Best crypto presales to buy now as crypto ETF approval odds jump over 90%

  • The potential approval of multiple crypto ETFs could mark a major moment for the altcoin and meme coin space.
  • In such a scenario, projects like Bitcoin Pepe may gain from the increased visibility.
  • The project’s presale has now raised over $16.2 million. The team is expected to make a final listing annoucement on July 31.

The cryptocurrency market traded mostly lower on Tuesday, with Bitcoin hovering near the $107,000 level as traders remained cautious ahead of the July 9 US tariff deadline.

Sentiment across the market appeared mixed, with altcoins exhibiting divergent price action amid continued macroeconomic uncertainty.

Despite the near-term hesitation, Bitcoin’s broader trend remains constructive.

BTC posted a strong monthly close in June, finishing just above $107,000—its highest monthly close on record.

That followed prior monthly highs of approximately $104,600 in May and $102,450 in January, underscoring the asset’s resilience in recent months.

The broader crypto market has also found support from an improving regulatory backdrop.

Several asset managers have filed for the launch of exchange-traded funds tied to altcoins, and potential approvals could further boost investor confidence.

Such developments may offer additional momentum to early-stage tokens like Bitcoin Pepe, which stand to benefit from increased retail participation and favourable regulatory shifts.

Crypto ETF approval odds improve

The odds of spot crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) approvals have climbed to 95%, with Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Litecoin (LTC) leading the way, according to Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas.

The development comes as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prepares to rule later this week on Grayscale’s proposal to convert its Digital Large Cap Fund (GDLC) into a spot ETF.

In a post on Tuesday, Seyffart noted that the probability of spot crypto ETF approvals by the end of 2025 has risen significantly.

While XRP, SOL, and LTC are viewed as front-runners with 95% odds, other tokens such as Dogecoin (DOGE), Cardano (ADA), Polkadot (DOT), Hedera (HBAR), and Avalanche (AVAX) are each estimated at 90%.

The SEC on Monday acknowledged Grayscale’s revised S-3 filing for the GDLC conversion.

A decision on the application is expected later this week.

Bitcoin Pepe to ride the improving sentiment

The potential approval of multiple crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could mark a pivotal moment for the altcoin and meme coin segments, offering increased visibility and a measure of institutional credibility to areas of the market often seen as speculative.

This shift in perception may open the door for more technically focused projects, such as Bitcoin Pepe, to gain momentum.

Positioned as an infrastructure-driven meme coin, Bitcoin Pepe aims to “build Solana on Bitcoin” by combining Bitcoin’s base-layer security with Solana-like scalability.

The project’s technical focus sets it apart from conventional meme tokens that typically rely on community-driven hype.

To advance its Layer 2 roadmap, Bitcoin Pepe has secured partnerships with Super Meme, Catamoto, and Plena Finance.

These collaborations are intended to strengthen the project’s technical foundation and introduce practical utility for the token.

The project’s ongoing presale has raised more than $16.2 million, with BPEP tokens currently priced at $0.0437.

According to the team, listings on BitMart and MEXC are planned, with the final listing announcement expected on July 31.

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Senator Lummis proposes crypto tax amendment to major US budget bill

  • Senator Cynthia Lummis is trying to add a major crypto tax measure to Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
  • The amendment seeks to end “double taxation” on staking/mining rewards, taxing them only when sold.
  • It proposes waiving taxes on small crypto transactions below $300 (with a $5,000 annual cap).

US Senator Cynthia Lummis is making a significant push to reshape how the United States taxes cryptocurrency, seeking to insert a key crypto tax measure into the massive budget bill that underpins much of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.

The proposed amendment aims to reduce the tax burdens and complexities associated with fundamental crypto activities like staking, mining, and small-scale transactions.

Lummis officially sought on Monday to introduce her amendment into Congress’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”

The language in her proposal would, among other things, waive taxes on small crypto transactions valued below $300 (with an overall annual transaction cap of $5,000).

The crypto industry contends that this provision would eliminate a significant headache for casual users, removing the burden of calculating capital gains on minor digital asset activities and potentially encouraging broader adoption among those who have been hesitant to try crypto.

Perhaps most significantly, the amendment aims to rationalize what the industry views as an unfair tax approach to staking and mining.

