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PickNexo News
Published June 23, 2026
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Updated: June 23, 2026 | PickNexo
At the same time, the US Senate advanced a bill containing a temporary ban on a Federal Reserve CBDC, crypto lobby groups pushed for clearer staking and mining tax rules, and the US government accelerated its focus on quantum computing and post-quantum cryptography.
For investors, today's crypto market is sending two messages at once: short-term price momentum remains weak, but long-term infrastructure and policy development are still moving forward.
Bitcoin fell toward the $62,800-$63,000 range as investors rotated out of high-performing technology and chip stocks. The decline followed weakness across risk assets, with global equities pressured by concerns that the AI-driven market rally may have moved too far too quickly.
This matters because Bitcoin is no longer trading only on crypto-native headlines. Over the past several weeks, macro events, equity flows and AI-related market sentiment have increasingly influenced crypto prices.
CoinDesk noted that Bitcoin is down more than 3% on the week, while Ether, XRP, Solana and Dogecoin also moved lower. The key level to watch remains the $59,000-$60,000 support zone. A clean break below that range could signal a deeper phase of selling.
A widely watched Glassnode indicator flashed an "altcoin season" signal, but the reason behind it is not especially bullish.
According to CoinDesk, Glassnode's Altcoin Cycle Signal rose to 86, a level that usually suggests altcoins are outperforming Bitcoin. However, this time the signal is rising mainly because Bitcoin is falling faster than many altcoins, not because altcoins are entering a strong rally.
That is an important distinction.
A healthy altcoin season usually happens when capital rotates from Bitcoin into smaller assets and pushes them higher. Today's signal looks weaker because it reflects relative resilience, not strong new demand.
For traders, this means caution is still necessary. A market where altcoins fall less than Bitcoin is different from a market where altcoins are actively gaining momentum.
The US Senate passed a major housing bill by an 85-5 vote, and the legislation includes a provision that would prevent the Federal Reserve from creating or issuing a central bank digital currency until 2030.
The CBDC ban is politically significant because many crypto advocates view central bank digital currencies as a potential threat to financial privacy and open digital money. The bill reportedly includes a carve-out for stablecoins and would still require explicit congressional authorization before the Fed could move forward with a CBDC after the ban expires.
This gives stablecoins more room in the US digital asset conversation while slowing the possibility of a Fed-issued digital dollar.
US crypto lobby groups are also urging Congress to pass the Tax Clarity for Mining and Staking Act without additional amendments.
The bill would allow crypto miners and stakers to choose whether to recognize taxes when rewards are received or when the assets are sold. Industry groups argue this would reduce the problem of "phantom income," where users owe taxes on rewards before they have converted those rewards into cash.
This is especially important for proof-of-stake networks and mining businesses. If the bill advances, it could make the US more attractive for blockchain infrastructure operators.
Tax clarity is not as exciting as price speculation, but it matters deeply for long-term adoption. Builders, validators and miners need predictable rules before they can scale with confidence.
This has direct relevance for crypto.
Large-scale quantum computers could eventually threaten widely used cryptographic systems. That does not mean Bitcoin or Ethereum are in immediate danger, but it does mean blockchain networks need long-term migration plans.
Ethereum and Solana have already started exploring post-quantum roadmaps. Bitcoin's community remains more divided, especially around how to protect old coins that may be vulnerable if public keys become exposed.
The key takeaway is that quantum security is no longer a distant academic topic. Governments are now treating it as national infrastructure, and crypto networks will need to respond.
Ethereum received a new institutional infrastructure signal today.
Bitmine, Sharplink, Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin and several former Ethereum Foundation contributors are backing Ethlabs, a new nonprofit research and development organization focused on scaling Ethereum for institutional adoption.
The goal is to help Ethereum handle growing demand from stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, on-chain funds and AI-driven commerce.
This comes during a sensitive period for Ethereum, as the Ethereum Foundation faces criticism over leadership changes and developer departures. Ethlabs could help fill part of the funding and coordination gap by giving core Ethereum research a more stable institutional home.
For investors, the bigger story is that Ethereum remains central to the institutional blockchain thesis. Even while ETH price action stays weak, the network continues to attract serious infrastructure investment.
Franklin Templeton also moved deeper into crypto by completing its acquisition of 250 Digital and launching a dedicated Franklin Crypto division.
The asset manager oversees roughly $1.78 trillion in assets and operates in more than 35 countries. Its new crypto unit is expected to focus on actively managed cryptocurrency strategies for institutional investors.
This is another sign that large asset managers are not walking away from crypto during weak price conditions. Instead, they are building product lines and internal teams for the next phase of institutional demand.
That is an important contrast in today's market. Prices are weak, but traditional financial firms continue to expand their crypto infrastructure.
