Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that the rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies will not diminish the importance of the cryptocurrency sector; on the contrary, digital assets will play a much more critical role in the new era.
Speaking on the social media platform X, Armstrong emphasized that artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies are not competing technologies, but rather complementary infrastructures.
Armstrong stated that artificial intelligence has become one of the most important technological trends of our time, yet the value proposition of cryptocurrencies continues to strengthen. According to the Coinbase CEO, cryptocurrency technology is a kind of general-purpose infrastructure, like electricity or the internet, and will be one of the fundamental tools for AI systems to conduct financial transactions in the future.
Armstrong argued that the need for digital assets will increase, especially with the proliferation of autonomous AI agents, and stated that current financial systems are not fully adaptable to this new technology.
Armstrong stated that AI agents cannot open bank accounts or wait for international money transfers to be completed, therefore cryptocurrencies offer a significant advantage as a real-time and programmable payment system.
According to the Coinbase CEO, in the future, AI agents will not only make payments; they will also be able to independently perform numerous economic activities such as fund management, investment transactions, trading, financial advisory, and capital raising. In this scenario, blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies will form the fundamental infrastructure enabling AI systems to conduct secure and seamless financial transactions.
Recently, many technology companies have been working on scenarios where artificial intelligence and blockchain technology can be used together. In particular, the integration of decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts, and tokenization applications with AI-based systems is seen as one of the most important development areas in the sector.
Prime Video will globally premiere Season 2 of “The Traitors,” its Indian adaptation of the hit international reality format in August, with new episodes streaming every Thursday.
Karan Johar returns to host the season, in which 21 celebrities from various fields will compete in a game built around trust, betrayal and deception. The series is produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, Dharma Productions’ digital content studio, in collaboration with All3Media International, which oversees the Indian version of the BAFTA and Emmy-winning format created by IDTV. “The Traitors” has now been adapted in more than 40 territories worldwide.
“The response to the first season of ‘The Traitors’ exceeded all expectations – it didn’t just entertain; it became a cultural moment,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals, Prime Video India. “‘The Traitors’ has become one of Prime Video India’s most defining reality franchises, transforming the genre with its unique blend of intelligent gameplay, psychological strategy, and riveting entertainment.”
Madhok added that the new season raises the stakes with sharper gameplay and a new line-up of players.
“The Indian adaptation of ‘The Traitors’ struck a powerful chord with viewers in its very first season, and we couldn’t be more delighted to see it return for another thrilling chapter,” added Sabrina Duguet, executive VP, APAC, All3Media International.
Dharmatic Entertainment, in a statement, said the first season “ignited a nationwide obsession” and that the new run aims to stay true to the show’s “raw, unpredictable, and psychologically gripping essence.”
Season 2 premieres Aug. 13.
Formed in 2018, Dharmatic Entertainment has produced more than 25 titles, including “Call Me Bae” and “Love Storiyaan.” “The Traitors” is among its upcoming slate alongside a global game show format also hosted by Johar.
All3Media International, which distributes programming to more than 1,000 broadcasters and platforms worldwide, has licensed “The Traitors” format to more than 30 territories for local versions, while episodes have aired via tape sales in more than 50 others. The distributor’s catalogue spans more than 35,000 hours of content, including scripted series such as “Liar” and “The Assassin,” alongside unscripted formats including “Race Across the World” and “Cash Cab.” All3Media recently completed a $8 billion merger with Banijay Entertainment.
Prime Video’s Indian slate also includes “Mirzapur,” “The Family Man,” “Panchayat,” “Paatal Lok” and “Rise & Fall,” among other Originals.
Quantum computing is a risk factor for every encrypted system on the planet, including major banks. But crypto, due to the way it works, may be the technology that gets tested first.
“Cryptocurrencies are the canary in the coal mine,” Eddy Zervigon, CEO of Quantum Xchange, said in an interview with CoinDesk. Zervigon’s firm builds infrastructure to shield networks, including financial ones, from quantum-enabled attacks, and he’s blunt about where the first casualty is likely to show up.
“That’s the first place of attack because of the decentralized nature,” Zervigon said. “Once you see it happening there, then you know that someone somewhere has a cryptographically relevant quantum computer.”
A cryptographically relevant quantum computer, capable of breaking the elliptic-curve cryptography underpinning the Bitcoin blockchain’s signatures, along with the encryption securing bank rails, doesn’t exist yet. The consensus estimate for when it will is compressing, not stretching.