Currently, miners and stakers are often taxed twice: once when they receive newly created assets or rewards, and a second time when they sell those assets.

In a post on the social media platform X on June 30, 2025, Senator Lummis championed the need for this change:

For years, miners and stakers have been taxed TWICE. Once when they receive block rewards, and again when they sell it. It’s time to stop this unfair tax treatment and ensure America is the world’s Bitcoin and Crypto Superpower. 🇺🇸

Echoing this sentiment, the Digital Chamber, a prominent US crypto lobbying group, argued on Monday that the proposed move would repair “a long overdue mistake on how these rewards are treated for tax purposes.”

“Today, staking and block rewards are taxed upon both acquisition and point of sale,” the group stated, as it urged its constituents to petition Congress for support.

Senator Lummis’ provision solves this by taxing rewards only when sold, aligning policy with actual income.

Under Lummis’s amendment, assets gained from staking, mining, airdrops, and network forks would all receive the same tax treatment, being taxed only upon their eventual sale, not at the moment of acquisition.

The amendment, which has not yet come up for a vote, also seeks to address tax issues related to crypto lending, wash sales, and charitable contributions.

It might also close the “wash-trading” loophole that lawmakers have sought to address for years.

Under current rules, crypto investors can employ a “tax-loss harvesting” strategy by strategically selling investments at a loss and then immediately re-purchasing them, a practice already prohibited for stocks and other securities.

A high-stakes legislative battle: the ‘vote-a-rama’

Senator Lummis attempted to introduce her amendment into the legislative mix during a “vote-a-rama,” an unlimited amendment process that began in the Senate on Monday morning.

The stakes for this wide-ranging budget bill are exceptionally high for congressional Republicans.

However, party leaders are facing a tough battle to keep all of their members in the ‘yes’ column, given the narrow Republican majorities in both chambers.

Democrats have united in opposition to the nearly 1,000-page legislation, taking issue with provisions such as potential cuts to Medicaid, the rollback of green energy initiatives, and other contentious aspects.

The US House of Representatives managed to narrowly pass its own version of the massive spending bill last month.

If the Senate approves a version with changes, the bill would have to return to the House for another vote.

An analysis of the measure concluded that its provisions could add more than $3 trillion to the US budget deficit, a figure that has caused significant concern among fiscal conservatives and market observers.

The fate of Lummis’s crypto amendment, and the “Big Beautiful Bill” itself, remains uncertain as lawmakers continue to navigate these complex political and fiscal challenges.

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Katana mainnet launch nears as pre-deposit closes with $200M in active deposits

  • Katana mainnet launch is around the corner after over $200 million in productive DeFi deposits.
  • Katana’s VaultBridge and CoL mechanisms will power yield and liquidity efficiency.
  • Katana supports cross-chain assets like SOL, XRP, and SUI on-chain.

Katana, a new DeFi-centric layer-2 blockchain built on Ethereum, has people on tentacles amid its highly anticipated mainnet launch after drawing more than $200 million in active deposits and setting a new benchmark for liquidity-focused networks this year.

The launch, which comes just weeks after Katana’s public reveal, is causing excitement across the crypto community due to its impressive capital inflow and unique design, positioning it as one of the most significant L2 rollouts of 2025.

According to the Katana Foundation, the network is engineered to deliver scalable, high-yield decentralised finance applications while tackling long-standing liquidity inefficiencies in the Ethereum ecosystem.

A launch powered by liquidity

Katana has accumulated over $200 million in productive total value locked, a term the protocol uses to describe capital actively deployed in yield-generating strategies.

This approach marks a significant departure from traditional DeFi metrics, which often include idle capital when reporting TVL, thereby overestimating real usage.

The protocol’s growth was accelerated by strong pre-deposit activity, which climbed from $75 million in early June to over $232 million by launch day, highlighting a surge in user interest and institutional curiosity.

At its core, Katana promises to transform how capital flows across DeFi by integrating a variety of yield sources directly into its architecture rather than relying solely on token incentives.

DeFi tools built for efficiency

Katana’s infrastructure includes two standout mechanisms: VaultBridge and Chain-owned Liquidity (COL), both of which are designed to convert idle assets into revenue-generating positions.

