Hardware wallet maker Ledger unveils a physical recovery key

  • Ledger has launched an offline Recovery Key for Flex and Stax wallets.
  • The recovery key requires no cloud, ID, or internet to recover wallet access.
  • Recovery Key complements 24-word phrases and Ledger Recover rather than replacing them.

Ledger, a renowned manufacturer of cryptocurrency hardware wallets, has officially unveiled a new offline physical backup solution known as the Ledger Recovery Key.

The innovative physical key is designed specifically for Ledger’s newer devices, Ledger Flex and Ledger Stax, ushering in a new chapter of self-custody that emphasizes user control, simplicity, and security.

The release of the Recovery Key comes on the heels of Ledger surpassing 7.5 million devices sold globally, propelled in part by the launch of Flex and Stax earlier in 2024.

With the growing importance of secure asset recovery in crypto, Ledger is responding to rising demand by offering more flexible, offline options for users who prefer to avoid cloud-based solutions.

A physical spare key for Ledger wallets

The Ledger Recovery Key serves as a physical backup that enables users to restore access to their wallets simply by tapping a smart card and entering a PIN.

This new tool does not replace the traditional 24-word seed phrase but works as a complementary solution that can exist alongside it or even alongside the company’s existing cloud-based service, Ledger Recover.

Critically, the Recovery Key remains entirely offline at all times, using secure NFC (Near Field Communication) channels to connect directly with compatible devices like Ledger Flex and Stax.

The key uses the same Secure Element technology found in Ledger’s wallets, ensuring that the recovery experience meets the same high standards for cryptographic security.

No cloud, no ID, no middleman

Unlike Ledger Recover, which relies on encrypted cloud storage and identity verification, the new Recovery Key avoids the need for any personal data or third-party involvement.

Users do not need to submit identification or rely on internet access to regain control of their wallets, making this solution especially appealing to privacy-conscious crypto holders.

Because the Recovery Key operates entirely offline, it greatly reduces potential exposure to data breaches or cyberattacks that could arise from centralised storage.

The smart card stores what Ledger calls the “master secret”—the cryptographic core from which the user’s Secret Recovery Phrase is derived.

Ledger has emphasized that the creation of a Recovery Key is entirely optional and must be authorized directly by the user on their Ledger device.

There is no limit to how many spare keys a user can create, allowing for customized backup strategies that suit different needs and risk profiles.

This flexibility reinforces Ledger’s mission to provide users with choices that balance security, privacy, and convenience in equal measure.

In addition, to bolster community trust, Ledger has published a whitepaper and made the Recovery Key’s application code openly available on GitHub.

According to the company, the device has undergone thorough internal testing by Donjon, Ledger’s in-house team of white hat hackers, as well as external audits by independent cybersecurity experts, including Synacktiv.

So far, Ledger claims the feedback from researchers and industry professionals has been overwhelmingly positive, setting high expectations for its public release.

The physical recovery key complements Ledger Recover

While Ledger Recover sparked controversy in 2023 due to its reliance on identity verification and cloud infrastructure, Ledger reports that its adoption has grown steadily, especially among newer users seeking a fallback option.

Now, with the introduction of the Recovery Key, Ledger aims to serve a broader range of users—those who value privacy and those who need managed recovery alike.

By offering both a physical key and a managed service, Ledger allows users to mix and match backup methods depending on their level of comfort, technical expertise, and security needs.

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Chainlink price jumps 11% amid major Mastercard partnership

  • Chainlink and Mastercard are collaborating to enable over 3 billion cardholders to buy crypto onchain
  • LINK rose 11% amid the Mastercard partnership and broader crypto optimism
  • Chainlink’s growth in the tokenised assets market continues.

Chainlink’s native token, LINK, soared 11% today, buoyed by a groundbreaking partnership with Mastercard.

While gains mirrored broader crypto market upside, the news that Chainlink and Mastercard are looking to bring direct crypto purchases to over 3 billion cardholders added to the upbeat sentiment around LINK.

Chainlink and Mastercard partner

As with many other similar collaborations, this one between Chainlink and Mastercard marks a significant step toward mainstream adoption of decentralised finance (DeFi).

The two companies said in a press release that their integration looks to bridge traditional finance with blockchain technology. Chainlink’s infrastructure will play a pivotal role in this transformative integration.

Other than leveraging Chainlink’s interoperability protocol and data standards, the partnership will also tap into key platforms and protocols, including zerohash, Shift4 Payments, and XSwap.

“There’s no doubt about it – people want to be able to easily connect to the digital assets ecosystem, and vice versa. That’s why we continue to leverage our proven expertise and global payments network to bridge the gap between onchain commerce and offchain transactions,” said Raj Dhamodharan, executive vice president, Blockchain & Digital Assets at Mastercard. “In coming together with Chainlink, we’re unlocking a secure and innovative way to revolutionise onchain commerce and drive the broader adoption of crypto assets.”

