Cryptocurrency News: Saturday, August 1, 2026 — Market Concludes Its Best Month in a Year, Bitcoin Stabilizes at $64,000 Following Fed Pause
The cryptocurrency market enters August on a positive note, with July marking the best month for digital assets in the past year. Bitcoin is maintaining levels above $64,000, institutional capital is returning to spot ETFs, and altcoins—from XRP to Solana—are witnessing a steady influx of funds through exchange-traded products. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Reserve has adopted a wait-and-see stance on interest rates, allowing room for cautious optimism among investors. We break down the key cryptocurrency news and current market landscape for global investors.
Key Headlines: Important Events in the Crypto Market
- Bitcoin is trading around $64,700–$64,900 with a capitalization of approximately $1.3 trillion; BTC dominance is at 57%.
- The U.S. Federal Reserve has maintained the federal funds rate in the range of 3.5%–3.75% without providing new signals regarding future trajectories.
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net inflow of $233 million during the session on July 30, led by the IBIT fund from BlackRock.
- The CoinDesk 20 Index concluded July with the highest monthly increase since July 2025.
- The share of institutional participants in trading volumes reached a record 72%.
- Losses in the industry from hacks in the first half of 2026 exceeded $1 billion—a historical record.
Bitcoin: Consolidation Above $64,000 Following a Volatile Month
The price of Bitcoin stabilized as of the first weekend in August within the range of $63,800–$65,300. Daily trading volume exceeds $26 billion, and the market capitalization of the leading cryptocurrency remains around $1.3 trillion. Despite the positive dynamics in July, BTC is still approximately 49% below its all-time high of $126,198, reached in October 2025.
Analysts note a decrease in 30-day implied volatility—a sign that the market has shifted into an accumulation phase. However, option traders are exercising caution: the most popular contract for August has been a put option with a strike price of $60,000. Key levels for investors include support in the $63,000–$64,000 range and resistance at the $66,000 mark, the monthly high. A breakout above or below either boundary will set the direction for August.
Fed Decision: Rates Unchanged, Inflation Remains a Concern
The main macroeconomic event of the past week was the Federal Reserve's meeting. The regulator, led by Kevin Warsh, maintained the federal funds rate in the range of 3.5%–3.75% and refrained from making predictions regarding future actions. Inflation in the U.S. hovers around 4.1%, preventing any scenario of a rate hike from being ruled out by the end of the year.
For the cryptocurrency market, this means ongoing uncertainty: the Fed's dovish rhetoric typically directs capital toward riskier assets, while hawkish signals create downward pressure on prices. An additional factor of risk is the geopolitical tension in the Middle East. Investors should closely monitor upcoming inflation data, as it will be critical for the dynamics of digital assets in August.
ETF Flows: Institutional Capital Returns to the Market
After a challenging June, when net outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs amounted to approximately $4.5 billion—the worst monthly result since the launch of the products—July brought a reversal. The market saw three consecutive weeks of inflows, with funds attracting $233 million in one session on July 30, of which about $183 million came from BlackRock's IBIT.
Statistics for altcoin ETFs launched since late 2025 are also notable:
- XRP ETFs have attracted about $1.5 billion since November 2025, with only one month showing a negative performance.
- Funds dedicated to Solana have accumulated over $1.1 billion in total inflows.
- Hyperliquid ETFs reached $190 million in less than three months—a record pace of fund attracting.
- Chainlink products have amassed over $125 million without a single negative month since December 2025.
According to researchers, ETF flows explain about 45% of weekly price movements in Bitcoin, transforming daily ETF statistics from a sentiment indicator into a structural market driver.
Ethereum Enters Its Second Decade
Ethereum celebrated the eleventh anniversary of its network launch, concluding a year of significant changes—from staffing shifts at the Ethereum Foundation to accelerated institutional adoption. The price of ETH hovers around $1,920 with a market capitalization of about $230 billion, and it has gained around 40% since the beginning of 2026, marking the best performance among major cryptocurrencies.
Institutional interest in the asset is growing: Morgan Stanley Investment Management has listed trust products based on Ethereum and Solana on the NYSE Arca with a fee of 0.14%—one of the lowest in the segment. However, the inflow into spot ETH ETFs still significantly lags behind that of Bitcoin, reflecting the current preferences of large capital.
Altcoins: Focus on XRP, Solana, and BNB
The altcoin segment concluded July mixed but with a prevailing positive trend. BNB gained over 4% during the last session of the week, trading around $592. XRP remains above $1.09 amid the development of an institutional pipeline around XRP Ledger, valued at $4 billion. Solana is quoted in the range of $74–$75: interest in the ecosystem is bolstered by a decision from a South Korean digital bank with 15 million customers to use stablecoins in the Solana network for cross-border transfers.
A noteworthy development is the new S&P Pantera digital asset index, from which Bitcoin and XRP were excluded—an event sparking lively discussions about the classification criteria for crypto-assets among major index providers.
Top 10 Most Popular Cryptocurrencies: Current Quotes
Estimated prices as of the morning of August 1, 2026:
- Bitcoin (BTC) — around $64,800; capitalization ~$1.3 trillion, dominance 57%.
- Ethereum (ETH) — around $1,920; capitalization ~$230 billion.
- Tether (USDT) — $1.00; stablecoin capitalization exceeding $183 billion.
- XRP (XRP) — around $1.09; leader in inflow into altcoin ETFs.
- BNB (BNB) — around $592; best daily performance among major assets (+4%).
- Solana (SOL) — around $74.7; growing usage in stablecoin payments.
- USD Coin (USDC) — $1.00; second-largest stablecoin by capitalization.
- Hyperliquid (HYPE) — around $55; record pace of inflow into related ETFs.
- Dogecoin (DOGE) — around $0.07; largest meme cryptocurrency.
- Cardano (ADA) — around $0.17; increasing by over 3% in a day.
Security: Losses from Hacks Exceeded $1 Billion in the First Half of the Year
The first half of 2026 has set records for losses due to cyberattacks: according to industry researchers, the industry has lost more than $1 billion, and the number of incidents has surpassed the total for all of 2025. Nearly $600 million is attributable to groups connected to North Korea, including attacks on Drift ($285 million) and KelpDAO ($292 million).
A recent incident also impacted the hardware wallet segment: due to a vulnerability in the firmware of one popular device, attackers extracted 594 BTC worth approximately $38 million. For investors, this serves as a reminder of the importance of regularly updating firmware, checking device integrity, and diversifying asset storage methods.
Market Institutionalization: 72% of Turnover is with Professionals
According to a recent industry report, the share of institutional participants in cryptocurrency trading has reached a record 72%. This has resulted in reduced volatility, more selective flows into altcoins, and accelerated growth in the tokenized asset segment. The digital asset market increasingly resembles traditional financial markets in structure—dominated by algorithmic trading, market makers, and regulated products.
Outlook: What Investors Should Watch for in August
Key factors in the upcoming weeks:
- U.S. Inflation Data — will determine the Fed's rhetoric and the risk appetite in global markets.
- ETF Flow Dynamics — resilience in inflows will be a key indicator of institutional demand.
- $63,000 and $66,000 Levels for Bitcoin — boundaries of the range, with a breakout setting the medium-term trend.
- U.S. Regulatory Agenda — progress in cryptocurrency legislation following July's delays.
The reversal in flows during July and record institutionalization create a constructive backdrop; however, the combination of high inflation and interest rate uncertainty necessitates disciplined risk management from investors. Cryptocurrencies remain a highly volatile asset class, and one strong month does not eliminate the need for portfolio diversification.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute individual investment advice.
