Bitcoin ETFs end eight consecutive weeks of net outflows; escalating Middle East tensions drag BTC down to $63,000.

Intel (INTC.O) will invest 50 billion euros (approximately $57 billion) to expand its factory in Ireland, aiming to recapture its leading position in manufacturing amid the artificial intelligence boom. In a statement, Intel said the investment will boost production capacity at its Leixlip campus outside Dublin, as part of the company’s plan to increase output of data center processors. The expansion will enhance manufacturing capabilities for products including its flagship Xeon server processors, while advancing research and development activities. Intel Executive Vice President Naga Chandrasekaran noted in a statement that the move is also part of the company’s plan to improve delivery capacity for its foundry business. Intel’s foundry arm, which manufactures chips for other tech companies, is a core component of its revitalization strategy, designed to strengthen its competitiveness against rivals such as TSMC.

US President Trump posted that he may "operate" the Strait of Hormuz in the future, stating that if the US takes the lead in managing the Strait of Hormuz, the US will receive compensation. "We will become the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz."

According to the Associated Press, in response to recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump that he has ordered the U.S. military to launch large-scale strikes on Iran if he is assassinated by Tehran, there is no so-called "dead man’s switch" mechanism in U.S. law that automatically triggers military retaliation upon the president’s death. Under the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act, if the president dies, Vice President JD Vance will immediately assume the presidency and the role of commander-in-chief, with military command authority transferring simultaneously. The successor president will independently decide whether to execute, modify, or cancel the relevant orders of the predecessor. Experts note that while the U.S. has established government continuity and nuclear contingency plans, it has never allowed the military to automatically launch retaliatory actions based on preset orders after the president’s death.

Bitmine announced it purchased an additional 27,801 ETH over the past week, and will maintain its steady accumulation pace that has been in place since 2026. The company expects to achieve its so-called "Alchemy of 5%" target this year. As of July 12, Bitmine holds a total of 5.77 million ETH, of which 4.917 million ETH (accounting for 85% of its holdings) has been staked. At an ETH price of $1,820, the total value of its ETH holdings is approximately $9 billion. Based on an annual staking yield of 2.70%, the company’s annual staking revenue is around $242 million; if all its ETH is staked, annual staking rewards would reach $284 million. Additionally, Bitmine said it launched MAVAN (Made in American Validator Network), an institutional-grade Ethereum staking platform, this year, which will be opened to institutional investors, custodian institutions, and ecosystem partners. Bitmine also noted that it is currently the world’s largest ETH reserve institution, and ranks second globally in terms of crypto asset reserve size, trailing only Strategy, which holds 843,775 BTC. The company further stated that the GENIUS Act and the U.S. SEC’s Project Crypto will drive transformation in digital asset financial infrastructure, an impact comparable to that of the end of the 1971 Bretton Woods system on Wall Street’s modernization.

Tether announced that Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Motor Mexico have completed an enterprise cross-border settlement proof of concept (POC) on the Avalanche network via Axiym, marking Tether’s first enterprise cross-border fund settlement pilot. During the pilot, Hyundai Motor America converted $20,000 into USDT, transferred the funds cross-border to Hyundai Motor Mexico, which then converted the amount back to USD. The entire cross-border transfer and verification process took an average of just 7 minutes, a notable acceleration compared to traditional bank cross-border remittances, which typically take 3 to 4 hours or longer. Tether noted that the pilot demonstrates stablecoins’ application potential in enterprise cross-border payments, fund management, and global fund allocation. In the next phase, the project will explore additional cross-border payment channels and local currency settlement scenarios, further evaluating stablecoins’ use in enterprise treasury management.

US President Donald Trump said, “We are taking over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has nothing right now. Iran is not getting anything.”