average a little more than 3.1% in April, the highest since Q1 24. The Bank of Canada's easing cycle began last June with the overnight lending rate at 5.0%. The swaps market has one more cut in the cycle discounted toward the end of the year. AUD: Before the weekend, the Australian dollar was turned back from almost $0.6500 and like the Canadian dollar, posted a new closing low for the month. It settled near the session loans recorded in the waning hours of last week's activity. It has been sold below $0.6400 today and reached near $0.6380 in European turnover. Nearby support is seen near last month's low (~$0.6355). Australia's composite PMI rose for the first time in three months (51.2 vs. 50.5). It has held above 50 since the end of Q3 24. The highlight of the week is the May CPI on Wednesday. The futures market has around 80% chance that the central bank will deliver its next cut at the July 8 meeting. It has two more cuts nearly fully discounted for this year. That would bring the overnight cash rate to 3.10%. The swaps market has around a 40% chance of a cut early next year to finish the easing cycle. MXN: The dollar settled (~MXN19.1745) above its 20-day moving average against the Mexican peso for the first time this month as the correction unfolds. It has extended its recovery today to about MXN19.3430 but is near MXN19.23-MXN19.25 in late European morning turnover. Mexico has a busy week of economic data, culminating with the central bank meeting on Thursday, at which many expect another half-point cut despite inflation being above the target range. April retail sales will be reported shortly, alongside the IGAE economic activity report that is similar to a monthly GDP. Retail sales rose by an average of 0.5% a month in Q1, which is the strongest quarterly performance since Q2 23. However, the economy seems fragile. The IGAE averaged a 0.29% gain in Q1 25 and fell by almost 0.50% a month in Q4 24. A 50 bp cut this week will bring the overnight cash target rate to 8.0%. The swaps market expects the terminal rate to be near 7.50%. Disclaimer

With Bitcoin precariously recovering above the $100,000 mark and altcoins bleeding momentum, traders are asking the obvious: Is the crypto bull run over? According to systematic trader Adam Bakay (@abetrade), the answer is not so clear-cut. In a detailed market breakdown posted June 22, Bakay offered a technically grounded, cautiously defensive assessment—one that acknowledges geopolitical risks but stays rooted in positioning and price structure. Is The Bitcoin Bull Run Over? “Looking at the monthly and weekly timeframes, we are still technically in an uptrend,” Bakay wrote, noting that “no key swing low was broken, and the 365-day rolling VWAP has been respected during the pullback in April.” Despite this, he admits that “the failure to make new all-time highs similar to the top in 2021” is a concern—especially given the accumulation by players like BlackRock, which now holds around 3.5% of Bitcoin’s total supply. It’s that divergence—between strong institutional interest and a market struggling to break higher—that has made Bakay more cautious in recent weeks. “This is why I have been very defensive and kept most of my trades short-term,” he said. His trading view focuses on two potential technical scenarios: either a reclaim of the $100,000 support area—“likely if the conflict in the Middle East does not further escalate”—or a dip into the $97,000–$95,000 range, where strong technical support resides in the form of the 200-day moving average, local price structure, and the 90-day rolling VWAP. Still, Bakay made it clear he’s not shorting the market. “I am not currently considering any short trades due to my current positioning,” he emphasized, adding that open interest is dropping and that we are starting to see the “first signs of clear spot bid interest since the April lows.” The options market, meanwhile, is flashing early caution: the 25-delta risk reversal skew sits around -5, not yet at panic levels, but trending more negative. Crypto Bull Run In Jeopardy On Ethereum, Bakay was notably blunt. “ETH almost had its moment, but of course had to become a disappointment,” he said. He attributes the failed breakout in part to how quickly the “DeFi Summer 2025” narrative went viral. “People are getting too horny, and market made sure to punish them,” he noted, referencing his own tweet from a few days earlier. The technical picture on ETH doesn’t inspire confidence either. “During significant market moves, like we had at the beginning of May, the last thing you want to