LINK price gains

As noted, Chainlink’s price experienced a robust 11% surge in 24 hours, climbing from a low of $11.48. This aligned with crypto’s bounce on Israel-Iran ceasefire news and also reflected strong market enthusiasm for the Mastercard partnership.

As of writing, LINK was trading at $13.07, with bulls looking to break towards $20.

The partnership’s announcement and broader market tailwinds, including the recently passed GENIUS Act, could catalyse gains.

Indeed, Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov recently noted that the US stablecoin law could boost LINK adoption by supporting stablecoin innovation.

“This is the type of traditional finance and decentralised finance convergence that Chainlink was built to make possible,” Nazarov noted. “I’m excited about Chainlink’s ability to enable this critical connection between the traditional payments world and the over three billion cardholders in the Mastercard user base, directly into the next generation trading environments of onchain decentralised exchanges.”

Solutions like Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) and proof-of-reserve technology are seen as critical for tokenised assets, and could potentially drive LINK price higher.

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Best crypto presales to buy as major fund reportedly eyes crypto investments

  • As traders move toward more speculative areas of the crypto market, assets like Bitcoin Pepe are emerging as notable beneficiaries.
  • The project’s presale has raised over $15.4 million.
  • The team has also secured listings on MEXC and BitMart.

The cryptocurrency market rallied sharply on June 24, with total market capitalisation rising approximately 4.4% over the past 24 hours to $3.26 trillion, as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East eased.

The broad-based recovery was accompanied by a 10% jump in 24-hour trading volumes, reaching $150 billion, signalling a clear return of buyer interest across digital assets.

The move higher began during late New York trading hours on June 23, after US President Donald Trump announced a “total ceasefire” between Israel and Iran, alleviating fears of a prolonged regional conflict.

The 12-day escalation—marked by Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and retaliatory missile attacks—had triggered risk aversion, dragging down prices across crypto and other risk assets.

With the ceasefire announcement restoring investor confidence, Bitcoin (BTC) rebounded to as high as $106,000, while Ethereum (ETH) reclaimed the $2,400 level.

However, a certain level of uncertainty is still present in the markets.

Even in this uncertain environment, institutional adoption continues to be a positive trend, with more firms expanding their exposure to digital assets.

As participation grows, top-tier cryptocurrencies are becoming less appealing to investors seeking high-risk, high-reward opportunities.

This shift is driving renewed interest in early-stage tokens such as Bitcoin Pepe, which are attracting risk-oriented capital.

As traders move toward more speculative segments of the market, assets like Bitcoin Pepe are emerging as notable beneficiaries of the current momentum.

Hong Kong fund to make crypto moves

VMS Group, a multifamily office managing nearly $4 billion in assets, plans to begin investing in crypto as more favourable regulations in Hong Kong attract a broader range of investors to the digital asset space.

The firm intends to allocate up to $10 million to strategies managed by decentralised-finance hedge fund Re7 Capital, according to VMS managing partner Elton Cheung told Bloomberg in an interview.

He noted that the final allocation size has yet to be determined.

The move marks a strategic shift for VMS, which has traditionally focused on private equity and other longer-duration investments since its founding two decades ago.

While those investments have delivered strong returns, they have become increasingly illiquid as more companies delay going public, making timely exits more challenging, Cheung said in the interview with the news publication

VMS manages wealth for several of Hong Kong’s billionaire families, with exposure across sectors including internet technology and pharmaceuticals.

In 2023, the firm partnered with a former executive from Chinese AI firm SenseTime Group Inc. to pursue early-stage investments in artificial intelligence.

Interest remains strong in Bitcoin Pepe

As Bitcoin attempts a strong rebound and eyes a potential new all-time high, its rising institutional adoption continues to support overall market sentiment.

Simultaneously, investors are rotating back into high-beta areas of the crypto market, with meme coins experiencing renewed inflows.

Among the most notable is Bitcoin Pepe, which has differentiated itself by combining meme-driven appeal with a Layer 2 infrastructure narrative.

Unlike traditional meme tokens that depend purely on viral momentum, Bitcoin Pepe positions itself as the first meme-centric Layer 2 built on the Bitcoin network.

It aims to offer scalability and speed comparable to Solana, while leveraging Bitcoin’s base-layer security.

Its ongoing presale has raised over $15.3 million, with the BPEP token priced at $0.0416.

A price increase is expected once the presale reaches the $15.54 million mark.

An additional listing announcement is expected on June 30, adding to investor interest as the presale nears its final stages.

