Crypto Jul 6: Strategy sells BTC, Ripple wins full MiCA

Global crypto market on July 6: first post-holiday test, Strategy sells Bitcoin, Ripple wins full MiCA licence

Monday, July 6, was the day the market had been bracing for - the first full US trading session after the Independence Day long weekend. The test proved volatile but not catastrophic: Bitcoin hit a two-week high near $63,900 overnight, dropped sharply to around $61,700 in the US morning and spent the day near the $62,700 level (-1.8% over 24 hours). The day's biggest stories came from the corporate and regulatory fronts: Michael Saylor's Strategy disclosed it had sold 3,588 BTC over the past week to cover dividend obligations, while Ripple received a full MiCA licence opening the door to regulated crypto services across all 30 EEA countries, including the Baltics and the Nordics. Cardano remained the market's brightest story - ADA gained another roughly 9% on the day its RealFi testnet launched.

Market overview

Total crypto market capitalisation hovered around $2.25 trillion on July 6 - practically level with the weekend, though the picture shifted repeatedly during the day. The Fear & Greed Index held around 24 points, staying in the extreme fear zone for more than a month now.

The return of institutional participants after the holiday sent mixed signals. On one hand, last week's rebound was not fully erased - Bitcoin held above the critical $62,000 support for most of the day, and the altcoin season indicator reached its highest level in three months, pointing to capital rotation into altcoins. On the other hand, the selling pressure in the US morning showed that buying conviction remains fragile. Additional pressure came from the news of Strategy's Bitcoin sales - a symbolically significant turn from the largest corporate BTC holder.

Some analysts focused on the mining sector: according to on-chain data, roughly 20% of Bitcoin miners are currently operating at a loss - a historically rare stress level that in previous cycles appeared close to major market bottoms.

Top 15 coins on July 6

Large caps mostly saw a moderate correction on Monday, while Cardano kept swimming against the current.

1. Bitcoin (BTC) ▼ ~$62,700 (-1.8% on the day)

Bitcoin's day was choppy: a two-week high near $63,900 overnight, a drop to ~$61,700 in the US morning, then stabilisation around $62,700. The technical picture is unchanged: holding the $62,000 support remains decisive, with the 64,000 zone as the main resistance above. Sentiment was weighed down by the Strategy sale news, though some analysts note the transactions (at an average of about $60,000 per coin) actually took place last week and had already been priced in.

2. Ethereum (ETH) ▼ ~$1,760 (-1.3% on the day)

Ethereum briefly fell to ~$1,737 in the morning sell-off but returned to $1,760, defending the psychologically important $1,750 zone. The structural backdrop remains constructive: exchange ETH reserves are at record lows, staking at record highs, and the launch of BlackRock's staked Ethereum fund keeps attracting institutional attention.

3. Tether (USDT) ◆ ~$1.00 (stable)

USDT held its peg with a market cap of around $184 billion. After the MiCA transition period ended on July 1, USDT availability on regulated EEA exchanges keeps shrinking, while global demand remains steady.

4. BNB ◆ ~$570 (little changed)

BNB kept trading in a narrow corridor around $570, confirming its status as one of the lowest-volatility large caps in this correction phase.

5. USDC ◆ ~$1.00 (stable)

USDC held its peg with a market cap of around $73 billion. Competition in the regulated stablecoin market keeps intensifying - especially after Ripple's MiCA licence, which strengthens RLUSD's position in Europe.

6. XRP ▼ ~$1.12 (-1.6% on the day)

XRP's price slipped to ~$1.12 on Monday, but the fundamental news was the strongest of the day: Luxembourg's financial regulator CSSF upgraded Ripple's preliminary crypto asset service provider licence to full MiCA CASP authorisation. It allows Ripple, after a notification procedure, to offer regulated crypto payment and infrastructure services across all 30 EEA countries - including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and all the Nordics. Ripple says it now holds more than 75 regulatory licences globally.

7. Solana (SOL) ▼ ~$79.3 (-1.6% on the day)

Solana's correction extended into a second day - after last week's ~15% rally, SOL slipped below the $80 level. The ecosystem backdrop stays positive: tokenised equity volumes on the network keep growing, and Kazakhstan's Alatau crypto city project with its Solana partnership remains one of the largest state-level deals in the industry.

8. TRON (TRX) ◆ ~$0.32 (little changed)

TRX kept its usual low volatility - the network remains one of the largest USDT settlement layers, and its revenue base has proven resilient through the correction.

9. Hyperliquid (HYPE) ◆ ~$68-69 (consolidation)

HYPE consolidated on Monday after Sunday's profit-taking. Derivatives trading volumes started returning to normal levels as US participants came back.

10. Dogecoin (DOGE) ▼ ~$0.075 (slight decline)

DOGE continued its moderate retreat - the memecoin segment remains outside speculative capital's attention, which is currently focused on DeFi, restaking and Cardano narratives.

11. Zcash (ZEC) ◆ ~$455 (consolidation)

ZEC consolidated after last week's climb, keeping its place in the top 12. The privacy coin narrative remains one of the most durable stories of 2026.

