CoinByte Weekly Wrap: Institutional Momentum, Convergence of Crypto and TradFi

The market posted a firmer performance than last week, with BTC rising from A$94,885 to A$101,301 and delivering a weekly gain of 5.69%, compared with 1.8% in the prior week. Ether also stayed positive at +3.15% over the past seven days, while BNB and Solana advanced 3.76% and 3.28%, respectively. By contrast, higher-beta altcoins lost momentum, with Dogecoin down 3.61% and Cardano falling 5.94%, suggesting a more selective risk appetite compared with the broader rally seen last week. Trading activity was mixed across major cryptocurrencies, with BTC spot turnover holding broadly steady at around US$50.6bn in daily average 7-day volume, while ETH, USDT, and SOL volumes softened week over week. USDT trading volume eased from roughly US$107.7bn to US$96.9bn. Overall, this week’s price action points to continued strength in large-cap crypto, led by Bitcoin, while participation across altcoins and trading volumes became more uneven.

This week highlighted continued momentum in the convergence of crypto, traditional finance, and regulatory frameworks. Institutional activity remained strong, with PayPay moving toward a Nasdaq listing to expand its digital payments business, Morgan Stanley advancing plans for integrated digital asset services, and a16z Crypto targeting a new $2 billion fund that signals sustained long-term conviction in the sector. On the regulatory side, U.S. policy debates intensified as President Trump pushed for swift passage of the Clarity Act and publicly backed the crypto industry in its dispute with banks over stablecoin yield. Meanwhile, global infrastructure development continued to accelerate: major European banks under the Qivalis initiative progressed on a euro-backed stablecoin, Hong Kong and Shanghai deepened blockchain cooperation for cross-border trade finance, and the Bank of Japan explored blockchain-based settlement experiments aimed at enabling near-instant, 24/7 transactions. Elsewhere, corporate crypto exposure remained in focus, with SpaceX’s bitcoin holdings fluctuating with market conditions and Strategy adjusting preferred share dividends amid continued weakness in its common stock—underscoring both the growing integration of digital assets into mainstream finance and the volatility that still defines the space.