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Avalanche price surges as active wallet count rises 80%

  • Avalanche (AVAX) price rose 9% to above $18 as markets bounced on easing geopolitical tensions.
  • The AVAX price spike came amid a significant increase in on-chain activity, including active addresses and transactions.
  • Crypto was up as Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, which could see AVAX break to $30 or higher in coming weeks.

Avalanche (AVAX) price experienced a notable price surge on Tuesday morning as cryptocurrencies gained on easing geopolitical tensions.

The AVAX token surged to highs of $18.40, with a 9% increase in the last 24 hours also coming amid a significant spike in on-chain activity.

Avalanche traded as one of the top gainers during Asian hours, mirroring gains for Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana.

Most cryptocurrencies are back at key levels after the US announced both Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire to end the “12-day war.”

Avalanche on-chain activity spikes

The Avalanche network is buzzing with unprecedented on-chain activity.

Indeed, Avalanche has looked bullish since late May when Bergen County in New Jersey announced its plans to tokenize $240 billion in property deeds on the Avalanche blockchain.

The mega 5-year project seeks to digitize over 370,000 property deeds using blockchain technology across the county.

As highlighted by Nansen, a leading blockchain analytics platform, “something is brewing” for AVAX. The surge in active addresses and transactions over the past 24 hours suggests so.

The Avalanche Foundation also shared the chart below showing transaction growth over the past year.

In the past 24 hours, the network processed over 1.13 million transactions, a testament to its growing utility and adoption.

Active addresses have skyrocketed by 80%, reaching 194.8K, reflecting a significant influx of new and returning users.

Major platforms such as OpenSea, Tether, and Bybit are driving this surge, with increased activity in NFT trading and stablecoin transactions.

The recent Avalanche9000 upgrade, implemented earlier this year, has bolstered the network’s scalability and transaction efficiency, likely contributing to this spike.

This heightened engagement suggests that developers and users are leveraging Avalanche’s high-performance infrastructure, positioning it as a competitive player in the blockchain space.

AVAX price prediction

The 4-hour chart suggests a technical picture where Avalanche’s price trajectory looks largely on the upside.

After bouncing off recent lows of $15.70, the altcoin looks likely to continue higher along a rising trendline.

The moving average convergence divergence indicator paints a strong upward trend case for AVAX after a recent bullish crossover.

The relative strength index also gives buyers the upper hand, currently hovering at 63 and not overextended.

With room to explore, bulls may eye a breakout with next hurdles around $19.81 and $22.54.

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Solana price surges 8% as Bitcoin and Ethereum rally on Israel-Iran ceasefire hopes

  • Solana is among altcoins to rally after Donald Trump announces Israel-Iran ceasefire
  • The SOL token surged to above $145, gaining 8%, while Bitcoin topped $106,000 and Ethereum broke above $2,400.
  • SOL could target $175 and $200 in the short term.

Solana (SOL) price spiked as global cryptocurrency markets experienced a sharp rebound following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

The cessation of hostilities, which ended a 12-day conflict that had heightened geopolitical tensions, alleviated concerns over potential disruptions to global markets, particularly in the energy sector.

This development triggered a surge in major cryptocurrencies, with Solana (SOL) climbing 8% to $145, Bitcoin (BTC) breaking past $106,000, and Ethereum (ETH) reaching $2,400.

Trump announces Israel-Iran ceasefire

Bitcoin had indeed bounced above $103k in the aftermath of news that Iran’s missile attacks on US bases had no casualties and White House knew about it.

The top crypto then surged to $106k amid the market’s positive response.

This happened as, on June 23, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total” ceasefire, effective just after midnight Eastern Time.

According to Reuters, the announcement followed intense diplomatic efforts, including negotiations facilitated by Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who secured Tehran’s agreement after discussions with Iranian officials.

Despite initial uncertainty, as Israel did not immediately confirm the ceasefire and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted no formal agreement existed, markets reacted swiftly to the prospect of peace.

The ceasefire, described by Trump as ending the “12 Day War,” restored market confidence, with Solana’s price movement reflecting its sensitivity to macroeconomic developments and investor optimism.

“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR’,” Trump said via Truth Social.

Solana saw its price surge by 8% to $145, driven by bullish sentiment across the broader market.

This included an upswing for stocks as S&P 500 futures rose 0.6% and oil prices dropped significantly.

SOL price prediction

Analysts are showing a bullish bias on Solana’s price following the ceasefire-driven rally, with altcoins likely to rally hard if the truce holds.

In this case, Solana could test $150 in the near term, with some traders eyeing $200 if the bullish momentum persists.

SOL chart by TradingView

However, uncertainties remain, particularly regarding the whereabouts of 400 kilograms of uranium in Iran, which could reintroduce geopolitical risks if not addressed.

Conversely, any violation of the ceasefire or renewed tensions could trigger volatility.

Technical indicators point to resistance at $175 and support at $125, with onchain activity suggesting robust demand.

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