ASTER Rallies 23% After DEX Commits 99% of Fees to Token Buybacks

Aster surged after its decentralized exchange announced a major overhaul to its tokenomics, directing nearly all platform revenue toward token repurchases and burns.

The change, introduced on June 17, replaces the previous Stage 5 model that allocated 80 percent of fees to buybacks. Under the new structure, 99 percent of all fees generated by the platform will be used for automatic ASTER buybacks executed throughout the day using time weighted average pricing, with settlements recorded on chain.

Aggressive buyback and burn model

According to the announcement shared on X, the upgraded system is now active and includes a mechanism where every token purchased through buybacks is matched by an equivalent burn from the project’s reserves. The team stated that initial burns will come from allocated team holdings, effectively accelerating supply reduction.

The structure has been described by the project as a combined 99 percent buyback and 99 percent burn mechanism, although repurchased tokens are not permanently destroyed. Instead, they are redistributed to stakers through the protocol’s Loyalty Reward Pool, which already distributes 300,000 ASTER per epoch.

The project initially launched with a total supply of 8 billion tokens and aims to reduce that figure to 3 billion, meaning more than 60 percent of supply is intended to be removed over time. Current data shows a circulating supply of about 2.68 billion and a total supply of 7.82 billion, indicating significant room remains to reach the target.

Market reaction and price movement

The announcement triggered an immediate price surge, with ASTER climbing about 23 percent from roughly 0.64 dollars to 0.79 dollars based on CoinGecko data. However, the rally faded quickly, and the token later settled near 0.65 dollars at the time of reporting, still around 73 percent below its September 2025 all time high of 2.41 dollars.

Aster had previously attempted a similar strategy in December 2025, when it allocated 80 percent of daily fees to buybacks. That earlier model divided funds between automated purchases and a discretionary reserve used for strategic market operations, which at the time helped push ASTER up by about 30 percent to 1.30 dollars.

That rally was also supported by reports that former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao held more than 2.5 million dollars worth of ASTER.

Shift away from discretionary reserves

The latest update removes the discretionary reserve entirely, shifting to a fully automated buyback model where nearly all fee revenue is continuously deployed into purchasing ASTER on the open market, marking a more aggressive approach to reducing supply and supporting price stability.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Uniswap Whale Activity Surges to 7-Month High After $100 Long-Term Forecast

Uniswap has experienced a sharp rise in network activity this week following a widely circulated institutional price projection that placed long-term expectations for the token at 100 dollars.

According to data from Santiment, whale transactions on the Uniswap network have climbed to their highest level in seven months, while the number of active whale addresses has reached a four month peak.

Whale activity increases alongside bullish long-term outlook

The spike in activity coincides with a research note from the Standard Chartered team led by Geoff Kendrick, which projected that UNI could reach 100 dollars by 2030. The analysts linked this outlook to the rapid expansion of tokenized real world assets and expected growth in decentralized finance.

Their report estimated that the tokenized asset market could expand to around 4 trillion dollars by the end of 2028, rising significantly from roughly 340 billion dollars today. They also projected that DeFi based tokenized assets could grow by as much as 37 times over the next four years, which could directly benefit Uniswap’s liquidity pools.

The analysts argued that Uniswap is well positioned to capture this growth due to its established role as a leading decentralized exchange, strong brand presence, and dominance in trading correlated asset pairs.

Expanding ecosystem and institutional integration

Recently, Uniswap confirmed support for tokenized equities such as Apple, Tesla, and NVIDIA through its app and API. Earlier in the year, the protocol also enabled access to BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized fund via UniswapX, a development that contributed to a notable price rally in UNI.

Standard Chartered’s projection outlines a gradual price path for UNI, including 6.50 dollars by the end of this year, 20 dollars by 2027, 40 dollars by 2028, 65 dollars by 2029, and ultimately 100 dollars by 2030. If achieved, this would represent roughly a 40 times increase from levels at the time of the report. The bank also suggested UNI could outperform both Bitcoin and Ethereum over the same period.

On-chain activity and recent performance

Santiment reported that Uniswap experienced a 24 percent price surge alongside increased whale accumulation and trading volume. A follow up update confirmed that active addresses had reached a four month high, while whale transaction activity returned to levels last seen seven months ago.

