Venture capital firm Paradigm has responded to the European Securities and Markets Authority's (ESMA) consultation paper on crypto asset market abuse prevention. Paradigm argues that ESMA's understanding of Maximum Extractable Value (MEV) is flawed and that regulating base-layer blockchain microstructure is misguided. Paradigm suggests that ESMA should encourage the industry to build products that enhance consumer welfare without dictating their design. The firm did not propose a solution to the misuse of MEV. ESMA's measures are part of the Markets in Crypto Asset (MiCA) Act, set to take effect on June 30.

Tron's native token, TRX, has seen a 9.5% increase in June, outperforming rivals Solana and Ether. However, this growth coincides with Tron’s founder, Justin Sun, transferring $21 million worth of TRX to Binance, raising questions about the sustainability of the TRX rally. Data shows that 75% of the network’s total deposits are concentrated in a single decentralized application, JustLend, which saw a 15% reduction in assets over 30 days. Despite TRX's price surge, major investors seem to be pulling funds from the ecosystem. Furthermore, Tron's ecosystem has faced challenges with stablecoin providers, including U.S.-based issuer Circle, eroding investor confidence.

The US Federal Reserve is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools as a "super analyst" for banks and the government. The Fed's Chief Innovation Officer, Sunayna Tuteja, recently discussed five potential use cases for AI: data cleansing, customer engagement, content generation, translating legacy code, and enhancing operational efficiency. However, Tuteja and her colleague, Margaret Riley, emphasized that these applications are still exploratory and come with limitations. They also highlighted the potential risks of not implementing AI, arguing that inaction could be more detrimental than action.

Bitcoin miner CleanSpark has merged with GRIID Infrastructure in a $155 million all-stock deal. CleanSpark will take on all of GRIID's debts and provide a $5 million working capital loan, as well as $50.9 million to settle immediate obligations. The deal also includes an exclusive hosting agreement, providing 20 megawatts of power to CleanSpark. The merger is expected to add over 400 megawatts of power to CleanSpark in the coming years. CleanSpark's stock rose 2.2% to $16.44 on the announcement, marking a year-to-date gain of over 50%.

Chainlink's Data Streams product has been launched on the Avalanche network, with decentralized perpetual futures trading platform GMX being the first to use the real-world market data it provides. Unlike traditional oracles, Data Streams uses a "pull-based" model to retrieve offchain market data on demand, making it ideal for platforms like GMX that need real-time, high-frequency price data. Chainlink continues to expand its reach, recently integrating with Celo and going live on the Gnosis network. It also partnered with Arta TechFin earlier this year to tokenize real estate, potentially democratizing the commercial real estate sector.

Despite its touted potential as an "Ethereum killer," Solana's blockchain has been plagued by network outages and congestion issues. The network, which claims to process 50,000 transactions per second, often peaks at around 1,000 TPS under real-world conditions. In April, 75% of all non-vote SOL transactions were failing, largely due to a surge in bot activity and demand for meme coins. Solana has experienced nine network outages since 2021, totaling over 150 hours of downtime. Despite these issues, Solana remains popular among retail investors due to its low transaction fees.

In a historic first, the topic of digital assets may be discussed during a presidential debate. The anticipated face-off between U.S. President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump is set for June 27 at CNN’s Atlanta studios. The debate could see the candidates discussing their positions on cryptocurrencies, a topic that has gained significant attention in recent years. Trump, who previously criticized cryptocurrencies, has now announced his campaign will accept contributions in digital assets. Meanwhile, Biden, who has been criticized for his administration's enforcement actions against crypto firms, is reportedly considering accepting crypto contributions for his reelection campaign.

Bitcoin (BTC) has seen a fresh surge in value, despite U.S. unemployment data failing to meet expectations. The cryptocurrency hit daily highs of $62,323 on Bitstamp, up 2.3% at the time of writing. Traders are hopeful that this upward trend can be sustained to take liquidity above the spot price. This comes as a second consecutive day of net inflows to U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) was noted, with $21.4 million managed on June 26, following $31 million the day prior. Despite an 18% decrease in the portion of the BTC supply in profit, the market remains optimistic.

Coinbase, the leading cryptocurrency exchange, sponsored the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Commissioner’s Cup Championship, contributing to the lively atmosphere in women's sports bars across the US. The company has been supporting the NBA and WNBA for three years as part of a multiyear deal. The Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon, a women's sports bar that opened in February 2022, hosted a watch party in collaboration with Coinbase. The bar has seen significant success, reportedly making $1 million in revenue in its first eight months. Plans are underway to expand nationwide through franchising after an investment from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian’s 776 Foundation.

Ethereum layer 2s are on the verge of achieving full decentralization, according to several teams. This "Stage 2" decentralization, a concept from Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, would make censorship nearly impossible on the networks. Nicolas Liochon, founder of Linea, expects most L2s to reach this stage within a few years. Anthony Rose, CTO of zkSync developer Matter Labs, predicts the same timeline, anticipating consolidation in the space. However, others, like Kevin Liu, co-founder of Metis, and Vince Yang, CEO of zkLink, believe full decentralization is still a long way off, citing technical and financial challenges.