“The folks spending billions of dollars, like Microsoft, IBM, and others developing quantum computers, generally believe there will be a commercially relevant, cryptographically relevant quantum computer in the 2029 timeframe,” Zervigon said. “That’s not me making stuff up. That’s based on what people like Arvind Krishna at IBM have said.”
Science-fiction thriller “Hope” maintained its powerful grip on the top spot at the South Korean box office during the weekend of Jul. 24–26.
According to data from KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, the big-budget film generated $5.5 million from 767,366 admissions over the three-day window, securing a commanding 66.8% share of total market revenue.
Directed by Na Hong-Jin, the film features an ensemble cast led by Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander. The narrative chronicles the desperate struggle for survival in a secluded harbor town after residents discover a mysterious alien entity on their outskirts. Following its record-setting opening frame, the local tentpole has now accumulated a gross of $25.3 million from 3,415,707 total viewers.
“Minions & Monsters” was in second place, pulling in $793,103 from 117,916 admissions over the weekend. The film has lifted its cumulative total to $3.9 million from 562,965 total ticket buyers since its Jul. 15 debut.
Disney’s live-action musical adaptation “Moana” took third place in its third weekend of release, collecting $593,187 from 87,033 admissions. The Pacific island adventure has reached an overall haul of $6.6 million from 909,270 admissions.
“Toy Story 5” took fourth place, bringing in $376,522 from 53,975 ticket buyers. The animation is now nearing the $20 million mark in South Korea, boasting a local cumulative total of $19.8 million from 2,837,123 viewers since its mid-June launch.
Faith-based animated production “David” claimed fifth place, adding $302,409 from 46,493 admissions over the frame. The biblical story of the shepherd boy turned king has pushed its local cume to $1.4 million from 220,351 viewers.
Local psychological thriller “The Eyes” placed sixth, generating $269,004 from 37,141 admissions. Directed by Yeom Ji-ho and starring Shin Min-ah and Kim Nam-hee, the Korean remake of the Spanish thriller “Julia’s Eyes” has a gross of $10.6 million from 1,511,619 ticket buyers.
Japanese anime feature “Dream Animals The Movie” debuted in seventh place, drawing $92,720 from 15,300 admissions over its opening weekend. Directed by Hitoshi Takekiyo and based on Ginbis’s popular long-selling animal biscuit brand, the animated adventure follows the colorful biscuit characters on a fantasy journey. Including previews, the title has earned $148,892 from 24,404 viewers.
Josh Safdie’s table tennis comedy-drama “Marty Supreme,” starring Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow, took eighth place with a weekend gross of $37,623, bringing its total local cume to $923,581.
Showbox’s action-horror hit “Colony,” directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, and Ji Chang-wook, took ninth place with $27,867, lifting its lifetime haul to $42.6 million from 5,949,979 total admissions since its May 21 rollout.
Rounding out the top 10 was thehorror feature “Hokum,” which opened to $22,398 from 3,322 admissions over the frame. Since its Jul. 22 launch, the film has collected $50,203 from 7,972 viewers.
The overall market collective gross for the weekend was $8.2 million, plummeting from last week’s $17.1 million.
South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, Upbit and Bithumb, have announced they will list the $GEOD token on their platforms. According to official statements, Upbit will offer $GEOD with trading pairs against the South Korean won (KRW), Bitcoin ($BTC), and Tether ($USDT). Bithumb, on the other hand, will initially list the token only with the KRW trading pair.
According to the announcements, $GEOD trading on Bithumb is scheduled to begin at 18:00. Upbit will also open trading for the token in three different trading pairs on the same day, offering investors a wider range of trading options. Following the listing decision, the visibility and liquidity of the $GEOD token in the South Korean market are expected to increase.
Upbit and Bithumb are among South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume. Therefore, the simultaneous listings on both platforms are considered a significant development for the respective tokens. In particular, Upbit’s offering of three different trading pairs – KRW, $BTC, and $USDT – is seen as a step that could facilitate access to $GEOD for both local and international investors.
In the cryptocurrency market, new listings on major exchanges are among the developments that can increase projects’ trading volumes and expand their investor base. However, experts emphasize that while listing news can support price movements in the short term, long-term performance remains dependent on the project’s technological development, ecosystem size, user adoption, and overall market conditions.
