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Aave V3 Goes Live on Monad With $15M Incentive Plan

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Aave V3 Goes Live on Monad With $15M Incentive Plan

Decentralized finance (DeFi) platform Aave has deployed its V3 lending protocol on Monad, expanding the layer-1 blockchain’s lending ecosystem with support for 12 assets at launch. 

On Thursday, Aave announced that the initial market supports USDT0, USDC, Aave’s GHO stablecoin, USDe, mUSD, AUSD, WETH, cbBTC, wstETH, weETH, syrupUSDC and sUSDe. It is also Aave’s first deployment with Chainlink Smart Value Recapture enabled from day one, allowing part of the value generated from liquidations to be redirected back to the protocol.

The deployment expands Aave’s multichain lending network while giving Monad users and developers access to an established borrowing market, Aave’s GHO stablecoin and liquidity incentives intended to support early adoption. 

Monad is compatible with Ethereum’s application environment, allowing existing Solidity contracts and Ethereum tooling to be used with minimal changes, according to Aave’s governance proposal.

Monad’s total value locked as of Thursday. Source: DefiLlama

Aave deployment tests Monad’s liquidity ambitions 

Aave’s governance documents show that the Monad Foundation committed $15 million in incentives during the first 12 months after activation. The foundation also agreed to acquire and retain 10 million GHO for over six months, while Aave DAO committed another 500,000 GHO in incentives to support adoption on Monad.

These incentives could help establish initial liquidity. However, user activity will need to persist after incentives decline. According to a risk assessment by LlamaRisk, Monad’s mainnet launched on Nov. 24, 2025, and had about $359.5 million in total value locked as of June 8. It said early network usage had compressed after a strong start and that liquidity remained concentrated in established protocols.

LlamaRisk supported the deployment with conservative initial parameters, citing Monad’s short operating history.

Related: DeFi TVL drops 39% in 2026 amid market downturn and record hack activity

The launch also comes as institutions increasingly explore bringing tokenized assets into DeFi lending markets. In June, Standard Chartered said that tokenized assets entering DeFi could drive deposits into Aave, whose deposit base reached about $75 billion at its October 2025 peak. 

In April, Centrifuge revealed plans to bring tokenized Treasurys, private credit and AAA-rated collateralized loan obligations to Monad for use in lending, collateral and secondary-market activity. 

Although Centrifuge has not announced that its assets will be integrated into Aave, the deployment gives Monad an established lending venue that could support tokenized assets as its ecosystem develops.

Magazine: China’s 107 Bitcoin memory thief, Bithumb CEO booked: Asia Express

Bitcoin Bounces Off 21-Month Low But Will Bulls Hold The Line?

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Bitcoin Bounces Off 21-Month Low But Will Bulls Hold The Line?

Bitcoin (BTC) traded as high as $60,200 on Wednesday, up about 2.7% over the past 24 hours after falling to a 21-month low of $57,737 earlier in the session. Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL) also gained, up 3% and 4.85%, respectively. 

The bounce took place amid deep investor caution, with sentiment trackers gauging the balance of fear and greed in crypto markets currently reading around 11 out of 100, in “Extreme Fear” territory. Despite the rebound from the yearly low, Bitcoin remains down roughly a third since the start of the year. 

Crypto Fear & Greed Index. Source: Alternative.me

Bitcoin dip-buyers overshadowed by fear of future selling

Investors’ cautious stance shows up differently depending on what data is analyzed. US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have seen more money leave than enter in recent weeks, including a reported $4.5 billion total outflow in June, the largest since the funds launched. 

At the same time, onchain data shows that long-term holders added roughly 270,000 BTC over the past two weeks. That is generally read as a sign that some bigger investors see the recent decline as an opportunity rather than a reason to sell. 

Looking at the past few days, one useful gauge is the funding rate. That figure has stayed positive for three straight days, meaning bets on rising prices have remained crowded even as Bitcoin fell to new lows. When leverage builds up on one side of the market like this while price is weak, it can add to volatility, since more traders become exposed to being forced out of their positions if the market moves further against them. 

Bitcoin open interest, funding rate. Source: Hyblock

Liquidations continue to define the price action

A broader look at where leveraged positioning is concentrated, combining data from three major exchanges over the past week, shows the heaviest concentration of positioning is roughly between $57,000 and $60,500, which closely wraps around the range Bitcoin has traded in since late June. That concentration thins out noticeably above about $61,000 to $62,000, and again below about $55,000 to $56,000. 

Bitcoin liquidation heatmap, three-day look back. Source: Hyblock

In practical terms, most of the leverage that could be forced to unwind sits close to the current price rather than in a distant zone, so a decisive move beyond roughly $61,000 on the upside, or $56,000 on the downside, is where forced position closures would likely have the most room to accelerate a move.