VaultBridge allows bridged assets like ETH, USDC, USDT, and wBTC to be deployed into off-chain yield-bearing strategies on Ethereum, before routing the returns back into Katana’s native DeFi pools.

This setup ensures that user assets do not remain static but are constantly cycled through revenue-generating avenues, thereby increasing capital efficiency across the platform.

Meanwhile, Katana’s Chain-owned Liquidity model recycles 100% of its sequencer fees into its own liquidity reserves, creating a self-sustaining liquidity loop.

These innovations aim to reduce dependence on unsustainable token emissions while ensuring users benefit from deeper liquidity and better pricing execution.

Partnerships and cross-chain access

In addition to its Ethereum-native features, Katana’s cross-chain capabilities allow users to interact with assets outside of the EVM universe, including SOL, XRP, and SUI, which are tradable on-chain through its launch partner, Universal.

Universal has also integrated with Coinbase Prime to offer institutional-grade custody and minting services, eliminating the need for pre-seeded liquidity on decentralised exchanges.

This move signals Katana’s ambition to become a cross-chain liquidity hub while still leveraging Ethereum’s robust security and composability.

The platform also integrates with major DeFi players like decentralised exchange Sushi and lending protocol Morpho, extending its utility across the broader DeFi ecosystem.

Incentives aligned with growth

To attract early adopters, Katana has launched a series of incentives, including randomised NFT loot boxes known as “Krates” and a distribution of 70 million KAT tokens to early liquidity providers.

Additionally, roughly 15% of Katana’s total KAT token supply has been set aside for an airdrop to Polygon token stakers, including holders of liquid staking derivatives.

These incentives aim to reward early engagement while tying Katana’s success to the broader modular Ethereum landscape, particularly through its relationship with Polygon’s Agglayer ecosystem.

Speaking to Cointelegraph, Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron noted that Katana’s design prioritises active capital deployment, sustainable fee capture, and long-term DeFi growth.

He emphasised that Katana does not just aggregate liquidity—it puts that liquidity to work in ways that enhance usage, deepen pools, and sustain user incentives.

With its emphasis on “productive TVL” and built-in yield mechanics, Katana presents a different blueprint for DeFi infrastructure—one that moves beyond hype and embraces sustainable economics.

As traders and institutions seek deeper liquidity, higher yields, and safer on-chain experiences, Katana’s mainnet debut may serve as a turning point in how DeFi platforms are designed, evaluated, and adopted.

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XRP price outlook as Ripple drops cross appeal

  • Ripple nears end of legal battle, refocuses on XRP utility and growth.
  • XRP eyes a breakout above $2.30 as technical pressure builds.
  • XRP ETF hopes and EVM tools are boosting institutional and DeFi interest.

Ripple’s legal saga with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) appears to be entering its final chapter, and XRP’s market is already reacting.

With Ripple dropping its cross appeal, and the SEC expected to follow suit, attention is shifting back to innovation, infrastructure, and price action.

Notably, this legal development is being hailed as a pivotal moment by Ripple’s leadership.

Brad Garlinghouse, Ripple’s CEO, confirmed the decision via a viral post, stating that Ripple is locking in its commitment to building the “Internet of Value.”

The statement was echoed by Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, who emphasised that XRP’s legal status remains unchanged—it is not a security.

Ripple’s legal exit clears a path for growth

For nearly four years, XRP’s price has danced to the tune of courtroom battles and regulatory uncertainty.

However, with the appeals withdrawn and clarity in place, traders and institutional investors alike are beginning to recalibrate their expectations.

Confidence is returning to the XRP ecosystem, with CoinShares data showing over $219 million in institutional inflows for 2025 alone.

Despite recent price pullbacks, this surge in capital reflects growing conviction in XRP’s long-term viability.

Notably, Ripple’s strategic pivot toward utility and enterprise expansion is timely. The company’s unveiling of an EVM-compatible XRP Ledger sidechain, supported by the Axelar bridge, is unlocking a multichain future.

For developers and institutions, this infrastructure shift means easier onboarding, better liquidity access, and increased exposure to over 80 blockchain networks.

Technical XRP price levels to watch amid cautious optimism

As of June 30, XRP was trading near $2.17, having pulled back slightly after facing firm resistance at $2.22.