12. Cardano (ADA) ▲ ~$0.21 (+9% on the day, the day's leader)

Cardano's rally gained a clear catalyst: on July 6 the RealFi Phase 1 testnet launched, which founder Charles Hoskinson has called "the largest upgrade" in the project's history - it aims to activate idle stablecoin capital in real-economy projects. ADA gained roughly 9% and is the strongest large cap on a weekly basis with a ~26% rise, overtaking Chainlink and Monero in the market rankings.

13. Stellar (XLM) ◆ ~$0.20 (little changed)

XLM stabilised around the $0.20 level after last week's profit-taking.

14. Monero (XMR) ◆ ~$330 (little changed)

XMR consolidated around $330, preserving the privacy coins' relative strength against the broader market.

15. Chainlink (LINK) ◆ ~$7.8 (little changed)

LINK kept consolidating below the $8 level. Integration security remains in focus in the oracle sector after June's TokenWorks incident.

Stablecoins

Total stablecoin capitalisation held above $260 billion: USDT ~$184bn, USDC ~$73bn. The biggest event of the week is Ripple's full MiCA CASP licence - it not only opens XRP payment infrastructure to EEA markets, but also strengthens the RLUSD stablecoin's regulated position in Europe at a moment when the MiCA transition period ended on July 1 and issuers without authorisation face exclusion from EU markets. On the US side, the Treasury continues work on the GENIUS Act final rules expected in July.

NFT market

The NFT market was quiet on Monday. Structural data keeps painting a cold picture: NFT marketplace fee revenues have fallen roughly 82% year-to-date, reflecting low on-chain activity, though half-year total sales volumes (~$2.8bn in H1 2026) point to a smaller but more stable market than in previous years.

ETF flows

Refined data shows the 10-day outflow streak (around -$2.73 billion in total) was broken by Thursday July 3's inflow of $221.7 million - the largest daily intake in two months, led by Fidelity's FBTC (+$166 million), while BlackRock's IBIT recorded a $40.4 million outflow the same day. Monday July 6's preliminary data points to inflows continuing at around $143 million - a positive signal after June, the worst month in spot Bitcoin ETF history. The big picture nevertheless remains negative: the 30-day balance is still several billion in the red, and analysts see the persistence of inflows this week as the key recovery indicator.

Security incidents

No major new hacks were reported on July 6. The industry's attention stayed on managing the aftermath of June's incidents: Humanity Protocol founder Terence Kwok announced the project is pivoting to enterprise AI after the ~$36 million exploit and conceded the odds of recovering the stolen funds are low. The half-year statistics continue to show a dual picture: the number of incidents in H1 2026 was a record, but total losses (under $1 billion) were considerably lower than a year earlier, with most stolen funds attributed to North Korean groups.

Regulatory news

In Europe the main story is Ripple's full MiCA CASP authorisation from Luxembourg's CSSF - one of the first major US crypto firms to gain full access to the entire EEA market after the transition period's end. For Baltic and Nordic users it means Ripple's regulated payment services can legally enter local markets too. On the US side, the CLARITY bill keeps moving: NOBLE became the first major law enforcement organisation to publicly endorse the legislation, and the market awaits the House field hearing in New York on July 17 as July's main regulatory catalyst.

Macro context

Traditional markets returned from the holiday in a winning mood: the Dow Jones closed above 53,000 points for the first time in history. The crypto market did not mirror that rally - the gap between risk asset classes is a reminder that crypto's current cycle is driven by internal factors (ETF flows, forced selling, regulation) rather than the macro backdrop alone. This week's key events: the Fed's June meeting minutes on Wednesday, July 8, and the ECB minutes on Thursday, July 9 - both will be read through the prism of rate-cut hopes.

Key numbers - July 6

• Bitcoin: ~$62,700 (-1.8% on the day; range $61,700-63,900)
• Ethereum: ~$1,760 (-1.3% on the day; $1,750 support defended)
• Cardano: ~$0.21 (+9% on the day; ~+26% on the week - top 15 leader)
• Total market capitalisation: ~$2.25 trillion
• Fear & Greed Index: ~24 (extreme fear)
• Strategy: 3,588 BTC sold (~$216 million; 843,775 BTC remaining)
• Spot Bitcoin ETFs: +$221.7 million on July 3 (biggest day in 2 months); ~+$143 million preliminary on July 6
• Miners: ~20% operating at a loss (historically rare stress level)
• Ripple: full MiCA CASP licence, 30 EEA countries, >75 licences globally
• Next catalysts: Fed minutes July 8, ECB minutes July 9, CLARITY hearing July 17

This article was prepared with the assistance of artificial intelligence and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.

Sources

• Yahoo Finance - Bitcoin and ethereum prices today, Monday, July 6, 2026
• CoinDesk - Michael Saylor's Strategy dramatically ups pace of bitcoin sales, raising $216 million
• CoinDesk - Ripple's preliminary crypto asset provider license in Luxembourg upgraded to fully compliant
• CoinDesk - Bitcoin ETFs draw in $221 million alongside renewed buying from long-term investors
• Coinpedia - Bitcoin Price Rallies Despite Strategy Selling 3,588 BTC