AAVE holds above $90 as protocol deposits rise, but retail demand weakens

Key takeaways

  • AAVE is holding above its 50-day EMA at $90.80 as its near-term recovery continues.
  • Deposits in Aave V3 on Monad increased by more than $500 million over the past month.
  • Aave V4 deposits reached a record high above $350 million.

Aave (AAVE) is extending its mild recovery on Tuesday, trading above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average at $90.80.

The recovery comes amid increased adoption of Aave’s lending protocols. Aave V3’s deployment on the Monad Layer 1 blockchain attracted more than $500 million in deposits over the past month, alongside more than $215 million in active loans.

Despite the rise in protocol activity, weak derivatives data and bearish momentum indicators continue to cloud AAVE’s price outlook.

Aave V4 deposits reach record high

Deposits in Aave V4 have surpassed $350 million, establishing a new record after increasing by more than $100 million over the past 30 days.

The growth suggests rising adoption and may be partly driven by an attractive USDC borrowing offer. Holders of cbBTC, WBTC, WETH and wstETH can reportedly access a borrowing rate of negative 0.2%.

The increase in deposits across Aave V3 on Monad and Aave V4 highlights growing use of the protocol, even as demand for the AAVE token remains subdued among retail traders.

AAVE is losing momentum in the derivatives market despite the growth in protocol deposits.

Futures open interest declined by more than 6% over the previous 24 hours to $302.15 million, according to CoinGlass. The drop reflects a contraction in the value of outstanding futures contracts and suggests traders are reducing their exposure.

AAVE’s funding rate also fell below zero to negative 0.0046%. Negative funding indicates a bearish tilt, with short-position holders paying traders holding long positions.

Meanwhile, the 24-hour long-to-short ratio declined to 0.9372, showing that active short positions outnumber longs and reinforcing the cautious market outlook.

AAVE technical outlook: Could the price fall to $70?

AAVE is hovering above $90 at the time of writing on Tuesday, maintaining a mildly constructive near-term position above its 50-day EMA at $90.80.

However, the token remains well below its 200-day EMA at $112.75, suggesting that its broader recovery potential remains limited.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator continues to decline below its signal line, reflecting persistent bearish momentum.

The Relative Strength Index stands near 49 and is trending lower while AAVE’s price forms a modest upward trend. This bearish divergence suggests that buying momentum is weakening despite the recent price recovery.

AAVE/USD 4H Chart

The 50-day EMA at $90.80 is the key immediate support level. A decisive daily close below this moving average could accelerate selling pressure and trigger a roughly 20% decline toward the June 18 low of $70.65.

The psychological $100 level represents AAVE’s first major resistance. This area sits close to the May 10 high of $103.51, creating a broader resistance zone between $100 and $103.51.

A sustained break above this region would strengthen the bullish case and could allow AAVE to target the 200-day EMA at $112.75.

The post AAVE holds above $90 as protocol deposits rise, but retail demand weakens appeared first on CoinJournal.

Bybit adds simulator, unlocks VIP crypto yields for all in Dual Asset upgrade

  • Bybit’s new simulator previews both Dual Asset settlement outcomes clearly.
  • Redesigned interface reduces steps needed to compare terms and place orders.
  • VIP-tier products with enhanced APR rates open to all users every Friday.

Bybit said on Friday that it had upgraded its Dual Asset product with a new investment simulator, a simplified interface and broader access to products carrying VIP-tier annual percentage rates.

The Dubai-based company, which describes itself as the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, said the changes are intended to make the short-term structured investment product easier to understand and use.

Bybit Dual Asset is a non-principal-protected product that allows users to set a target price for buying or selling cryptocurrency.

Investors earn APR rewards on their principal at settlement, regardless of whether the selected target price is reached.

A simulator for settlement outcomes

The main addition is a simulator that lets users preview potential outcomes before placing an order. Traders can choose a token from a searchable list, enter their investment amount and select from the available durations.

