Weekly Crypto Recap: Bitcoin gains, altcoin woes, and more token unlocks

The past week in crypto saw steady Bitcoin gains amid a quiet market, major blockchain events, and important token unlocks shaping investor sentiment. Institutional interest and regulatory moves also made headlines. Read Swapspace's weekly recap to learn more.

Last week's highlights

• Bitcoin outperforms with steady gains

Bitcoin (BTC) rose about 3% in June and continued its momentum into early July, hovering around $108,000. Institutional accumulation was notable, with 54 firms adding 8,400 BTC, marking the biggest weekly growth in Bitcoin treasuries this year. This reflects growing confidence among large investors and a potential breakout above $108.4K.

• Altcoins underperform amid market drift 

While Bitcoin gained, many altcoins struggled. The MarketVector Smart Contract Leaders Index fell 5% in June, highlighting ongoing altcoin weakness relative to BTC. Tokens like OP saw price drops (-8.53%), and overall altcoin volatility remained subdued.

• Major blockchain conferences drive industry focus

The Ethereum Community Conference (ETHCC8) in Paris (June 30 – July 3) spotlighted Layer 2 scaling, staking, and governance developments. Meanwhile, IVS Crypto 2025 in Kyoto (July 2-4) gathered startups and VCs to discuss Web3 adoption and innovation. Bitcoin Alaska 2025 (July 3-6) further energized the community with discussions on Bitcoin’s future.

• Significant token unlocks could impact markets

July is marked by large token unlocks exceeding $150 million, including OP tokens. These releases often increase circulating supply and can influence price dynamics, warranting close investor attention.

• Price predictions and AI influence

Analysts and AI models, including ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, offered bullish price predictions for XRP and Bitcoin Cash by year-end 2025, reflecting optimism despite recent market volatility.

Last week’s stats

Top gainers

• Bonk (BONK) – 53.89%
• Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) – 13.50%
• FLOKI (FLOKI) – 12.04%

Top losers

• Sei (SEI) – 11.68%
• Pi (PI) – 11.01%
• Jito (JTO) – 10.01%

Key pairs

• BTC/USD: $108.987
• ETH/USD: $2.557
• BTC/ETH: 42.63

What to watch this week?

• Continued institutional Bitcoin accumulation

With recent record inflows into Bitcoin treasuries, watch for whether this trend sustains and pushes BTC prices toward the $136,000 target some analysts forecast for July.

• Outcomes from ongoing blockchain events

Insights and announcements from ETHCC8 and IVS Crypto 2025 may drive short-term market movements, especially around Ethereum upgrades and Web3 adoption strategies.

• Token unlock effects

Monitor how the release of large token batches, notably OP and others, affect liquidity and price trends in the altcoin sector.

• Regulatory developments 

The new crypto regulation panel including Aptos CEO may influence policy direction, impacting market sentiment and compliance requirements.

In conclusion, Bitcoin’s steady growth and increasing institutional interest continue to support the overall crypto market. Meanwhile, altcoins face challenges due to large token unlocks and cautious investor sentiment. In this evolving landscape, access to a wide range of cryptocurrencies remains important. SwapSpace offers an easy way to buy Bitcoin, altcoins, and other digital assets with our step-by-step guide.