Recently, South Korean exchanges have been regularly listing new digital assets, continuing to offer their users a wider range of investment options. Upbit and Bithumb are known to evaluate various factors in their listing processes, including the project’s technical infrastructure, security, liquidity, and compliance with regulatory criteria.
Analysts say that $GEOD’s simultaneous listing on two major South Korean exchanges could increase the token’s trading volume and contribute to its brand awareness in the Asian market.
A vendor livestreaming from the Bite of Seattle festival captured the moment shots rang out near the Space Needle. At least two people were killed and five others, including a 2-year-old child, were wounded in the shooting.
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Shark Week returns with its most sweeping schedule to date, starting off Sunday, July 26 with a KPop Demon Hunters-meets-documentary special, K-Pop Shark Heroes, starring actor and comedian Ken Jeong and singer Rei Ami, two of the film’s voice actors. Kicking off at 8 p.m. PT/ET on Discovery, the 38th annual week-long event can be livestreamed on any streaming service that carries said network, namely DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Philo (with a seven-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.
Shark Week 2026 begins on Sunday, July 26 and runs through Saturday, Aug. 1 on Discovery Channel. Three back-to-back hour-long specials will air each night between 8 p.m. PT/ET and 11 p.m. PT/ET, except for the final night, Aug. 1, which includes two specials, concluding at 10 p.m. PT/ET that evening.
More on each live TV streaming option — and their new subscriber discounts — below.
DirecTV
Five-day free trial; packages from $19.99 per month
Discovery is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier. Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for its streaming service, meaning new subscribers can tune in to nearly all of the 2026 Shark Week programming at no cost.
Learn more about each plan option, including how to build your own channel lineup (starting at just $19.99 per month), at directv.com.
Philo
Philo
Seven-day free trial; packages from $25 per month
Watch Discovery on Philo, one of the most affordable cable alternatives. Following the Essential plan’s seven-day free trial period, a subscription costs just $25 per month for 70-plus channels.
Sling
Plans from $4.99 per day or $19.99 per month
Discovery is included in Sling’s Blue Plan, from $45.99 per month, and Sling’s Orange & Blue plan, from $60.99 per month. That said, local channel availability depends on your TV market. Visit Sling.com to check station availability and package options, starting as low as $4.99 per day or $19.99 per month.
Hulu + Live TV
Three-day free trial; packages from $89.99 per month
Watch Discovery for free with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV. Subscriptions come bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, and start at $89.99 per month.
Shark Week Schedule 2026
See below for the complete Shark Week 2026 television schedule.
Martin Scorsese took a break from the director’s chair to step in front of the camera for a change for Lavazza’s new branded miniseries Family Blend celebrating “the magic of coffee.” True to its title, Scorsese isn’t alone in the project as it’s directed by and co-starring his daughter, Francesca Scorsese. A few other famous faces help fill out the five-episode project, including Jason Biggs and Adrien Brody.
There’s a lot of blending going on, too, in the locations and content as Francesca filmed the branded series in places that have helped shape her father’s life and creative efforts, like the Little Italy neighborhood in New York and his own virtual production center in Brooklyn. Per Lavazza, the series is meant to explore “the deep bond, shared memories and passing of the torch between two artistic visions” with coffee playing a prominent role. But they also get a playful assist from familial banter.
“The Family Blend series shows how coffee acts as a universal bridge, bringing together different stories and creative visions,” said Lavazza Group chief marketing officer Carlo Colpo of the project, which aligns with the brand’s communication platform “Pleasure Makes Us Human.” “With this project, we are thrilled to portray coffee as a cultural gesture that spans generations and languages, serving as a meeting point for creativity and identity. The collaboration with Martin and Francesca Scorsese brings to life a unique dialogue that blends the depth of cinematic language with modern digital formats.”
Credit for Family Blend goes to Romilda De Luca of RDL Worldwide/Publicis Group and Lisa Frechette of Sikelia Productions. Propagate Content produced the series with Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens and Drew Buckley producing on behalf of that company. Maruri Group helped develop the creative vision with support from Joey Payne.