The purchase was funded through MSTR share sales. Strategy also increased its US dollar reserve to $1.4 billion, a move designed to support dividend payments and other financial obligations connected to its preferred stock structure.
This matters because Strategy is still the largest corporate Bitcoin holder and remains a major symbol of the Bitcoin treasury model.
However, the market is watching the company more carefully. With Bitcoin trading below Strategy's average acquisition cost, investors are paying closer attention to liquidity, preferred stock performance and the company's ability to keep financing new purchases.
The Bank of England published draft rules for systemic stablecoins, moving the UK closer to a dedicated framework for pound-backed digital money.
Under the proposal, systemic stablecoin issuers would be allowed to hold up to 70% of reserves in interest-bearing government debt. The central bank also replaced previous holding limits with a temporary 40 billion pound issuance cap.
The UK plans to finalize its rulebook by the end of 2026, with a rollout expected in 2027.
This is important because stablecoins are becoming a central part of global crypto regulation. Governments increasingly understand that stablecoins are not just trading tools. They can become payment instruments, settlement assets and bridges between traditional finance and blockchain networks.
Cointelegraph reported that Q2 2026 has become the most-hacked quarter on record by number of incidents, with 83 exploits and roughly $755 million stolen. Cross-chain bridges were the largest attack vector, accounting for about $351 million in losses.
The trend suggests attackers are becoming more active even if total losses are still below the biggest historical quarters.
For users, this reinforces a basic rule: bridges, smaller DeFi protocols and complex smart contract systems carry significant risk. High yields and fast transactions do not remove the need for strong security discipline.
The most important short-term level is Bitcoin's $59,000-$60,000 support zone. If that range fails, traders may expect deeper downside pressure across the market.
Investors should also watch whether the current "altcoin season" signal becomes real demand or remains a misleading relative-performance signal caused by Bitcoin weakness.
On the policy side, US crypto tax rules, CBDC restrictions and stablecoin frameworks could all shape the next phase of institutional adoption. Meanwhile, quantum security and DeFi hacks are reminders that crypto's long-term future depends not only on price, but on infrastructure resilience.
Today's crypto market is split between weak prices and strong structural development.
Bitcoin is under pressure as tech stocks sell off and risk appetite fades. Altcoins are not showing convincing leadership yet. But behind the price action, US policymakers are moving on CBDCs and crypto taxes, Ethereum is attracting new institutional R&D support, Franklin Templeton is expanding its crypto division and stablecoin regulation is becoming more concrete.
For PickNexo readers, the key takeaway is simple: crypto is still building, but the market is demanding better rules, better security and stronger balance sheets.
Short-term volatility remains high. Long-term adoption is still moving forward.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.
CoinDesk: Bitcoin falls under $63,000 as a tech selloff drags risk assets lower
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/06/23/bitcoin-slips-toward-usd63-000-as-a-tech-selloff-drags-risk-assets-lower
CoinDesk: Live updates: An altcoin season signal flashed, but bitcoin's slide is what set it off
https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/06/23/live-updates-an-altcoin-season-signal-flashed-but-bitcoin-s-slide-is-what-set-it-off
Cointelegraph: US Senate passes housing bill with CBDC ban until 2030
https://cointelegraph.com/news/senate-passes-housing-bill-that-includes-a-cbdc-ban-through-2030
Cointelegraph: Crypto lobby urges Congress pass staking and mining tax bill as is
https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-lobby-urges-congress-pass-staking-mining-tax-bill-without-changes
Cointelegraph: Trump signs orders for quantum computer, cryptography upgrades
https://cointelegraph.com/news/trump-orders-quantum-computing-push-and-post-quantum-cryptography-upgrade
Cointelegraph: Bitmine, Sharplink and Joe Lubin back Ethereum R&D nonprofit
https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitmine-sharplink-and-joe-lubin-back-ethereum-rd-nonprofit
Cointelegraph: Franklin Templeton launches dedicated crypto division after closing 250 Digital acquisition
https://cointelegraph.com/news/franklin-templeton-launches-dedicated-crypto-division-after-completing-250-digital-acquisition
Cointelegraph: Strategy adds $300M to USD Reserve, acquires 520 BTC
https://cointelegraph.com/news/strategy-300-million-usd-reserve-acquires-520-btc
Cointelegraph: Bank of England eases stablecoin rules, introduces 40B pound issuance cap
https://cointelegraph.com/news/bank-of-england-stablecoin-rules-clears-path-for-2027-launch
Cointelegraph: Q2 2026 emerges as most-hacked quarter on record with 83 incidents
https://cointelegraph.com/news/q2-2026-most-hacked-quarter-record-83-incidents