The view for the next 24 hours leans neutral and a genuine shift in positioning would likely need to show up as rising leveraged positioning alongside a rising Bitcoin price, a combination that has not yet appeared in the data.

Supreme Court Overturns Humphrey’s Executor, Clearing Trump to Fire SEC and CFTC Commissioners

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Supreme Court Overturns Humphrey’s Executor, Clearing Trump to Fire SEC and CFTC Commissioners

The Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling in Trump v. Slaughter overturns a 91-year-old precedent shielding independent agency commissioners from at-will removal, with direct implications for SEC and CFTC leadership as the CLARITY Act nears a floor vote.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that President Trump can fire commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission and other independent agencies without cause, overturning a 91-year-old precedent that shielded regulators including the SEC and CFTC from at-will removal. The 6-3 decision in Trump v. Slaughter directly reinstated Trump’s 2025 firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority that Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, the 1935 case that let Congress protect FTC commissioners from removal except for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office,” has “not withstood the test of time.” SCOTUSblog reported the ruling extends to roughly two dozen multi-member agencies Congress designed to operate independently. Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, argued the majority handed the president “far greater power than ever before.”

The opinion does not name the SEC or CFTC directly, but both agencies’ commissioners serve under similar for-cause removal statutes, meaning Decrypt reported the ruling puts them within its reach at a pivotal moment for crypto-market oversight.

The decision arrives as Senate Republican leadership pushes for a floor vote on the CLARITY Act next month. Senate Democrats have said they will not back the bill, which would give the SEC and CFTC expanded authority over crypto markets, unless Trump commits to appointing Democrats to both agencies.

Trump told Decrypt in December he was “open” to naming Democratic commissioners but has made no such appointments in the six months since. The ruling now lets him remove any Democrat he might appoint just as easily.

The Defiant has covered the SEC’s recent commissioner turnover, including Republican Hester Peirce’s departure after nearly three decades at the agency, and the CFTC’s aggressive posture on prediction-market jurisdiction under Selig. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and Selig jointly issued a March interpretation clarifying crypto asset treatment under federal law, an effort now made easier to reverse under a future administration, or entrench under this one, without commissioners who could outlast a president’s term.

The CLARITY Act faces a deadline stakeholders have pegged to early August, ahead of November’s midterm elections, to have a realistic path to becoming law.

Bitcoin zooms above $61,000 as inflation fears soften

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Bitcoin zooms above $61,000 as inflation fears soften

Bitcoin climbed above $61,000 on Thursday, up about 4.1% over 24 hours, per CoinDesk data, its firmest footing so far this week after a sell-off sent the asset to as low as $58,200 earlier.

The lift came from the Federal Reserve. Chair Kevin Warsh told the European Central Bank’s forum in Sintra, Portugal, that inflation risks had come down, his first notably softer comment since a hawkish June rate outlook set off weeks of outflows from U.S. bitcoin exchange-traded funds.

The move stood out because it came against a rough day for tech.

South Korea’s Kospi index fell 7.9% on Thursday after Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shed a combined $290 billion in market value, the second time this month the index has buckled on worries about artificial-intelligence chips, according to Bloomberg.

Meta added to the unease with plans to sell spare computing power to outside customers, a move that revived the question of whether the AI infrastructure buildout has run ahead of real demand.

Bitcoin Taps $60K As Investors Grapple With Rate Hike, Record ETF Outflows

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Bitcoin Taps $60K As Investors Grapple With Rate Hike, Record ETF Outflows

Key takeaways:

  • Persistent spot Bitcoin ETF outflows and US dollar strength reduce the odds of a quick bounce to $65,000.
  • Strong AI sector earnings momentum and higher fixed-income returns pull capital from Bitcoin and gold.

Bitcoin (BTC) reacted positively to US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s remarks on stubborn inflation. Despite the gains on Wednesday, traders fear that incentives for fixed-income investments and strong earnings momentum in tech stocks will continue to pressure non-yield-bearing assets like cryptocurrencies.

US five-year Treasury yield (left) vs. Bitcoin/USD. Source: TradingView

The US five-year Treasury yield jumped to 4.22%, meaning traders demanded higher returns to hold government bonds. Even as inflation eventually eases and WTI crude oil prices fell to a 4-month low, investors anticipate monetary expansion. Regardless of how the Fed manages interest rates and its balance sheet, the US Treasury dictates debt issuance trends.

Implied odds of FED interest rates on Sept. 16. Source: CME FedWatch Tool

US government bond futures implied 64% odds of interest rate hikes by September, up from 23% one month prior. The higher expected return on fixed-income investments came as the US dollar strengthened against other major global fiat currencies, which is especially concerning for alternative hedges such as gold and Bitcoin.

