Bitcoin crosses $120K on US crypto bill boost; Dogecoin, Hedera rally over 15%
surged past the $120,000 mark on Friday, buoyed by growing optimism surrounding
crypto regulation
in the United States and continued institutional inflows. As of 12:49 pm IST, the world's largest cryptocurrency was trading 1.6% higher at $120,008, just shy of its intraday high of $120,999 and its all-time high near $123,000.
Ethereum
followed with a sharp rally, gaining 6.4% to $3,639. Broader altcoin sentiment remained strong, with XRP jumping 12% to $3.50, Dogecoin soaring 15%, and Chainlink and Hedera gaining 12% and 17%, respectively. Solana, BNB, Tron, and Stellar also posted solid gains ranging between 3.6% and 6%.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Select a Course Category
Technology
Public Policy
healthcare
Product Management
Finance
Cybersecurity
Others
MCA
Operations Management
Digital Marketing
Artificial Intelligence
Design Thinking
CXO
Project Management
MBA
PGDM
Management
Leadership
Data Analytics
Degree
others
Healthcare
Data Science
Data Science
Skills you'll gain:
Duration:
12 Weeks
MIT xPRO
CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India
Starts on
undefined
Get Details
Market enthusiasm was largely driven by news that the US House of Representatives passed the GENIUS Act—legislation focused on regulating stablecoins. The move is being seen as a landmark moment for the crypto industry, with the potential to pave the way for broader regulatory clarity and adoption.
Crypto Tracker
TOP COIN SETS
Smart Contract Tracker
17.11%
Buy
NFT & Metaverse Tracker
16.92%
Buy
DeFi Tracker
15.11%
Buy
Web3 Tracker
13.94%
Buy
BTC 50 :: ETH 50
11.89%
Buy
TOP COINS
(₹)
XRP
298 (
7.78%
)
Buy
Ethereum
310,754 (
5.06%
)
Buy
BNB
63,514 (
2.93%
)
Buy
Bitcoin
10,226,453 (
0.49%
)
Buy
Tether
86 (
0.21%
)
Buy
"Bitcoin just smashed through $120,000, hitting $120,625 as crypto investors celebrate a huge win on Capitol Hill," said Shivam Thakral, CEO of BuyUcoin. "The House just passed the
GENIUS Act
, new rules for stablecoins that have Wall Street and crypto enthusiasts equally excited. This move is seen as a major milestone for crypto regulation and adoption in the United States."
Did you Know?
The world of cryptocurrencies is very dynamic. Prices can go up or down in a matter of seconds. Thus, having reliable answers to such questions is crucial for investors.
View
Details
»
Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus Crypto Platform, added that the bill's passage signals wider regulatory momentum. "While it particularly addresses stablecoins, it gives a wider stamp of approval for more favourable regulations that could be adopted globally. The altcoin market has rallied strongly with XRP and HBAR, two of the top US-based
altcoins
, gaining close to 20% each."
Live Events
According to Sathvik Vishwanath, Co-Founder & CEO of Unocoin, Bitcoin is consolidating near key resistance levels, signalling underlying strength. 'Bitcoin is currently trading around $120,091, consolidating just below its all-time high near $123,000. A breakout above $123K could trigger a rally toward $130K,' he said.
He added that price action is holding within a range of $117,715 to $120,999, with bulls defending the $118K–$120K support zone. 'This consolidation phase suggests strength. Institutional inflows via ETFs and recent U.S. regulatory support—like the GENIUS and CLARITY Acts—are boosting long-term investor confidence. While short-term corrections are possible, the broader trend remains bullish,' Vishwanath said.
Ethereum remained strong above $3,600, supported by robust inflows into spot ETFs. According to Riya Sehgal, Research Analyst at Delta Exchange, $726 million has flowed into ETH ETFs so far, with $500 million of that coming from BlackRock alone.
'Bitcoin is holding above $120,000 with support near $115,700. A close over $121,500 on rising volume could push it toward $125K–$126.2K,' Sehgal said. 'XRP's 12% jump and wider altcoin gains are being driven by optimism following the acceptance of three pro-crypto bills in the US House.
ETF inflows
, policy clarity, and legislative progress are all supporting the rally.'
She also noted that while Bitcoin remains dominant with a 60% market share, capital rotation into Ethereum and other altcoins is increasing. 'The global crypto market cap is nearing $3.9 trillion, inching closer to Nvidia's $4.2 trillion valuation,' she added.