The tool displays the two possible settlement scenarios side by side in a single illustration, giving users a clearer view of the product’s possible outcomes.

A “Match My Assets” filter also highlights coins based on a user’s existing holdings.

Bybit said this feature is designed to make product selection more efficient. Users can reach the simulator by switching on “Beginner Mode” under “Choose Product Plan”.

The company has also redesigned the wider Dual Asset interface. The updated layout reduces the number of steps needed to compare product terms and place an order.

VIP products open to all on Fridays

Bybit is also expanding access to Dual Asset products previously limited to VIP customers. Every Friday, all users will be able to access selected VIP-exclusive products with enhanced APR rates without holding a VIP membership.

The weekly access window extends the higher-rate offering to a broader section of the exchange’s user base while retaining the existing product structure.

Bybit said users can earn a competitive yield when a target trade is executed, settling at the preset price while also receiving APR rewards.

The product may also allow users to buy at a lower price or sell at a higher price than through a direct trade when the target price is reached.

When the target is not triggered, users receive their principal back together with the APR rewards accrued during the investment period.

The company noted, however, that the product remains non-principal-protected and that terms, eligibility requirements and potential restrictions apply.

The post Bybit adds simulator, unlocks VIP crypto yields for all in Dual Asset upgrade appeared first on CoinJournal.

Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin as Bitmine buys 9,946 ETH

  • Ethereum gained 24% in the past month, beating Bitcoin’s 8% rise.
  • BitMine increased its holdings with a purchase of 9,946 ETH.
  • Spot Ethereum ETF inflows continue to support ETH demand.

Ethereum has extended its recent rally, outperforming Bitcoin over the past month as institutional demand continues to strengthen.

The latest boost came after BitMine Immersion Technologies announced another large Ethereum purchase, adding more ETH to its treasury and bringing its total holdings to 5,787,414 ETH.

Ethereum gains strength against Bitcoin

Ethereum has continued to outperform Bitcoin over the past month, highlighting renewed investor interest in the second-largest cryptocurrency.

The ETH/BTC ratio recently climbed to 0.03, marking its highest level in around three months.

Ethereum-Bitcoin ratio

The hike reflects Ethereum’s stronger performance relative to Bitcoin rather than a decline in Bitcoin’s price.

During the past 30 days, Ethereum gained approximately 24%, compared with Bitcoin’s increase of around 8% over the same period.

Ethereum has also maintained positive momentum across shorter timeframes.

It rose about 4% over the past 24 hours and more than 5% over the last seven days, while extending its 14-day gain to roughly 10.5%.

Despite the recent rally, Ethereum remains well below its all-time high of $4,946.05, leaving it considerably below its previous peak even after the latest advance.

BitMine expands its Ethereum treasury

BitMine Immersion Technologies has strengthened its Ethereum strategy by purchasing another 9,946 ETH over the past week.

Following the acquisition, the company now holds 5,787,414 ETH worth approximately $11.2 billion based on current market prices.

The latest purchase reinforces BitMine’s position as the largest publicly known corporate holder of Ethereum.

The company has repeatedly stated that it intends to build one of the largest long-term Ethereum treasuries, and the latest transaction moves it closer to that objective.

A key part of BitMine’s strategy is staking its Ethereum holdings rather than leaving them idle.

Around 4.92 million ETH, representing roughly 85% of its total holdings, are currently staked.

This allows the company to generate staking rewards while maintaining its long-term investment in Ethereum.

Share buybacks add to investor confidence

BitMine’s latest Ethereum purchase was accompanied by continued share repurchases.

The company bought back 6.1 million shares during the latest week after repurchasing 5.5 million shares the previous week. Both transactions form part of its authorized $4 billion share buyback program.

Following the buyback update, BitMine’s stock, trading under the ticker BMNR, gained more than 5% following the announcement, reflecting a favorable market response to both the company’s expanding Ethereum holdings and its capital management strategy.

