Good Morning, Asia. Here’s what’s making news in the markets:
Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk’s Crypto Daybook Americas.
Bitcoin (BTC) traded at $119,430 in early Asia hours on Monday, up 1.24%, as bullish momentum continued following a series of institutional milestones and a breakthrough trade deal between the United States and the European Union. The CoinDesk 20 (CD20) Index rose 2.37% to 4,099.18, extending its recent recovery.
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a framework trade agreement at Turnberry, Scotland, that sets a 15% U.S. import tariff on E.U. goods, avoiding the previously threatened 30% rate. The deal includes $600 billion in E.U. investment in U.S. energy and defense over the next three years and aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian fuel. Tariffs on steel and aluminum remain at 50% for the time being.
At the same time, bitcoin’s realized market capitalization, a measure of the total value of BTC based on the last time each coin moved, crossed the $1 trillion threshold for the first time, according to Glassnode.
All this comes as BTC continues to consolidate above $118,000 after hitting a record high of $122,700 last week. The rally triggered significant long-term holder selling, while drawing in new buyers and fresh capital. BTC dominance, which measures Bitcoin’s market share relative to the total crypto market, has edged down to 60.98%, suggesting modest rotation into altcoins.
On Friday, Galaxy Digital announced it had executed a $9 billion BTC transaction on behalf of a Satoshi-era investor, one of the largest single bitcoin transfers in history. The sale involved 80,000 BTC and was reportedly part of an estate planning strategy.
The lack of price movement despite the size of the deal is likely a testament to how much BTC is illiquid, thanks to long-term HODLing. A market on the verge of a supply-shock rally can take an extra $9 billion being placed up for sale.
Meanwhile, Polymarket bettors now give BTC a 24% chance of hitting $125,000 before the end of July, up from 18% earlier in the week. The increased odds come as traders weigh the impact of macro tailwinds and growing on-chain conviction.
Market Movements
BTC: Bitcoin is trading above $119K as the United States and European Union sign a trade agreement, while CoinGlass data shows that traders have dipped into the majority short positions.
ETH: Ether is trading at $3,867.76, up 3%, amid strong onchain fundamentals: 28% of ETH is staked, exchange balances are at eight-year lows, and new buyer inflows are rising.
Gold: Gold is down for a fourth straight day, trading around $3,335 in early Asia despite a 28% year-to-date gain, as progress on U.S.–EU and U.S.–China trade deals reduces safe-haven demand ahead of this week’s FOMC meeting.
Nikkei 225: Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday as investors awaited details of U.S.–China trade talks.