WHAT’S INSIDE

• Tech News: Bitcoin ATH, Tariffs, 1% Fed Rate, TSX Surge, Energy Summit

• Company Watch: xAI, SpaceX, Meta x Play AI, Cognition x Windsurf

• Feature: "Crypto Week" Surge, Wall Street Plays Chicken With Trump

• Buzzy Tools: Latest Buzzy tech, AI and financial tools

• Deep Tech: The latest in deep tech, biotech, futurism and more

• Space Tech: Latest news in the space race and aerospace tech

• Crypto: Blockchain and crypto policy and startups or protocols to watch

TECH IN THE NEWS

Bitcoin Breaks Records — Bitcoin hits a record $123,153.22 as the crypto market surges to $3.8 trillion on optimism over U.S. regulatory progress via "crypto week" legislation.

Tariff Time — Pres. Trump announced a 30% tariff on goods from the EU and Mexico, effective August 1 now following an extension of the pause on new tariffs. Both regions seek negotiations to prevent further escalation before August.

1% Rate Demand — Donald Trump advocates for a 1% Fed interest rate, which critics say could potentially trigger an economic crisis and inflation spike due to increased government borrowing costs.

TSX Record High — Canada's TSX index soared to a new record, fueled by a 7.7% rise in Thomson Reuters shares and a 1.9% technology sector boost, as investors focus on earnings amid U.S. tariff concerns.

Energy Summit — Pres. Trump and Senator Dave McCormick will headline the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University, emphasizing energy and AI.

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Crypto Week Sparks ATH, Wall Street Bets on Business as Usual

Bitcoin surged past $122,000. Congress prepares to advance a trio of digital asset bills. ETF inflows shattered records. Meanwhile, Wall Street shrugged off tariffs.

Capitol Sparks Crypto Surge

The most consequential week for digital assets in U.S. legislative history could unfold in Washington next week — and markets are responding accordingly. On Monday, Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $122,873, closing out a week that saw institutional crypto ETF inflows hit $3.4 billion, a new record. And that was without significant retail investor involvement. Did crypto just become a mainstream asset? 

Three Bills To Transform Digital Assets

Next week, Congress will consider three major pieces of legislation during what’s now being called "Crypto Week" on the Hill: the CLARITY Act, the GENIUS Act, and a third Market structure legislation are all on the table. Together, they propose federal definitions, clearer agency boundaries, stablecoin collateral standards, and pathways for digital asset offerings. The legislation would essentially create a framework for regulating broader crypto issuance and trading, essentially green-lighting certain assets for institutional adoption.

The crypto industry is overwhelmingly supportive. A joint letter submitted to House and Senate leadership by the Digital Rights Coalition (DRC) and 50 other stakeholders called the CLARITY Act “a much-needed standard” and gave its support to the CLARITY Act’s robust, control-based decentralization test for digital assets. This group is the “largest coalition of organizations in agreement on a particular test for decentralization” in the history of the fractious crypto sector. This could finally settle the test for ascertaining when digital assets are considered as securities, based on the degree of decentralization of control, a vital clarification.

Clarity At Last 

The GENIUS Act moved through the Senate with bipartisan momentum. ETFs followed the signal. Crypto ETFs now hold $158 billion in assets under management — up 65% in just one week. But several Democrats will be pushing back next week. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), the top Dem on the House Financial Services Committee, is calling next week "Anti-Crypto Corruption Week," calling all three bills "dangerous pieces of crypto legislation." However, hasn’t provided much to back up that claim other than pointing to Trump’s conflicts of interest in the space.

The CLARITY Act, meanwhile, gives crypto projects a regulatory path. The GENIUS Act mandates stablecoins be backed 1:1 by cash or U.S. Treasuries, with regular audits. Together, they reduce legal ambiguity that has stalled innovation — and scared off large institutions. Even critics acknowledge the scope. “Love it or hate it, the CLARITY Act offers structure where there’s been nothing but improvisation,” said Columbia Law professor Angela Walch.

Markets Shrug Off More Uncertainty

While crypto is finding clarity, there is no such luck for international trade. President Trump reignited tensions Monday, announcing the U.S. is set to impose 30% tariffs on EU and Mexican imports, now starting August 1 after an extended pause deadline. Brazil faces a proposed 50%, Canada 35%, and Japan and South Korea 25%. The policy impacts over $4 trillion in annual trade volume.

But Equity markets barely blinked. The S&P 500 continues to flirt with all-time highs. JPMorgan analysts warn that a 5 percentage point hike in tariffs could cut S&P 500 EPS growth by 1–2%, but few traders are positioning defensively.

Dimon’s Warning, VIX’s Whisper

“There’s complacency in the market,” said JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon in the bank’s midyear outlook.

