Bitcoin surged to a 15-month peak near $81,500 before correcting to $79,000, while Ripple launched an institutional trading business and Circle partnered with Chelsea FC for USDC branding.
DeFi & Yields ·
Bitcoin rallied from below $65,000 to nearly $81,500 in recent days, marking its highest level in 15 months, before retreating to around $79,000. The advance drew support from macroeconomic conditions including announcements from the US Treasury Department and dollar weakness. Solana similarly reclaimed the $100 threshold for the first time since late January, while several altcoins logged double-digit weekly gains.
Beyond price action, institutional adoption moves accelerated across the sector. Ripple unveiled Ripple Prime, an institutional trading operation targeting hedge funds and asset managers to trade Total Return Swaps on US equities, indices, and cryptocurrencies. Revolut introduced EURR, a euro-denominated stablecoin available in select European countries under the EU's MiCA framework and redeemable at €1.00 per token.
Circle secured a partnership with Chelsea FC under which USDC branding will appear on the club's men's, women's, and Academy kits beginning the 2026/2027 season, with Chelsea reportedly targeting over $60 million in annual value from the deal. Details on long-term crypto market implications and adoption timelines remain to be clarified.