(
Disclaimer
: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
UK firms can offer telecom, construction services in India without local office under FTA
Companies from the UK will be able to offer services in sectors such as telecom, and construction in India without setting up a local presence, under the free trade agreement signed between the two countries. The British firms will be treated on par with Indian firms. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Cybersecurity MBA Technology others Data Analytics healthcare CXO Artificial Intelligence Others Data Science Public Policy MCA Design Thinking Management Leadership Product Management Operations Management Healthcare Digital Marketing Finance Degree PGDM Data Science Project Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months MIT xPRO CERT-MIT xPRO PGC in Cybersecurity Starts on undefined Get Details The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed on July 24 in London. It may take about a year for items implementation as the free trade pact needs approval from the British Parliament. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo "UK companies can now provide telecom, construction, and related services in India without establishing a local presence, enjoying full national treatment, meaning they will be treated on par with Indian firms," the commerce ministry said. Services is a key chapter in the agreement as both countries are strong in different kinds of services. Live Events India enjoys a trade surplus of around USD 6.6 billion with the UK. The country's services exports stood at USD 19.8 billion and imports at USD 13.2 billion. In the agreement, the UK has provided a comprehensive and deep market access in 137 sub-sectors to Indian firms. On the Indian side, commitments have been extended in 108 sub-sectors, granting UK firms access to domains like accounting, auditing, financial services (with FDI capped at 74 per cent), telecom (100 per cent FDI allowed), environmental services, and auxiliary air transport services, it said.
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Frankenstein Fallacy: Fear of the AI is the Default Setting
AI is more than just safe. It's your digital bodyguard. Everyone's afraid it will go rogue. But no one talks about the fact that AI is already fighting the real rogue tech and winning. For example Microsoft uses AI to spot threats faster than any human could. MIT built AI to sniff out deepfakes with 98 per cent accuracy according to a MIT-IBM Watson Lab report, 2023. YouTube and Meta use AI to delete violent or abusive content before it goes viral, says Meta Transparency Report, Q4 2023. Basically, when it comes to stopping the worst of the internet, AI is the bouncer at the digital club. In Ukraine, AI is literally helping predict attacks and save lives on the battlefield. So let's take a step back and have a tiny existential moment. The ancient Greeks had this idea that—techne, Greek for tech—reflects the soul of its maker. So if your tech is cruel, maybe you need to work on your soul. The same applies to AI. It's not about whether the bot is good or evil. It's about what we build into it. Europe's AI Act (2024) and India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023) are trying to put some guardrails in place. But honestly? The biggest guardrail is us. Not laws. Not kill switches. Our intent to protect ourselves from our baser instincts. When ChatGPT got wrecked at chess, instead of breaking, it helped. We're not in a sci-fi thriller. We're in the tutorial level of a co-op game. And the bot is the one holding the map, helping us find the loot, while we complain that it might steal your XP. The future isn't about replacing humans. It's about teaming up with machines that don't need coffee, ego boosts, or bathroom breaks. So yeah, be cautious. Be smart. But don't be paranoid. The match isn't over. We're still playing. And the bot is just waiting to help us make the next best move. The question is are we building an evil overlord? Or a slightly awkward, insanely helpful sidekick who works 24/7 and doesn't care about credit?
