Bitcoin steadies as ETF inflows return
The week ending 18 July 2026 was relatively constructive for crypto markets. Bitcoin held above $64,000 after recovering from June's lows, supported by improving U.S. inflation data and the return of net inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs after an extended period of withdrawals. While investor sentiment remained cautious, the resilience of Bitcoin through a week of geopolitical tension and options expiry suggested that selling pressure was beginning to ease.
The CLARITY Act reaches a critical stage
Regulation remained the dominant story. The CLARITY Act entered what many viewed as its most important phase, with President Trump meeting senators in an attempt to resolve disagreements over ethics provisions and build enough bipartisan support before Congress's August recess. Despite the push, prediction markets reduced the chances of the bill passing in 2026 as time pressure mounted and key political differences remained unresolved.
Traditional finance continues to build on blockchain
Away from prices and politics, institutional adoption gathered pace. Circle's approval to establish a U.S. trust bank strengthened the regulated stablecoin ecosystem, while major banks continued investing in tokenised finance and blockchain-based settlement infrastructure. The week's developments reinforced a recurring theme of 2026: although cryptocurrency prices have been volatile, investment in the underlying financial infrastructure has continued to accelerate.