At the time of writing, UNI was trading around 3.10 dollars after briefly touching 3.65 dollars, its highest level since mid May according to CoinGecko data.

Over the past week, UNI has gained nearly 24 percent and is up more than 16 percent over the past two weeks. However, it remains down about 12 percent over the past month and has declined roughly 58 percent year over year.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Trump Says “You’re Welcome” as Oil Falls and Markets Turn Lower

Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that oil is now flowing, employment levels are at record highs, and prices across the United States are declining, which he says is improving affordability for consumers.

While some of those claims remain debated, oil prices have indeed weakened recently. West Texas Intermediate has dropped below 73 dollars per barrel, marking a sharp decline from its post conflict peak of nearly 120 dollars per barrel. Despite this pullback, prices have not yet returned to pre conflict levels seen before tensions escalated involving Iran.

Trump also reiterated that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon,” framing it as part of a broader agreement between the United States and Iran that has reportedly been reached but not formally signed.

He further claimed that the economy is strong, pointing to rising stock markets, record employment, and falling prices, while describing the United States as “strong, safe, and respected like never before.” He concluded his message with the phrase “YOU’RE WELCOME!”

However, recent inflation data has shown continued upward pressure over the past two months, suggesting that improvements in affordability are not yet clearly reflected in official statistics. Meanwhile, equity markets remain near record levels but have not decisively broken into new highs.

In the crypto market, Bitcoin moved in the same downward direction as oil prices. The asset had already fallen earlier following a hawkish tone from the Federal Reserve and unchanged interest rates at the latest policy meeting.

After Trump’s remarks went live, Bitcoin briefly dropped again to around 63,600 dollars. It quickly rebounded toward 64,200 dollars but failed to maintain momentum and is currently trading below the 64,000 dollar level once more.#crypto#cryptonews.https://coinsignals.nethttps://t.me/coinsignalpublic

CME Group Challenges CFTC Approval of Bitcoin Perpetual Futures

The CME Group has announced plans to take legal action against the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over its approval of Bitcoin perpetual futures in the United States. The disagreement centers on how these contracts should be classified under U.S. financial law.

CEO Terrence Duffy told CNBC that the company intends to file a lawsuit, arguing that perpetual futures should legally be treated as swaps under the Dodd Frank Act rather than standard futures contracts.

CME argues perpetuals fall under swap rules

Duffy said CME believes perpetual contracts are more accurately defined as swaps. He added that because of CME’s exclusive licensing agreements tied to benchmark pricing, any provider offering such products would need to operate through the exchange.

He explained that these agreements effectively give CME control over benchmark access, meaning perpetual futures tied to those benchmarks would still fall under its ecosystem.

Perpetual futures are derivative contracts that do not expire, allowing traders to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying asset.

Regulatory approval and market expansion

The dispute follows the CFTC’s May decision to approve Kalshi to offer Bitcoin perpetual futures, marking the first time such a product has been authorized for the U.S. market. These instruments are already widely used in global crypto trading and Kalshi has indicated plans to expand offerings to include additional cryptocurrencies.

Last year, Coinbase also introduced similar derivatives to U.S. investors through its Coinbase Financial Markets division.

CME prepares for legal fight

Duffy said CME has been preparing for the legal challenge with its board for about eight months and is fully ready to proceed.

He stated that the company is not avoiding confrontation and emphasized that the lawsuit will be filed immediately, describing the issue as one CME is taking seriously.

CFTC defends its decision

Michael Selig has defended the regulator’s approval of perpetual futures, explaining that the goal is to allow innovative derivative products without expiration dates to be traded domestically under proper U.S. regulatory oversight.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Strategy Says It Can Cover 32 Years of Dividends as STRC Slides Under $90

Michael Saylor’s firm claims it has enough reserves to sustain decades of dividend payments, though critics remain unconvinced.

The company stated on X that it has about 32 years of dividend coverage backed by its Bitcoin reserve. Based on its figures, this calculation assumes its Bitcoin holdings are worth just under 55 billion dollars, while total dividend obligations stand at around 1.7 billion dollars.

Earlier in November, the company had estimated coverage of up to 71 years, assuming Bitcoin prices remained stable, a condition that has not held. Strategy pays dividends on its STRC “Stretch” product, which offers an 11.5 percent yield and is intended to trade near 100 dollars.