Economic Times
16 hours ago
- Economic Times
Kerala's culinary identity in crisis as major coconut crunch throws cooking out of gear
Synopsis When thieves start forming organised gangs to steal coconuts from trees, you know something has gone wrong with the commodity market. In Kerala, a coconut that once cost Rs 25 now commands Rs 77— an over 200% price jump that has turned the state's most essential ingredient into an object of desire, desperation and even crime. As coconut prices soar, Kerala's farmers form vigilante squads to protect the precious fruit, restaurants measure coconut oil like liquid gold and memes mock the madness. Once G Jayapal used to sleep peacefully at night. These days, the general secretary of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association tosses and turns, haunted by visions of coconuts— not the kind you sip pina coladas from, but the humble brown orbs that have suddenly become more valuable than precious metals on India's spice coast.'My members are measuring coconut oil like it's liquid gold,' says Jayapal, whose federation represents nearly every eatery in Kerala, except the fancy restaurants in star hotels. 'We have gone from using coconut oil like water to rationing it drop by drop.'When thieves start forming organised gangs to steal coconuts from trees, you know something has gone wrong with the commodity market. In Kerala, a coconut that once cost Rs 25 now commands Rs 77— an over 200% price jump that has turned the state's most essential ingredient into an object of desire, desperation and even six months, retail prices of coconut oil have rocketed from Rs 200 a litre to about Rs 400 and Rs 500-750 in the case of premium brands — an increase that has left the state's food industry and consumers reeling. That's a bull run like Bitcoin, but unlike the abstract financial instrument, people need this stuff to eat. On a coast where coconut oil isn't just a cooking medium but cultural identity, the price explosion has created chaos that would be comedic if it weren't so economically devastating. Memes flood social media showing people fainting upon hearing coconut prices, while others joke about storing coconuts in bank lockers alongside jewellery and cash. The humour took a dark turn when dawn raids by coconut thieves became so common that farmers have formed vigilante committees to protect their groves. Coconut is central to Malayali life. Unlike in other Indian states where multiple cooking oils compete, Kerala's culinary identity revolves around the coconut palm. 'Look at a typical Kerala meal,' says Jayapal. 'Rice with sambar, fish curry, vegetable thoran, chicken fry, or even beef roast and parotta — nearly every dish uses coconut meat, coconut milk, or coconut oil.'The local saying 'enth thengayaanu' (what coconut)— an expression of exasperation that literally references coconuts—has never felt more his Ernakulam-based mill, which makes the Keradhara brand coconut oil, Venugopal PP stares at storage tanks that once held thousands of litres. His operation, like that of many local oil producers across Kerala, faces an existential threat. 'We used to get copra—dried coconut meat— for Rs 100-120 per kilo,' he says. 'Now it's Rs 280-300, when we can find it at all.'Venugopal needs 6-7 kg of copra to produce 1 litre of oil. At current prices, the raw material cost alone is Rs 1,620-1,960 per litre, before factoring in processing and labour charges and profit margins. Small wonder that premium, branded coconut oil now retails for Rs 770 per litre at supermarkets, if you can find it.'Only giants like Marico can survive this,' sighs Venugopal, referring to the consumer goods corporation behind the Parachute coconut oil. 'They buy in enormous bulk and maintain huge inventories that can weather crises like this. Many local producers are getting squeezed out of the traditional business.'The ripple effects cascade through Kerala's food ecosystem like a dropped coconut shattering on concrete. A medium-sized restaurant that once used 30 coconuts daily — some establishments use up to 100 — agonises over every kernel. Even small eateries cough up Rs 2,000 more every day, according to Jayapal, while larger establishments bleed Rs 5,000-6,000 crisis couldn't have come at a more brutal time. Already reeling from post-pandemic revenue drops and inflation squeezing customers' wallets, restaurants now face impossible arithmetic. Raise prices and they lose price-sensitive daily wage workers who depend on affordable meals. Keep prices stable and their profit margins will evaporate.'We are trapped,' sighs a restaurant owner in Thiruvananthapuram, who serves Rs 80 biryanis daily to office workers. 'If I increase prices, my customers will just walk 50 metres to the next restaurant. These are daily wage workers and office employees— they can't afford luxury. But I can't keep absorbing these costs either. Some days I wonder if I should just close down.'The desperation has forced creative adaptations. Some restaurants advertise 'limited coconut oil preparation' as a selling point to justify higher prices. Others have switched to cheaper oils for certain dishes, though food safety departments have started warning about the use of adulterated oils. A few establishments charge separately for coconut-based gravies—treating it like a premium add-on rather than a standard Vadakara, Kozhikode, seasoned copra trader Suresh Babu explains the supply-side nightmare from his modest trading office surrounded by empty warehouses. 'Domestic production has crashed,' he says. 'First, Indonesia saw its output decline, so they started buying from us. Then our own production started falling. This year everything converged.'Babu, who has traded copra for over two decades, has never seen anything like the current shortage. 'The good-quality copra we used to get has become impossible to source,' he says. He suspects some traders are exploiting the crisis. 