Gold/USD (left) vs. US dollar strength (DXY). Source: TradingView

Despite the gains on Wednesday, gold prices are down 12% in two months, while the US dollar strength (DXY) nears its highest mark in one year. This vote of confidence in the US economy partly stems from AI sector strength, evident in the 25% gains in the Nasdaq 100 index. However, some specific tech sub-sectors have recently signaled weakness, which could act as a catalyst for Bitcoin and gold.

Could the AI sector cool off act as a catalyst for Bitcoin?

Micron (MU US) and SanDisk (SNDK US) shares saw intraday losses exceeding 9% on Wednesday after competitors SK Hynix (000660 KR) and Samsung (005930 KR) announced plans to expand capacity. Still, the move can hardly be deemed a trend reversal as the iShares SOX Semiconductor Index ETF (SOXX US) gained 78% in three months.

Continued outflows from US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have shattered bulls’ hopes, reinforcing a negative price spiral as negative news gets amplified while positive events barely register. 

US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs daily net flows, USD. Source: SoSoValue

Regardless of the rationale behind the sales, Bitcoin’s weakness, 53% below its all-time high, does not inspire confidence in the $60,000 support level.

Strategy (MSTR US) increased its cash position to restore a healthy 17 months of dividend coverage on Monday. However, Strategy’s variable-rate Stretch preferred stock (STRC US) continued to trade far from the $100 target required for additional issuances. The STRC dividend rose to 12% from 11.5%, which was apparently not enough to entice more buyers.

Related: Bitcoin just $5K away from ‘best investment opportunity’ of bear market

Bitcoin might have temporarily benefited from Fed Chair Warsh’s concerns about persistent inflation, but rising expectations for higher interest rates and strong earnings momentum in the AI sector may continue to exert negative pressure on Bitcoin. As a result, a sustainable rally to $65,000 could take longer.

Metaplanet (3350) buys another $170 million of bitcoin expanding treasury to 43,000 BTC

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Metaplanet (3350) buys another $170 million of bitcoin expanding treasury to 43,000 BTC

Metaplanet (3350) announced the purchase of an additional 2,823 BTC ($170.7 million), bringing its total treasury to 43,000 BTC ($2.6 billion).

The acquisition cements the Tokyo listed firm as the third largest publicly traded company holding bitcoin, trailing only Strategy MSTR) and Twenty One Capital (XXI), according to data tracked by Bitcoin Treasuries.

Metaplanet closed 3.5% higher at 207 yen ($1.28) on Thursday following the announcement.

Alongside the bitcoin purchase, the company released its second quarter FY2026 results for its Bitcoin Income Generation business. The division generated approximately 1.75 billion yen ($10.85 million) in operating revenue during the quarter, taking first half revenue to approximately 4.72 billion yen.

Metaplanet uses bitcoin options to generate recurring income while expanding the company’s bitcoin holdings. On a trailing 12-month basis, revenue reached approximately 11.4 billion yen.

The latest results reinforce Metaplanet’s dual strategy of aggressively accumulating bitcoin while generating recurring cash flow from its Bitcoin Income Generation business.

XRP edges higher as whale activity rises while retail traders stay cautious

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XRP edges higher as whale activity rises while retail traders stay cautious

New wallet creation hit a three-month high and large-holder activity strengthened, but XRP still needs to reclaim $1.10 before the recovery looks convincing.

Avalanche Treasury Corp Stock Crashes 93%, Warns SEC It May Not Survive the Year

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Avalanche Treasury Corp Stock Crashes 93%, Warns SEC It May Not Survive the Year

Avalanche Treasury Corp told the SEC its ability to continue as a going concern is in doubt after its Nasdaq-listed stock lost 93% of its value in a month, with its AVAX position now worth less than half of what it paid.

Avalanche Treasury Corp, the largest publicly traded company holding AVAX as a corporate treasury asset, told regulators its ability to continue as a going concern is in doubt after its stock collapsed 93% over the past month.

The Nasdaq-listed company, ticker AVAT, disclosed the warning in a 10-Q filing with the SEC, stating that “substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern is not alleviated.” Shares traded above $10 at the start of June, closed at $1.85 on June 11 following its Nasdaq debut, and fell into penny-stock territory below $0.73 by June 29, wiping out 93% of their value in a month.

AVAT Price. Source: Yahoo

AVAX Bet Underwater

AVAT built its position by merging with blank-check company Mountain Lake Acquisition Corp in a deal that closed with its Nasdaq listing on June 11, part of a plan announced last October to build what the company called a $1 billion pile of AVAX tokens. The company paid roughly $265 million to acquire its AVAX, but the position was worth about $123 million by the end of March, more than half underwater. AVAX has lost 47% of its value year to date and traded near $6.72 on Wednesday, per CoinGecko.

