Markets were shaken late this week after Israel launched a coordinated military strike on Iranian nuclear and military sites, triggering broad risk-off sentiment across equities and crypto. The offensive, which began on Thursday (June 13 PST), caused Bitcoin to briefly dip below $103,000, while oil prices surged and stock indices pulled back sharply. Gold and the U.S. dollar rallied as traders fled to safe havens. Though tensions remain high, crypto markets have shown signs of stabilizing heading into the weekend, with investors watching closely for signs of escalation or diplomatic response.

CLARITY Act Advances Toward Full Vote
The bipartisan CLARITY Act, aimed at providing clear jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and CFTC for digital assets, cleared two key House committees this week. The bill would establish whether a token is a security or commodity at issuance and over time, providing long-sought legal clarity for developers and exchanges. Lawmakers expect the full House to vote later this month.

Walmart and Amazon Eye Stablecoin Rollouts
Both Walmart and Amazon are reportedly exploring launching their own stablecoins to lower transaction costs and streamline payments across their vast ecosystems. However, insiders say the plans hinge on the passage of the GENIUS Act, the pending stablecoin bill that would allow non-bank entities to issue regulated digital dollars. If greenlit, the move could bring crypto into the daily lives of millions.

Bitcoin ETF Flow: Strong Early Week Inflows Fade

Bitcoin ETFs began the week with a surge of institutional confidence, pulling in over $800 million between Monday and Tuesday. IBIT and Fidelity led the inflows, with a notable $336.7 million from BlackRock on June 10. However, Thursday saw the trend cool, particularly with a sharp $197.2 million outflow from FBTC, closing the week with a modest net positive of $386 million. Overall, the activity reflected cautious optimism ahead of macro volatility later in the week.

Ethereum ETF Flow: Breakout Week with Over $530M Inflows

Ethereum ETFs saw their strongest performance in weeks, with over half a billion dollars in net inflows across major products. BlackRock’s ETHA brought in nearly $429 million, while Grayscale’s ETHE and several smaller products contributed to a broad-based bullish wave. Wednesday alone posted $240 million in net ETH ETF inflows, suggesting renewed institutional interest as Ether recovered against market jitters.

Top Gainers: LOAN Outpaces the Pack

While overall market momentum was mixed, LOAN Protocol stood out with a solid +6.5% gain on the week, buoyed by continued lending demand. Ethereum and Bitcoin managed to hold modest green territory, closing at +0.7% and +0.3% respectively. On the downside, Ripple fell -1.7%, while Litecoin posted a -3.2% decline. Price action across most majors remained relatively muted as geopolitical headlines dominated investor sentiment.

LOAN Holders: Shape the Future of Metal X Lending

LOAN Protocol governance is thriving, and your vote matters. As a $LOAN holder, you have the power to influence which markets earn rewards, which assets are added, and how the protocol grows. Simply connect your WebAuth Wallet to gov.xprnetwork.org, Join the LOAN Protocol community, review the proposals, and cast your vote.

Remember: the more $LOAN you hold, the greater your influence. And if you’ve staked your LOAN at lending.metalx.com/stake, your voting power is multiplied based on your staking duration - up to 4x. For example, if you stake 1m LOAN at 4x multiplier you instantly get 4m LOAN worth of voting power on proposals.

🗳️ Proposal 1 – Expand LOAN Rewards to XLTC and XXRP
Expanding incentives to the Litecoin and Ripple lending markets could improve liquidity, increase platform engagement, and reinforce Metal X Lending’s position as the go-to multi-chain lending platform. VOTE NOW

🗳️ Proposal 2 – Add SOL to the LOAN Lending Market
Solana (SOL) is one of the most active chains in crypto. Adding it to the LOAN Protocol would allow borrowing and lending, driving new TVL, and attracting users from the Solana ecosystem. VOTE NOW

🗳️ Proposal 3 – Add ADA to the LOAN Lending Market
Cardano (ADA) remains one of the most widely held digital assets. This proposal would enable ADA lending on Metal X, unlocking new DeFi activity and helping to grow the protocol. VOTE NOW

Whether you’re staking for 2x or maxing out at 4x voting power, now’s the time to get involved and help direct the growth of the LOAN Protocol and Metal X Lending.