Bitcoin (BTC) encountered significant selling pressure on Thursday, with a substantial "sell wall" forming above the $105,000 mark, hindering further price increases. This resistance coincides with anticipation surrounding a crucial US trade tariff ruling, which could have broader implications for the stock market and potentially influence cryptocurrency movements.

Ethereum's scalability has reached a new peak, with the network recording an unprecedented 24,192 transactions per second (TPS). This remarkable achievement was largely driven by the integration of the high-speed layer 2 solution, Lighter, which has significantly boosted the network's processing power. The milestone has ignited enthusiasm among Ethereum proponents, often referred to as "ETH maxis," who see it as a validation of Ethereum's scaling capabilities.

Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies Zcash and Dash are experiencing a notable surge in attention and value, reflecting a growing demand for enhanced financial privacy in the digital age. This renewed interest comes as users increasingly seek alternatives to transparent public blockchains, which can expose transaction details.

Mastercard has announced a significant investment of $2 billion into its cryptocurrency initiatives, signaling a major commitment to integrating digital assets into its global payment network. This substantial financial backing is expected to accelerate the development of crypto-related services and potentially reshape traditional banking operations by enabling 24/7 transaction capabilities.

Crypto fintech firm Ripple has announced a significant strategic investment of $500 million, valuing the company at $40 billion. This substantial funding round comes on the heels of a remarkable surge in the price of XRP, the cryptocurrency co-founded by Ripple's creators. The investment underscores growing confidence in Ripple's business strategy and the broader digital asset market.

In a landmark transaction, UBS and Chainlink have successfully completed the first on-chain redemption of a tokenized fund. This significant achievement utilizes Chainlink's Digital Transfer Agent (DTA) and underscores the growing integration of blockchain technology within the massive global fund industry, estimated at $100 trillion.

Hinkal, a privacy-focused blockchain company incubated at Stanford, has launched the Invisible Wallet, a new cryptocurrency wallet designed to shield users' on-chain transaction histories. This innovative wallet aims to provide a higher degree of privacy for digital asset interactions, allowing users to engage with decentralized applications without exposing their financial activities.

A sophisticated malware campaign has been detected targeting bitcoinlib, a widely-used open-source Python library essential for creating and managing Bitcoin wallets. The malicious packages, disguised as fixes for transfer errors, aimed to steal sensitive database files and drain user funds. This incident highlights the growing threat of software supply chain attacks within the cryptocurrency space.

Renowned crypto analyst Willy Woo has expressed confidence that MicroStrategy, a major holder of Bitcoin, will not face liquidation of its digital asset holdings even if the cryptocurrency experiences another significant bear market. This prediction comes amid ongoing discussions about the financial stability of companies heavily invested in Bitcoin.

Bitcoin's price momentum appears to be waning, leading many analysts to question the previously optimistic forecasts for the cryptocurrency's performance in 2025. Recent sharp declines and signs of distribution from long-term holders suggest a potential cooling-off period, with some experts predicting further downside if key support levels are not reclaimed.