Tom Lee points to improving Ethereum momentum

BitMine Executive Chairman Tom Lee highlighted several indicators that continue to support Ethereum’s recent performance.

According to Lee, the ETH/BTC ratio reaching a three-month high signals improving strength for Ethereum relative to Bitcoin.

He also identified the $2,000 and $2,500 price levels as key resistance zones that traders are watching as the rally continues.

Lee further noted that Ethereum has significantly outperformed Bitcoin over the past month, reinforcing the company’s decision to focus its treasury strategy on ETH rather than other digital assets.

Institutional demand has also remained a major theme in Ethereum’s recent price action.

Continued inflows into spot Ethereum ETFs have provided additional buying pressure, while large treasury purchases from companies such as BitMine have strengthened demand from institutional investors.

The post Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin as Bitmine buys 9,946 ETH appeared first on CoinJournal.

Pump.fun price climbs as BOOST buybacks absorb vesting supply

  • fun’s BOOST buybacks helped offset selling from the latest token unlock.
  • PUMP reclaimed $0.002 as daily trading volume topped $135 million.
  • Bulls are watching the $0.00210-$0.00215 resistance zone.

Pump.fun price extended its recovery this week, climbing above the $0.002 mark as buying pressure continued to outweigh concerns over a major token unlock.

The token gained more than 14% over the past 24 hours, with trading volume rising to roughly $135 million, showing that market participation remained elevated during the rally.

Notably, the price hike comes after one of the largest vesting events for the project, a development that many traders expected would trigger heavy selling.

BOOST buybacks absorbed the token unlock pressure

A key catalyst behind the latest rally has been the BOOST mechanism, which creates ongoing buying pressure for PUMP through token buybacks.

The feature has become an important part of the project’s token economy and has attracted renewed attention as the token recovered from recent lows.

But the recovery has been particularly notable because it followed a major vesting event.

Around 32.5 billion PUMP tokens allocated to investors and another 50 billion tokens allocated to the team became eligible for unlocking as part of the project’s vesting schedule.

Rather than leading to an immediate collapse in price, the market continued to absorb the additional supply.

The remaining unlocked allocations are scheduled to enter circulation gradually over the next 36 months instead of all at once.

That has shifted traders’ attention toward whether continued demand can keep pace with future releases rather than focusing solely on the initial unlock.

Technical indicators point to an improving trend

The improving price structure has also been reflected across several technical indicators.

PUMP has recovered above the Guppy Multiple Moving Average cluster, a sign that short-term momentum has strengthened.

Pump.fun token price chart

At the same time, the Supertrend indicator has turned bullish as the token attempts to break above the upper boundary of a long-term descending channel that has capped price advances for months.

PUMP price analysis

Another closely watched development is the behavior of derivatives markets.

Unlike rallies driven primarily by leverage, recent data showed that open interest declined while the token price continued to rise.

That combination suggests that spot market demand has played a larger role in supporting the recovery.

Trading activity has also accelerated significantly. Daily trading volume climbed above $135 million, while recent sessions recorded volume growth of more than 500% compared with earlier levels.

Higher participation has helped support the move as buyers pushed the token back above the psychological $0.002 level.

Market participants have also been watching the positioning of well-known Solana trader Ansem, who publicly disclosed a long position around the $0.001675 area.

The disclosure drew additional attention to PUMP during the early stages of its recovery and coincided with improving sentiment across the Solana memecoin sector.

Key PUMP price levels to watch

The next technical test lies around the $0.00210 to $0.00215 resistance zone, where previous rallies have struggled to maintain momentum.

A sustained move above that area would place the next upside targets between approximately $0.0025 and $0.0028.

On the downside, immediate support is seen between $0.00185 and $0.00190.

A deeper pullback could bring the $0.00170 area back into focus, while broader technical analysis identifies around $0.00130 as a level that would invalidate the current bullish structure.

Longer term, some market observers have pointed to $0.005 as a possible target if the current breakout develops into a sustained trend.