The first episode dropped earlier this week, with new installments rolling out once a month through November on the brand’s and talents’ global social channels. See the first one, “But First … Coffee,” below. It was filmed at Martin Scorsese NYU Virtual Production Center in Brooklyn, New York, a site launched in fall 2024 by NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
“Elizabeth Street,” which drops in August, features a nostalgic walk down the street where Martin grew up with his parents amid the “relentless chaos of New York constantly interrupting their talk.” “Back to Tisch,” releasing in September, finds the father and daughter returning to their alma mater, NYU, in the 1960s. The October release of “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” finds Francesca offering a tour inside Di Palo’s Fine Foods in Little Italy while waiting on her father. Lastly, in November comes “But Last … Coffee,” a finale set in an iconic New York cafe where Francesca (joined by Biggs) challenges her father to break his strict black coffee routine and try new blends and modern preparations.
Francesca previously directed the shorts Crimson Ties and Fish Out of Water and an episode of Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints.
Gracie Abrams has earned her first No 1 on the Billboard 200 with her third album “Daughter From Hell,” bowing atop the chart with 124,000 equivalent album units.
The singer-songwriter announced the album back in May, along with the release of its first single “Hit the Wall.” Her last project, 2024’s “The Secret of Us,” became her first to hit No. 1 in the United Kingdom, Australia and the Netherlands. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and led into a world tour that year and a subsequent arena run in 2025.
Abrams recently announced the 64-date “Look at My Life” international arena tour, which will set sail across North America in December and continue through March 2027 before moving onto Europe next April and May. The North American leg will include 37 shows and kicks off at Denver’s Ball Arena before wrapping up March 16-20 with a four-night stint at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. She will then take a three-week break before resuming in the U.K. and Europe for 27 shows, including four nights at London’s O2.
Elsewhere on the albums chart, Olivia Rodrigo’s “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love” lands at No. 2, followed by Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem,” Ella Langley’s “Dandelion” and Noah Kahan’s “The Great Divide.” Drake’s “Iceman” comes in at No. 6, while Future’s “The Real Me” dips from No. 1 to 7. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” ticks up from No. 9 to 8, while Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing at a Time” holds at No. 10.
BTS, meanwhile, makes the most noise in the top 10 this week as “Arirang” rebounds from No. 26 to 9. The album, which debuted at No. 1 following its release in March, got a surge thanks to the release of a vinyl picture disc edition.
This week, the crypto market stayed under pressure.
On the macro front, renewed geopolitical tensions kept investors cautious, pushing Bitcoin [BTC] ETF flows back into negative territory. To make matters worse, DeFi exploits further weighed on market sentiment.
Even so, a handful of AI and mid-cap altcoins outperformed, showing that capital is still rotating into selective narratives rather than the broader market.
Weekly winners
Why Audiera [$BEAT] needs FOMO to sustain its momentum
Audiera [$BEAT] led this week’s top gainers with a 50% rally. More importantly, the move came after two straight weeks of decline and a broader consolidation phase, suggesting this wasn’t just a random spike. Instead, bulls stepped in to buy the dip, shifting momentum back in their favor.
The technical setup also remains constructive. The RSI is rising but hasn’t reached the extreme overbought zone yet, meaning there’s still room for the rally to extend. With buyers back in control and momentum building, $BEAT has a good chance of carrying its gains into the coming week.
That said, the next hurdle is a big one. As the chart below shows, $BEAT has broken above the $3.60 resistance and is now approaching the $4.00 psychological level. This is where sell-side pressure could start picking up as short-term traders take profits.
Source: TradingView ($BEAT/$USDT)
If bulls can absorb that selling and turn $4.00 into support, the rally could extend further. But if they fail to hold the breakout, $BEAT could see a healthy pullback before attempting another move higher.
That makes FOMO the next key catalyst to watch.
Early signs are already showing up on the daily chart, with $BEAT gaining more than 5% intraday. If that momentum continues and buyers keep chasing the breakout, $BEAT could be on track to test the $4.50-$5.00 resistance zone over the coming sessions.
Shiba Inu [$SHIB] rallies as supply squeeze fuels momentum
Shiba Inu [$SHIB] emerged as the second-best performer of the week, gaining nearly 35%. It’s also $SHIB’s strongest weekly rally since November 2024, showing that buyers are starting to rotate back into the meme coin after months of muted price action.
What’s interesting is that $SHIB’s move looks different from the rest of the market. According to Shibburn, nearly 280 million $SHIB were burned this week, while whale accumulation also picked up. That suggests this isn’t just a momentum-driven rally. Instead, on-chain demand is backing the move, even as the broader market remains relatively quiet.
From a technical standpoint, $SHIB has broken out of its recent range and is now building momentum toward the next resistance zone around $0.000026-$0.000027. If buying pressure and whale accumulation continue at the current pace, that target looks well within reach, putting $SHIB back near its early May trading range and making it one of the key altcoins to watch heading into Q3.