The operating subsidiary lost more than $26 million in the first quarter, almost entirely a fair-value writedown on its AVAX holdings. AVAT has pledged roughly 7.8 million of its 13.8 million AVAX as collateral on a loan, leaving a smaller unencumbered buffer against further price declines. Its market capitalization has fallen to less than $30 million, according to Yahoo Finance.

Treasury Model Under Strain

AVAT’s collapse adds to a string of digital-asset treasury companies that have cratered since a wave of similar vehicles launched in 2025. AgriFORCE Growing Systems rebranded as AVAX One last September with plans to raise $550 million to buy more than $700 million of AVAX; its market value has since fallen to about $43 million, down 68% year to date.

The Defiant reported in June that even Strategy, the largest and longest-running Bitcoin treasury company, saw its enterprise mNAV drop below 1 for the first time, and covered StablecoinX’s Nasdaq debut as the first public ENA treasury vehicle, part of the same corporate-treasury trend now facing pressure across multiple tokens.

Avalanche Foundation and Ava Labs, the core organization behind the Avalanche network, have made no public statement on AVAT’s going-concern disclosure or its stock decline as of publication.

Bitcoin June Close Below 200 Week MA Above Realized Price

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Bitcoin June Close Below 200 Week MA Above Realized Price

Bitcoin could face further downside pressure after ending June below its 200-week moving average but above its realized price, a combination that crypto analyst PlanB says suggests the market has yet to reach a bear market bottom.

Bitcoin fell 20.5% in June to close the month at $58,526 — its worst monthly performance since June 2022 — below its 200-week moving average of $62,000 but above its realized price of $52,000.

“ALL previous bear market bottoms were below realized price,” said PlanB, the creator of the stock-to-flow pricing model, on Wednesday, adding in a separate post that Bitcoin could drop to $52,000.

The price move would mean Bitcoin falling about 60% from its all-time high of $126,000 in October. The dip could be even deeper, as previous bear markets have seen Bitcoin fall even further, such as 83% in 2018 and 76% in 2022.

BTC is undervalued but can still go lower

“Right now, price is much lower than value and indeed might go lower from here (below realized),” PlanB said. “So, Bitcoin is undervalued but can still go lower.”

BTC is trading between the 200-week moving average and the realized price. Source: PlanB 

Bitcoin’s realized price is the aggregate cost basis of all coins in circulation, calculated by valuing each unspent transaction output (UTXO) at the price when it last moved on-chain. It represents the average price at which holders acquired their coins, serving as a key onchain metric for support levels during bear markets.

Related: Bitcoin bounces off 21-month low, but leverage data signals caution: Was $57K the bottom?

Andri Fauzan Adziima, research lead at Bitrue Research Institute, told Cointelegraph that the June close above realized price but below the 200-week moving average “signals the bear bottom is still ahead per prior cycles.”

“I’m eyeing late-2026 capitulation there before the next leg up, though shallower this cycle due to institutions,” he said.

Lacie Zhang, research analyst at Bitget Wallet, told Cointelegraph that the current consolidation near $60,000 is “approaching a potential bottom zone, with strong historical and technical support likely forming around the $55,000 level if further downside occurs.”

Midterm year market bottom

ITC Crypto founder Benjamin Cowen also speculated there could be a cycle bottom for Bitcoin this year, given it is a US midterm election year. This has previously coincided with bear market bottoms in 2018 and 2022.  

“The second half of midterm years usually marks the accumulation zone/market cycle bottom,” he said.

The US midterms are scheduled for Nov. 3, when all House of Representatives seats and about a third of Senate seats are up for election.

Magazine: Bitcoin slides to $58K, XRP hits $1 but onchain data promising: Market Moves

FBI Director Kash Patel caught sleeping on required disclosure of six-figure MSTR investment

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FBI Director Kash Patel caught sleeping on required disclosure of six-figure MSTR investment

FBI Director Kash Patel failed to timely disclose a six-figure purchase of stock in Strategy (MSTR), the world’s largest publicly-listed bitcoin holder, according to a report by nonpartisan news outlet NOTUS.

Patel supposedly purchased between $100,001 and $250,000 worth of MSTR on Nov. 21, but did not report the trade to regulators until May 26.

The reason for the delay? miscommunication. Patel informed the Office of Government Ethics that he “inadvertently omitted” the transaction due to an unspecified “miscommunication.”

According to the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, high-ranking executive branch officials need to publicly disclose individual stock trades over $1,000 within 45 days from the transaction.

The trade has drawn intense scrutiny from government watchdogs due to Strategy’s BTC accumulation business and its previous business with federal agencies.

The company, which according to NOTUS has done millions of dollars in business over the years with the Justice Department, calls itself as a “Bitcoin Treasury Company,” and aggressively accumulates BTC as its primary reserve asset. Since 2020, the company has built a coin stash of 847,363 BTC, worth over $50 billion as of this writing.

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