Ether gains 0.55% as strong US jobs data lifts S&P 500, Nasdaq to records

  • Ether (ETH) traded steadily around $2,584 (+0.55%) as risk assets rallied on strong US jobs data.
  • US economy added 147,000 jobs in June (beating 110K forecast); S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit new record highs.
  • US Congress passed President Trump’s $4.5 trillion ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ of tax cuts and spending reductions.

Ether (ETH) held firm above the $2,580 mark on July 3, as broader risk assets rallied in response to a surprisingly robust US labor market report.

The strong jobs data sent major US stock indices, including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite, surging to new all-time highs.

This positive market sentiment was further influenced by the US Congress passing President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending package.

The latest nonfarm payrolls report, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, revealed that the US economy added 147,000 jobs in June.

This figure comfortably surpassed economists’ expectations of 110,000 and also exceeded the upwardly revised figure of 144,000 from May, according to a report from CNBC.

Adding to the picture of a resilient labor market, the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, defying forecasts that had predicted a rise to 4.3%.

This strong economic data immediately boosted US equities, with the S&P 500 closing at 6,279.35 and the Nasdaq Composite finishing at 20,601.10 – both indices gaining more than 0.8% on the day to reach fresh record highs.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw a significant gain, adding 344 points to settle at 44,828.53.

The positive risk-on sentiment appeared to provide a supportive backdrop for cryptocurrencies.

Ether was trading around $2,584.90, registering a 0.55% gain over the past 24 hours, according to CoinDesk Research’s technical analysis model.

The broader crypto market, as measured by the CoinDesk 20 Index (CD20), was up a slight 0.08% during the same period.

Ether’s resilience suggests that, for now, traders are encouraged by the broader market uplift, which has lifted crypto alongside equities.

However, the very strength of the labor market report has complicated the outlook for US monetary policy.

With the economy showing such vigor, it now seems highly unlikely that the Federal Reserve will consider lowering interest rates at its next meeting.

Some traders are now even questioning whether there will be any rate cuts at all in the second half of this year.

Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ clears Congress in major legislative win

In a significant political development, the US Congress on Thursday passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping USD 4.5 trillion ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ of tax cuts and spending reductions.

The Republican-led House of Representatives narrowly passed the bill by a vote of 218–214, sending it to the President’s desk for his signature.

This vote marks a major legislative victory for President Trump in his second term.

The bill secures funding for his administration’s immigration crackdown, makes many of his 2017 tax cuts permanent, and delivers on new tax breaks he had pledged during his 2024 campaign.

The White House announced that President Trump will sign the bill into law on Friday at 5 pm.

President Trump hailed the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” as a historic achievement.

“The biggest bill of its kind ever signed — and it’s going to make this country into a rocket ship. It’s going to be really great,” he said.

Praising the sweeping USD 3.4 trillion tax and spending package (the total package is cited as $4.5 trillion, with this component likely referring to a specific part), Trump added, “I think when you go over the bill, it was very easy to get them to a ‘Yes.’ … Biggest tax cut in history, great for security, great on the southern border … we covered just about everything. Again, it’s the biggest bill ever signed of its kind.”

The passage of this significant fiscal package, combined with the strong labor market data, creates a complex new landscape for investors to navigate as they assess the future trajectory of both the US economy and its financial markets.

The post Ether gains 0.55% as strong US jobs data lifts S&P 500, Nasdaq to records appeared first on CoinJournal.

Striking similarities between current Pudgy Penguins trajectory and PEPE’s past breakout

  • Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) price has surged by 70% amid ETF filing and Revolut listing.
  • A renowned analyst has compared PENGU’s breakout to PEPE’s past rally.
  • Strong support and rising volume signal bullish momentum for PENGU.

Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) is capturing the attention of crypto traders after an explosive move that echoes PEPE’s iconic breakout last year.

In just one week, PENGU surged more than 70%, climbing to a two-month high of $0.0163 and overtaking established meme tokens like WIF, FLOKI, and BRETT in market cap rankings.

This unexpected rise, now positioning PENGU as the eighth-largest meme coin and 94th overall by market cap, is drawing comparisons to PEPE’s historic ascent that turned heads across the crypto community.

PENGU ETF filing fueling the surge

The main catalyst behind PENGU’s sudden breakout appears to be a pivotal regulatory development that could change the landscape for meme coins.

On June 25, 2025, the Cboe BZX Exchange submitted a 19b-4 filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), seeking approval for a first-of-its-kind hybrid ETF backed by Canary Capital.