see is price retracing throughout that area,” he explained, saying the next meaningful support lies near $1,800. On the daily chart, Ethereum is sitting right at a confluence of support—both the 90-day rolling VWAP and what he calls a “pivotal level.” Still, much like Bitcoin, Bakay sees Ethereum’s short-term fate as largely dependent on developments in the Middle East. On positioning, ETH also shows signs of an oversold environment, though Bakay believes high volatility in ETH options has caused traders to use spreads instead of outright directional bets. “Positioning is now very clearly pointing towards the possible upside reversal in both perpetual and spot,” he said. Altcoins received no reprieve. “Altcoins have not been having fun for quite a while,” Bakay wrote, pointing out that “every time it starts to look better, it will almost immediately get worse.” He notes that the expected rotation from Bitcoin into altcoins hasn’t materialized, and the real rotation now seems to be into crypto-related equities, which better reflect the ETF-driven macro trade. Even strong names like Solana are fading. “SOL has almost retraced the entire rally from April,” he warned. The key level to watch is $100. “There is not much of a technical support sub-$100,” and if “shit hits the fan,” Bakay would look to bid around that round number. Bakay also briefly touched on two newer altcoins—Hype and Fartcoin—saying one offers a solid product and the other draws interest through volatility and liquidity. “Fartcoin would become attractive if it could reclaim the $1 or $0.50 area. Hype could find a bounce sub-$30.” His closing thoughts were pragmatic: “We are not in easy market conditions, with a lot of geopolitical uncertainty, and markets can be significantly affected by a single news release.” While he believes the market may be “getting too short at the moment,” he remains highly conscious of the possibility that a multi-month correction is already in play. “I don’t think there is a need to be a hero and try to catch a falling knife,” he concluded. “I would much rather wait for some positive news and signs of lower timeframe reversals.” In essence, Bakay doesn’t call the top. But his post makes one thing clear: this is not a market for bravado. It’s a time for restraint, tight risk management, and respect for volatility—especially when the bullish case no longer has momentum on its side. At press time, BTC traded at $101,847.

Cobalt futures prices in China surged to levels last seen mid-March on Monday after the Democratic Republic of Congo extended its concentrate export ban first instituted in February. In a surprise move Congo, responsible for more than 80% of global output, stretched the export restrictions for the electric vehicle battery material by another three months taking more than 100,000 tonnes off the market over the seven month period by some estimates. The most active cobalt futures on China’s Wuxi Stainless Steel Exchange surged over 9% to 254 yuan or $35.34 per kilogram, the highest since March 14. A surge in supply from the Congo, where cobalt is a byproduct of copper mining, coupled with tepid demand from the EV market which overtook aviation and aerospace as the number one source of demand several years ago, saw cobalt prices fall to record lows in January this year on an inflation adjusted basis. CMOC Group (SHA: 603993), the top cobalt miner, told Reuters the ban won’t significantly affect operations at its Tenke Fungurume and Kisanfu mines in Congo. Earlier in June, Cobalt Holdings dropped plans for an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange, dashing investor hopes of what would’ve been the exchange’s biggest mining IPO since 2022. The company previously aimed to raise as much as $230 million through the offering and use most of the funds to buy 6,000 tonnes of physical cobalt from Glencore (LON: GLEN) at a discount. Glencore, the world’s second largest cobalt producer, declared force majeure on some cobalt deliveries days after the export suspension. Cobalt sulphate entering the EV battery supply chain in China fall to an average of just $3,556 per tonne in January, but shot up by 80% after the ban to average $6,394 in May. When Monday’s gap higher filters through to the physical sulphate market cobalt would still be trading nowhere near its peak of $19,000 a tonne in 2022. Cobalt byproduct output is also increasing in Indonesia as its nickel shipments ballooned and the DRC was said to be in talks with the Asian nation to collaborate on managing supply of cobalt including the use of quotas.