However, reaching that level would require continued buying pressure, further increases in trading activity, and the market’s ability to continue absorbing tokens released through the vesting schedule.

The post Pump.fun price climbs as BOOST buybacks absorb vesting supply appeared first on CoinJournal.

BitMEX sued for engineering customer liquidations to seize traders’ Bitcoin collateral

  • The lawsuit was filed the day BitMEX announced its shutdown.
  • Lawsuit alleges excess Bitcoin collateral was retained.
  • Plaintiffs claim losses totalling 622.66 BTC.

BitMEX is facing fresh legal trouble after a class-action lawsuit accused the cryptocurrency derivatives exchange of deliberately engineering customer liquidations to take possession of traders’ Bitcoin collateral.

The lawsuit was filed on the same day the company announced plans to shut down its operations, placing renewed attention on allegations surrounding its liquidation system and trading practices.

The case, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeks to recover hundreds of bitcoins that the plaintiffs claim were wrongfully taken through forced liquidations.

Lawsuit claims more than 622 Bitcoin were wrongfully seized

The lawsuit was brought by BKX Services Inc. and investor David Namdar, who allege they collectively lost 622.66 BTC because of BitMEX’s liquidation process.

According to the complaint, BKX Services lost at least 305.81 BTC, while David Namdar claims losses exceeding 316.85 BTC.

The plaintiffs argue that these losses were not the result of normal market conditions but stemmed from a liquidation system that allegedly operated in BitMEX’s favour.

The complaint accuses the exchange of intentionally triggering liquidations that enabled it to retain customers’ remaining Bitcoin collateral.

It further alleges that BitMEX profited from these liquidations instead of returning any excess collateral after positions were closed.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages and other legal remedies, arguing that the exchange’s practices caused significant financial losses over multiple trading events.

Plaintiffs challenge BitMEX’s liquidation model

At the center of the lawsuit is BitMEX’s liquidation engine, which the plaintiffs claim was designed to benefit the exchange rather than protect traders from excessive losses.

BitMEX became one of the largest crypto derivatives platforms by offering leveraged trading of up to 100x, allowing traders to control positions much larger than their deposited collateral.

While leverage can increase profits, it also raises the risk of liquidation when the market moves against a position.

The complaint alleges that traders’ positions were liquidated even when the remaining collateral exceeded the amount required to cover losses. Instead of returning the excess Bitcoin after closing the positions, the lawsuit claims BitMEX retained those funds.

The plaintiffs also allege that server outages and disruptions during periods of heightened market volatility contributed to liquidations that could have been avoided.

According to the filing, these incidents prevented some traders from managing or closing their positions before they were automatically liquidated.

The lawsuit argues that these practices allowed the exchange to accumulate customer Bitcoin through forced liquidations rather than simply covering trading losses.

Legal action coincides with BitMEX shutdown announcement

The timing of the lawsuit has drawn attention because it was filed on the same day BitMEX announced that it would cease operations.

The company said it plans to shut down on September 23, 2026, following a strategic review of its business.

As part of the closure process, customers have been advised to close open positions and withdraw their assets before operations end.

The legal action now adds another layer of uncertainty to the exchange’s final weeks of operation.

While the shutdown announcement focused on the company’s decision to wind down its business, the lawsuit raises separate allegations regarding the handling of customer funds and liquidation practices.

The claims made in the complaint have not been proven in court, and the lawsuit represents allegations brought forward by the plaintiffs.

The court proceedings will determine whether BitMEX or its related entities bear legal responsibility for the alleged losses.

The case also revives long-running scrutiny of BitMEX’s liquidation system, which has been the subject of debate within the cryptocurrency trading community for years.

As the exchange prepares to end its operations, the outcome of this lawsuit could become one of the most closely watched legal disputes involving a crypto derivatives platform and its treatment of customer collateral.

The post BitMEX sued for engineering customer liquidations to seize traders’ Bitcoin collateral appeared first on CoinJournal.