The 85% Breakout No One Was Watching

Hello and welcome to Crypto Intel, the twice-weekly newsletter covering the latest updates, breaking news, and exciting opportunities in the crypto world.

No breakout. No meltdown. Just quiet accumulation, tightening rules, and a few unlikely places leaning in harder than expected.

While the headlines stayed fixated on price, the real action moved beneath the surface. Flows rotated, policy lines hardened, and adoption flared where few were looking.

This wasn't driven by hype or fear. It was shaped by intent—slow, deliberate moves with long-term weight.

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Market-Moving News

It didn't come from the charts. It came from capital flow trends, global policy pivots, and grassroots signals in places often overlooked.

One region redrew the rules. Another leaned into crypto despite lacking the basics. And big money? Still moving—but in tighter, more targeted ways.

None of it made waves. But all of it pointed to the same thing: this market isn't sleeping—it's recalibrating.

Crypto Funds

Crypto ETP Inflows Near 2024 Levels Despite Market Slowdown 

Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) pulled in $17.8B in the first half of 2025—just 2.7% shy of 2024's $18.3B.

That's despite volatile markets and muted price action across major assets.

The last 11 weeks alone accounted for $16.9B of those inflows, showing aggressive institutional positioning. Weekly inflows hit $2.7B by June's end.

Bitcoin led the way with $14.9B in H1 inflows, making up 84% of the total. Ether followed with $2.9B, while XRP took third with $219M.

BlackRock dominated issuer flows, bringing in over $17B—96% of all H1 inflows. ProShares and Fidelity followed distantly with $526M and $246M, respectively.

Meanwhile, Grayscale bled nearly $1.7B as investors rotated away from legacy products. The shift suggests fee sensitivity and a preference for more flexible ETFs.

Last week, Bitcoin ETPs alone took in $2.2B, reflecting sustained demand. Ether ETPs added $429M during the same period.

For investors, this confirms the ETF market's growing maturity—even in a sideways market. The concentration in Bitcoin and BlackRock signals conviction, not hype.

For investors, these flows suggest that serious capital still sees crypto as a long-term play.

Even without breakout price action, institutions are stacking exposure—likely preparing for the next policy or macro shift.

Policy & Regulation

Hong Kong's Stablecoin Law Challenges Dollar Dominance 

Starting August 1, Hong Kong will require licenses for all fiat-referenced stablecoin issuers. The new regime sets high capital requirements and strict reserve rules.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan called stablecoins a "cost-effective alternative" aligned with Asia's move toward local currency settlement.

The timing matches China's broader de-dollarization goals.

Beijing backs the move as part of expanding offshore renminbi (CNH) usage. Hong Kong remains the world's top offshore RMB hub.

The law only allows licensed entities to issue stablecoins to retail users. Issuers must maintain reserves, segregate funds, and offer 1:1 redemption at par value.

Experts say this raises the bar beyond most jurisdictions. Analysts note capital requirements are nearly 3x higher than Singapore's.

That could deter global issuers like Circle and Tether from entering directly. Instead, expect local partnerships or professional-only access to persist.

Retail uptake may be slow due to existing payment apps. But cross-border use in trade settlements could expand as infrastructure matures.

For investors, this isn't just about stablecoins—it's a geopolitical play.

Watch for ripple effects as Asia retools payment rails and stablecoin utility shifts away from the dollar's shadow.

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Adoption & Infrastructure

Bhutan Embraces Crypto Despite Internet Gaps 

Crypto is quietly becoming part of daily life in Bhutan. From hotels to street vendors, merchants now accept Bitcoin, BNB, and stablecoins.

This adoption follows Binance Pay's May partnership with DK Bank. Nearly 1,000 merchants have signed up so far.

DK Bank president Ugy Gelephuin praised the shift, citing lower fees and better payment UX.

Local guides echoed strong interest—even among those still learning what crypto is.

King Jigme, Bhutan's monarch, has backed pro-crypto policies since 2019. The country has mined BTC using hydro energy and holds over 12,000 BTC.

In January, Bhutan unveiled plans for a strategic crypto reserve. The effort is part of its broader "Mindfulness City" economic experiment.

But there's one big issue: internet reliability. Tourists and locals report unstable WiFi and crypto payments often fail during outages.

That may soon improve, thanks to Starlink's February launch in Bhutan. Early users report promising speeds of up to 200 Mbps.

For investors, Bhutan's case shows crypto adoption isn't limited to tech giants or financial hubs.

Infrastructure still matters—but even in remote regions, digital assets are gaining traction where utility beats hype.

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Future Forward

The biggest shifts don't make noise—they slip in quietly. A minor change here, a subtle move there, and suddenly, the trend has already turned.

Miss it, and you're playing catch-up. Spot it early, and you're already ahead while the rest scramble to keep up.

Crypto Conferences:

💎 Real World Asset Summit Cannes 2025 (Jul 1, 2025)

💎 MARBLE 2025 (Jul 1, 2025)

💎 Bitcoin Alaska Conference 2025 (Jul 1, 2025)

Upcoming Airdrops:

🎁 Matchain (MAT) Airdrop (by Jul 6, 2025)

🎁 ApeX (APEX) Airdrop (Jul 15, 2025)

🎁 Nexpace (NXPC) Airdrop (May 15, 2025 - Aug 15, 2025)

Upcoming Token Launches:

🚀 Fragmetric (FRAG) TGE and Distribution (Jul 1, 2025)

🚀 TransferMole (AIPAY) TGE and Distribution (Sep 30, 2025)

🚀 DelNorte Terra Vision (DTV) TGE and Distribution (Q2 2025)

Which event are you most excited for? Let us know!

Crypto Know-How: What Is BNB Chain?

Formerly known as Binance Smart Chain, BNB Chain is a blockchain developed by Binance, one of the world's largest crypto exchanges.

It's built to process fast and cheap transactions, especially for things like trading and decentralized apps (dApps).

Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, BNB Chain uses a system called Proof of Staked Authority, which helps it run more efficiently.

This allows it to support lots of users and apps without slowing down.

BNB Chain is popular for DeFi (decentralized finance) platforms, NFT projects, and Web3 games. Developers like it because it's easy to build on and has low fees.

For users, BNB Chain offers fast trades, low costs, and access to a wide range of apps.

It's already one of the most used blockchains, but it's still evolving with frequent upgrades like the recent Maxwell fork.

Everything Else

• South Korea's central bank paused its CBDC tests as major banks push instead to issue their own won-backed stablecoins under a more favorable regulatory path.

• A trader known as "qwatio" lost $12.5M across eight liquidations in a single week, while other high-leverage whales like James Wynn made and flipped risky positions in rapid succession.

• Metaplanet purchased another $108M in Bitcoin using 0% bonds, surpassing Cleanspark as the fifth-largest corporate BTC holder and reaffirming its plan to accumulate 100,000 coins by 2026.

• Spanish police arrested five people and dismantled a $540M crypto investment fraud ring in a global sting involving Europol and authorities from four countries.

• BNB Smart Chain's Maxwell upgrade slashed block times to 0.8 seconds and introduced major performance upgrades across validator messaging and sync speed.