STRC under pressure as yield rises

Recently, STRC has fallen more than 10 percent, pushing its price below the intended benchmark. It dropped further by about 3 percent and touched 89 dollars, close to its lowest recorded level, according to Google Finance. As a result, the effective yield has climbed to about 12.9 percent based on data from BitcoinQuant.

The decline has raised concerns among investors about whether the company may need to sell Bitcoin to meet obligations, increase dilution through its MSTR shares, or risk further reserve strain if prices continue to weaken.

Strategy stock also came under pressure, falling another 5 percent in a single day to 116 dollars. The shares are now down roughly 73 percent from their July 2025 peak.

Criticism over reserve assumptions

Gold advocate and Bitcoin critic Peter Schiff questioned the company’s dividend coverage claims, arguing that the projections rely on several optimistic assumptions, including stable Bitcoin prices, no increase in preferred dividends, and no additional share issuance.

He warned that if the firm begins selling Bitcoin to meet obligations, downward price pressure could accelerate, forcing even larger sales to cover the same liabilities.

Other market commentators echoed similar concerns. Analyst “Kaleo” suggested that reducing exposure sooner could be more sustainable, noting that selling pressure tends to increase the amount of Bitcoin required to raise cash as prices fall. CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost also cautioned that expectations should account for the possibility that forced selling could impact market prices more than anticipated.

Will Strategy be forced to sell Bitcoin?

The company previously sold 32 BTC in late May, which contributed to market uncertainty. However, it also continued accumulating, purchasing 1,587 BTC for about 100 million dollars last week and 1,550 BTC in early June.

Some analysts warn that relying on Bitcoin sales to fund dividend payments could create a negative feedback loop where falling prices trigger more selling pressure. Others argue that strategic buying during dips could help stabilize confidence.

Joe Burnett suggested that if the company allows prices to briefly fall below target levels and then actively buys back, it could condition the market to view those dips as buying opportunities, especially if dividend payments remain consistent and price levels recover quickly.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Bitcoin Falls Below $64K as Whale Accumulation Strengthens Despite Market Weakness

Bitcoin briefly slipped under the $64,000 level again after losing upward momentum, but managed to find support at that range. Even though short term sentiment turned cautious, large holders continued to accumulate during the dip rather than reduce exposure.

Whale buying activity increases

The number of Bitcoin addresses holding at least 1,000 BTC has risen to 2,044. According to data from Santiment, these whales now collectively hold about 7.17 million BTC, the highest level since March 14. This group controls roughly 35.82 percent of the total circulating supply, showing continued concentration among major holders.

In addition, analyst Darkfost reported that wallets holding more than 1 BTC have also expanded their total holdings to a new record above 16.8 million BTC. He noted that this trend may reflect the ongoing institutionalization of Bitcoin, although he emphasized that it should be interpreted over a longer time horizon rather than short term price movements.

Retail investors are also gradually increasing accumulation, though at a slower pace compared to larger holders. This group is estimated to hold around 1.7 million BTC, still below the peak seen in December 2023. Some analysts suggest that retail participants may have taken profits during previous price rallies, while others may have shifted exposure into Bitcoin exchange traded products, which offer easier access and management.

Despite differing behaviors between market segments, both whales and retail investors appear to be treating recent price weakness as an opportunity to build positions.

Macroeconomic pressure and Federal Reserve impact

Market sentiment shifted notably after the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Bitcoin fell below what some analysts describe as a key liquidity support zone.

According to Bitunix analyst Dean Chen, investors are increasingly positioning for a prolonged period of higher interest rates rather than expecting near term monetary easing or a sharp economic slowdown. He added that Federal Reserve policy is now playing a more dominant role in crypto market direction than geopolitical developments in regions such as the Middle East.

Chen also warned that tighter liquidity conditions, a stronger US dollar, and rising Treasury yields could continue to weigh on risk assets in the coming months.

He explained that the Fed’s renewed focus on inflation control and credibility may keep liquidity expectations constrained. If the dollar remains strong and bond yields continue to rise, capital may increasingly flow toward cash and fixed income assets, potentially putting additional pressure on valuations across risk markets, including crypto.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Market Update: XRP Breaks Key Support as Bitcoin Falls Following FOMC Decision

XRP slipped below an important support level, while Bitcoin declined after the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, which triggered renewed volatility across the crypto market. Tokens such as DeXe and Uniswap recorded the steepest losses of the day, both falling by double digits.