The proposed ETF would allocate 80% to 95% of its assets to PENGU tokens, with the remaining balance in Pudgy Penguins NFTs, creating a rare bridge between fungible tokens and digital collectibles.

If approved, this would be the first American ETF to hold actual NFTs along with a meme coin, a structure that opens the door for institutional access to the NFT-backed meme economy.

Investor sentiment turned sharply bullish after the announcement, with rising trading volume and social media buzz reflecting growing confidence in PENGU’s long-term potential.

Fintech giant Revolut has listed Pudgy Penguins (PENGU)

Adding to the momentum, fintech giant Revolut listed PENGU on its trading platform, allowing millions of retail users globally access to the asset.

This integration gave PENGU a new level of accessibility and credibility, reinforcing its status as more than just a fleeting meme trend.

The listing’s timing, aligned with the ETF news, created a perfect storm of exposure and utility that rapidly boosted demand and liquidity.

Strong technicals back the bullish sentiment

Technical indicators further support PENGU’s upward trajectory, signalling sustained bullish pressure in recent sessions.

Short-term analysis shows solid support between $0.012 and $0.013, with resistance emerging around the $0.015 to $0.016 range.

A breakout above these levels could push the price toward the next major target of $0.01745, with some analysts even projecting a run toward $0.044, a potential 200% increase.

The Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) indicator registers a healthy +0.21, well above the neutral zone, indicating strong capital inflows during the rally.

Meanwhile, accumulation indicators like A/D show sustained interest on dips, and rising volume suggests that buyers are firmly in control of the market.

History may be repeating itself

Market analyst Ali Martinez has drawn a compelling comparison between PENGU and PEPE’s breakout pattern from last year.

According to Martinez, PENGU’s current structure mirrors PEPE’s pre-rally phase, and a daily close above the $0.015–$0.017 zone could unleash a similar vertical move.

Despite its recent strength, PENGU is still down 77.6% from its December 2024 all-time high of $0.06845, offering significant room for recovery if momentum continues.

At the same time, the token has rebounded 312% from its April 2025 low of $0.003715, suggesting a foundational base has been established.

If history repeats itself, as it did with PEPE, then Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) might soon find itself at the forefront of the next meme coin frenzy — this time with deeper institutional roots and a hybrid structure that sets it apart.

The post Striking similarities between current Pudgy Penguins trajectory and PEPE’s past breakout appeared first on CoinJournal.

Fartcoin breaks past $1 as Solana ETF launch ignites a memecoin rally

  • Fartcoin has soared past $1 with over 9% daily gain as Solana memecoins rally.
  • Solana meme coins are rallying on the recent Solana ETF launch.
  • Bitcoin has also topped $110K, boosting market-wide momentum.

Fartcoin has officially broken through the critical $1 mark, riding a wave of renewed optimism in the Solana meme coin sector.

The memecoin has soared to a weekly high of $1.27, recording a notable 9% gain within 24 hours and confirming its place among the top-performing meme coins of the week.

With trading volume exploding to over $517 million, investors appear increasingly convinced that this is more than just a short-term pump.

Solana memecoins take centre stage

Fartcoin’s bounceback comes at a time when the broader Solana meme coin ecosystem is capturing market attention in a major way.

Tokens like Bonk, SPX6900, and Dogwifhat have also seen sharp double-digit gains, signalling renewed speculative confidence in high-beta bets tied to Solana’s rising profile.

Fartcoin’s recent performance is particularly striking, given its massive ascent from an all-time low of just $0.02003 in October 2024 to current levels above $1.20.

This represents a jaw-dropping 6,000% gain in under nine months, positioning Fartcoin as one of the most explosive assets of this cycle.

What makes this surge even more compelling is its timing. The move coincides with the debut of the first Solana staking ETF, REXShares’ SOL ETF, which opened with an impressive $33 million in first-day volume, well above the typical ETF launch.

Solana ETF momentum fuels market speculation

The successful launch of the Solana ETF has reignited institutional interest in the SOL ecosystem, with CME futures open interest surging to a record $167 million.

Analysts from JPMorgan now project that spot Solana ETFs, once approved, could attract between $3 billion and $6 billion in inflows within their first year.

These developments have acted as a major catalyst for Solana-based meme coins, which often move in exaggerated tandem with SOL’s price.

Fartcoin, viewed as a proxy for high-risk meme coin enthusiasm, has seen an outsized benefit from this growing interest in Solana-linked assets.

With the SOL price climbing to $153 and likely to push higher, Fartcoin appears poised to test the next resistance levels at $1.22 and $1.28.

