Coinbase superapp live, Bitcoin Jesus appeals

Today's headlines:

Ethereum ETFs smash records

Coinbase Base app launch

Thailand crypto sandbox for tourists

Roger Ver fights extradition

UK crypto donation ban push

PayPal expands PYUSD to Arbitrum

U.S. crypto bills advance

Russia digital ruble law

UK officer jailed for Bitcoin theft

French lawmakers propose surplus energy mining

 

 

The Crypto Radio LIVE has just launched across platforms, bringing you the hottest topics of the day wherever you are. Tune in weekdays at 1pm GST – Dubai time – for daily news in a brand new format.

Below is a breakdown of everything we covered today – Thursday July 17, 2025 – from Thailand to Russia and Bitcoin Jesus to altcoin season. Make sure you tune in again tomorrow on YouTube and X to catch the news as it happens.

Ethereum ETFs smash records as altcoins rally

Ethereum is making waves across the crypto markets, topping $3,400 after recording $727 million in single-day inflows to Ethereum ETFs – a new all-time high. The surge has sparked optimism across altcoins, with Dogecoin, Solana, XRP, and ADA all posting gains between 2% and 8%.

Adding fuel to the excitement, Bitmine Immersion Technologies, dubbed the “MicroStrategy of Ether,” has gone all-in on Ethereum, converting its treasury reserves and bringing on Tom Lee as board chairman. With Ethereum doubling in value over the past three months, analysts now see it as the backbone of institutional crypto, powering everything from tokenized stocks to gaming projects.

Today also marks T-minus 1000 days to Bitcoin’s next halving – the countdown to one of crypto’s most anticipated events is officially on.

Coinbase bets on social + crypto

Coinbase has rebranded its Coinbase Wallet as Base, calling it an “everything app” that combines trading, payments, social media, and mini apps. Announced at its A New Day One event in Los Angeles, the app runs on Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 blockchain and lets users post content, pay with USDC, chat via encrypted messaging, and even join games or prediction markets.

Coinbase’s head of product, John Granata, described it as a tool to “expand economic freedom, creativity, and innovation.” The app’s launch comes as Coinbase’s main app has surged 65% in Apple’s App Store rankings over the past month – suggesting that retail crypto interest, while uneven, is bubbling back.

Hello from @baseapp

Coinbase Wallet is now much more than a wallet. Your new home to create, earn, trade, discover apps, and chat with friends all in one place. pic.twitter.com/LICIDJwvEE

— Base app (@baseapp) July 16, 2025

Roger Ver, 'Bitcoin Jesus,' fights extradition

Roger Ver, the early Bitcoin investor once nicknamed “Bitcoin Jesus,” is fighting a high-profile legal battle to avoid extradition from Spain to the U.S., where he faces tax fraud and mail fraud charges. Ver renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014 but is accused of dodging $48 million in taxes after selling tens of thousands of Bitcoin in 2017.

Ver’s legal team has filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that Spain’s approval of the U.S. extradition request violated his legal rights. The crypto world is divided – with some, like Silk Road’s Ross Ulbricht, calling the case unfair, and others, like Dan Held, saying Ver deserves the fallout.

Thailand preps crypto sandbox for tourists

Thailand is working on a national crypto sandbox program designed specifically for tourists, not just startups. The government’s plan would allow international visitors to pay for hotels, shopping, and activities using crypto in a controlled, legal framework.

The central bank, Ministry of Finance, and securities regulators are collaborating to roll out clear guidelines by the end of the year. For Thailand, the goal is to attract more high-value visitors and boost tourism revenues, especially from crypto-savvy travelers in places like Dubai, Seoul, and Silicon Valley. For travelers, it means skipping conversion fees and using their wallets seamlessly across the country.

UK moves to ban crypto donations in politics

UK lawmakers push to block crypto donations and tighten political funding rules. Photo: Unsplash / Tommao Wang

In the UK, lawmakers are calling for a full ban on cryptocurrency donations to political campaigns. A cross-party committee warns that crypto can be used to bypass transparency laws and allow foreign influence in elections, especially given the anonymous nature of some wallets.

Currently, crypto donations are allowed if the recipient verifies the donor’s identity – but critics say that’s not enough. The committee’s push comes ahead of the next general election, as politicians look to close what they call a “digital dark money” loophole. For crypto users, it raises fresh questions: is this about protecting democracy, or sidelining decentralized finance from politics?

PayPal expands PYUSD stablecoin to Arbitrum

PayPal has quietly expanded its U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, PYUSD, to the Arbitrum network, according to its updated terms of service. The move adds a third chain to PYUSD, which was previously available only on Ethereum and Solana, and aims to cut transaction costs and increase speed across PayPal and Venmo platforms.

For everyday users, this could mean faster, cheaper payments using PayPal’s massive fintech ecosystem, potentially bringing stablecoins closer to mainstream commerce.

U.S. Congress advances crypto bills after surprise vote

After a surprise reversal in Washington, the U.S. House advanced three major crypto bills – the Clarity Act, the GENIUS stablecoin Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act – just one day after they had stalled. The push was largely driven by Republican lawmakers uniting after behind-the-scenes negotiations.

The bills aim to clarify crypto asset classification, regulate stablecoins, and push back against government-controlled digital currencies (CBDCs). While still facing Senate hurdles, the progress signals that U.S. crypto policy may be entering a new era of regulatory maturity.

France explores bitcoin mining with surplus electricity

Turning surplus energy into crypto profits – France eyes Bitcoin mining to recycle unused power and heat. Photo: Unsplash / Rodrigio Kugnarski

French lawmakers have proposed a five-year pilot program to let energy producers use surplus electricity for Bitcoin mining. The goal is to turn excess power – which might otherwise go to waste – into $100 to $150 million in annual revenue, while capturing the mining heat for use in buildings or industrial operations.

Inspired by similar experiments in Iceland and Norway, the plan is pitched as both an economic and environmental win, though it will need to navigate political and public scrutiny.

Russia sets 2026 launch for digital ruble

Russian lawmakers have approved legislation setting a September 2026 nationwide launch for the digital ruble, the country’s central bank digital currency. Under the new law, large companies will be required to support digital ruble payments first, with smaller businesses following by 2028. QR code payments are part of the rollout plan.

For Russian consumers, the digital ruble promises new payment options – but also raises concerns about increased state surveillance over money flows, echoing global debates about CBDCs.

UK crime officer jailed for Bitcoin theft

In the UK, former National Crime Agency officer Paul Chowles has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison after stealing 50 Bitcoin – now worth nearly $6 million – seized from Silk Road 2.0 co-founder Thomas White. Chowles used a crypto mixer to try to cover his tracks, but White tipped off authorities, saying only an insider could have accessed his wallet.

The case has sparked new worries over law enforcement’s ability to securely handle confiscated crypto, raising questions about the chain of custody for digital evidence.

Crypto sweater guys  – where are they now?

From left, Fredéric Fortier in the Ethereum sweater, now co-founder of DerivaDEX; Mathieu Baril in the Bitcoin sweater, now CEO of Octav. Photo: New York Times

Remember the viral 2017 photo of two friends in Bitcoin and Ethereum holiday sweaters? Eight years later, they’re still part of the crypto world. Fredéric Fortier, the Ethereum sweater wearer, co-founded DerivaDEX, focusing on decentralized derivatives trading, while Mathieu Baril, the Bitcoin sweater guy, is now CEO of Octav, a web3 analytics company.

Their glow-up from meme stars to builders reflects the broader crypto journey – from novelty to serious infrastructure – showing how far the space has come since the ICO boom days.