Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (July 18) as of 9:00 a.m. UTC.
Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.
Bitcoin and Ethereum price update
Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$118,687, up by 0.8 percent in the last 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$117,829 and a high of US$120,689.
Bitcoin price performance, July 18, 2025.
Chart via TradingView
Ethereum (ETH) was priced at US$3,604.95, up by 7.2 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation as of Friday was US$3,382.09 and its highest was US$3,669.85.
Altcoin price update
- Solana (SOL) was priced at US$180.04, up by 4.1 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$172.08, and its highest was US$184.13.
- XRP was trading for US$3.45, up 7.8 percent in the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation was US$3.21, and its highest was US$3.65.
- Sui (SUI) is trading at US$4.03, down by 2.7 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation was US$3.91, and its highest was US$4.23.
- Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.8524, up by 4.3 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest violation was US$0.7885 while its highest was US$0.8865.
Today’s crypto news to know
US passes first major federal crypto regulation
The US Congress has passed the first-ever federal law to regulate stablecoins—marking a milestone victory for the digital asset industry.
The bill, formally titled the “Genius Act,” cleared the House this week after earlier winning bipartisan support in the Senate.
It now awaits President Trump’s signature, which would make it the first major digital asset legislation enacted into law in the US. The legislation establishes clear oversight for stablecoin issuers, including requirements for reserve backing, regular audits, and compliance with anti-money laundering and sanctions laws.
Lawmakers argue that such rules are necessary to ensure the safety of a fast-growing market that is pegged to the US dollar but has, until now, operated in a regulatory gray zone.
Stablecoins are used to facilitate trading, payments, and transfers within the crypto ecosystem without the volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated the law could help grow the stablecoin market to US$3.7 trillion by 2030.
Two other bills also passed the House during the so-called “Crypto Week”: one defining which crypto assets are securities or commodities, and another barring the Fed from launching a US central bank digital currency.
These bills will now proceed to the Senate, but the Genius Act’s passage alone is already being hailed as a defining moment in the evolution of U.S. crypto regulation.
Crypto market soars past US$4 trillion after bill’s passage
The global crypto market capitalization has topped US$4 trillion for the first time, spurred by optimism following the US House’s passage of federal stablecoin legislation.
Investors are piling into altcoins and crypto-related equities as momentum builds behind what markets have dubbed “Crypto Week” in Washington. Ether led the charge with a 22 percent jump over five days, while Bitcoin soared to an all-time high of US$123,205 and continues to make up over half of the market’s total value.
The gains reflect increasing confidence that a regulatory framework is finally taking shape in the world’s largest economy.
Analysts predict that the stablecoin sector alone could balloon to US$3.7 trillion by 2030, especially with state and federal guardrails in place. ETF inflows have been particularly strong this month, with US-listed Bitcoin and Ether funds attracting a combined US$8.4 billion in July.
House blocks digital dollar rollout with Anti-CBDC Act
The US House passed the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, effectively banning the Federal Reserve from issuing or piloting a digital dollar without direct approval from Congress.
The move represents growing Republican backlash against central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, which critics fear could enable state monitoring of financial transactions.
The bill passed on a razor-thin 219–217 vote, marking the third major crypto bill to clear the chamber during Washington’s so-called “Crypto Week.”
Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, CBDCs are centralized and government-controlled, raising concerns about programmability and surveillance.
With this vote, the House has now backed legislation on stablecoins, crypto market structure, and CBDCs — a trifecta of digital asset policy initiatives that now await Senate scrutiny.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