The data supports him. The VIX sits at 14.2 — well below average — and the AAII bull/bear ratio is at 2.8. The Euphoria Index, tracked by Topdown Charts, now reads 0.41, a level associated with market tops.

Investors are leaning into what’s become a familiar thesis: the “TACO trade” — Trump Always Chickens Out. They expect delay, moderation, or both. Some also reportedly expect the Fed to step in to save markets if it all goes wrong.

An Earnings Reality Check?

Quarterly earnings are expected to grow just 4.8% year-over-year — slowest since late 2023. Energy and materials are dragging (-25% and -12% EPS, respectively), while tech and communication services continue to post strong gains.

Banking kicks off this week with JPMorgan forecast to post 5% EPS growth, Goldman Sachs 15%, and reports that Wells Fargo may decline 5.3%.

A Recipe For Volatility

Crypto is gaining traction on clarity. Equities are banking on confidence that this time really is different. With inflation risk rising from tariffs and the Federal Reserve unlikely to cut rates soon (despite Trump's call this week for a 1% Fed Rate), that confidence could be tested.

Goldman Sachs economists estimate the new tariffs could add 28 basis points to core inflation this year. Elevated inflation would force the Fed to remain restrictive — undermining Current equity valuations are increasingly divorced from earnings and policy risk. For now, markets appear willing to look past geopolitical tension and softening earnings. But as policy timelines approach for tariffs and final crypto votes in Late July, that comfort may give way to something else, gravity.

COMPANIES TO WATCH

[Open Deal] xAI - Elon Musk’s startup is reportedly seeking a $200B valuation in what would be its third fundraising round in two months. It just released Grok 4, benchmarking as the top AI model overall. SpaceX will invest $2B.

[Open Deal] SpaceX — Also seeking new funding by selling shares to insiders, targeting a valuation of $400B up from its $350B valuation in December 2024.

Meta x Play AI — Meta has acquired Play AI, a startup known for AI-generated human-like voices to support a push into AI audio content creation. Also it will build a 5GW AI data center named Hyperion in Louisiana.

Cognition x Windsurf — The startup behind AI coding agent Devin acquired rival AI coding startup Windsurf after its leadership was poached by Google in a $2.4B licensing deal. Goldman Sachs is to pilot Devin to automate complex coding tasks.

SignalPulse — Read the Top signals, Startups + Deals From Last Week

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BUZZY TOOLS

Buzzy Tech Tools To Watch & Use

Tesla x Grok — Conversational AI for vehicles; focus on privacy, natural dialogue.

Kimi K2 — 32B OS model tops efficient automation and complex data analysis.

NotebookLM — The Economist, The Atlantic add original news materials access.

ByteDance — Pico mixed reality goggles to rival Meta's, low-latency chips.

MS Phi-4-mini-flash-reasoning — 10x throughput model for math reasoning.

Sun Day — Jack Dorsey's app tracks UV, vit D intake, with recommendations.

BUZZY TECH

The Latest Deep Technology & Trends To Watch

Ploopy Knob — Open-source customizable dial for PC control replaces mouse.

AI Tongue — Graphene sensor mimics human taste to 98.5% accuracy.

World's Largest — AI-enabled plant to make 1.5M tons green ammonia by 2028.

Optical Chip — AI data chip transmits at 1,000 Gbps with only 4j of energy used.

Paradox-Free Time Travel — Closed time-like curves coexist with determinism.

CRYPTO WATCH

Bitcoin ATH — Bitcoin hit a new all-time high over $122,800, fueled by institutional demand and spot ETF inflows. Major alts like Ethereum and XRP gained, while the crypto market cap dipped slightly.

Crypto-Friendly Bills — A series of bills, including the GENIUS Act for stablecoins, are advancing in Congress aiming to integrate digital assets into traditional finance. Trump is expected to sign the bills into force.

[Open Deal] Zerohash — Chicago-based crypto infrastructure provider is raising $100M at a nearly $1B valuation, led by Interactive Brokers. It partners with firms like Stripe and Securitize, capitalizing on the booming stablecoin sector.

Pump.fun — ICO raised $500M selling 125B tokens in just 12 mins at $0.004 each; 42% of KYC users participated with 10k+ wallets, futures jumped 54% above ICO price.

Bitcoin To #5 — Bitcoin has surged to become the world's fifth-largest asset by market cap, reaching approximately $122,000 and overtaking Amazon.

SPACE_RACE

—Space Force_Conducts largest-ever orbital warfare exercise, with 700+ personnel

—NASA _House bill preserves overall budget, shifts spend to an exploration focus

—Tianzhou-9_China launches record cargo load via rocket to Tiangong station

—Roman Telescope_NASA's next-gen space telescope progresses, adds solar panels

—Apolink_Raises $4.3M to develop hybrid RF-optical satellite communications

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