Venice Token [$VVV] token faces a key test this week
Venice Token [$VVV] finished as the third-best performer of the week, gaining 9%. While that’s smaller than the other two top gainers, $VVV’s price action arguably looks the healthiest from a technical standpoint.
This week’s move extends two straight weeks of gains, taking $VVV’s total rally to nearly 30%. So, instead of a one-day spike, the token has been climbing steadily, showing consistent buying pressure. That’s usually a stronger setup because it suggests accumulation rather than short-term speculation.
The RSI is starting to heat up, but the gradual pace of the rally leaves room for the trend to continue. If buyers stay in control, $VVV looks well-positioned to push into the $15 resistance zone. Even if some profit-taking shows up along the way, it would likely be a healthy pullback to shake out weak hands rather than a sign that the uptrend is over.
Other notable winners
Outside the majors, altcoin movers also stole the spotlight this week.
Score [SN44] led the market with a staggering 3,988% gain, followed by Pons [PONS], which surged 179%, while Euler [EUL] climbed 135%, rounding out the week’s top performers.
Weekly losers
DeXe [$DEXE] faces a full-blown capitulation sell-off
DeXe [$DEXE] topped this week’s losers list after crashing nearly 90%. It looked like full-blown capitulation, wiping out months of gains and sending $DEXE back toward its early Q1 price range around $1.50. As a result, many holders who bought during the rally are now sitting at a loss.
The sell-off also wasn’t isolated, though. The crypto market was shaken by three DeFi hacks in a single day, triggering fresh FUD. Since $DEXE is a DeFi token, it was hit harder than most as traders rushed to cut risk.
That said, the selling pressure looks like it’s finally cooling off. Since the initial crash, $DEXE has been consolidating around the $3.50 level, while the RSI has dropped into deeply oversold territory. That doesn’t guarantee a reversal, but it does suggest the capitulation phase may be ending.
Source: TradingView ($DEXE/$USDT)
If buyers start stepping back in and $DEXE holds its current range, a short-term relief bounce could be the next move to watch.
Midnight [$NIGHT] reinforces bear control as sellers continue to dominate
Midnight [$NIGHT] ended the week as the second-biggest loser, falling 26.7%. While the decline looks relatively mild compared to DeXe’s capitulation, the technical picture still favors the bears.
This week’s drop comes after the last two weeks’ 25%+ decline, extending $NIGHT’s lower-high, lower-low structure and dragging the token below the $0.002 area. Although the daily chart posted a modest 1.5% bounce, it hasn’t been enough to change the trend. The RSI also remains well above the oversold zone, suggesting selling pressure hasn’t been fully exhausted yet.
Unless buyers step in with stronger volume, $NIGHT could be setting up for another break below support, just like it has over the past few weeks. For now, the chart still points to bears staying in control, with a stronger bullish setup likely to emerge only after accumulation starts picking up.
Zcash [$ZEC] reaches a key inflection point
Zcash [$ZEC] finished as the third-biggest loser of the week, slipping 10.16%. Unlike the other two names on the list, though, $ZEC’s pullback doesn’t look like a breakdown. Instead, it looks more like a healthy cooldown after a strong run.
Technically, $ZEC rallied nearly 40% across late June and early July, reclaiming the $500 level. After a move like that, some profit-taking was always likely. So far, that’s exactly what the chart is showing—a typical pullback where weak hands take profits while longer-term buyers wait for better entries.
If this setup holds, $ZEC could be positioning for another leg higher once market sentiment improves. The main thing to watch isn’t $ZEC itself, but the broader market. If the current wave of FUD starts fading, $ZEC’s pullback could end up looking like nothing more than a reset before the next move.
Other notable loses
In the broader market, downside volatility hit hard.
BitMart [BMX] led the losers with a 64.9% decline, followed by Starpower [STAR], which fell 38.5%, while Up [UP] dropped 36.6% as bearish momentum intensified.
Conclusion
This week was a rollercoaster for crypto. Big pumps, sharp dips, and nonstop action. As always, stay sharp, do your own research, and trade smart.
Final Summary
Audiera [$BEAT], Shiba Inu [$SHIB], and Venice token [$VVV] led the week in gains.
DeXe [$DEXE], Midnight [$NIGHT], and Zcash [$ZEC] saw significant declines.
