Updated: July 13, 2026 | PickNexo

That resilience is important.
At the same time, US spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs finally broke an eight-week outflow streak, stablecoin market capitalization continued to shrink from its May peak, and Asian regulators moved deeper into stablecoin oversight.
For investors, today’s crypto market is not only about price. It is about liquidity, institutional flows, stablecoin regulation and whether Bitcoin is becoming less reactive to geopolitical headlines.
Bitcoin traded around $63,000-$63,800 after the latest round of US strikes on Iran. According to CoinDesk, BTC was nearly flat over 24 hours and still positive on the week, even while other major markets moved sharply.
Brent crude climbed above $79 per barrel as traders worried about supply disruption near the Strait of Hormuz. Gold fell as real yields moved higher. Bonds sold off, and Asian equities weakened.
In previous cycles, Bitcoin often reacted quickly to geopolitical shocks. This time, the reaction was muted.
That suggests Bitcoin is currently taking more direction from dollar liquidity, ETF flows and the AI-chip equity cycle than from war headlines alone.

Bitcoin briefly slipped to about $62,800 during Asian trading after falling from around $64,300 earlier in the session.
CoinDesk described the move as a small leverage flush inside Bitcoin’s recent $59,000-$66,000 range. Liquidations were relatively light, running at about one-sixth of the worst liquidation level seen over the past 30 days.
That matters because it suggests the market did not experience a full panic selloff.
Bitcoin is still range-bound, but the structure looks less fragile than it did during the late-June washout. Traders are now watching whether BTC can keep defending the low $60,000 area while macro pressure remains high.

US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $197.4 million in net inflows for the week ended Friday, ending eight consecutive weeks of outflows.
Most of the inflow came from BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, which attracted about $291.9 million. That was partly offset by outflows from Grayscale, Fidelity and ARK funds.
This is not enough to confirm a full institutional recovery. Since May 11, investors have withdrawn more than $8 billion from spot Bitcoin ETFs.
But the end of the outflow streak is still meaningful. It shows that some institutional buyers are returning, possibly ahead of expected regulatory progress in the US.
Spot Ether ETFs also broke their eight-week outflow streak, recording around $84.42 million in net inflows for the week.
BlackRock and Fidelity led the recovery in Ether funds, but the total remains small compared with roughly $1.2 billion in outflows since May 11.
This makes the ETF story cautiously positive rather than fully bullish.
ETF inflows can support sentiment, but they need to continue for several weeks before traders can call it a real trend. For now, the market has a first green signal after two difficult months.

US CPI data is due on July 14, followed by producer price data on July 15. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh will also present the central bank’s semiannual monetary policy report to Congress.
Markets will also watch second-quarter earnings from major US financial institutions, including JPMorgan, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and BlackRock.
If inflation data comes in softer than expected, Bitcoin could benefit from renewed expectations of easier monetary policy. If inflation is hotter, rate-cut expectations may move further out, putting pressure on BTC and other risk assets.
CoinDesk noted that a strong inflation print could push Bitcoin back below $60,000.
Stablecoins are flashing a more cautious liquidity signal.
CoinDesk Data reported that stablecoin market capitalization has fallen by about $10 billion from its May peak. In June alone, the market shrank by $7.7 billion, the largest dollar decline since the Terra-Luna collapse in 2022.
That sounds worrying, but the context matters.
On a percentage basis, the decline is about 3%. During the 2022 crypto winter, the stablecoin market contracted by more than 26%.
So today’s decline is meaningful, but it does not look like a systemic stablecoin collapse. It looks more like a liquidity pullback during a weak crypto market.

The pullback has been led by the two largest stablecoin issuers.
USDT’s market capitalization fell from about $190 billion in May to roughly $184 billion. USDC declined from just under $80 billion earlier this year to around $73 billion.
Because stablecoins are widely used as quote currencies, payment rails and settlement tools, changes in supply are closely watched as a signal of crypto liquidity.
Less stablecoin supply can mean less dry powder available for buying crypto assets. But analysts still see the long-term stablecoin trend as intact.
The key point is that stablecoin adoption can grow over time even if supply contracts during weak market periods.
Stablecoin regulation is heating up in Asia.
The Bank of Thailand is working with the country’s SEC to audit high-volume stablecoin transactions, with a focus on USDT, cash transactions and currency exchanges.
The goal is to combat money laundering, scam centers and “gray money” flows. Thailand recorded around 115 billion baht, or about $3.4 billion, in scam-related losses in 2025.
Stablecoins are useful because they settle quickly across borders. That same feature also makes them attractive for illicit finance if compliance systems are weak.
Thailand’s move shows that regulators are no longer looking only at exchanges. They are watching stablecoin flows directly.

Japan is moving in a different direction: controlled stablecoin payment trials.
Lawson will test yen stablecoin payments in Tokyo, while Netstars is launching merchant services that support USDC, USDT and JPYC.
This is important because it moves stablecoins closer to real retail payments. Stablecoins have already become major tools for trading, DeFi and cross-border transfers. Merchant acceptance would push them further into everyday commerce.
Japan’s approach is more regulated and cautious than some other markets, but that may help stablecoin payments gain trust over time.
If the Lawson test succeeds, it could become a useful model for stablecoin retail adoption in Asia.