The FOMC meeting and the following press conference from Kevin Warsh introduced uncertainty into markets. Bitcoin briefly dropped by more than two thousand dollars from peak to trough before finding temporary support.

Altcoins largely followed Bitcoin’s movement over the past 24 hours. Ethereum moved below 1,750 dollars, while XRP broke under the key 1.20 dollar level.

Market volatility and recent price action

Over the previous weekend, optimism spread through the market after comments from US President Donald Trump regarding a potential agreement with Iran. Despite continued geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, he later confirmed a deal outline, which initially pushed crypto prices higher.

At that time, Bitcoin was trading below 64,000 dollars. It quickly surged to around 66,000 dollars within minutes and climbed further to about 67,200 dollars the following day. However, the rally lost momentum as prices retreated back toward 66,000 dollars. Another attempt to break higher near 67,000 dollars also failed before attention shifted to the Federal Reserve meeting.

During the FOMC session, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged as expected. However, Kevin Warsh’s remarks after the meeting reduced expectations for more accommodative monetary policy.

Following the announcement, Bitcoin dropped again to around 63,600 dollars earlier in the day, triggering more than 400 million dollars in liquidations across the market. Although it has recovered slightly above 64,000 dollars, it remains about 1 percent lower on the day. Its market capitalization has fallen to approximately 1.29 trillion dollars, while its dominance over altcoins remains just above 56 percent.

Altcoin performance mixed

Stellar was a rare outperformer, rising about 10 percent to reach 0.24 dollars. In contrast, Zcash declined by around 7 percent.

Other notable losses included Uniswap and DeXe, which dropped between 11 and 12 percent. Analysts have also warned that XRP could face further downside toward 1.00 dollar if it fails to hold the 1.20 to 1.21 dollar range.

Overall, the total cryptocurrency market capitalization fell below 2.3 trillion dollars after losing roughly 25 billion dollars within a 24 hour period.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

Michael Saylor Describes Bitcoin as the Foundation of a New Digital Capital System

Michael Saylor believes Bitcoin could increase in value by as much as 500 times, though he argues this growth will depend more on widespread financial adoption than market speculation.

The executive chairman of Strategy said the company’s main objective is to create financial products backed by Bitcoin, comparing its business model to that of a reserve bank.

According to Saylor, Bitcoin’s next phase should focus on building a layered capital market around it.

From Digital Gold to Digital Infrastructure

In a June 16 article shared on X, Saylor described Bitcoin as the foundation of a digital asset ecosystem that includes digital credit, digital money, digital yield products, and digital equity.

He explained that Bitcoin’s price volatility is actually what makes it suitable as a foundational asset for financial products designed to meet varying investor needs. He suggested that corporations, banks, insurance firms, retirees, and payment companies may increasingly prefer indirect exposure to Bitcoin instead of holding it directly.

Saylor emphasized that the solution is not to alter Bitcoin itself but to develop financial products on top of it that serve different categories of capital.

He also noted that digital money should remain tied to fiat currencies since most global obligations are still valued in traditional currencies. In his view, most people do not want funds in checking accounts that fluctuate by 5 percent in a single day. He added that stablecoins have already demonstrated strong product market fit for digital dollars.

This broader perspective aligns with comments from analyst Maksym Sakharov, who recently argued that Bitcoin’s long term value goes beyond its reputation as digital gold. He believes metrics such as settlement activity, collateral use, and financial infrastructure built around Bitcoin may become more important indicators of adoption than short term price movements.

For Saylor, this transformation is already happening.

“Bitcoin remains Bitcoin,” he said. “The world builds on top.”

Speaking during an interview with Natalie Brunell at the BTC Prague conference, Saylor explained how Strategy uses its Bitcoin holdings to support credit products designed to generate investor income.

He said the company operates much like a Bitcoin reserve bank. According to him, Strategy builds a large equity base, uses that capital to acquire Bitcoin, and then issues credit backed by those holdings.

Saylor Responds to Critics

Saylor also addressed criticism following the sale of 32 BTC at the end of May, a move some critics blamed for contributing to market weakness.

He responded to those accusations by pointing out the irony, noting that many online critics targeted him because of his well known stance against selling Bitcoin.

