Crypto perpetual futures trading volume on centralized exchanges dropped to $4 trillion in July, marking a 31-month low, while decentralized exchange volumes fell to $531 billion alongside declining spot trading activity.
Hong Kong's four-decade-old dollar peg faces review calls as an industry association urges shifting to the yuan or a basket of major currencies and gold.
Bitcoin futures trading volumes on Binance have reached a record 7.82 times higher than spot markets, indicating a shift towards leveraged and risk-managed strategies amid declining spot demand and a range-bound BTC price.
Hong Kong's securities regulator warned against highly concentrated shareholdings in small- and mid-cap stocks, cautioning that limited ownership can drive sharp price swings.
Stock futures rose Tuesday as U.S.-Iran deal hopes boosted oil prices and strong earnings from companies like Palantir and Caterpillar lifted sentiment. DuPont shares fell despite positive results due to a soft outlook.
Five-year Chinese treasury bond futures began trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, providing a standardized instrument for hedging interest rate risk. This move is seen as a critical institutional cornerstone to elevate the renminbi's status as an international reserve currency amid global demand for credible safe assets.
President Trump canceled a planned strike on Iran, leading to falling oil prices and market optimism. OPEC+ increased oil production, while Japan and the U.S. intervened to strengthen the yen, marking their first joint effort since 2011.
Oil prices, including WTI and Brent crude, fell over 6% following US President Trump's announcement of potential talks with Iran to resolve nuclear issues and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Despite hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough, market uncertainty persists due to ongoing security risks in shipping routes and skepticism about the negotiations' success.
HKEX is launching 5-year China government bond futures, receiving positive feedback from international institutional investors. These will be the first offshore products enabling investors to manage risks in Chinese treasury bonds at low cost, bypassing the QFII quota requirement.
Brent crude futures with September delivery on the ICE exchange in London dropped below $82 a barrel, marking the first time since July 13, according to trading data. The price initially fell 6.74% before paring some losses.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee met China Securities Regulatory Commission chairman Wu Qing to discuss deepening financial market links. This high-level meeting occurred ahead of the launch of Hong Kong's first yuan-denominated five-year bond futures, aiming to enhance the RMB product ecosystem and consolidate Hong Kong's role as an offshore RMB hub.
Leveraged funds reduced their net bearish Bitcoin futures position by 5,566.5 BTC-equivalent, while asset managers simultaneously became less net bullish by 2,204.3 BTC-equivalent, according to a CFTC report covering July 21-28. This indicates a reduction in bearish exposure but not a broad institutional bullish turn.
Hong Kong's finance chief, Paul Chan, announced the city will raise its 2026 full-year economic growth forecast after a 5.1% expansion in H1 2026. This is driven by strong global AI product demand and services exports, alongside a pledge to promote yuan use. Chan cautioned on geopolitical risks and US dollar interest rates.
Mainland Chinese parents are increasingly enrolling their children in costly financial quotient (FQ) training camps, aiming to cultivate early financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills. These popular week-long classes, costing at least 12,800 yuan, are often booked months in advance.
CME Group launches 55 standard and 22 Micro single-stock futures for heavily traded US companies, aiming to capitalize on modern market dynamics shaped by crypto, commission-free trading, and extended-hours activity.
Perpetual futures for tokenized stocks and commodities on Hyperliquid and Binance nearly matched Bitcoin's trading volume, reaching $61.7 billion last week. This growth, particularly in equities and commodities, signals a shift in crypto markets and draws attention from traditional finance leaders.
XRP trades at $1.06, down 2.9% in 24 hours, with high derivatives open interest ($2.43B) outpacing spot volume ($361M), making the market fragile. Bitcoin's direction post-Fed meeting will heavily influence XRP's outcome, with key support at $1.05 and $1.00.
Crypto exchanges are expanding into tokenized stocks, commodities, and precious metals, with market capitalization growing to $6.6 billion in June 2026 from $1.4 billion in January 2025, driven by competition from traditional brokerages and decentralized exchanges.
BitMEX's utility token (BMEX) plummeted 90% to $0.002 after the exchange announced its decision to wind down operations. The closure follows a significant drop in BitMEX's Bitcoin futures market share and is seen as part of broader industry corrections.
Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart suggests the CLARITY Act will have minimal direct impact on Bitcoin, which already has established regulatory infrastructure. The updated bill, released by Senate Republicans, is seen as more beneficial for assets like Ethereum and Solana, which lack clear legal status.
Glasgow is hosting a scaled-back Commonwealth Games in 2026 after Victoria withdrew due to financial concerns. Despite organisers' optimism, challenges like low ticket sales, limited free-to-air TV coverage, and star athlete absentees raise questions about the event's long-term viability and relevance.
PM Narendra Modi announced fast-track courts for paper leak cases, prioritizing students' future. This follows student protests over the NEET paper leak, with opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticizing Modi and demanding the education minister's resignation.
Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh shared a heartfelt message on the ongoing NEET examination paper leak protests, urging dialogue for a safe learning environment. The controversy has intensified with protests, parliamentary deadlock, and legal scrutiny, including Delhi Police FIRs and Delhi High Court notices. Olympian Manu Bhaker also voiced concern for students.
Stock futures are down after SpaceX announced its debut earnings report and share lock-up expiration. Oil prices surged over $95/barrel due to US strikes on Iran, while new US tariffs are signaled, and the Fed faced cybersecurity access issues with an AI model.
