Today's headlines:

Bitcoin whale moves $9B as ETH exits

GENIUS Act boosts stablecoin supply

Trump, EU agree on trade deal

Unbacked crypto loans spark concerns

Storm seeks $1.5M for defense

Solana boss slams memecoins, NFTs

HULK, OZZY meme coins skyrocket

Pudgy Penguins deny OpenSea deal

Ripple explains missing XRP blocks

Coinbase sues over .de domain

Indian student jailed in crypto case

China jails staff for crypto laundering

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 – Monday July 28, 2025 – from Germany to China and baby rhinos to NASCAR. Make sure you tune in again tomorrow on YouTube and X to catch the news as it happens.

Bitcoin whale moves $9B as ETH exits

The crypto market saw fresh volatility this week as a long-dormant Bitcoin whale moved roughly 80,000 BTC – worth around $9 billion – stirring debate on whether early holders are beginning to cash out. At the same time, over $1.1 billion in ETH has been pulled from exchanges in the last 72 hours, signaling strong accumulation and long-term holding by investors.

These large-scale movements come as the global crypto market cap hovers above $4 trillion, with Bitcoin flirting with the $120,000 mark and Ethereum trading around $3,950. Combined with rising trading volumes and a Greed Index score of 75, sentiment remains strong, if a little overheated.

GENIUS Act boosts stablecoin supply

The newly implemented GENIUS Act in the U.S. is already transforming crypto markets. The legislation, designed to regulate stablecoins and provide clarity for digital asset issuers, has triggered a surge in institutional inflows.

Stablecoin supply has jumped by $4 billion since the law came into effect, as financial firms ramp up their activity in the sector. The move reflects growing confidence in the U.S. regulatory framework and a broader trend of traditional finance moving deeper into crypto.

HULK and OZZY memecoins explode

The deaths of Hulk Hogan and Ozzy Osbourne triggered another classic memecoin frenzy, with tribute tokens $HULK and $OZZY surging 122,000% and 16,800% in just hours—despite having no official ties to either legend.

Now, $OZZY community members have staged a takeover, accusing the previous team of draining funds. A self-appointed “CTO” is rallying holders to recover creator fees and fund buybacks, burns, and marketing.

The token also gained a surreal mascot: a baby rhino named Ozzy, born just hours after the rock icon passed – now central to its meme revival.

Meet $Ozzy the Rhino — named in tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, born just hours after the legend passed🦏🤘

Ca: 9rB2Dmbdn4KpepcVgNCCmgS7yKgYA2RQx5auoWkhbonk pic.twitter.com/321Ug4I2OF

— Mooder (@Mooder099) July 25, 2025

US and EU strike trade deal

Just weeks after slapping tariffs on European and Mexican imports, President Donald Trump has struck a major deal with the EU, easing trade tensions and sending global markets higher.

The EU agreed to buy $750 billion worth of American energy and over $600 billion in U.S.-related investments, while the U.S. will reduce tariffs on most goods to a flat 15% – except for steel and aluminum, which remain at 50%.

The deal’s announcement helped boost broader risk appetite, with crypto markets benefiting from renewed investor confidence.

Unbacked crypto loans raise concerns

In a bold return to high-risk lending, San Francisco’s Divine Research has issued 30,000 uncollateralized USDC microloans since late 2024, largely targeting underserved populations in emerging markets. Using World ID iris scans to verify unique users, the platform sidesteps traditional credit scoring models entirely.

Loan amounts are typically under $1,000, with interest rates ranging between 20–30%. Despite a 40% default rate, Divine claims that peer-to-peer liquidity providers are still earning net profits after losses. The model has drawn comparisons to pre-2022 lending platforms and is already drawing regulatory scrutiny as the sector reopens the door to potential systemic risks.

Storm seeks $1.5M for defense

Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm has asked the crypto community for another $1.5 million in legal funds as his landmark trial enters its third week in New York. He’s already raised nearly $4 million through donations, including from the Ethereum Foundation.

⏳ Final push next week.

Our lawyers and experts are working around the clock — we’ve forgotten what normal sleep feels like. Every hour counts, and so do the costs.

If you believe in fairness, open-source, and freedom, please help us finish strong. 🙏
👉…

— Roman Storm 🇺🇸 🌪️ (@rstormsf) July 26, 2025

Storm is charged with money laundering, sanctions violations, and operating an unlicensed money service business. His defense team argues that Tornado Cash is an open-source tool and that writing code should be protected under the First Amendment.

Witnesses have defended Tornado Cash as essential for privacy and personal safety, while prosecutors insist Storm should have done more to prevent misuse – especially by North Korean hackers.

Solana boss slams memecoins, NFTs

Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko raised eyebrows over the weekend by calling NFTs and memecoins “digital slop” with no inherent value. He likened them to loot boxes in mobile games, questioning their long-term worth.

I’ve said this for years. Memecoins and NFTs are digital slop and have no intrinsic value. Like a mobile game loot box. People spend $150b a year on mobile gaming.

— toly 🇺🇸 (@aeyakovenko) July 27, 2025

However, critics quickly pointed out that these same assets currently account for more than 60% of Solana’s dApp revenue, contributing over $1.6 billion in H1 2025 income. The contradiction has left many in the Solana community confused about the project’s direction and messaging.

Coinbase sues German domain squatter

Coinbase has filed a lawsuit in California against Tobias Honscha, a German individual accused of cybersquatting on the domain coinbase.de. The exchange claims he used the domain to redirect users to a coin trading app and broke affiliate agreements to extort the company.

Coinbase is seeking damages and a domain transfer, warning that misuse of such domains poses serious risks to user safety and brand trust.

Pudgy Penguins deny OpenSea rumors

Pudgy Penguins has denied widespread rumors that it acquired NFT marketplace OpenSea, telling its followers to “chill” and focus on real partnerships instead – like its deals with Lufthansa and NASCAR.

We’re happy to announce that we will be partnering with @NASCAR to bring Pengu to NASCAR fans worldwide. pic.twitter.com/yIyFlYKwnp

— Pudgy Penguins (@pudgypenguins) June 11, 2025

The speculation followed social media claims that a quiet acquisition had closed as early as December 2024. While OpenSea remains under pressure to regain relevance in a growing NFT market, Pudgy Penguins says its ambitions lie elsewhere.

Ripple explains missing XRP history

A long-standing mystery about the XRP Ledger’s early days resurfaced this week, as Ripple CTO David Schwartz addressed why the first 32,000 blocks are missing. He blamed a bug during development, not foul play, and said a full reset was considered but deemed too risky.

It’s a reminder of just how fragile early blockchain systems were – and how today’s secure networks often rely on early compromises and decisions made under pressure.

Indian student jailed in fraud case

An Indian student has been denied bail after allegedly aiding a crypto scammer by delivering SIM cards, renting a crypto account, and facilitating hotel stays – all in a $457,000 fraud case. The special CBI court cited the rising threat of crypto-related crime in its decision.

Though not the scam’s mastermind, his role highlights how anyone involved – even indirectly – can face serious legal consequences.

China jails Kuaishou staff for laundering

Chinese authorities have sentenced several employees from Kuaishou, a TikTok-style video app, for laundering nearly $20 million through Bitcoin. The group embezzled funds and tried to obscure them via mixers and foreign exchanges.

Despite attempts to hide the money trail, investigators recovered 92 BTC, showing how blockchain forensics continue to evolve. The case underscores the risks of combining crypto with traditional financial misconduct.