With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, many keen investors have turned to investing in crude oil, hoping for a surge due to the Strait of Hormuz being on the brink of closure. However, 30 minutes into trading, oil prices were only up by 3%. Over 20% of the world’s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, and if it is indeed closed at any point, oil prices would likely spike. Many investors are eyeing $100 per barrel, a level that hasn’t been seen since July 2022. Oil Prices Slow To React To The Ongoing Conflict In The Middle East While many were expecting oil prices to spike on opening at 6 pm ET, just 30 minutes into trading, oil was up by barely 3%, following the US military’s overnight strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday. This type of attack, coupled with the continuous threat that the Strait of Hormuz will close at any time, has led many investors to buy crude oil stocks in anticipation of a huge upside move. However, at 6:27 p.m. ET on June 22, Brent crude was trading up 3.17% at $79.45 per barrel, while the US crude benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), was trading up $3.18 at $76.19 per barrel during the early New York trading session. Previous incidents of this level have triggered far bigger moves in crude markets. A few examples include when Iran-linked militants struck Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq facility in September 2019, temporarily halting 5% of global oil output, Brent futures spiked nearly 20% in a single day, marking the largest one-day price jump in history. DISCOVER: The 12+ Hottest Crypto Presales to Buy Right Now Another such event came following the US drone strike on Iranian Military Officer Qassem Soleimani in early 2020, prices surged a around 4% amid fears of regional retaliation. Today’s lukewarm response further highlights how much more insulated markets have become from geopolitical events. The coordinated US airstrikes hit Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan overnight, inflicting visible damage on enrichment and research infrastructure. Tehran has promised retaliation, but energy markets are betting that escalation remains limited. President Trump had announced that all three nuclear sites had been completely wiped out; however, it has since come out that Fordow wasn’t destroyed, and the Iranians may have even moved the Uranium deposits before the attack. No significant move in oil prices will likely come until the Iranians decide on the Strait of Hormuz. If they decide to disrupt or close the Strait, barrels of crude oil could run toward $100, a price not seen since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Oil Not Spiking Like Many Believed As Bitcoin Reclaims $100,000 – Is BTC The WW3 Hedge? (COINGECKO) Late yesterday, Bitcoin dropped to $98,500, leading many to believe that a slide toward $80,000-85,000 was coming. However, less than two hours later, BTC quickly reclaimed $100,000, and is now trading at $101,900. This continued strength from Bitcoin, compared to Oil prices not reacting reasonably as market participants had assumed they would, is making the leading digital asset stand out as a go-to investment during this period of conflict in the Middle East. Previously, Iran and Israel entering heavy conflict against one another, with the added caveat of the US getting involved, would’ve acted as a black swan event in crypto, and Bitcoin would have crashed, dragging the rest of the market with it. However, BTC’s refusal to settle below $100,000 is incredibly bullish, which is also buoyed by BlackRock’s continuing to post positive net inflows into its Bitcoin ETF. Other asset managers, such as Fidelity, have also been experiencing healthy inflows into their own BTC ETF. Another signal that Bitcoin is the leading investment asset right now is the continued rise of BTC dominance (BTC.D), which measures its share of the total crypto market cap. As most altcoins continue to bleed and Bitcoin holds steady, BTC.D has risen from 64.8% to 65.8% in the last three days alone. (TRADINGVIEW) While the rise of BTC.D highlights the weakness in altcoins right now, it also demonstrates the strength of Bitcoin and its newfound status as a hedge on the pending war. All eyes will now be on the US TradFi markets opening today and any fresh announcement from President Trump on the US’s plans regarding the Israel/Iran conflict. There is optimism that the conflict could be drawing to a close after no reported missile attacks from Iran overnight and Israel stating they do not wish to be drawn into a war of attrition. Any news of a ceasefire or outright end to this bloody conflict in the Middle East will likely see a huge surge across the crypto market, which could catapult Bitcoin to fresh highs, finally turning the $110,000 level into support before beginning the long-awaited run toward $150,000. EXPLORE: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025 Join The 99Bitcoins News Discord Here For The Latest Market Updates The post Are Oil Prices Set to Skyrocket Over Iran-Israel Conflict: What Does This Mean For Bitcoin Price in June? appeared first on 99Bitcoins.