'People are buying coconuts from here and selling them abroad at inflated prices. Some are making extra profit from the shortage.'Kerala's coconut production follows a seasonal rhythm: peak harvest from December to June, followed by high demand from July to December when festivals like Onam drive consumption. This year, when demand has peaked for the festival season, supply has hit rock reports indicate coconut production has dropped by more than 40% this year, with the Coconut Development Board noting a 50% decline over the past decade, with climate change identified as the primary K Surendran, chairman of Kerafed, Kerala's apex coconut cooperative, explains the temperature impact: 'If temperature goes above a certain range when coconuts are forming, it affects yield,' says Surendran, whose organisation handles 14,000 tonnes of Kerala's coconut oil production annually. 'Climate change is slowly affecting every commodity, but coconut got hit first and hardest.'Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu's copra-producing regions near Coimbatore, unprecedented rains ruined quality copra for the first time in six decades. 'Proper copra requires moisture content below 6%, which is impossible when traditional drying areas face unexpected deluges,' says nature only tells part of the story. Decades of farmer neglect created conditions for this crisis. When coconut prices were Rs 20-25 for years, well below the minimum support price of Rs 34, says Surendran, many farmers abandoned proper tree care. Pest control declined, nutrient management stopped, and manjappu (yellowing disease) spread through neglected palms show the cumulative effects of neglect only after five-six years. 'We stopped treating coconut farming seriously,' says Surendran. 'For too long, average prices were too low to justify intensive care. The cumulative effect comes later.'Urbanisation also accelerated the decline. Kerala's coconut-growing area shrank from 10 lakh hectares to 7.5 lakh hectares in two decades, according to the Coconut Development Board. 'Young people prefer five-cent plots for modern homes to maintaining 1-acre ancestral compounds with coconut palms,' Surendran shortage has spawned unexpected consequences. Real estate prices of coconut farms have skyrocketed as investors from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka scout for agricultural land in Kerala. Suddenly, almost-abandoned coconut groves have become investment newspapers report multiple thefts of the suddenly precious fruit. In Palakkad's Elappully panchayat, one of Kerala's largest coconut-farming regions, at least 30 farmers complained of theft in a single month. Thieves strike at dawn, breaking locks and stealing up to 200 coconuts at a time, not just taking harvested coconuts but climbing trees to pluck fresh districts like Kozhikode and Malappuram, farmers have formed vigilante committees against these agricultural pirates, pooling resources for CCTV cameras and coordinated sur- veillance. Farmers around Kuttiady— dubbed the state's coconut capital— have formed action committees monitoring the markets are compounding Kerala's pain. Increased demand from China has reportedly led to significant coconut exports from Tamil Nadu, reducing the supply available for Kerala's domestic processing needs. Virgin coconut oil exports to healthconscious American and European consumers, who have embraced coconut oil as a superfood, compete with domestic produces less than 2% of global coconut oil by volume, according to Surendran, but international demand still affects local supermarket chains, managers stock coconut oil like a luxury good rather than an everyday commodity. Oil companies like Keradhara report sales dropping by 50% as consumers stretch usage by buying 500 ml instead of 1 litre, or switch to alternatives like rice bran oil which, they sigh, rob the food of its traditional crisis exposes Kerala's coconut dependency. The state consumes 3 lakh tonnes of India's annual production of 5.5 lakh tonnes of coconut oil— more than half the national output is devoured by just 3% of the country's crisis extends beyond home kitchens. At Thiruvananthapuram's Pazhavangadi Ganapathy Temple, where thousands of coconuts are offered daily, coconut offerings have reportedly dropped by nearly 30%. Many temples have posted notices announcing fee hikes for coconut-breaking managements struggle to keep lamps burning. Vendors are refusing to supply coconut oil at earlier contract prices, forcing temples to pay premium rates. The timing couldn't be worse — the Karkidaka Pooja at Sabarimala has begun and pilgrims typically carry multiple coconuts as offerings.'This commodity has become more precious than gold,' says Surendran, noting that coconut oil prices rose 110% in six months while gold managed barely 15%.Relief may come by October, when fresh harvest traditionally stabilises supply. The July production has already shown marginal improvement, and industry players expect prices to moderate when Onam festival demand in August subsides and the new crop then, Kerala remains trapped in its coconut conundrum. The bitter irony runs deep for a state whose very name derives from 'kera,' the Malayalam word for coconut. The land that literally means 'the place of coconuts' now finds itself rationing its namesake fruit, watching helplessly as global markets and climate chaos conspire against what once seemed as reliable as the reversal of fortunes isn't lost on people like Surendran as they survey empty storage facilities. 'Farmers are the only ones really happy,' he notes. After decades of selling coconuts for Rs 25 and struggling to make ends meet, they are finally getting Rs 77 per world has indeed turned on its head: Malayalis are struggling to afford parotta and beef roasted in coconut oil even as Americans liberally drizzle it over their salads. What coconut! The writer is a Kerala-based journalist (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of
