Crypto: What Happened Over the Weekend of July 25-26, 2026

BitMart Closes Its Doors

The BitMart exchange platform has announced the cessation of all its activities, becoming the second platform to shut down in less than a week. Its native token, BMX, plummeted by over 60% following the announcement. BitMart had already suffered a $200 million hack in December 2021.

The CLARITY Act Stalls

On Polymarket, the probability of the CLARITY Act becoming law in 2026 has dropped to 38%, after exceeding 80% in February. The bill aims to clarify the regulatory framework for crypto-assets and the distribution of powers among U.S. regulators, but ethical concerns related to Donald Trump are hindering negotiations. Fidelity, which manages $7 trillion in assets, and Charles Schwab, valued at $13 trillion, have urged the Senate to pass it.

Crypto Activity Contracts

Spot trading volume on centralized exchanges has fallen by 74% since August 2025, signaling a significant contraction in activity and liquidity. Meanwhile, more than half of the sessions in 2026 have recorded negative flows for Bitcoin spot ETFs. Nearly $113 million in leveraged positions were also liquidated within 24 hours, a figure significantly lower than the $2.7 billion liquidated in February 2026.

Strong Demand for ETH Staking

Over 2.5 million ETH were awaiting staking, while no validator sought to withdraw their staked ETH. The exit queue thus showed no waiting time, as Ether attempted to reclaim the $2,000 threshold.

Nvidia at the Heart of the AI Race

SK Group and Nvidia have launched a partnership worth over $500 billion to develop next-generation infrastructure and memory for artificial intelligence. This announcement is part of Nvidia's expansion, which became the first company to exceed a $5 trillion market capitalization in October 2025. In contrast to this trend, Michael Burry has increased his short position on Nvidia after warning in May 2026 about a bubble related to AI and a potential stock market crash.

Washington Links AI and Digital Freedom

The U.S. State Department has partnered with Palantir, Anduril, and the Bitcoin Policy Institute on digital freedom and the development of artificial intelligence. This collaboration between public and private actors illustrates Washington's desire to structure a strategy that combines cutting-edge technologies with digital sovereignty.

Robinhood Chain Accelerates

The Robinhood Crypto blockchain generated 3.2 times more application revenue than Base in the last 24 hours. Launched on July 1, 2026, Robinhood Chain had already surpassed Hyperliquid in volume on decentralized exchanges just 10 days after its launch.

Wise Returns to the U.S. Market

According to Cointelegraph, Wise plans to resubmit a trust charter application in the U.S. under the GENIUS Act. This approval would allow it to operate as a trust company and offer custody services in a regulatory environment that is now more structured around dollar-backed stablecoins.

99 Crypto Projects Have Failed

According to Root Data, 99 crypto projects have failed since the beginning of 2026. This tally comes amid a market under increased regulatory pressure, as the SEC has intensified its actions against fraudulent actors.

Alleged Arrest in North Korea

North Korea reportedly arrested a group of bank hackers linked to cryptocurrencies on July 25.

The Risk of Banning Open Source AI Decreases

According to Polymarket, the probability that the U.S. government will ban an open-source artificial intelligence model in 2026 has fallen to 19%. Several CEOs in the tech sector support open source, unlike major cutting-edge AI labs, which are more favorable to proprietary models.

Brent Crashes by 7%

Brent fell by 7% at the opening, as the U.S. and Iran suspended their strikes.