Dfinity Foundation has launched Utopia, a new platform powered by Internet Computer Protocol (ICP), aimed at replacing traditional cybersecurity measures. Utopia, an acronym for Unstoppable, Tamperproof, Open, Platforms for Independent Autonomy, is a private serverless cloud infrastructure designed for government entities and enterprise organizations. The platform will enable secure AI operations, native digital asset management, and help governments achieve sovereignty. Despite recent regulatory uncertainty, Utopia is positioned as a solution for government sovereignty, offering next-generation private sovereign clouds with enhanced security properties. It also aims to tackle rising cybersecurity threats by blocking unauthorized access, data breaches, and ransomware installations.

Despite a decline in trading volumes, experts in the crypto community argue that non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are not dying, but rather maturing. They believe that as the hype settles, NFTs are finding more sustainable and practical applications. Anoir Houmou, CEO of RECRD, suggests that the market is moving towards sustainability and integration into broader technological ecosystems. Yale ReiSoleil, CEO of Untrading, sees the decrease in NFT volumes as a natural market correction. Toshiuki Otsuka, founder of SNPIT, believes NFTs are evolving into tools for digital ownership and utility, signaling market maturation.

Telegram's TON Community introduces Adsgram, a new platform that allows developers to monetize traffic by advertising within their mini-apps. Unlike the official Telegram Ads platform, Adsgram offers various ad formats and supports basic ad payment models. Developers can earn up to $16 CPM in Toncoin. The platform, which already counts up to 8 million impressions per day, aims to solve the monetization problem in the GameFi sector on Telegram and in the TON ecosystem. The launch comes after a $50,000 grant from the TON Foundation and amid a surge in TON ecosystem activity.

Binance, the world's leading cryptocurrency exchange, is stepping up its security game. Following recent account misuse, the platform is implementing new measures to protect its integrity and ensure a fair market environment. Binance warns that misuse could lead to account suspension or termination. Misuse includes unauthorized access to other users' accounts and exploiting account features for better fee rates and higher API limits. To combat this, Binance has ramped up monitoring of account usage and activities. Users are encouraged to report any suspected misuse, with rewards offered for verified cases. The move is part of Binance's broader efforts to combat security breaches.

Blockchain tech company Unicoin, based in New York, is planning to go public and launch its own cryptocurrency by the end of the year. The company's token will be backed by its real estate and equity portfolio, but won't represent a stake in any asset. Unicoin is navigating regulatory complexities by ensuring compliance with all regulations, with five years of audited financials available on the SEC website. The company is also exploring options for going public, including a reverse merger, direct listing, or traditional IPO. Unicoin's total assets are $30 million, with total liabilities of $98 million.

Despite Bitcoin's recent 17% dip and a bearish mood in the market, the Bitcoin Mayer Multiple, a key BTC price indicator, has hit an eight-month low, suggesting a potential recovery. The Mayer Multiple measures Bitcoin's current price against its 200-day moving average, with a reading below 2.4 indicating a "buy" signal. Currently, the Mayer Multiple is at 1.05, a level not seen since October 2023. However, it's important to note that extreme lows in the Mayer Multiple do not always correspond to BTC price floors. Bitcoin's Relative Strength Index (RSI) has also dipped into "oversold" territory, further indicating a possible turnaround.

South Korean crypto investment firm, Hashed Ventures, is set to expand into Abu Dhabi in partnership with the city's tech ecosystem group, Hub 71. Hashed CEO, Simon Seo-Joon Kim, announced plans to open an office in the city and is in talks with other South Korean crypto firms to tap into the emerging UAE crypto market. Kim is also helping other South Korean companies with valuations over $1 billion to make the move to Abu Dhabi. The UAE capital has been ramping up efforts to attract crypto talent, offering a friendly regulatory environment and state-of-the-art infrastructure for crypto startups.

Toys "R" Us is facing backlash after releasing an advertisement created using OpenAI's video AI tool, Sora. The ad features a young version of the company's founder, Charles Lazarus, and his vision for the toy store. Despite the company's claims of "leaping ahead of the curve," critics, including Avengers: Endgame director Joe Russo, have slammed the ad for its lack of visual continuity and high energy costs compared to traditional filming. OpenAI's Sora, which debuted in February, has been criticized for its inability to generate consistent footage without noticeable differences in subjects.

State Street Global Advisors and Galaxy Digital are joining forces to launch new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that offer exposure to digital assets. The proposed ETFs will expand beyond Bitcoin, reflecting the growing interest in a broader range of digital assets. The SPDR Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem ETF, proposed in a recent filing, will invest in publicly-traded digital asset firms, including crypto exchanges, mining firms, and hardware wallet service providers. State Street Bank and Trust will provide administrative and accounting services for the digital asset ETFs.

In a shocking turn of events, the YouTube channel of Australia's Seven Network was hijacked, displaying videos of a deep fake Elon Musk promoting a crypto scam. The channel was rebranded to resemble Tesla, with an AI-generated Musk claiming to give away cryptocurrency. At the time, about 150,000 viewers were watching three live streams featuring the fake Musk. The scam promised to double any crypto sent to a specific address. Despite the hijack, the channel still displayed the news organization's verification tick. The extent of the viewership that might be bots is currently unknown.