Technical indicators suggest strong momentum, and with support established around $1.13, the path upward remains open.

Bitcoin adds fuel to the fire

Meanwhile, the entire crypto market has been energised by Bitcoin’s rally past the $110,000 mark.

On the back of $407 million in ETF inflows in a single day, BTC now trades just 2% below its all-time high and appears on course to test the $112,000 level this week.

This broad-based bullish sentiment has spilled over into altcoins and meme coins alike.

The CoinDesk Memecoin Index jumped 12.6% in 24 hours, while the CoinDesk 20 Index posted a 4.3% rise, reflecting widespread risk-on behaviour.

As retail traders flood back into the market, meme coins are seeing a resurgence not just as jokes but as vehicles for aggressive speculation.

Fartcoin, Bonk, and others are becoming key barometers of sentiment in a rapidly heating market.

Fartcoin price forecast points to a bigger breakout

According to technical analysis, Fartcoin is attempting to break through a key resistance zone between $1.24 and $1.40, which could unlock the next leg of its rally.

Traders are closely watching whether the token can maintain its current momentum and build enough pressure to make a sustained move beyond these levels.

If broader market sentiment holds and Solana continues to draw institutional capital, Fartcoin may well ride this rally to new heights.

 

The post Fartcoin breaks past $1 as Solana ETF launch ignites a memecoin rally appeared first on CoinJournal.

IOTA price signals demand near $0.17 amid latest gains

  • IOTA is trading above $0.16, poised above the key level and likely to continue higher.
  • However, the token remains within a broader descending triangle.
  • A break above $0.17 will signal further gains, but a dip will bring $0.14 into play.

The IOTA token’s price has surged by about 8% in the past 24 hours to break above the $0.16 level amid fresh bullish momentum across the crypto market.

Per CoinMarketCap, IOTA’s daily trading volume has spiked by 55% to over $17.3 million, signalling potential demand for the token.

Significantly, this upward movement aligns with a broader rally across the altcoin market, which could mean a new leg up for the IOTA price.

IOTA bulls mirror top altcoins

As noted, the cryptocurrency market has witnessed a notable altcoin rally, and IOTA is among the top performers.

Over the past 24 hours, IOTA’s price has climbed to around $0.17, rising to levels seen on June 17, 2025.

IOTA’s 8% gain nonetheless outperformed most of the top 10 altcoins, signalling strong market confidence in its near-term potential.

In comparison, leading altcoins have posted between 4% and 8% in 24-hour gains.

Ethereum rose 6% to trade near $2,600 on Wednesday, while Solana (SOL) gained 4% to reach $156. XRP also advanced 4%, climbing to $2.28.

Dogecoin was up 8% at $0.17, and Cardano rose 8.5%, trading above $0.60. Sui was among the top performers with a spike of over 11%.

Gains for IOTA come amid the blockchain platform’s introduction of the toolkit IOTA Notarization.

This toolkit leverages the IOTA network’s Rebased upgrade, reducing transaction fees to 0.005 IOTA and enabling scalable, tamper-proof data recording.

It contrasts with traditional blockchain notarization, which sees costs of $0.05-$1.00 per record.

“IOTA Notarization is not here to replace your current databases or cloud tools. Those are still essential for internal operations and privacy,” said Lautaro Giambroni, product engineer at IOTA. “What we offer is a public, verifiable layer of trust when data needs to be shared across companies or regulators,” he added.

IOTA price forecast

IOTA’s price has broken above the $0.16 level and is now testing resistance near $0.17.

This move positions the token above a key support zone, with market participants eyeing further upside.

A decisive break above $0.17 could confirm a bullish trend reversal, potentially targeting $0.20 or higher.

However, IOTA remains within a broader descending wedge pattern on higher time frames.

IOTA price chart by TradingView

The weekly chart has the Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently approaching neutral territory, sitting at around 44, which indicates likely buying momentum.

However, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) shows a recent bearish crossover, with the MACD line moving below the signal line to suggest continued downside pressure.

The descending triangle pattern implies that a failure to break $0.17 could see IOTA retest lower support near $0.14.

On the flipside, upside price action could bring $0.22 and $0.31 into the bulls’ view.

The post IOTA price signals demand near $0.17 amid latest gains appeared first on CoinJournal.

Robinhood’s ‘OpenAI tokens’ are not equity, OpenAI clarifies in statement

  • OpenAI publicly disavowed Robinhood’s “OpenAI tokens,” stating “we did not partner with… and do not endorse it.”
  • Robinhood’s tokens offer indirect exposure via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), not direct equity in OpenAI.
  • Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev defended the move as giving retail investors exposure to private assets.

