Crypto market cap rose 1.7% to $2.68T, with BTC at $77,974 and ETH at $2,143. Fear index at 29. Altcoins ZEC and HYPE gain ~17-19%. SpaceX disclosed 18,712 BTC worth $1.29B. TON bridge lost $2.86M, 90% recovered. Coinbase lists Nexus.
Real-world asset activity expanded on-chain during the week ending July 17, 2026, even as stablecoin payments lost momentum. Data cited from RWA.xyz showed total on-chain RWA market capitalization rising to $34.9 billion, up 3.74% from a month earlier, while the number of asset holders climbed to 1.077 million, a record high. At the same time, stablecoin market capitalization edged down to $299.06 billion and monthly transfer volume fell 20.9% to $5.49 trillion, pointing to a split between broader user participation and softer settlement demand. Regulation moved on several fronts. In the United States, a bipartisan housing bill containing a central bank digital currency ban became law automatically after Donald Trump declined to sign it. The UK set an early-2027 target for a digital sovereign bond, the European Central Bank selected 36 payment firms for a digital euro pilot due to begin in the second half of 2027, and regulators or governments in Russia, South Korea, Bolivia and Tanzania also advanced new digital asset rules or pilots. On the industry side, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Citi, Wells Fargo and HSBC are joining a shared tokenized deposit network operated by The Clearing House. DTCC is working with nearly 40 institutions on tokenized stocks and U.S. Treasuries, while Japan remained a focal point through SBI, Progmat and Lawson. Funding activity also stayed strong, led by Alpaca’s $135 million round, Flex’s $70 million financing and Velocity’s $38 million Series A.
Cumberland said its Singapore unit, Cumberland SG Pte. Ltd., has received a Major Payment Institution, or MPI, license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The announcement was made by the crypto trading and liquidity services firm on X. According to the company, the license allows the Singapore subsidiary to provide Digital Payment Token, or DPT, services as well as cross-border money transfer services. The update points to a regulatory approval that expands the range of payment-related activities Cumberland can carry out through its Singapore entity. No additional details were disclosed in the announcement cited in the source report.
Matrixport officially rebranded to BIT on March 20, 2026, marking its shift from crypto services to a comprehensive digital financial infrastructure. BIT now manages over $6 billion in assets and $7 billion monthly trading volume, holding licenses in Singapore and Switzerland.
Bitcoin remains range-bound, but on-chain data shows 100-1,000 BTC holders are aggressively accumulating while exchange reserves decline. With stable US buying interest and limited large-holder inflows to exchanges, the market may be building a base for the next rally.
Robinhood has obtained in-principle approval from MAS to offer brokerage services in Singapore, setting up its APAC headquarters. This strategic move highlights Singapore's growing role as a regulated crypto hub and intensifies competition in retail brokerage.
Crypto market maker GSR has been awarded a Major Payment Institution license by Singapore's MAS, allowing digital payment token services. This milestone marks Singapore's expanded regulatory scope covering market makers, boosting industry compliance.
Singapore's MAS enforces a strict June 30 deadline for all unlicensed crypto firms operating from its territory, including those serving overseas clients and freelancers. Firms need SGD 250k capital, re-KYC, and FATF compliance. 33 licenses issued to Coinbase, Circle, OKX, Upbit, and others.