Analysts are closely watching the price action between $2.20 and $2.30; a zone packed with major moving averages and historical VWAP levels.

This range, according to on-chain data and volume analysis, marks a decisive battleground.

A daily close above $2.30 could pave the way toward $3, and potentially higher, if momentum holds.

However, failure to break through could send XRP revisiting support around $2.10 and, in a deeper pullback, toward $1.90 or even $1.80.

Despite institutional interest and whale accumulation increasing steadily, the broader market remains cautious.

Open interest in XRP futures has held above $4 billion, reflecting sustained engagement, yet trading volume suggests indecision.

XRP ETF hopes and PayFi innovation add momentum

Excitement continues to build around a potential XRP ETF, with Bloomberg analysts placing the odds of approval at 95% following “very positive” SEC discussions. If approved, this could open the door to billions in new institutional capital.

Meanwhile, emerging platforms like Remittix are already pushing XRP’s cross-border utility even further.

The PayFi startup enables instant crypto-to-fiat transfers to any bank account globally, using XRP and stablecoins. With over $15.8 million raised and nearly 20,000 investors, it’s quickly being dubbed “XRP 2.0” by its early supporters.

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Michael Saylor’s Strategy acquires $531M in Bitcoin, boosting holdings near 600,000 BTC

  • The average purchase price for the new acquisition was $106,801 per coin.
  • The company has now spent approximately $42.4 billion on Bitcoin since it began accumulating the crypto.
  • According to data from Bitcoin Treasuries, 134 public companies now hold bitcoin on their balance sheets.

Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the largest public holder of Bitcoin, added 4,980 BTC to its balance sheet last week, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday.

The purchase, valued at $531.1 million, came as Bitcoin rallied from around $101,000 to above $108,000 during the final week of June, per CoinGecko data.

The average purchase price for the new acquisition was $106,801 per coin, bringing the firm’s total Bitcoin holdings to 597,325 BTC.

The company has now spent approximately $42.4 billion on Bitcoin since it began accumulating the cryptocurrency, with an average purchase price of $70,982 per BTC.

The Bitcoin ‘Strategy’

Strategy funded its latest purchase using proceeds from its active at-the-market (ATM) offerings.

Last week, the firm sold 1,354,500 shares of its Class A common stock (MSTR) for $519.5 million.

It also sold 276,071 shares of its Strike preferred stock (STRK) for $28.9 million and 284,225 shares of its Strife preferred stock (STRF) for $29.7 million.

Following the latest acquisition, Strategy’s year-to-date gain in Bitcoin now totals 85,871 BTC, compared with a full-year gain of 140,538 BTC in 2024.

That equates to a $9.5 billion BTC gain this year, according to the company’s internal figures.

The company also reported modest increases in its yield metrics.

Year-to-date Bitcoin yield rose by 0.5 percentage points to 19.7%, inching closer to Strategy’s goal of 25% yield by the end of 2025.

Quarter-to-date yield also edged up by 0.4 percentage points to 7.8%.

More BTC buys may be on the way for Strategy?

On Sunday, Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor had again hinted at a potential upcoming bitcoin purchase, updating the company’s bitcoin portfolio tracker on Sunday with the remark, “In 21 years, you’ll wish you’d bought more.”

The comment echoes his BTC Prague keynote, where he projected Bitcoin’s value could reach $21 million per coin within two decades.

Between June 16 and June 22, Strategy acquired an additional 245 BTC for approximately $26 million at an average price of $105,586 per bitcoin.

The company had slowed its purchasing pace in recent weeks as it shifted focus from its at-the-market (ATM) common stock program to issuing perpetual preferred shares to finance further acquisitions.

The latest purchase marks a return to using the MSTR ATM after more than a month.

According to data from Bitcoin Treasuries, 134 public companies now hold bitcoin on their balance sheets, continuing the trend initiated by Saylor and MicroStrategy.

Recent adopters include Tether-backed Twenty One, Nakamoto, Trump Media, and GameStop, alongside earlier entrants such as Semler Scientific and KULR Technology Group.

Japanese firm Metaplanet also announced on Monday that it had added 1,005 BTC to its reserves, raising its total holdings to 13,350 BTC—surpassing those of Galaxy Digital and CleanSpark.

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