Wall Street giant Citi has updated its year-end forecast for Bitcoin, setting a base-case target of $135,000. The bank also outlined a bullish scenario reaching $199,000, while a bearish case, driven by weak equities, could pull the price down to $64,000. Citi’s revised outlook reflects key factors, including user adoption, macroeconomic trends, and increasing demand from spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

According to the report, Citi analysts project a 20% rise in user activity, supporting a $75,000 valuation on its own. Macroeconomic pressures, such as soft equity and gold performance, are expected to subtract $3,200, while an estimated $15 billion in additional ETF inflows could add $63,000. These elements combine to form the new $135,000 base-case forecast.

Since the U.S. approved spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024, ETF flows have accounted for over 40% of recent price movements. Citi believes crypto’s deeper integration into traditional finance and accelerating ETF demand are pushing Bitcoin’s outlook higher, with upside risks outweighing downside pressure.

UK-based Smarter Web Company has expanded its bitcoin treasury by acquiring 225 BTC, worth approximately $26.4 million. This latest move increases its total bitcoin holdings to 1,825 BTC, now valued at over $200 million. The firm purchased the bitcoin at an average price of $118,076 per BTC, using £19.6 million of treasury funds.

The company now ranks 26th globally among public firms holding bitcoin, according to Bitcointreasuries.net. In addition to its crypto investments, Smarter Web also holds £1 million in net cash, ready to be deployed into more bitcoin. The firm recently reported a half-year loss of £719,566, compared to £372,640 during the same period last year.

CEO Andrew Webley emphasized confidence in bitcoin, calling it “the best asset the world has ever seen.” Since its IPO on the Aquis Stock Exchange in April, the firm has raised over £100 million in equity capital, with no debt. Smarter Web remains committed to using bitcoin for long-term strategic growth.

Source

Christie’s International Real Estate has launched a new division focused on luxury property deals using digital currencies like bitcoin. Buyers and sellers can now complete transactions entirely in crypto, without involving traditional banks. The new unit, led by Aaron Kirman, CEO of Christie’s Southern California, follows several major crypto-backed sales, including a $65 million Beverly Hills property.

The division includes a team of lawyers, analysts, and crypto experts to ensure secure digital transactions. More than $1 billion worth of homes are now listed with sellers open to accepting bitcoin. Properties include the $118 million La Fin mansion in Bel Air, and the $18 million Invisible House in Joshua Tree. Discussions are underway with banks about bitcoin-backed financing options.

This move reflects rising acceptance of crypto in the real estate industry. Federal support is growing, as new laws like the Genius Act and Clarity Act aim to regulate and support digital assets. Kirman believes crypto is here to stay, and expects even greater adoption in the years ahead.

 Report 

Capital pouring into digital assets has soared to $60 billion so far this year, with inflows jumping nearly 50 percent since May, according to JPMorgan analysts. The surge is fueled by rising crypto fund activity, CME futures trading, and a wave of venture capital fundraising. Analysts believe inflows will surpass last year’s record as momentum continues to build.

JPMorgan’s Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou credits the growing optimism to recent progress in U.S. crypto regulation. The GENIUS Act, now passed by Congress, offers long-awaited clarity for stablecoins and sets a potential global benchmark. Meanwhile, the CLARITY Act, moving through Congress, aims to formally classify digital assets — a step that could attract more crypto-native firms to the U.S. over regions like the EU, which has stricter rules.

Public and private markets are already responding. Crypto venture funding is picking up, Circle’s IPO was a success, and SEC filings are on the rise. Interest in altcoins is also heating up, especially Ethereum, which is gaining ground in DeFi and corporate treasuries.

Semler Scientific has acquired 175 Bitcoin for $20.8 million, using proceeds from its recent ATM offering. According to an SEC filing, the average purchase price was $119,230 per Bitcoin. This latest buy brings the company’s total holdings to 5,021 BTC, valued at approximately $595 million as of early Thursday morning.

Bitcoin traded slightly higher at $118,500 in pre-market hours, following a recent all-time high above $120,000. Semler’s stock rose 0.46% in pre-market trading, though retail sentiment on Stocktwits slipped into bearish territory. The company reported a 31.3% year-to-date return on its Bitcoin investment through July 23.

Semler began using Bitcoin as its primary treasury asset in May 2024 and plans to significantly expand its holdings. The company aims to reach 10,000 BTC by the end of the year, 42,000 by the end of 2026, and 105,000 by 2027. It will fund this strategy through a mix of equity, debt, and operational cash flow.

Source

Ghana is set to license cryptocurrency platforms as digital asset adoption continues to surge across the country. The Bank of Ghana is finalizing a regulatory framework, expected to be submitted to parliament by September, according to Governor Johnson Asiama. The initiative aims to capture crypto-related revenue and strengthen control over the national currency.

The cedi has appreciated over 40% against the U.S. dollar in 2025, rebounding from a nearly 20% drop last year. This sharp fluctuation has complicated efforts to manage inflation. Asiama noted that many users are making and receiving crypto payments, which are not recorded in the country’s financial system, posing challenges for economic oversight.

Roughly 17.3% of Ghanaian adults—over 3 million people—own cryptocurrency, according to a June 2024 report by Zawya. Ghana recorded $3 billion in crypto transactions in the year to June 2024, a major share of the $125 billion seen across sub-Saharan Africa, Bloomberg reported, citing Web3 Africa Group CEO Del Titus Bawuah.

Bloomberg

Sometimes the best Bitcoin stories start with the worst banking experiences.

For Nicolas Dorier, creator of BTCPay Server, his journey into Bitcoin began not with grand visions of digital money, but with the frustrating reality of being blacklisted by French banks over a measly $1,000 unpaid bill after the failure of his first startup in 2011.

“I tried to create a new business that was just consulting. So like no risk at all and banks would not let me open a bank account,” Dorier recalls of his 2011 experience.

Even when France’s central bank forced one bank to accept him as a customer, the service was deliberately minimal.

“So you don’t have internet…

Read more on bitcoinnews

Nativo Resources plc (LON:NTVO), a gold-focused mining company, has announced a new Digital Asset Treasury Policy, marking a significant step into the world of crypto. As it prepares to restart operations at the Tesoro Gold Concession in Peru, the company will allocate a portion of its free cash flow and future fundraising proceeds to Bitcoin, positioning it as a long-term treasury reserve asset.

The company believes combining gold and Bitcoin offers a strong hedge against inflation. Bitcoin’s fixed supply, decentralized nature, and low correlation to traditional markets make it a compelling complement to gold. Nativo may also use Bitcoin for transactions with counterparties, boosting financial flexibility, while remaining focused on primary gold mining, ore processing, and recovery from tailings.

To implement this policy securely, Nativo is partnering with Copper dot co for institutional-grade custody and settlement services, and Nemean Services for digital asset security. Executive Chair Christian Yates said the move helps future-proof the company’s treasury, offering long-term value to shareholders in an evolving global economy.

Source