Cointelegraph reported that Swyftx expects AI microbusinesses to generate up to $262 billion in stablecoin volume by 2033.
The logic is simple: AI agents may need to pay for services, data, compute, software tools and digital labor automatically. Stablecoins are a natural fit because they allow fast, programmable, cross-border settlement.
This does not mean every AI agent will use crypto. But stablecoins are one of the few payment tools that can work globally without relying on traditional banking hours or card networks.
If agentic AI commerce grows, stablecoins could become a core settlement layer.
Strategy remains one of the most important Bitcoin treasury stories.
Standard Chartered said Michael Saylor and Strategy need clearer communication after the company moved away from its old “never sell Bitcoin” position.
Strategy recently sold about $216 million worth of BTC, reducing its holdings to 843,775 BTC. The company also grew its US dollar reserve to $2.55 billion and raised the annual dividend rate on its STRC preferred stock to 12%.
The concern is not that Strategy has abandoned Bitcoin. It has not.
The issue is that investors need to understand how BTC sales, preferred stock obligations and cash reserves fit together. Clearer messaging could help reduce market anxiety around future selling.

Bitcoin’s internal governance debate continues.
CoinDesk reported that the BIP-110 proposal related to Ordinals is approaching its fork deadline with zero miner support.
The lack of miner backing shows how difficult it is to push controversial changes through Bitcoin. The network’s culture favors stability and conservatism, especially when changes could affect blockspace use, inscriptions or transaction rules.
For Bitcoin supporters, this resistance to change is a feature. For critics, it can make innovation slower.
Either way, the BIP-110 situation highlights Bitcoin’s core governance reality: broad consensus is extremely hard to achieve.
DeFi security also stayed in focus.
Bonzo Lend, a lending protocol on Hedera, reportedly lost about $9 million in an oracle exploit. The attack involved manipulating the value of SAUCE collateral and borrowing assets through a flaw in Supra’s on-chain oracle verifier.
Oracle risk remains one of DeFi’s most persistent problems.
Lending protocols depend on accurate price data. If an attacker can manipulate that data, they can borrow against inflated collateral and drain liquidity.
The Bonzo incident is another reminder that DeFi security is not only about smart contract code. Data feeds, oracle design and collateral controls are just as important.

Ethereum received a more constructive headline from the sustainability side.
A Cambridge study placed Ethereum near the lower end of energy intensity among proof-of-stake networks after the Merge. That supports Ethereum’s long-term institutional narrative because environmental concerns remain important for funds, banks and public-sector users.
Ethereum’s proof-of-stake transition already reduced its energy footprint dramatically compared with proof-of-work. Continued research helps quantify that change more clearly.
For institutions considering tokenized assets, stablecoins or public blockchain settlement, sustainability metrics can matter almost as much as technical performance.
The first thing to watch is Bitcoin’s $60,000-$66,000 range. BTC is still trading inside that band, and the market needs a clear breakout or breakdown to define the next trend.
The second factor is ETF flow consistency. One week of inflows is encouraging, but not enough. Sustained inflows would be a stronger signal that institutional demand is returning.
The third theme is stablecoin regulation. Thailand’s USDT crackdown and Japan’s Lawson trial show two sides of the same story: stablecoins are becoming too important for regulators and merchants to ignore.
Finally, watch US CPI and PPI. Macro data could decide whether Bitcoin holds the low $60,000s or retests deeper support.
Today’s crypto market looks more resilient than fragile.
Bitcoin held near $63,000 even as war headlines moved oil, gold, bonds and equities. ETF inflows returned after eight weeks of selling. Stablecoin market cap is down, but regulation and real-world payment trials are accelerating in Asia.
Still, risks remain.
Inflation data could pressure risk assets. Stablecoin supply is shrinking. Strategy’s treasury messaging remains a concern. DeFi protocols continue to face oracle and security threats.
For PickNexo readers, the takeaway is simple: crypto is no longer reacting to every geopolitical headline the same way. The market is becoming more focused on liquidity, institutional flows, regulation and infrastructure.
That may not remove volatility, but it does show a maturing market structure.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.
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CoinDesk: Bitcoin holds near $63,800 as war-driven selloff hits everything but crypto
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/07/13/bitcoin-holds-near-usd63-800-as-war-driven-selloff-hits-everything-but-crypto
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CoinDesk: Live markets: Bitcoin slips below $63,000 in an Asian-session leverage flush
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/07/13/bitcoin-slips-below-usd63-000-in-an-asian-session-leverage-flush
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Cointelegraph: Bitcoin ETFs draw $197M, snap 8-week outflow streak
https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-etfs-draw-197m-snap-8-week-outflow-streak
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CoinDesk: U.S. CPI, JPMorgan, Citi earnings reports: Crypto Week Ahead
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/07/13/u-s-inflation-second-quarter-earnings-reports-crypto-week-ahead
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CoinDesk: Stablecoin market cap has shrunk by $10 billion since May
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/07/12/stablecoin-market-cap-has-shrunk-by-usd10-billion-since-may-but-analyst-sees-no-reason-to-panic
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Cointelegraph: Bank of Thailand targets USDT and cash flows in gray money crackdown
https://cointelegraph.com/news/thailand-targets-stablecoins-in-latest-laundering-crackdown
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Cointelegraph: Latest crypto news
https://cointelegraph.com/category/latest-news
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Cointelegraph: Strategy’s Saylor needs clarity in BTC pivot message to convince investors
https://cointelegraph.com/news/strategys-saylor-needs-clarity-in-btc-pivot-message-to-convince-investors-stanchart
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CoinDesk: Markets
https://www.coindesk.com/markets