OpenAI, the high-profile artificial intelligence firm, has publicly disavowed a new effort by fintech company Robinhood to offer “OpenAI tokens” to the public, clarifying that these digital assets do not represent equity in the company.

This rare public rebuke comes as global financial markets, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, navigate a complex landscape of new trade deals and persistent geopolitical risks.

“We did not partner, we do not endorse”: OpenAI to Robinhood

In a clear and direct statement posted from its official newsroom account on the social media platform X, OpenAI sought to distance itself from Robinhood’s new offering.

“These ‘OpenAI tokens’ are not OpenAI equity,” the company stated on Wednesday. “We did not partner with Robinhood, were not involved in this, and do not endorse it. Any transfer of OpenAI equity requires our approval—we did not approve any transfer. Please be careful.”

OpenAI’s pointed statement was a direct response to Robinhood’s announcement earlier this week that it would begin selling so-called tokenized shares of OpenAI, SpaceX, and other prominent private companies to individuals in the European Union.

Robinhood had framed the launch as an attempt to democratize finance, giving everyday people exposure to equity in some of the world’s most valuable private companies via blockchain technology.

The market reacted enthusiastically to Robinhood’s announcement, with its stock price soaring to an all-time high in the hours that followed.

However, as OpenAI’s statement underscores, shares in private companies like itself and SpaceX are, by definition, not available to the general public.

These companies sell shares to investors of their own choosing, maintaining tight control over their cap tables.

OpenAI’s open disavowal of Robinhood’s effort highlights the significant friction that can arise when the freewheeling world of crypto innovation collides with the highly regulated and carefully guarded domain of private equity.

What are investors actually buying?

In response to OpenAI’s condemnation, Robinhood spokesperson Rouky Diallo told TechCrunch that the OpenAI tokens were part of a “limited” giveaway designed to offer retail investors indirect exposure “through Robinhood’s ownership stake in a special purpose vehicle (SPV).”

An SPV is a separate legal entity created for a specific purpose, in this case, to hold shares of a private company.

This clarification reveals the layered nature of the offering. Investors are not buying direct shares in OpenAI, nor are they buying direct shares in the SPV.

They are buying tokens whose value is, in some way, tied to the OpenAI shares held within that SPV.

It’s an important distinction, as the price of SPV shares can differ from the price of the actual underlying stock, and the price of a token tied to those SPV shares can differ further still.

In its own help center, Robinhood notes that when buying any of its stock tokens, “you are not buying the actual stocks — you are buying tokenized contracts that follow their price, recorded on a blockchain.”

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, in a post on X on Wednesday, acknowledged the technical distinction but defended the spirit of the offering.

“While it is true that they aren’t technically ‘equity,’ […] the tokens effectively give retail investors exposure to these private assets,” Tenev wrote.

Our giveaway plants a seed for something much bigger, and since our announcement we’ve been hearing from many private companies that are eager to join us in the tokenization revolution.

OpenAI declined to comment further on the matter, and Robinhood did not respond to TechCrunch’s additional questions about its SPV.

This episode is a reminder that private companies are often highly protective of anything that could influence how their equity is valued.

In recent months, for instance, humanoid robotics startup Figure AI sent cease-and-desist letters to two brokers running secondary markets that were marketing the company’s stock without authorization.

Most startups are keen to avoid any public perception that they have authorized share sales when they have not.

Broader markets react to trade and geopolitical news

While this corporate drama unfolded, broader financial markets were digesting their own set of complex signals.

Cryptocurrencies saw a surge in positive sentiment. Bitcoin (BTC) jumped 3.6% over 24 hours to break above $109,000, buoyed by strong volume and improving global sentiment following the announcement of a US-Vietnam trade deal, despite continued Middle East tensions.

Ethereum (ETH) surged an even more impressive 8.6% to $2,608, fueled by growing institutional interest.

Meanwhile, HSBC raised its 2025–2026 gold price forecasts to $3,215 and $3,125 per ounce, citing geopolitical risks and strong investor demand, according to Reuters.

Equity markets, however, showed a more mixed reaction.

In the US, the S&P 500 rose 0.47% to 6,227.42 on Wednesday after President Trump announced the US-Vietnam trade deal, though a surprise drop in June private payrolls raised some economic concerns.

In Asia, markets were varied on Thursday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 down 0.15% as investors awaited further details on the same trade deal.


The post Robinhood’s ‘OpenAI tokens’ are not equity, OpenAI clarifies in statement appeared first on CoinJournal.