Saylor acknowledged that critics were quick to highlight the contradiction, especially given his long standing message encouraging investors to hold their Bitcoin.

Despite the backlash, the longtime Bitcoin bull reaffirmed his confidence that Bitcoin could eventually rise 500 times from current levels. However, he stressed that such growth would require global credit markets to attract significant institutional capital into the Bitcoin ecosystem.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

ZKsync Creator Cuts Jobs as Company Shifts Focus to Permissioned Privacy Chain

Matter Labs has announced a round of layoffs as it redirects its efforts toward building a permissioned privacy focused blockchain known as Prividium. According to the company, the staffing changes are tied to evolving technical requirements rather than financial pressure or cost cutting.

The restructuring will affect senior engineers, designers, and operations staff whose roles no longer align with the company’s updated direction.

Founder Explains Strategic Shift

Founder and CEO Alex Gluchowski confirmed the decision on social media, explaining that the move follows a broader strategic pivot made in 2024 toward developing blockchain solutions for regulated financial institutions.

He stated that Prividium has become the company’s primary focus, with Matter Labs now concentrating on tools designed to help businesses transition on chain while meeting regulatory requirements.

Gluchowski noted that as development progressed, the team gained a clearer understanding of customer needs. This shift influenced both the design of Prividium and the type of expertise required to build it. As a result, some roles that were essential in earlier stages were no longer aligned with the company’s current priorities, leading to the restructuring.

According to the company’s official description, Prividium is an Ethereum based platform built for financial institutions and fintech firms. It enables secure transactions while maintaining regulatory compliance and is powered by a privacy focused, permissioned Layer 2 network using zero knowledge technology.

Gluchowski expressed appreciation for departing employees, thanking them for their contributions and emphasizing that the decision was not a reflection of their performance. He added that those affected include some of the strongest talent he has worked with and confirmed that support and financial assistance would be provided during their transition.

Mixed Reaction From the Crypto Community

Community responses to the announcement have been divided. Some observers expressed optimism about the long term direction of the project, while others questioned how the company used its previously raised funding.

Critics pointed to the roughly 450 million dollars raised by Matter Labs and asked how those funds were allocated, especially in light of continued layoffs and renewed fundraising discussions.

This is not the first time Matter Labs has reduced its workforce. The company also carried out layoffs during an earlier strategic shift in 2024 toward privacy focused infrastructure, describing those cuts at the time as part of a broader realignment rather than cost reduction.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic

$400 Million Liquidated as Bitcoin Drops After FOMC Decision and Warsh Speech

Bitcoin extended its decline following a volatile reaction to the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting and the subsequent press conference from new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh. The market has now seen more than $400 million in liquidations within hours as prices weakened sharply.

Bitcoin was initially rejected above $66,000 earlier in the day before sliding rapidly to around $64,000 shortly after the Fed meeting concluded. Overall, the asset has lost more than $2,000 since the event ended.

Hawkish Tone Surprises Markets

Expectations that Warsh might signal a more accommodative stance were quickly overturned. Instead, his remarks carried a notably hawkish tone, surprising traders who had positioned for easier monetary policy.

Jeffrey Gundlach commented that Warsh appears focused on maintaining price stability rather than delivering the “easy money” policy some investors had anticipated. He added that the Fed chair’s messaging suggests tighter financial conditions rather than expectations of imminent rate cuts.

Warsh’s remarks followed the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged for a fourth consecutive meeting, a move that was already widely expected by markets.

Bitcoin and Altcoins Slide Further

Bitcoin initially dipped after the rate decision but saw deeper losses during and after the press conference. The price fell from an intraday high of $66,400 to $65,000, briefly rebounded to $65,500, and then dropped sharply again to $64,000.

Altcoins also moved lower across the board. Ethereum fell more than 3 percent to below $1,740, BNB lost its $600 support level, and XRP dropped further below $1.20.

These rapid price swings triggered a wave of liquidations across the market.

Data from CoinGlass shows that total liquidations over the past 24 hours exceeded $400 million, with nearly half occurring within a four hour window. Long positions accounted for the majority of losses, totaling about $280 million. In the last hour alone, nearly all liquidations were long positions.

Roughly 100,000 traders were liquidated in the past day, with the largest single liquidation on Binance valued at around $5 million.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic